(Classic) More Special Forces Options for Classic

@Valladares

I used Tank as substitute for Artillery bonus on Infantry.

No need for more sculpts, just giving +1 Attack bonus when paired 1:1 with a Tank.

That way, you introduce a combined arms mechanics at no real cost. In addition, you make Inf+ Tank combo the best attacking land units compared to 3 Infantry by a small margin, for same cost.

@playing-kid

I like this, but is there a way to adapt this to the newer editions? Thank you!

@Baron:

Maybe you can call this sculpt escorting vessels for TPs and Carriers.
Cost 10 but attack 2 and defense 3. Anti-Sub with AA defense.

Working as both Cruiser and DDs.

You need them to cover Capital ships with a ring of these cheaper warships.

That’s a thought, and a good one. Escorts A2 D3 M2 C10, Anti sub, anti air. It would also enliven the usual warship stats in A&A - A2 D2, A3 D3, A4 D4… Capital ships and transports need somebody to help protect them at sea - just ask the survivors of Taffy 3.

Something to ponder.

-Midnight_Reaper

Sub: (Classic) National Advantages - A new way to help balance Classic

Here is 7 of n for discussion of my Classic House Rules

Here are my optional rules for national advantages for the different national powers in the Milton Bradley edition of A&A. These rules are not completely developed and need more play testing. These rules are meant for two purposes - to add some flavor to the various powers and to give a boost to a less-experienced player. A veteran player can give a new player a boost by letting them pick a couple of these advantages before play begins.

I don’t recommend using National Advantages and Research in the same game as that can lead to some wonky results.

Soviet Union
Penal Battalions: Gives a +1 to defense rolls of Infantry, Paratrooper, and Trooper units in the second round of combat (not the first round, the second).

Treaty of Non-Aggression with Japan: If Japan attacks, it will have blood on its hands. If this happens, the Soviet Union will receive three infantry units, to be placed in Yakut, Soviet Far East, or the territory under attack if it is not one of the proceeding two, as the Soviet Union sees fit. The advantage Penal Battalions will not be usable against Japan on the first turn of defense against Japanese aggression. The treaty expires on the turn after Germany is conquered by the Allies. (To be paired with Japan’s “Treaty of Non-Aggression with the Soviet Union”.)

Germany
Panzers and Panzergrenadiers: The elite armored troops of the Wehrmacht - Panzers (Attack 4, Defend 3, Move 2, Cost 6); Panzergrenadiers (Attack 3, Defend 4, Move 2, Cost 6). Not more than a combined total of 5 Panzers and Panzergrenadiers may be active at one time. The German player may re-designate up to 3 Armor and up to 2 Troopers, of player’s choice, as Panzers and Panzergrenadiers before the start of play.

Stuka Dive Bombers: German Fighters are especially potent in the attack. For each attacking German Fighter that rolls a 1 for its attack roll, 2 enemy defenders are destroyed.

Wolf Packs: German Subs cost 6 IPC and whenever two or more are attacking in the same sea zone, they each attack on a +1.

United Kingdom
Commonwealth of Nations: UK may place purchased infantry units in the Commonwealth Nations (Eastern Canada, South Africa, India, Australia and New Zealand) without needing a factory to be built. One infantry placed per territory per turn, UK must have current ownership of the receiving territory, not more than three infantry total per turn. If a factory has already been built in the target territory, then the one infantry placed in that territory due to Commonwealth of Nations will not count against that territories normal placement limits.

RADAR: UK Anti-Aircraft fire defending the United Kingdom territory hits on a roll of a 1 or a 2.

Empire of Japan
Banzai Charge: Gives a +1 to Infantry, Paratrooper, or Trooper attacks for the first round of combat.

Long Lance Torpedoes: Gives a +1 to Cruiser and Submarine attacks for the first round of combat.

Treaty of Non-Aggression with the Soviet Union: If the Soviet Union attacks, it will have blood on its hands. If this happens, Japan will receive three infantry units, to be placed in Manchuria, Kwangtung, Japan, or the territory under attack if it is not one of the proceeding three, as Japan sees fit. The treaty expires on the turn after the last of the United Kingdom and the United States are conquered by the Axis. (To be paired with Soviet Union’s “Treaty of Non-Aggression with Japan”.)

Unites States of America
Legacy of Kitty Hawk: Gives a +1 to all regular combat rolls (attack and defense) by US air units, and a +2 per bomber to IPC damage inflicted by successful US Strategic Bombing raids.

