HBG's Global War 1939 FAQ

Very good question themojaverattler, we had similar reservations on this too (I should have posted something weeks ago)

Honestly, we tweaked the naval rules in our two games. We did not use most of the sub/dd rules in our two games. We didn’t really understand the rules in our first game, and decided to forgo them in the second one. There was so much going on so we thought it best to keep things more familiar at sea.  We did detection on a 1:1 basis, but after that did all sea battles as you would in G40. WE also modified damaged battleships to 1/2 value defending at 4 (same as a destroyer to give you a better choice when choosing casualties). We did like being able to retrieve planes w/damaged carriers (treated like cargo until repaired). We also liked and used carriers and transports only fire at air units, and the naval base AA gun is cool.

Although we didn’t use the sub rules, I understand the intent in attacks that once a destroyer detects a sub, only cruisers & air can hit it. From what I gather the role of the DD is only detection, and doesn’t get to fire in attacks at a detected sub (which we found strange).

The main reason we didn’t use the sub rules as written was because in defense how ships become defenseless w/o destroyer as discussed in themojaverattler’s post above. It just didn’t seem right to allow 1 sub to kill off battleships and/or cruisers w/o firing a shot. Nor because they have 1 more sub than you have dd (although more subs can be detected in later rounds of battle, but at the cost of more valuable ships). I know subs are sneaky little bast**** but we thought that gave them too much power (in WW2) only allowing subs to fire at undetected subs when a dd isn’t in the defensive fleet. I know the emphasis is to buy destroyers and all powers start with a lot, but it still seemed over the top (should have mentioned this much earlier, sorry).

I see you’re looking at making a change here.

Here are some things we didn’t care for, or weren’t sure about, please don’t take it the wrong way.

1a) DD doesn’t fire at subs, it only detects them. Not sure if the dd is allowed to detect subs, and fire at enemy surface ships too (which would seem kinda weird to be focusing on subs, and BTW fire at that cruiser, but not at the sub we are looking for). Also not sure if in attacks when subs are detected, are the air & cruisers locked into the subs only, or can their hits be applied to other ships?

1b) The rules for subs don’t allow for the 1:1 match up for attacking dd vs sub (dd doesn’t fire in attacks) I would miss that. Maybe allow the dd to detect, and fire at 1/2 its value. It would allow for these tiny epic battles. It would put an attacking dd and def sub at the same values (2’s). You could bring in air and cruisers if you want to pound them.

Suggestion: Have any dd that detects a sub attack at 1/2 its value (2 or less) and only fire at subs? Destroyers not used for detection (by default) attack as normal.

2. No defense for a fleet vs undetected subs, other then defensive subs?

2b) Not using the 12 sided dice to modify ships defending vs undetected subs? If sub is undetected def ships could have different values maybe (-2 or even 1/2 their normal def?).

2c) Cruisers have a role in attacking subs, but are defenseless if attacked. In the very least allow cruisers to def against undetected sub at 1/2 value? Wouldn’t the sub be giving up position to attack being on or near the surface.

3. As a trade off to ships being able to def against undetected subs (maybe at a lower value), allow undetected subs to target if they hit 1/2 their value (or lower) 1 in def, 2 in attacks (even with wolf pack). This last one is probably over the top as they do get a kill shot.

@Variable:

In 5.0 rules, destroyers get to detect and fire on subs. Sorry if that wasn’t clear. We are very close to finishing this up. Thanks for your input!

Well that clears things up a bit, now just to figure out if defending ships can fire at undetected subs at some level.

Thank you for getting back to me. I was just not sure about this rule. Now you say it is pretty much is how it reads. On one hand I think subs seem to be a little over powered in the sense 1 lone sub could very attack a carrier which is being protected by say 1 or 2 battleships and 1 or 2 cruisers. Since there is no destroyers in the battle all ships would be removed without even getting a shot back since none of these ships can hit an undetected sub. On the other hand in a large sea battle this would keep a player from using undetected subs to soak up hits from ships which can not hit an undetected sub.

Just an observation.

The destroyer has become a very influential surface war ship in this game. I like that you need many of these “inf of the sea”, and that you start with a bunch. Once the battles get going though, you’re forced to make decisions and take causalities that you wouldn’t take in other AA games. I like the fact that the rules by design favor a diversified fleet, and more valuable ships are sometimes taken as causalities.

Example: In attacks, or def do you take a hit on your BB in the first round of battle, or start giving up your destroyers. The BB is expensive and would need to find its way back to port to repair (which is no longer free), and if damaged defends weaker then a dd in the next round of battle (or in a counter attack). You may need a couple dd’s if the enemy can counter attack w/subs, or double hit you with another power.

