Technology

@Squadron:

I wonder too if it would make sense to start out the first available fighters at 2 movement. There were dramatic improvements in aircraft engines during the war, even comparing a Fokker E.I from 1915-ish it had barely half the horsepower of the later Fokker D.VII and max speed was about 70 km/h less.

Basic fighters (when available): 1/1/2 movement

• • • 2/2/2
• • • 3/3/3/
• • • 4/4/3

I wonder though - would late war fighters be 4/4 units?  That seems VERY potent for a WW1 fighter.

Lets not get too complicated with morale for now. Just talk strictly tech.

The major change to the tech system itself I would make however is that research dice cost 1 IPC, you roll them, then are allowed to buy any of the techs you rolled for 5 IPCs.
So if you buy 3 rolls and roll 3,5,6. You can pay 5 IPCs to buy tech #3, #5 or #6

Here is a temporary list of techs, they need refined.

Air/Naval Techs
1. Armed Transports - Your transports may fire defensively at 1
2. Advanced Aeronautics - Your aircraft become 2/2/3
3. Mine Detectors - Roll a die before your ships attack into a minefield: That many of your ships are immune to enemy mines.
4. Observation Balloons - In battles where no aircraft are present, one of your artillery counts as having air support.
5. Advanced Submarines - If you opt to submerge, all enemy ships may only fire at ‘1’ when trying to sink you.
6. Sea Plane Tenders - Your planes may take off and land from transports (as long as they are the only unit it carries)

Land/Economic Techs
1. Tanks - You may build tanks before turn 4, after turn 4 the first tank you buy each turn costs 1 IPC less. (NEEDS REPLACED PROBABLY)
2. War Bonds - At the end of your turn roll two dice, collect the higher number as IPCs
3. Chemical Warfare - Roll a die when attacking a territory, 1-3: remove that many enemy infantry; 4-6: No effect (One Territory Per Turn Only)
4. Conscription - When you buy 3 Infantry, receive a 4th free.
5. Radio Communications - During combats where friendly forces are also in the contested zone, roll a die. That many friendly artillery may also participate in the attack
6. Advanced Locomotives - Roll a die, that many of your infantry may move 3 spaces this turn (amongst friendly territories worth 2 IPCs or more)

Didn’t chemical warfare sometime affect your own troops?

Still don’t know exactly how air supremacy combat works, but remember that aircraft only ever get one shot in a land battle and none at sea. Fighters were much more effective at strafing land units towards the end of the war, so I don’t think a 4-4 fighter in 1918 is that unrealistic.

Actually, I would like there to be NO fighters to start with, rather starting aircraft are largely unarmed multi-purpose planes; 1-1 in combat but with a range of 4.

Fighters are introduced as techs, cheaper initially and with only 2 movement, but increasingly effective in combat.

Regarding bombers, Russia and Italy began the war with these, so they’re not really a tech as such. Its the will to build them that was lacking. However, as the fronts stabilize into a war of attrition bombing enemy capitals to sap morale can become an important tactic.

Regarding techs in general, every one introduced in this war was copied by the enemy and put into production soon afterwards, so the advantage of having a tech should last only as long as it takes the enemy to copy it. The trick is to simulate this while still making the investment worthwhile.

I was going to say, it would be crap for one country to get ‘tanks’ or ‘aircraft’ and the other side not able to roll a 6…

Well yes, machine guns were a big weight gain for early war aircraft.

Actually the starting planes would be larger all-round planes, built for reconnaissance roles, and later adapted for light bombing. They could drop a few small bombs (vs ground), and fire hand guns at enemy aircraft, but were hardly fighters. These unit would not upgrade, but would still have their uses.

When the first true fighters appeared they were smaller, lighter, built for speed and hence had a limited range.

I think I’d still like to see planes have the ability to land back in their starting tts; it seems strange that they can only land in an areas just occupied. Makes the game simpler, though. Certainly not viable for bombers/airships, which need to return to base after bombing behind enemy lines.

There is definitely no tech development in the game rules.

I’m pretty sure that was confirmed a while ago, but even then… Tech could definitely make a more interesting game.

