Japan’s starting IC violates the island prohibition, even in the OOB game, which always struck me as inconsistent.
Japan is not an island, its a continent like Europe, Africa, Greenland or Australia.
Grasshopper’s modified National Objectives
GERMANY
SOVIET UNION
5 IPCs if sea zone #125 is free of Axis warships, and Archangel as well as London are under allied control (part 1 of 2 which replaces National Prestige from oob)
5 IPCs if there are no allied units on any originally controlled Russian territories (part 2 of 2 which replaces National Prestige from oob)
JAPAN
5 IPCs if Japan controls all original Chinese territories (in additional to oob national objectives)
5 IPCs if Japan controls all 4 of the following islands, Iwo Jima, Marianas, Wake, and Midway (part 1 of 2 which replaces outer perimeter)
10 IPCs if Japan controls all 4 of the following islands, Dutch New Guinea, New Guinea, New Britain, and Solomon Islands (part 1 of 2 which replaces outer perimeter)
UNITED STATES
10 IPCs if the Allies control all 5 of the following islands, Iwo Jima, Marianas, Wake, Midway, and Hawaiian islands (in additional to oob national objectives)
5 IPCs if the Allies control all 4 of the following islands, Paulau island, Caroline islands, Marshall Islands, and Hawaiian islands (in addition to oob national objectives)
CHINA - Same as oob national objectives
UNITED KINGDOM EUROPE
5 IPCs if there are no German or Italian submarines on the board (in additional to oob national objectives)
5 IPCs if the United States are at war with the Axis powers (in additional to oob national objectives)
UNITED KINGDOM PACIFIC
ITALY
ANZAC - Same as oob national objectives
FRANCE - Same as oob national objectives
Hey GH, to the extent the purpose of these NOs is to create balance and generate more action in certain theaters (specifically, Pacific island hopping), I would urge you to adopt the revised NOs that are part of G40 Balance Mod, since it already has a large following and has been extensively play tested in League and elsewhere. I would be curious to hear if you feel there is any area where these NOs address a need that the Balance Mod NOs do not.
That being said, here are some thoughts on your proposed objectives (my comments are in bold italics).
Grasshopper’s modified National Objectives
GERMANY
This is indeed one area where the current version of Balance Mod has no corresponding NO. That may soon change. The NO we are considering is 5 IPCs if Germany controls London OR Egypt (if Germany controls both, it still only gets 5 Pus). We wrestled with he idea of having a separate 5 PU NO for London alone, but ultimately concluded that it would make Sealion too strong, cuz once UK falls, it is usually only a matter of time before Egypt falls. Something to think about.
SOVIET UNION
Your new London NO coupled with the new requirement for Russian Lend Lease (i.e., that London be allied controlled) makes Sealion even stronger. I wonder if these two NOs, put together, make a successful sealion a game ender.
Good one. Like making this a separate NO (as it is in BM).
JAPAN
I don’t really have a firm opinion on this, other than I’m not sure why its necessary. Isn’t Japan already strong enough? Isn’t steamrolling and holding China already too easy? What is the dynamic u aim to create here
You can break up the island objectives many different ways. One concern I have with your break down is that it excludes both Guam and Gilbert Islands. Since these islands were contested during the war, I feel like they should be given some NO love.
Good stuff. Is similar to the NO included in BM.
UNITED STATES
Again, Guam should be included me thinks
CHINA
UNITED KINGDOM EUROPE
German sub in sz 113 (Baltic Sea) negates the objective? How about a sub in the black sea if Germany builds an IC in Greece? Seems too easy to defeat. We included a no-sub objective in Balance Mod as well, but made it “No Axis subs in the Atlantic Ocean, excluding Szs 112 and 125-127”.
UNITED KINGDOM PACIFIC
Needs some love imo
ITALY
ANZAC
FRANCE
Thank for the analysis, I’ll respond with observations after probing BM.
About Pacific islands NO.
Why not require 3 amongst 4 or 4 amongst 5 Island TTs?
That way this can be an incentive to fight for one more to get some buffer TT before loosing the NO.