Axis and Allies Revised Varient ( historical edition) Phase one proposal (draft)

4. Long-range aircraft= All your fighters move 6….Whenever any of your bombers get shot down you have a choice of either (a) paying 10 IPCs and losing the ability of bombing the enemy in that same turn
   This built-in escort fighters model is great. But I think all bombers should have it. Or “long-range aircraft” tech needs a change of name. 10 IPC is the cost of a whole fighter piece, maybe it should be 5 IPCs?

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5) Jet Fighters= Your AA gun units hit enemy air units on a 1 or 2.
I think only if you have fighters in that territory.

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6) Heavy Bombers= Enemy AA gun units detect your bombers at half the number that they would otherwise detect them
I don’t understand why heavy bombers are harder to detect!

I like the simplicity of hitting a bomber kills a bomber unit. I like the idea of simulating improved escort cover with LRA. My vote is to keep it is as but as always I’m open to any new ideas. If the enemy AA gun hits a bomber with LRA, it should at least be registered as a full hit on a fighter escort unit (=10 IPCs). Not half an escort unit. Where are you getting 5 IPCs from?

Interceptors are not fighter units IMO. I don’t like the idea of a player needing to use most of his fighters as escorts/interceptors. It starts to dull the game IMO. Since interceptors are represented by AA gun unit, the jet interceptors should also be represented by that unit, not fighter units. Fighter units get the 5 defense bonus for jet power. I’m open to any new ideas.

Heavy bombers can fly at a much higher altitude then medium bombers. Hence, harder to target.

Whats this target/detect thing?
Does it apply to SBR only?
What happens when we have SBR AND land combat?

Weren’t you there when I came up with that? It’s in 1 of the posts in one of the old threads. All air units and subs need to be first detected or targeted before they can be hit. It makes subs worth the money so they aren’t instantly hit in the 1st turn. Now they are hit much less often. Try looking in the old ‘historical edition’ topic for more info (the one with 7 pages). I haven’t decided if this apples to all actual combat with planes, or just for flying over enemy territory. I don’t think it should apply to regular combat, but it’s still on the drawing board.

OK this is much better… good!  Now can you restate your aa gun rule in a manner thats streamlined?  BTW dom you think we need more techs than you listed?

New idea! I just changed the AA gun unit so it’s not used to detect subs anymore. I think this new idea is simpler and will be better accepted by players (it’s less abstract). Now radar just causes all units detecting subs to detect on a 4 or less instead of a 2 or less. AA guns are still not used at all in detecting subs, but they are used in targeting air units. Make sense?

I need ideas what to call this AA gun unit so that it incorporates all coastal defenses and SBR defenses (both interceptors and flak). Coastal and Aerial Defensive Unit?

I like only 6 techs for phase 1. Keep it simple that way and it works well with the whole ‘7 minus target number equals breakthrough number’. With any other number of techs, it wouldn’t work. We can and will have many more techs in one of the latter phases.

AA gun unit rules:
Against air units:
No more than 3 AA guns may fire in any 1 territory. Anytime an enemy air unit flies over a territory, either in combat or non-combat move phases, the AA guns may fire against those air units. Each AA gun (up to 3) rolls 1 die to target an air unit. For every roll of a 1 or 2 an air unit has been targeted. For every successful target roll roll another die to determine the number of air units shot down. An air unit is shot down on a roll of a 1.

Against amphibious assaults:
No more than 3 AA gun units may fire during an amphibious assault. Roll 1 die for every AA gun (up to 3) to target 1 unloading transport. The transport has been successfully targeted on a roll of a 1 or 2. For every roll of a 1 or 2, roll another die to attempt to hit the transport. The enemy transport is hit on a roll of a 1. Repeat again for all other unloading transports.

1. Radar= Every surface naval unit and fighter unit now detects enemy subs on a roll of 4 or less instead of just a 2 or less. Also, every AA gun (max of 3 may fire per territory) may detect enemy air units flying over the territory on a roll of 4 or less.

