Technology

I just wanted to point out the idea how research ought to be handled derived from real research!

I still haven’t got my copy so I cannot judge from playing experience.

But: Germany might have 35 to 40 at its disposal at the start of R2. So why should 5 IPCs - or 3 if you lower the original A&A cost - be “unaffordable” if - and only if:

1. The techs are actually useful/powerful
2. The risk of lossing all money is significantly reduced (4,5,6 with some kind of success instead of only 6)

Regarding 1.:
Forgot to mention that in my opinion a power should be able to directly assign a certain tech to be researched!
Not: In A&A, I research on a strange “column 2” as USA hoping for some ship improvement and accidently get radar!
OR let me say: If you try to improve submarines, you don’t end up with longer-ranged aircraft! :wink:

Or, just give everyone 1 or 2 free tech rolls every turn

Every 4 turns each nation should get one tech of their choosing. The economics of this game are more like Milton Bradley, which messed up the balance if players went for broke and bought all tech. This makes the poorer nations at a disadvantage. So if you could choose a tech periodically, it would take the urge to buy it less. The strategy would always be there as players would pick different techs depending on need.

Paying for a tech would be possible, but i insist that is random research and only 6 techs. Using the Milton Bradley tech system would work.

Of course, if you randomly roll for a tech you got, you just reroll.

Lastly, each nation should have ONE Tech/NA that conveys the flavor of that nation only. For example, Germany had Zeppelins and nobody else.

This makes a unique playing experience.

Two types of transport:

1. Freighters (old type) can carry any 2 land units/planes; have combat value of 1.

2. Liners (new type) can carry infantry only up to 3 units; no combat value.

Maybe the combat value for freighters can be treated as a tech (Q ship), but only if it has cargo space.

Some kind of gunboat; can motor up rivers into a land tt. Helps to keep an army in supply…

New units arent tech. National Advantages maybe…

A while back I had this as a rule, so lets tweak it a hair.

3 IPCs per roll
1-2 No effect
3-4 Tech Token ( set aside a marker and roll again next turn)
5-6 Breakthrough

Choose chart 1 or 2 and roll as many dice as you got breakthroughs. You may pick ONE from any of those techs.

So if you buy 6 dice for 18, and roll 1,2,3,4,5,6 you get two tokens and two rolls.
You roll both on chart 1 and can pick from either ADVANCED FIGHTERS or CHEMICAL WARFARE

You pick advanced fighters and can roll 2 next turn.

OK. How are we dividing the 12 techs?

Either land/econ and air/naval

Or CP/Allies.

Here’s the opening proposal. The first chart is CP leaning, the second chart is Allied leaning. I’m surer about the placement of some techs than others.

Chart 1

1 - Super Submarines - During sea combat, super submarines fire before all other ships, whether on attack or defense. Casualties from a super submarine attack are destroyed before they can return fire.

2 - Chemical Warfare - In one attack this turn, roll a die: 1-4 that many infantry do not roll defensively; 5-6: No effect. If used against you, halve the number of immobilized infantry.

3 - Stormtrooper Tactics - Attacking infantry with artillery support roll at 4 or less.

4 - Increased Production - Tank and Fighter costs are reduced by 1 IPC.

5 - Motorized Transportation - Infantry, Artillery, and Tanks that begin movement in your capital may move 2 spaces, subject to all other movement rules.

6 - Advanced Aviation - Fighters attack and defend at 3 or less.

Chart 2

1 - Improved Shipyards - Naval units cost 1 IPC less.

2 - Battle Cruisers - Cruisers attack at 4 or less, but still defend at 3 or less. Additionally, cruisers may perform offshore bombardment at 3.

3 - Anti-Submarine Warfare - Your cruisers prevent enemy subs from submerging in combat or moving through them at a 1:1 ratio.

4 - Anti-Aircraft Guns - Artillery may target fighters before combat begins, hitting at 1, limited to the number of artillery available or the number of fighters present, whichever is smaller.

5 - Aerial Photography - If you have air supremacy, your artillery can support 2 units instead of one.

6 - Wireless Communications - During combats where friendly forces are also in the contested zone, roll a die. Up to that many friendly artillery are used to boost your attacking forces on a 1:1 ratio, but may not participate in combat.

First, thinking about swapping Increased Production and Aerial Photography.

Second, here’s a write up of the tech rules.

Research and Development
(The Research and Development Phase takes precedes the Purchase and Repair Units Phase)

In this phase, you may attempt to develop improved military technology. To do so, you buy dice that give you a chance for a scientific breakthrough.