Old China Hands: US may place purchased infantry units in Chinese territories (Sinkiang, China, Kwangtung, Manchuria, and Indo-China) without needing a factory to be built. One infantry placed per territory per turn, US must have current ownership of the receiving territory, not more than three infantry total per turn.

The original idea for these dates to from before A&A Revised produced its own version of National Advantages. The intent with these rules is not to rewrite the Milton Bradley edition of the rule book into the Avalon Hill edition of the rule book but to discuss a modern version of my rules from 2003. Some of these are similar to Avalon Hill’s ideas for National Advantages and some are quite different. If players prefer an admixture of the A&A Revised National Advantages and this list, there’s no reason why those National Advantages that are not similar to each other couldn’t be compiled into a larger list of National Advantages.

-Midnight_Reaper

Here is 6a of n for discussion of my Classic House Rules

I presented my original technology ideas as I had them back in the early 2000s. I do believe that some may find them outrageously overpowered. So, here are some nerfed, some down-powered technology ideas for presentation and review.

My Post 5 (New Research Rules - Outsmart your Enemies) explains how to research your technologies and Post 6 (New Research Tech for Classic) explains what you get when your research pays off. The technologies presented in Post 6 are quite aggressive. So, here in my Post 6a are some not-so-potent technologies. See Posts 5 and 6 for the how to get these technologies - this post is just about some potential technologies for my house rules that aren’t probably aren’t completely game-breaking.

Revised Research Results Chart

Theme - Tier 1 (Researched First) - Tier 2 (Unlocked After Tier 1 in Row
Flying - Rocket Power - Jet Power
Flying - Long Range Aircraft - Heavy Aircraft
Ground - Faster Trucks - Faster Tracks
Ground - Quick Firing Cannons - Radar Tracking
Industry - Reduce Waste - More Efficient Ways
Industry - Work Smarter - New Accounting
Naval - Better Naval Fuel - Super Subs
Naval - Post Treaty Ships - Bigger Holds

Research Results Explained

Flying Technologies
Row 1, Tier 1
Rocket Power - Allows use of Rockets (Range 3) as per the rules in the main Rule Book. Leads to Jet Power.
Row 1, Tier 2
Jet Power - Requires Rocket Power. Converts Fighters into Jet Fighters (A3/D5/M4, 6 with LRA/C10). Jet Fighters are as per the rules in the main Rule Book.
Row 2, Tier 1
Long Range Aircraft (LRA) - Increases aircraft and rocket ranges: (Jet) Fighters 6, Cargo Planes 8, and Bombers 8. Leads to Heavy Aircraft.
Row 2, Tier 2
Heavy Aircraft - Requires Long Range Aircraft. Converts Cargo Planes and Bombers to their Heavy versions: Heavy Cargo Planes and Heavy Bombers.
       Heavy Cargo Planes (A0/D0/M8/C12) may carry up to 2 Infantry, Paratroopers, or Troopers; or 1 AA Gun, Armor, Armored Cavalry, or Artillery. Only Paratroopers can attack in this way, all other units may only be moved as non-combat movement. Heavy Air Transports may reduce their load in order to travel further: Range 10 with 1 Infantry, Paratroopers, or Trooper; Range 12 when carrying nothing.
       Heavy Bomber (A(4x2)/D1/M8/C12) may attack by throwing three dice and taking the two desired results, which may be the loss of up to two enemy defenders. When Heavy Bombers do a Strategic Bombing Raid, damage done is equal to the top two of the three dice thrown, per Heavy Bomber. Heavy Bombers may reduce their load in order to travel further: Range 10 with 1 die of damage (throw two dice, select desired result); Range 12 when carrying nothing.

Ground Technologies
Row 1, Tier 1
Faster Trucks - Heavy Artillery and Infantry now move at 2. AA Guns, Paratroopers, and Troopers still only move at 1. Leads to Faster Tracks.
Row 1, Tier 2
Faster Tracks - Requires Faster Trucks. Armor and Armored Cavalry now move at 3; AA Guns and Troopers now move at 2. Paratroopers still only move at 1 (when not aboard their aireal chariots).
Row 2, Tier 1
Quick Firing Cannons - Heavy Artillery now attack and defend by throwing twice as many dice as formerly appropriate (two dice per Heavy Artillery). All hits landed by those dice hit ground units, up to the limit of enemy ground units in combat. Leads to Radar Tracking.
Row 2, Tier 2
Radar Tracking - Requires Quick Firing Cannons. AA Guns now defend by throwing twice as many dice as formerly appropriate (two dice per AA Gun). All hits landed by those dice hit flying units, up to the limit of enemy flying units in combat.

