Yet another set of house rules. The goal is to change the absolute minimum required to transform AAM into the light tactical wargame we all want to play. To that end, the primary changes are to special abilities and the rulebook rules.
The Doctor’s House Rules version 1.1
Setup
Vehicles set up within 2 hexes of the edge.
Partisans may not set up on the opposing start edge.
Rule Changes
Defensive Fire: change DF to a unit hit by Defensive Fire always ends its movement in the current hex, regardless of special abilities.
Transport and Special Abilities: transported units may not use special abilities unless the transporting vehicle has the Fighting Platform special ability.
Under Construction Aircraft Mechanics and Rules Changes
Aircraft Mechanics: are they workable or broken? Should there be a dogfight phase?
Anti-Aircraft Values: should the AA attacks of some units be modified? For example, reduce the effectiveness of infantry and Elite Panzer IV and increase effectiveness of machine guns and halftracks. Possible rule: Soldiers with no attack dice at long range suffer a –2 penalty against aircraft.
Alternative wording: Non-AA units firing at aircraft roll dice as if the aircraft was one range increment further away.
Medium machine guns and Halftracks do not suffer a –1 penalty when firing at aircraft but roll dice as if the aircraft were one range increment further away.
Units with Bombardment and/or Blast may not target aircraft.
Elite Panzer IV D: Crack Shot applies to Soldiers and Vehicles only, not Aircraft.
Special Ability Changes
Veteran Tiger: replace Crack Shot with Veteran Crew.
BMW R75 motorcycle: reduce Close Assault from 6 to 4.
Wehrmacht Expert Sniper: change Headshot to only affect open topped vehicles.
BAR and Bren Gunner: change Covering Fire to require successfully hitting the target.
Paratroopers: must drop on turn 1.
US 81mm Mortar: how to fix Improved Indirect Fire?
Cost Changes
SdKfz 251 and US M5 Halftrack: add bonus basic infantry.
Cost of Halftrack includes one basic soldier of cost 4 or less, which counts against 15-unit limit. Germany may select the Panzergrenadier as the bonus infantry unit.
Force Composition Limits
Heroes are limited to 1 per 100 points. Any nation without the option of 5 defense infantry may field 2 Heroes per 100 points.
80/4 format
80 Points
All units must have defense 4 or less.
No Aircraft
Banned: Elite Panzer IV, Bofors
Herr Doktor,
AIRCRAFT
I’ve found under most circumstances that aircraft seem to be reasonable, though hordes of infantry or crack shot units do tend to make them shy away. On the AH boards I think there was a suggestion of simply making the aircraft take hits like a vehicle (disrupt>damage>destroyed). I do like crack shot only working on soldiers/vehicles though.
US MORTAR
The easiest way to fix it is to snip out the ‘improved’ part, and make it have indirect fire like all the others. Apart from that you could change it so Spotters & Commanders let it indirect… or something along these lines.
Also what happened to army building requirements - taking at least x% armour and x% infantry?
Covering Fire: Is only allowed if the attacking unit (BAR or Bren) is not disrupted.
I think I prefer recosting or banning over changing abilities. It makes the record keeping easier.