2. Rockets= You may purchase rockets at a cost of 2 IPCs each. Any number of rockets may be fired from any number of your territories, provided that every territory a rocket is fired from is contiguously connected to your capital. Once a rocket is fired from a territory, it has a range to 2 to reach an enemy IC. The amount of damage done to the IC is equal to the larger of 2 dice rolls. Always roll for each rocket individually (i.e always roll only 2 dice at a time). You may rocket attack any number of enemy ICs, but the max damage done to any IC is equal to the territory’s IPC value.

3. Super Subs= All your subs attack/ defend and interdict enemy commerce at a roll of 3 or less. Also, subs may move 3 in the non-combat move phase (Note that subs still can’t move in both the combat and non-combat move phases in the same turn).

4. Long-range aircraft= All your fighters move 6. All your bombers that don’t move in the combat move phase get to move 8 in the non-combat move phase of that same turn. Whenever any of your bombers get shot down you have a choice of either (a) paying 10 IPCs and losing the ability of bombing the enemy in that same turn or (b) assigning the bomber as a casualty as usual.

5. Jet Fighters= Your AA gun units hit enemy air units on a 1 or 2. Your fighters are detected by enemy AA gun units at half the  number they would otherwise detect them (i.e. they detect your fighters only on a 1 without radar and on a 1 or 2 with radar). Also, your fighters defend at a 5.

6. Heavy Bombers= Enemy AA gun units detect your bombers at half the number that they would otherwise detect them (i.e. they detect your bombers only on a 1 without radar and on a 1 or 2 with radar). Also, take the larger of 2 rolls to determine damage during tactical and strategic bombing.

Rules regarding techs:

Each tech roll still costs 5 IPCs. No nation may spend more than half their IPCs in the Technology Development phase of that turn.

The tech/s you are rolling to develop are declared before you roll. If you roll the same number as the ‘target number’ associated with the tech (see above) then you develop the tech. If you roll the number that equals 7 minus the target number, then you achieved a technology breakthrough. A technology breakthrough makes it much easier to develop that specific tech later in the game. For every technology breakthrough you achieve in a certain tech category, you get 1 additional free die roll in every turn that you buy at least 1 tech roll for that same tech. For example if you achieved 2 breakthroughs in Super Subs (i.e. you previously you rolled a 4 two separate times while attempting to get Super Subs) but still have not developed Super Subs, then on the next turn that you buy a tech roll for Super Subs you get to roll a total of 3 dice to develop that tech (1 for the purchased roll + 2 free die rolls for the 2 breakthroughs). Breakthroughs may only be used in the same tech category that you obtained them in.

Notice that I posted some changes to the techs. Radar doesn’t affect AA guns with ASW, but instead it affects all combat units attacking the subs. Also, IMO Super Subs need to be better so now they also move 3 in the non-combat move phase only.

FYI, I’m working on some new escort and interceptor rules that I think you’ll like much, much better! Still in the works though.

I think we should also introduce the 2 following minor changes:

US national unit advantage should allow CVs to only move 3 in the non-combat move phase only.

Destroyers (which also represent cruisers and frigates in phase 1) also move 3 in non-combat move phase only.

This connection between the moves of the 2 types of units brings together the idea of US CVs being built on cruiser hulls for speed.

Why do these ships “slow down” during combat?

I figure combat takes up a lot of time and fuel that has a significant effect on range. If a naval unit has to search around and hunt for the enemy that’s going to take a considerable amount of time and fuel because they won’t be travelling in a straight line. Non-combat movement has a very differnet goal. It is to get to it’s destination as quickly as possible. That is my reasoning. Do you think it’s sound?

In phase 1 no other unit incorporates cruisers, so I think DDs should incorporate them. Some of these rules will probaby have to be changed around anyway so I don’t think it’s a big problem giving DDs an ability of moving 3 in phase 1 and then taking it away when we introduce the separate cruiser unit. If you feel strongly about it we don’t have to have DD units move 3 in non-combat. Opinions?