Industry Technologies
Row 1, Tier 1
Reduce Waste (Better Factories) - Reduces the cost to produce Ground units: -1/2 IPC (round up) for Armored Cavalry, Infantry, and Paratroopers; -1 IPC for all others (AA Gun, Armor, Artillery, Troopers). Leads to More Efficient Ways.
Row 1, Tier 2
More Efficient Ways (Better Plants) - Requires Reduce Waste. Reduces cost to produce all Air units and Sea units by 2.
Row 2, Tier 1
Work Smarter (Increased Capacity) - Doubles placement limits on territories with new Industrial Complexes. (e.g. Build factory in India (worth 3 IPC), now you can place up to 6 units in India with Work Smarter.) Leads to New Accounting.
Row 2, Tier 2
New Accounting (Increased Resources) - Requires Work Smarter. Receive additional income for every originally-owned territory that you have owned since the start of your turn - 1 additional IPC for every 2 IPC original value, rounded up. (By “originally-owned territory that you have owned since the start of your turn”, this refers to territories that you started the game with (such as Western Europe for Germany or Karelia for the USSR) and that are still in your possession - no extra money for territories you don’t control or for territories you have taken over since the start of the game.
Original IPC Value:  1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
Additional Income:  1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4,  5,  6

Naval Technologies
Row 1, Tier 1
Better Naval Fuel (Faster Ships) - All ships now move at 3. Leads to Super Subs.
Row 1, Tier 2
Super Subs - Requires Better Naval Fuel. Converts all Submarines to Super Submarines (SSK). SSKs attack and defend at 3. Aircraft can only attack SSKs for 1 round, after which time SSKs are considered to be submerged and not attackable by aircraft. SSKs that are submerged may continue to attack or defend against ships in the same battle as the SSKs or may choose to break off contact and withdraw from battle.
Super Submarines (SSK) (A3/D3/M3/C8) Special Submerge ability
Row 2, Tier 1
Post Treaty Ships (Better Ships) - Converts Battleships (BB) and Cruisers (CA) into Heavy Battleships (BBB) and Battle Cruisers (CC). BBBs use 2 dice each for attack and defense. CCs attack at 4 and defend at 4 and gain the AAA value of BBs (AAA value at 1 against up to 2 planes per CC) (essentially, CAs become 1 hit BBs). Leads to Bigger Holds.
Heavy Battleship (BBB) (A4(x2)/D4(x2)/M2/C20) AAA value of 1 vs. 2 planes/2 Hit Ship
Battle Cruiser (CC) (A4/D4/M2/C12) AAA value of 1 vs. 2 planes/1 Hit Ship
Row 2, Tier 2
Bigger Holds (Bigger Ships) - Requires Post Treaty Ships. Converts Aircraft Carriers (CV) and Transports (AKA) into Large Carriers (CVB) and Large Transports (AKB). CVBs can carry 3 Fighters or 1 Bomber. AKBs can carry 5 foot units, 2 mech units, or 1 mech and 3 foot units.
Large Carrier (CVB) (A1/D3/M2/C16/2 Hit Ship) (Carry 3 Fighters or 1 Bomber)
Large Transport (AKB) (A0/D1/M2/C8/1 Hit Ship) (Carry 5 foot or 2 mech or 1 mech and 3 foot)

And these are my down-powered technology results.

-Midnight_Reaper

It would only be Pro-Axis on German and Italian turns, to prevent the US from covering it with green army men.

I guess the rule would be reflecting that IF the European axis was gaining a lot of traction, Franco would be a little more accommodating to the Axis. But just because the Axis is doing well wouldn’t make Spain a target for the allies unless it was annexed.

I guess perhaps some other nations could become Pro-Allies under certain NO conditions for them……its just a little more difficult.

The big neutral players are Spain, Turkey, Sweden and Mongolia. The first three may have been convinced to join the axis. The last one was already a communist enclave.

There are about 20 threads on this topic already.

I recommend the following if you don’t want to upset game balance but Give France a greater role in the game

www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=21892

I thought i might just bring up this old post out of of the blue because the funny thing is the units listed in many cases became the various new units over the years.

Cruisers, BB price drop, Mechanized infantry, Artillery, fighter-bomber, etc…