[Global 1940| Netherlands Setup Ideas

@SuperbattleshipYamato I like the ideas/rules you mentioned. I will follow through on triple a.

Re: Global 1942 Scenario by Larry Harris

We’ve played this version four times now, and it definitely is tilted towards the Allies. The US is simply too powerful, and Japan has no chance with the US getting 65-70+ income every turn. While it’s still our favorite, there are some challenges. Our thoughts:

I agree with the assessment that the USSR can knock out 1-2 territories right off the bat. This is similar to the traditional A&A, but Germany doesn’t have the forces to respond in any forceful way to retake anything. USSR is starting with 21+ infantry across the 3-territory front, and Germany can’t get its forces there fast enough. The USSR creates strongholds in Kaliningrad and Ukraine and churns out 10-12 infantry or 6 tanks that immediately come into play. The possible solution for this is for Germany to put a minor IC closer to the front for balance.

Germany has no chance to get transports out of the North Sea due to Britain’s fighter advantage. With France’s help, you would need to get 4+ destroyers/cruisers to protect the transports if you’re trying to go to Iceland and then to Canada/US. The key is to have sub packs hunting any transports that cross, and quick. Once the US takes Gibraltar (which it should do in R1), it becomes a fighter landing factory where they can spawn across the Atlantic and then pound Italy.

The US is just too powerful. The winning path we’ve seen is for the US to make 5-6 fighters per turn and fly them to the Hawaiian islands, then eventually take Wake and Midway. From there, it’s only a matter of time. Japan simply can’t put enough forces to fight through the fighters to get Hawaii, Midway and the islands to the south. The 15 bonus just for having the US each turn is too much. If Germany/Italy can put pressure on the US (which we have seen and done), it can help, but it’s really hard. Italy needs to get income fast, which means going hard and fast after Egypt and the consolidated forces there.

Our Allied player did a very interesting thing by putting a factory in Egypt along with an air base, which made it almost impregnable. Getting Africa quickly is perhaps the least understood key to the war - it allows Italy to prevent ships from coming through the canal and lets them pressure the US. Italy HAS to hold TransJordan to prevent UK ships from crossing the canal. I can’t emphasize enough how important a role plays in helping take pressure off of the UK, which can…

Build up an infantry fortress in India which is impossible to take - UNLESS you build a minor IC on R1 in Malaya. Why Malaya (which is much harder to defend)? Because, under the rules, it can be upgraded to a MAJOR IC - producing 10 units per turn - so India can be overwhelmed. The challenge is that Malaya can be hit (and taken) with the British naval forces attached to India. However, if Japan can do it, they can then turn its attention to…

ANZAC - becomes an income suck very quickly for Japan by grabbing the East Indies. Getting Japan to take out India is probably the most important thing the Axis can do. It frees Japan to focus on island defense and ANZAC. If ANZAC starts getting fighters, they become a transport-hunting force which simply can’t be countered. Otherwise, ANAC spawns a transport and 1-2 infantry per turn that can grab IPC-rich islands. The way I’ve countered this is to flood the Pacific with subs everywhere, which will pick off any unattended transport immediately.

Germany - Has to focus on numbers to overwhelm Russia while hoping that the UK doesn’t undertake strategic bombing raids, which Germany should do anyway to minimize the UK’s strength. The USSR has been able to assemble 25-30 tanks in the last three games, and only an error by the Allied player which allowed me to grab Russia for a turn helped even the balance. I have found that blasting the UK’s IC into dust slows things down a lot.

All in all, a very solid game, but it needs some tweaks so the Axis have a chance.

@Eric-Poppleton well I tried it by myself some and it sorta worked. My goal was to get my buddies into the game and try it with them but we’re still in the learning phase-figured it’s only a valid test if they have developed strategies in the normal game

@The-Captain

I would love to hear more about your Most Precious Soviet Strategies. I love talking about strategy, especially if it’s about my favorite power when it comes to tactical decision making 😀

@Arthur-Bomber-Harris said in When USA not at War:

@Marshmallow-of-War ANZAC DOW is not always dumb. Sometimes it allows a key ship block or prevents transports in disputed zones from picking up soldiers. I have seen it happen a handful of times.

Completely true! The ANZAC declaration following a UK Pacific ship move is a classic! I can’t imagine anyone taking issue with that.

However, you’re ignoring the second half of that…

It’s taking the Carolines after initiating a war that leaves the US out of the fight that is the issue, leaving the transports vulnerable and stripping defenses from ANZAC itself. I can’t imagine a scenario where that would be wise.

@Leatherneckinlv:

After play testing some…I came to the conclusion France needs to BB and a Destroyer…1 BB makes no difference…thoughts so far

I am curious, how does Italy or Germany react to that battleship?

Preface: I’m somewhat new here, so I’m sure there are other house rules for this topic that I’m not aware of, but this is my attempt at what makes the most sense to me.

Vichy France and Free France House Rules
(To be used with appropriate markers from Historicalboardgaming.com, http://www.historicalboardgaming.com/Custom-Roundel–Free-Vichy-French_p_369.html)

Capitulation and Armistice

If France and Normandy fall to the Axis, immediately remove any units (Allied or otherwise) from Southern France and place a Vichy marker on the territory. Place a Vichy marker on the IPC production chart on “3” (the value of Southern France). Place 4 alternate colored infantry units (old versions of Germans work well) on Southern France and an extra Minor Industrial Complex in Germany* (As part of France’s capitulation, Germany took over 2 million French soldiers as laborers). Vichy France is controlled by the German player.

*I know technically, no more than one IC can be in a territory, and practically, Germany will not produce 13 units in the same zone, so I’m open to suggestions on how to represent the French laborers.

The Colonies and the Free French Movement

At the creation of the Vichy France government, roll a die for each French territory on the map.

An “even” result means the territory joins De Gaulle’s “Free French” movement. Place a Free French marker on the territory and on the IPC production chart on the value of the territory. Move the IPC marker up for any additional territories that join the movement.

An “odd” result means the territory remains loyal to the Vichy French government. Replace any French Units with equivalent alternate colored units. Move Vichy’s IPC marker up for each territory that joins.

Roll for each French fleet on the map, and replace all units in a fleet if they choose the Vichy government.

The units in England remain Free French.

Every turn, Free France may convince one unoccupied Vichy colony to join their movement. Roll as before, and place a marker if the territory turns.

Special Rules

When a territory is “liberated” by the Allies, it becomes Free French.

When a territory is “liberated” by the Axis, it can either become Vichy or be occupied.

Vichy France may collect IPC income, but can only purchase Infantry, Anti-Air, transports, and destroyers. It must also give 1D6 of its IPC income to Germany every turn (Germany required the Vichy government to pay for its troops in the Northern Occupied Zone).

Free France may collect IPC income, but may not purchase or place any units until an Industrial Complex is built in one of its territories.

Vichy France may not move units into any territory in Europe. It may move units out of Europe via transports, and it may attack and move normally in the colonies.
Axis troops may move through Vichy France and its colonies freely.

Collapse of the Vichy Government

If Vichy is attacked by the Allies directly, it will defend as if it was a member of the Axis. If, however, Normandy and France are taken by the Allies, all Vichy units in Southern France disband, and control passes to whatever Axis units remain in the territory. If and when Southern France falls to the Allies, all Vichy units abroad disband and control of all colonies passes to the Free French.

The 1939 game can be played like Global 40, actually the rules are Global 40 rules with some exceptions and optinal rules for the hard core gamer. It also incorporates a D12 combat system which is alot more fun in my opinion. Its Axis and Allies with a Xeno games World at War Twist!