Fleet defense is a problem though as pointed out w/o destroyers in the mix. This could be from previous battles (pointed out above) that leave you vulnerable. Subs coming up on a fleet might attempt a hit & run, but after the first couple torpedo’s are fired their positions would be given up so their not going to hang around. I think that destroyers are represented as the sub hunter unit, and rightfully so, but cruisers played some role here and should probably be able to defend against subs in some way. An easy fix would be to allow cruisers to fire in defense of undetected subs at some scale. I wouldn’t like all units to be able to defend against undetected subs (especially at their normal def rolls), because it would take out the hit & runs that subs were so good at.

Maybe allow cruisers (and possibly battleships, see below) to fire at undetected subs at 1/2 value (detected subs are taken before undetected, but roll separately so if a cruiser rolled a 3 or less undetected sub(s) are eligible as a causality once the detected subs are gone). Maybe also allow undetected subs to fire their kill shot, and also submerge only if no enemy destroyers are present (would only get one kill shot each if they submerge in a hit & run). This follows the current rules of subs only being able to submerge if no enemy destroyer is present in the sea zone. Keeping in mind that any sub detected would remain detected throughout the entire battle by rule regardless of if the destroyers on the other side are killed off (they can’t increase the number of undetected subs, but you can detect more subs if the destroyer start to out number the subs as the battle rages on). If the last destroyer is killed off any undetected subs remaining would then be allowed to fire and also submerge. If the undetected sub(s) don’t submerge right after they fire, allow cruisers (maybe battleships?) to return fire at 1/2 def value. Also keep in mind that undetected subs also have the option to retreat from the sz (w/enemy dd present), so wouldn’t take fire if they choose to retreat from the cruiser (or battleship if also allowed to return fire).

Edit
**If you also allow battleships to return fire you run into a problem if BB is damaged (fires at 3 in def) unless you make a change to damaged bb’s fire at 4 (instead of 3), and 1/2 of that would be 2 (when returning fire at undetected subs that didn’t submerge). PS yes I would like to see the BB def at 4 if damaged (have the def of a DD) but that’s a different debate LOL.

I’m probably over thinking this, and making it much more difficult then need be, I know they will address this issue and get it right.

Hi,

we play with 5.1. rules.

Where can a coastel Sub or battleship move???
No “open water” is clear, but can e.g. the brazilian coastel battleship (activated by british navy) move to Africa or has it to stay at the brazilian coast.

Very Important is the rule for the spanish navy, when taken over by Germany.

A neutral destroyer or transport can move everywhere when occupaid by an either the axis or allies?!?!

And where can an escaped costel battleship move e.g. the norway navy??? After escape the navy is normally at a british coast, because you cannot join the soviet navy, because soviet navy ist still neutral an not allied. Can you escape into a battle? If Germany attacks the british navy in North Sea and occupies Oslo at the same time?

And a special question is what happens to the Dutch navy?? Can you use the dutch transport to attack an Island with ANZAC Infantry??

The last Question about navy, can the finnish destroyer + figter attack the soviet destroyer without declaration of war against soviet union and the soviet destroyer + airplanes the finnish destroyer without being at war with germany. And what happens when german navy is in the same seazone as the finnish?

Thanks for clarification!

In the rulebook you can read, that the first troop you have to build in South Africa and the first 3 troops in India have to be “Infantry”.

Does it mean only “Foot” Infantry (includes Commando)or can you also build Mechanized Infantry???

Can you build a fortification in India (FEC) with money (IPC´s) from Commonwealth or has India to spent the money.
The Question includes air- and navelbases.

One Question about activation of Minor Axis.

Can you activate Finland at the first impulse of Blitzkrieg (1.Turn) and move the finish troops in the second Impulse of Blitzkrieg or can you only move the finish troops in the second Turn of Game???

The Question includes hungarian and romanian troops!!!

Includes the +2 Defense by fortifications in the first round of combat also mechanized Infantry or only “foot” infantry???

One more Question

Can National China attack an japanese held Burma??

In the rulebook you can read, that Chinese troops can attack any japanese held territory.
But also you cannot “move” troops into any original FEC territrory except Hong Kong.

What is true???

Is there a special Canal rule like turkish straights or Suez Canal for Denmark Straight???

Star of Africa,

There is no canal rule for the Denmark Straight.  I understand that new rules are being discussed, but for now, all nations can move through them.

National China may only attack original Japanese-held territories and the French colonies.  They may not enter any original FEC territory except for HK, so Burma cannot be entered.

Coastal battleships and subs must remain adjacent to a territory containing their original roundels.  So, the Brazilian battleship cannot enter African waters.