Research & Development Sequence
1. Buy research dice
2. Redeem researcher tokens
3. Roll research dice
4. Roll breakthrough dice
5. Mark developments

Step 1: Buy Research Dice
Each die costs 3 IPCs. Buy as many as you wish, including none.

Step 2: Redeem Researcher Tokens
Discard your researcher tokens, claiming one research die for each researcher token.

Step 3: Roll Research Dice
Roll your research dice and assess the results.

Failure: If you roll a “1” or “2,” your research has failed.

Progress: If you roll a “3” or “4,” your research has progressed, but no breakthroughs have been made. Take one researcher token for each “3” or “4” you roll. Researcher tokens entitle you to roll free research dice on your next turn, one for each researcher token.

Success: If you roll at least one “5” or “6,” you have successfully made a technological breakthrough.

Step 4. Roll Breakthrough Dice
If you rolled a “5” or “6” on any research die, choose one of the two breakthrough charts and roll all your successful research dice to see which technological advance you get. You can only receive one advance each turn. Once the breakthrough dice are rolled, choose one of the breakthroughs on the chart whose number matches one of the dice you rolled.

For example, you had 2 successful research dice. You choose Breakthrough Chart 1 and reroll your successful research dice, resulting in a “1” and a “2.” You may choose between Super Submarines and Chemical Warfare.

If you have already received the same result on a previous turn, reroll until you get a new technological advance. Once you have received all the advances on a chart, you cannot gain any more advances from that chart.

Step 5: Mark Developments
If your research was successful, place one of your national control markers inside the appropriate advancement box on the research & development chart. Your development becomes effective immediately.

Any number of powers may develop the same technology, but powers cannot share their technology.

Excellent writeup.

We may be ready to take it to Larrys forum and shove it in his face.
Who knows, maybe they can put it on the last page of the FAQ as an official optional rule.

Tanks is a must.
They were not available 1914 and were introduced 1916.
Drop one of those vague “I have no better idea”-research techs instead (like Improved Shipyards)

“Stormtrooper Tactics” isn’t a tech but a German National Advantage.

Not sure you can make the ‘tank’ (in other words one of 3 land units available in the game) as a tech- what if by chance the CPs roll and roll and roll and never get tanks?

I would prefer either a turn or two of having the new tech before the other side copies it -or- you pick your tech you get every 4th, 6th, etc turn.

Well if the two tech charts were aligned by Central Powers Techs and Allied Techs then we could have a special rule that you can re-roll your dice on a chart if it is your home tech.
Or that you get a free random tech every 4th turn on your chart.

Im not sure powers that spend nothing should get any techs, but can we all agree that 3 IPCs for a roll is better than 5, and a blend of failure, tokens and breakthrough at 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 respectively is an ENORMOUS shift in the positive towards tech.

The element of chance still exists, as does the fact you may roll again next turn thanks to the tokens, and that breakthroughs are on 5 AND 6 now

@BJCard:

Not sure you can make the ‘tank’ (in other words one of 3 land units available in the game) as a tech- what if by chance the CPs roll and roll and roll and never get tanks?

I would prefer either a turn or two of having the new tech before the other side copies it -or- you pick your tech you get every 4th, 6th, etc turn.

That’s why we enjoy Cavalry so much in “Central Powers & Entente”! :wink:

But seriously,
if one of the most famous inventions of WWI isn’t represented in the techs, what’s the point of tech anyway?

In fact, it isn’t that you cannot win the game without tanks (as is, the advantage given is relatively small!).
And, as oztea correctly stated, with some progression elements in addition to the original breakthrough complete failure is minimized anyway!

P.S.: Yes, I agree! It IS cool to have tanks on the board (but they weren’t present in numbers before 1917 in the real war!)

What about these? http://www.historicalboardgaming.com/HBG-Factory-Marker-Acrylic-_p_809.html The could have different values and produce units at different costs

Hey Flash, how about these? http://www.historicalboardgaming.com/HBG-Armored-Train-Marker-Acrylic_p_975.html

They’re OK; but where are the frickin’ laser beams?

Conscription, your infantry cost 2 IPC.

Thats overpowered, buy 4 and get one free was the alternative.

Axis and Allies techs don’t introduce units, they modify existing units.

The French, British, and Germans all developed stormtrooper tactics, but the Germans really ran with it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stormtrooper#Development_of_tactics

Or, perhaps:

http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=29558.15

Stormtrooper discussion starts about half way down and continues on the next page. :-D

It not an alternative, if you buy 3 infantry you gain noting.
Test before critic an idea.