I still feel that CVs should only move 3 in non-combat to discourage them from being used as fodder in a combat 3 spaces away. The carrier will still be able to join the rest of the naval force 3 spaces away, just not make it in time for combat. I think it will work out well. Opinions?

I’ll answer your questions but I first want to introduce you more idea I have for techs. In order to incourage a more steady purchasing strategy for tech development we should introduce the following rule:

Tech Development Re-startup fee:
If on any turn a given nation doesn’t purchase any tech rolls, then on the next turn that the nation buys at least 1 tech roll, the nation must pay an additional 5 IPCs as a re-startup penalty.

Onto the movement questions…

At midway the carriers traveled separate because they could get to where they were wanted much quicker, while the Battleships were in a followup fleet to deliver the “coupe de main” on any surface action that was possible.

So I guess we agree it’s good to have CVs move at 3. I’m OK with having DDs only move 2, like all other ships.

I feel it will work as you do, but why don’t you feel it wont work if they move 3 in combat phase like cruisers?

I don’t want US exploiting the 3 moves. What I’m envisioning is Japan having a lone transport 3 away and a US CV with no fighters moving 3 to attack the lone transport. This will probably never happen in a game but at the same time I don’t want to give CVs any added incentive to be used as attack units by themselves. If they move 3 in only non-combat then they can still move just as far as your proposing to be used as a fighter platform, which is their main purpose. If they can move 3 and attack then the only extra advantage these CVs have is that they can participate in combat themselves (all fighters associated with the CV can still attack just like before since no thing’s stopping the CV from moving 3 to that same space in non-combat). Does that rambling make any sense?

Maybe you guys are looking at it in the wrong sense… Fleets speeds were varied based on what they were travelling with… If you want to make “Non-combat Naval Moves” and “Combat Naval Moves” Then separate “Fleets” from “Ships”… That will introduce a whole new tactic to the game… “Convoys”(referring to Transports plus Escorts) can move fast, at the expense of “Search and Destroy” Moves in a territory… They just want to get to their destination without engaging… “Fleets” move entirely differently… They move all at 2 and cannot have this “3 move” stuff, but they gain advantages that individual units wouldn’t have (Search and Destroy, Preemptive Fire from Battleships, etc.)

ideas? or a total waste of a post?

GG

@theduke:

Why do we need to denote CVs with US markers? All CVs should be represented the same.

I was thinking they are allowed to build normal (stronger) CVs if they wanted to.

If the enemy AA gun hits a bomber with LRA, it should at least be registered as a full hit on a fighter escort unit (=10 IPCs). Not half an escort unit. Where are you getting 5 IPCs from?

I don’t know the scale of things. I was thinking an escort unit has less planes than a fighter unit. I was also thinking escort units cost less than full blown fighter unit.

I don’t think it should apply to regular combat, but it’s still on the drawing board.

Thats fine. I don’t think planes needs to be detected in regular combat either.

@theduke:

Against air units:
No more than 3 AA guns may fire in any 1 territory. Anytime an enemy air unit flies over a territory, either in combat or non-combat move phases, the AA guns may fire against those air units. Each AA gun (up to 3) rolls 1 die to target an air unit. For every roll of a 1 or 2 an air unit has been targeted. For every successful target roll roll another die to determine the number of air units shot down. An air unit is shot down on a roll of a 1.

The AA piece can shoot in non-combat now?
Imperious Leader sugguested adding the “damaged but not killed” effect for SBR. Should we have it for normal combat as well?
I still think prefer AA to shoot more than once, maybe up to 2 air units can be targetted? I think historically flak fire a lot and only hit sometimes. (At the moment flak fire rarely and only hit sometimes.)

Against amphibious assaults:

Thats cool.