A neutral destroyer or transport can move anywhere when controlled by the axis or allies.

And where can an escaped costel battleship move e.g. the norway navy???  The rules are unclear on this.  For our house rules, we state that an escaped coastal battleship moves to the nearest allied port and then becomes fixed in place, as per the Vichy rules.

If the Dutch fleet becomes controlled by the allies, the dutch transport could move ANZAC troops (it could move any allies’ troops).

The last Question about navy, can the finnish destroyer + figter attack the soviet destroyer without declaration of war against soviet union and the soviet destroyer + airplanes the finnish destroyer without being at war with germany.  If the Russians attack Finland, then the Finnish destroyer and fighter can attack the Russian destroyer.  As long as Russia and Germany are not at war, German ships would be ignored.

The first troop you have to build in South Africa and the first 3 troops in India have to be Infantry.  Mechanized infantry do not count.  I believe Commandos are not considered infantry.

Can you build a fortification in India (FEC) with money (IPC´s) from Commonwealth or has India to spent the money.
The Question includes air- and navelbases.  I would say, no, FEC must spend the money to buy fortications, air bases, and naval bases on FEC territories.  UK can only build units.

You can activate Finland at the first impulse of Blitzkrieg (1.Turn) and move the Finnish troops in the second Impulse of Blitzkrieg.  This applies to Hungary and Romania as well.

The +2 Defense by fortifications in the first round of combat applies only to “foot” infantry.

Thanks Moose11,

your answers are very logical, but we play Commandos are Infantry like regular Infantry, only with special values :-) for building them in South Afrika or India.

I think, not allowing to build mechanized Infantry in these two countries instead of regular Infantry seems very hard for the UK.

The only open Question is now for me, the role of the Dutch countries and Navy.
Is there any solution awaiting?

Sorry for asking again,

but there is an obscurity about East Poland.

There are two different versions in the rules. 1. There is a state of war between russia and Germany if East Poland is under german controll after turn 1 of Germany.
                                                                2. Or is there also a state of war when Germany occupies East Poland in Turn 2 or later?

In 5.0 Setup Romania gets 4 IPC’s per turn, in the 5.1 rules it collects 6 IPC’!?
What is correct???

FEC and South Africa have very limited building capacity.  The intent of the infantry build order is to limit what can be purchased, unless the U.K. builds troops on Calcutta or South Africa as well.  Infantry does not comprise mechanized infantry.

The game creators are attempting to work out the kinks with the Dutch countries.  For a house rule, we state that Holland and the DEI are neutral until a Dutch territory is captured by the axis.  Once this happens, the remaining countries must be activated by the allies, one by one.  If Holland falls, then the neutral rules on page 30 to determine  the new loyalties of each ship must be followed.

We play that if Germany captures East Poland at any time, Russia is automatically at war with Germany.

Romania provides 4 IPCs to Germany’s economy and has an economy of 6 IPCs.

Happy playing!!!

Thanks again!

Hi,

I got also an answer to the following question on http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/930111/south-africa-and-india :

Can you build a fortification in India (FEC) with money (IPC´s) from Commonwealth or has India to spent the money.
The Question includes air- and navelbases.  I would say, no, FEC must spend the money to buy fortications, air bases, and naval bases on FEC territories.  UK can only build units.

The answer there:

UK can spend money to build FEC facilities but still must satisfy the infantry build requirement

Now I am a little bit confused?!

Can anyone give me an Official answer!?

You can read:

For all Pro-Axis and Pro-
Allied neutrals, armies
increase by 1 Infantry
every 2 turns if not
activated. These extra
infantry are placed in the
capital territories of each
neutral country.

So the first time at the beginning or end of turn 2 ???

Page 12 of the rules states, “New facilities can be placed in any friendly territory you have controlled since the beginning of the turn.”  Allied territories are considered friendly territories, therefore the U.K. should be able to purchase facilities and place them on French, ANZAC, Canadian, South African, or FEC territories.  I would also suggest that these can be built on Chinese territories once Japan is at war with the Commonwealth.

Any comments, Variable or Tigerman?

For our house rules, we add infantry to the capital cities of all neutral capital territories, including true neutrals, at the end of turn 2.

Hi Moose11,

if UK can also build facilities in Chinese territories,
so the US can build the complete infrastructure of their allied ???

Once the U.S. is at war with the Axis, yes.  Until they are at war, they are not allied with anyone.

Mark

You are doing a great job Moose11.  Right now we are working on a version 6.0 of the rules that will have soe big and small changes. We will also be sure to highlight all changes made from 5.1to 6.0.  Thanks for all the input!