A & A Classic New Units

Here is 9a of n for discussion of my Classic House Rules

Special Forces in Classic
Unit Name      IPC Cost ATK DEF MOVE Notes
Special Forces     8        3*   3*   2*   Cannot be transported with any other type of units. See below for rules and uses of this unit.

Special Forces - The truly elite, the best of the best, the Special Forces of a nation. Special Forces attack value increases to 4 when doing an Airborne Assault. Cannot be transported with any other type of units.

Optional Rules for the Optional Special Forces
Special Forces are unique units with many and varied powers. Special Forces have the following optional rules: Attack a Specified Unit (Sabotage Raid) and Attack an Industrial Complex (Industrial Raid). These rules are optional, potentially ruinous to balanced game-play, and great fun to pull off if you can. As such, the potential use of any of these rule sets should be negotitated in advance of the start of play. Here they are:

Decide on a Target
A Special Forces unit, for its turn, can be used to launch a raid, whether sabotage or industrial. The raid must take place in a territory not also under normal attack but may take place in a territory that is receiving a Strategic Bombing Raid. Once in position for the raid, the player selects the desired target. The target may be the territory’s Industrial Complex (an Industrial Raid) or any single unit in that territory or any enemy sea unit off of the coast of that territory (a Sabotage Raid).

Arrive to Target Territory
Special Forces units can use regular movement, an Amphibious Invasion (off of a Submarine or a Transport), or an Airborne Assault to get into position for the raid.

Attack a Specified Unit (Sabotage Raid):
Once in postion, a die is rolled for each SF in the raid. On a roll of 1-3 the raid is successful, the targeted unit is destroyed, and the Special Forces make their escape. On a roll of 4-5 the raid is unsuccessful but the SF unit escapes. On a roll of a 6 the SF unit is discovered before the raid and is killed without completing its mission.

Attack an Industrial Complex (Industrial Raid)
Once in postion, a die is rolled for each SF in the raid. On a roll of a 1 the SF is discovered before the raid and is killed without affecting its target. On a roll of 2-3 the raid is unsuccessful but the SF escapes. On a roll of a 4-6 the raid is successful. The targetted power loses IPCs based on the result of the roll: 4 for 4 IPC damage, 5 for 6 IPC damage, or 6 for 8 IPC damage).

Surviving the Raid
In the event Special Forces perform a raid and survive (with either a successful raid or an unsuccessful raid but a successful escape), remove the SF from the game board and return it to the owning power. The SF return to the game board during the placement phase of the owning power’s next turn.

Examples
Sabotage Raid Example: UK player attacks a German Bomber in Western Europe with a Special Forces in a sabotage raid, rolling a 2. The raid is successful. Germany loses the Bomber and the SF return to the UK player. The SF return to the game board at the end of the UK player’s next turn, not at the end of the UK player’s current turn. (The SF that conducted the attack will have to sit out 1 turn, in order to finish returning from the raid.)

Industrial Raid Example: German player attacks the UK Industrial Complex in the UK with Special Forces in a industrial raid, rolling a 5. The UK loses 6 IPCs and the SF return to the German player. The SF return to the game board at the end of the German player’s next turn, not at the end of the German player’s current turn. (The SF that conducted the attack will have to sit out 1 turn, in order to finish returning from the raid.)

Unsuccessful Raid Example: US player attacks a Japanese Battleship off of Wake Island with Special Forces in a sabotage raid, rolling a 5. The raid is unsuccessful. Japan keeps the Battleship and the SF return to the US player. The SF return to the game board at the end of the US player’s next turn, not at the end of the US player’s current turn. (The SF that conducted the raid will have to sit out 1 turn, in order to finish returning from the raid.)

Fatally Unsuccessful Raid Example: Japanese player attacks the US Industrial Complex in the Western US with Special Forces in a industrial raid, rolling a 1. The US loses 0 IPCs and Japan loses that SF. Japan can replace that SF on its next turn.

There are thoughts on more ways of turning commandos loose on my enemies, on “set[ting] Europe ablaze” as Winston Churchill allegedly ordered the Special Operations Executive.

-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

OK, version 10 is now a available at BGG. An error was corrected and the Advanced Rail Network tech was enhanced a bit, hopefully it hasn’t become too terribly complicated - just a bit more useful.

We finished our second game with these rules. The Central Powers won it, Austia-Hungary was the star of the show, interestingly enough. It took Rome and jointly defeated Russia. Built a massive fleet in the Meditterranean and gained control of it where it was able to invade France from the southern coast while the Germans kept the French busy, and fleet battle after fleet battle kept the British occupied in the North Sea.

The Americans were sent to Italy to save them, which they did until the massive Austia fleet took the Med and entered Rome amphibiously. It was an 8 turn epic, at 1.5 hours per turn until the allies finally threw in the towel.

The tech kept things interesting. The more you accumulate the harder it becomes to remember to use it but that is a good problem to have. ;)

@Tall:

Tobleone77,

––I didn’t mean it to appear I was in anything other than AGREEMENT with you on the issues of Air Transports & Paratroopers. :-D
----I simply wanted to share what seem to me to be very logical and obvious points so that others might consider them.

––Axis & Allies is such a FANTASTIC game that I feel it’s very important that any alterations or ‘house rules’ that we make keep all of the main gameplay attributes included.
––IMHO changes just for the sake of change,…or changes that would drastically lower the cost of units for the sake of “more action” would radically imbalance the game and should be discouraged. However, I completely respect the right of any/all players to play the game as THEY like it. But their changes shouldn’t become the normally accepted ‘house rules’ for the majority of A&A players.

“Tall Paul”

No worries brother. I was using my smart phone when I tried to quote you… didn’t quite come out right. My para-token idea was just a springboard for those who don’t like the HBG pieces. I personally already have most of what I need to get all of my player countries stuff for paras and air transports. I’m hoping we’ll eventually get gliders from someone someday. Cheers!

hmmm… attack zero.

Makes them useless, for 1 IPC more you get 2 points. I would never buy these at all.

should be 1-2-1-2 (a,d,m,c)

I think that radar is a little weak. Perhaps make it a minor tech? Or make radar activate always active AA guns. That would be scary.

@Trisdin:

@Imperious:

A factory is france is worse for Germany, while the others listed are clearly in favor to benefit those players.

Perhaps Romania is best actually. Then Germany can build ships for Medd. Yes i like this better

Romania is a good idea, it gives Germany a second sea zone to build ships in and it allows germany to build land units closer to Russia, but is it historicaly accurate or viable.

yeah, it’s viable: didn’t antonescu aide the germans allot?

It’s very good, except … I think the US scenarios
are a wee bit OVER THE TOP!