There’s a lot of complex rules out there, ones which are hard to teach to new players & ones which produce weird gamey behavior. While Indian fighters to Moscow and “let’s not liberate Paris; it’ll hurt our economy” have long been Axis and Allies classics, I like to do better. Presented mostly without comment:
Note: these rules are written assuming you’re using a Grasshopper-esque 3G40 merged UK Pacific/ANZAC economy known as the Pacific Commonwealth (Cmm).
Ally Exclusion
- Despite being allied, not all nations are cooperating. Germany and Italy are cooperating; USA, UKE, Cmm, and France are cooperating.
- China and all Allied nations at war in the Pacific are cooperating (Allied nations not at war in the Pacific are not cooperating with China).
- No units may end movement in a territory under control of or in which are units of a non-cooperating ally.
- Note: This does not apply to submarines.
- You may not take advantage of non-cooperating NavB for repairs or range.
- Bolshevization/Democratization: If non-cooperating allies liberate each others’ territory, they keep it for themselves.
Simple Declarations of War
- If Germany or Italy attacks the USSR, it automatically declares war on both of them.
- If a Western Ally (USA, UKE, Comm, or France) is attacked by Japan, or Japan occupies French, Dutch, or neutral Thai territory, the Western Allies immediately declare war on Japan.
- Otherwise, at the start of round 4:
- The USSR declares war on Germany & Italy.
- The USA declares war on all Axis powers (and immediately earns a 20 IPC bonus).
- The UKE, Commonwealth, and France declare war on Japan.
- Note: There is no US bonus if it is brought into the war by the Axis.
- Note: The Western Allies may never declare unprovoked war on Japan.
Simplification of Mongolia Rules
- If Russia attacks Mongolia or Japan, Mongolian troops will never become Russian.
- Otherwise, if Japan attacks Mongolia or the Soviet Union, Mongolian troops immediately become Russian.
Generic Capital Bonuses
- The first time a capital is liberated, place 4 infantry from the liberated nation on its capital
- The first time a capital is captured, give the conquering nation a 10 IPC bonus and all of the cash in the conquered nation’s bank.
- If the capital is conquered multiple times, the conquered nation’s bank is discarded.
Revised Economic Liberation Rules
- Liberating a territory does not give control of that territory to the liberating nation, even when the owner’s capital is occupied.
- If the owner’s capital is occupied & its economy inoperable, the liberated territory’s PUs are collected by nobody.
Cooperative Facilities
- You may build or repair facilities in any territory in which you have a land unit.
Clarified Dutch Territory Income
- Originally Dutch territories are each treated like that of a Pro-Allied neutral.
- They may not be captured or occupied by a nation unless it is at war on that board.
Clarified Peacetime Naval Restrictions
- A nation’s ships MUST end movement in a seazone adjacent to that nation’s own territory or the territory of a nation with which it is at war.
- If a nation is at war on a map, its ships may travel without restriction on that map.
- Note: Japan must be at war with the Western Allies (war with China or the USSR is insufficient) before it may travel unrestricted.
- Exception: the US may always venture out into sea zone 102 without restriction.
No Sneaky Carls
- Transports may load and unload units in hostile sea zones.
- Note: If there is a sea battle in a sea zone supporting an amphibious assault, it still must be won for the landing to continue (no change).
Someday we’ll come up with a streamlined strat bombing/escort/interceptor ruleset, but that day has yet to come…