submarines, transports and surface ships attacked by air units

@tincanofthesea idk. I am going to try it in the Pacific map and see how it goes. Going to do a allied bid game (our first official one lol) because last game, allies didn’t really stand a chance. I wonder if there are “Blockade” markers at HBG, well if the shipping wasn’t so expensive I could buy those-

This will be my last 40 game before I will use the new stuff I got from HBG 🙂 maybe try to learn the G40 Balanced Mod (TheCaptain’s) + some extra stuff

I agree with Simon about the use of US transports in the Pacific. You wipe out the Japanese navy and take back the islands and the mainland. Shuck your troops to Europe and take out Germany and Italy. Japan will be forced to surrender. You know, just like WW2. Unless the Japanese player has been smoking crack you will spend all day assaulting Tokyo while Germany makes mincemeat out of Russia and the UK.

Yes planes can pass over any zone that contain enemy ships, enemy planes, or enemy units. Planes cannot pass over neutral countries. In sbr’s they have to fight their way in if escorted or not if they are intercepted. After the interception or not then they get shot at by aaa and then if they survive that they get to bomb the factories and the tac bomber’s can bomb the airfields and naval bases. You are right that in the older version the aa was always active but not anymore. Hope this helps! :-)

@Narvik:

@Der:

Really, with tactical bombers now available, they should take on the role that the old bombers had - attacking along with infantry & tanks, etc. The Strategic bombers should only wreck infrastructure and economy and perhaps lower morale.

No, I don’t think a unit should be limited too much. As you know, subs did sink battleships too, even if cargo ships were the main target. And heavy Bombers did carpet bomb soldiers on the ground and warships, even if bombing of infrastructure were the main purpose. I just think, that since we now got all this new units, they could get more special abilities.

Submarines should be stronger in attacking convoys, but for that to happen, only destroyers should be able to hit subs. If not, then no sub will survive the 1 Destroyer + stack of Bombers combo.

And, slightly off topic, I think the new Tactical should cost 10, att 3 and def 4. Special ability, target Tanks and Mechs before other casualties.
The fighter should cost 6, att 1and def 2. Special ability, target other aircrafts in dog-fights before taking land unit casualties. The St Bomber should cost 12, att 4 and def 1. Special ability, do SBR against ICs

On 1942.2, play-tested a similar unit of Fg at the same cost but attack @1 on first strike.
The Bomber and Cruiser were at 10 IPCs, also. Tactical Bombers (A3-4 D3-4 M4) were at 9 IPCs.

Such a Fighter unit makes a too big competitive buying against submarines.
Same price, can do the same cannon fodder in Naval Combat and better on defense but also useful in ground battle. That’s seems a problem.

Everyone around the table agree that all the changes shifts the balance toward Allies, mostly due to cost decrease.

Did you introduce a three planes aircraft carrier? If not the case, this have a very big downgrading impact on the defensive strength of the combined units Carrier+2Fgs.
In addition, in Naval Combat, the special ability of Fgs have far less significance since, at 6 IPCs, it is always amongst the first casualty taken.
Destroyer (A2 D2 Cost 8 ) have a better combat value.

Maybe this last point is still more historical since many Fgs were destroyed and damaged in Naval combat, often in PTO, there was Battle between ennemy’s aircrafts against warships but not warships against warships.

If you also play-tested it, leave me some feedback.

thanks all…as always great insight from everyone

Exactly.  If the enemy units are all destroyed in the Conduct Combat phase, the sea zone will be friendly in the Noncombat Move phase.

While I would enjoy an Axis & Allies 1940 version or setup that was more historically accurate, it would be extremely difficult to win as the Axis.  Particularly as Japan.

GDPs:
Wartime GDP of the Great Powers
1938 to 1945 in International Dollars and 1990 Prices (billions)*
Country 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945
USA 800 869 943 1094 1235 1399 1499 1474
UK 284 287 316 344 353 361 346 331
France 186 199 164 130 116 110 93 101
Italy 141 151 147 144 145 137 117 92
USSR 359 366 417 359 274 305 362 343
Germany 351 384 387 412 417 426 437 310
Austria 24 27 27 29 27 28 29 12
Japan 169 184 192 196 197 194 189 144
Allied/Axis GDP 2.4 2.3 2.1 2.0 2.1 2.3 3.1 5.0

Take 1941 and divide by 10, you get IPCs of:
USSR: 27
Germany: 57 (41.2 Ger, 13 Fra, 2.9 Aus)
Italy: 15
UK: 35
Japan: 20
USA: 124

@calvinhobbesliker:

Japan only has 5 more planes than at start

Yes because they have used what they had effectively and have other large naval presences. For instance a 7 strong destroyer fleet and haven broken through China, Russia and India… It has been a pain to be sure.