As much as I don’t want to have a big list of NAs in phase 1, I think everyone can agree that a must have in any historical edition of A&A is a non-aggression treaty betwen Russia and Japan. I don’t like the OOB rules for non-aggression treaty NA. I don’t like how it’s listed as a Russian NA as if Russia shouldn’t have the same penalty that Japan gets for breaking it. I also don’t like how the penalty is that 4 infantry magically pop out of nowhere. I don’t know how this will be proposed as an optional rule yet, but it won’t be as a NA for either Russia or Japan. Here is a proposal and I need your opinions on it:

http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/timeline/410413awp.html

The first time in the game that either nation performs any of the following acts that nation is considered to be the aggressor in breaking the treaty:

1. When either nation conducts combat in (or flies air units over) a territory either controlled by the other nation or of the others nation’s color (Both parties will respect the other’s territorial rights).
2. When either nation moves any number of their units into a territory of the other nation’s color during the non-combat move phase (Both parties will remain neutral, even due to conflict with any 3rd power).

Once the treaty is broken the first time and the penalty is assessed to the aggressor, none of the treaty rules no longer apply.

Penalty: Immediately after the aggressor breaks the treaty (i.e. before any combat, if broken due to rule 1), the other player involved in the treaty rolls 2 dice. The lower number of the 2 rolls is the number of the aggressor’s infantry that are immediately taken from the board and replaced by infantry of the other nation involved in the treaty. These infantry represent defecting units due to decreased morale. The infantry that defect are the ones that are the fewest number of spaces away from the capital of the nation receiving the infantry. If infantry from more than 1 territory qualify, then the player receiving the infantry chooses which infantry defect. These infantry are converted to the other nation’s color and these infantry are placed in the territory of that nation that is the fewest number of spaces from where they came from.

I can’t find Andersson’s rules. Can you repost them here?

If the Japanese decide to attack all soviet troops gain a +2 combat modifier against japans pieces = to the number of rounds rolled on a d6.

How is this any more realistic than what I proposed?

I like the idea of giving ‘an out’ to either side… Russia can break the treaty without penalty if all red territories+Germany+Southern Europe are all Allied occupied at that time. Japan can break the treaty without penalty if all yellow territories+China+Sinkiang+India are all occupied by the Axis at the time of breaking the treaty.

How about this:

3 categories of optional rules. If player’s decide to use all rules in the same category, then the game will maintain approximately the same balance.

1. National Unit Advantages
   (I don’t need to go through them again)

2. Economic Advantages
   a) Lend-Lease
   b) Italian Forces

3. Political Advantages
   a) Russian/Japanese Non-Aggression Treaty
   b) Neutral Aid

I’ve already discussed all the other advantages except the last one. Neutral Aid= If either the Axis side or the Allied side controls all the IPCs from the adjacent territories to any of the following neutral territories, then the nation that controls the majority of those IPCs gets 1 additional IPC per qualifying neutral territory.
Neutrals contributing aid:
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey

Your plan somehow removes up to 12 infantry ( does Japan even start with this?) and gives them to the Soviets? huh? why  defectors? This project has to be historical and based on what actually happened… optional rules could cover the “what ifs” but this idea of defectors is not at all what could have been remotely possible. Whats wrong with some of the other ideas>?

I think you misunderstand my rule. The nation that doesn’t break the treaty rolls 2 dice and takes the lower of the 2 rolls. This means that:
(a) the most number of infantry that can defect is 6. Although the net effect of this is a loss of 6 and a gain of 6 to the other side which is 12, no side ever loses 12 infantry.
(b) the odds of losing 6 infantry is 1/36. More than half the time it will be 1 or 2 infantry defecting for a net change of 2 or 4 infantry, respectively. This is far from a game-changer but enough to make it a serious deterrent.

Why allow infantry to magically appear (OOB rules) when you can have them just come from the opposing side? I say this is more realistic than the OOB rules. At least the units are coming from a real source. I don’t think it’s possible to simulate a real penalty for this so maybe we shouldn’t have one. Maybe we could just have a list of conditions that need to be satisfied before the treaty can be broken, but when it is broken there is no penalty. This would be rrealistic IMO.