Well if we are serious about tech then we should reach a consensus as a community on a few issues and try and get a STANDARD TECH house rule.

12 techs or 6?
How should research work? Roll Random? Tech Tokens? Targeted Tech? A different way?
What should the techs be?

Lets not get TOO complicated. And lets draw from what we already have in 1940. War Bonds, Advanced Artillery

Im putting my foot down on planes going from 1/1, to 2/2, to 3/3 to 4/4 no……no no no
Larry wouldnt do that.
Larry would do Jets
And jets means your planes change ONCE and only ONCE to a new stat line.
So aircraft changing to 2/2 is balanced and fair. Not too strong, not overpowered compared to powers without the tech.
Just like how jets don’t become 4/4, then 5/5.

Apparently Gas is a must have tech. Machine guns, Radios, Grenades, were all other big advances of the period.
What other advances can we think of.

Lets brainstorm.

Have depth charges where cruisers get some of the abilities of destroyers. Something like, subs can’t submerge when fighting a cruiser. Gives the allies a chance against the rampaging German subs.

I think Gas is not good.  Wasn’t it just as dangerous to the army deploying it as it was to the enemy???

In the early stages it was, by the end of the war they had gotten the methods of using it down.

@Makoshark13:

Have depth charges where cruisers get some of the abilities of destroyers. Something like, subs can’t submerge when fighting a cruiser. Gives the allies a chance against the rampaging German subs.

Would suck for a CP to roll this tech.

I think there should be some separate tech for CP and for the Allies.

Certainly plausible.
Perhaps a good replacement for “Armed Transports”.

As it stands my proposed techs are:
Air/Naval Techs
1. Undersea Warfare - Your Cruisers prevent enemy subs from submerging at a 1:1 ratio and your Subs may submerge before the first round of combat.
2. Advanced Aeronautics - Your aircraft become 2/2/3
3. Mine Detectors - Roll a die before your ships attack into a minefield: That many of your ships are immune to enemy mines (your choice).
4. Observation Balloons - In battles where no aircraft are present, one of your artillery counts as having air support.
5. Advanced Mines - Your Naval mines strike enemy ships on ‘2’ or less.
6. Naval Aviation - Your Battleships may serve as a landing space for one of your own aircraft. Battleships attack and defend at 5 with naval air superiority.

Land/Economic Techs
1. Tank Pioneer - You may build tanks before turn 4, after turn 4 you can buy tanks for 5 IPCs.
2. War Bonds - At the end of your turn roll two dice, collect the higher number as IPCs
3. Chemical Warfare - Roll a die before attacking a territory, 1-3: remove that many enemy infantry; 4-6: No effect (One Territory Per Turn Only)
4. Conscription - Each time you buy 4 Infantry, receive a 5th free.
5. Radio Communications - During combats where friendly forces are also in the contested zone, roll a die. That many friendly artillery may also participate in the attack
6. Advanced Transportation - Roll a die, that many of your infantry may move 3 spaces this turn (amongst friendly territories worth 2 IPCs or more)

6 Techs only. This does not look like a 12 tech game.

Every 4th turn a player may select one free tech

Example:
On turn 4 each player may select one free tech
On turn 8 each player may select one free tech
Tanks are no longer automatic ( unless you research or select it)

Six Techs:
Bombers: Your fighters can now perform SBR attacks to the limit of IPC they are bombing. They can also move +2 spaces
Gas Attacks: If you got at least one artillery, you can assign one gas attack during your attack against a territory. You get one extra die roll (3 or less) in combat.
Gas Masks: If you are attacked by gas, roll one die and 3 or less cancels the gas attack against you.
Strategic Artillery: Any adjacent artillery you control may fire in battle hitting at 1
Tanks: tanks may be built use OOB rules
Battle-cruisers: Cruisers may move +1 extra space and take 2 hits

If you want to research Tech early, pay 5 IPC for each roll, but the technology you get is random ( the only ones you get to choose are on every 4th turn)

According to djensen’s battle board photo, fighters are 2/2/2.

“Remove one enemy fighter for each die roll of 1 or 2.
Remaining fighters strafe enemy positions.
Remove one enemy land units for each die roll of 1 or 2.”

Edited to fix spelling.