A discussion on Germany's National Advantages

Give me time, I’ll get all of them up.  Going in order.

1. U-Boats Interdiction
   The untersee boats swamred allied shipping lanes, sinking ships regardless of their cargo.  Some “cargo” was noncombatants.

During the collect income phase of the UK and US turns, subtract 1 IPC from the collecting power’s income foreach of your submarines on the game board.

2. Atlantic Wall
   The Germans fortified the European Atlantic Coast with massive defensive systems from Norway to Spain.

During any amphibious assault against a gray territory, all your infantry defend on a 3 or less during the first cycle of combat.

3. Panzerblitz
   The colossal panzers rumbled across Europe and North Africa, they would breach enemy lines, then turn and wreak havoc on the defenders.

If your attacking forces destroy all units in a territory in one cycle of combat; or, if no combat was necessary, any of your surviving tanks in the attacking forces may move 1 territory during the noncombat move phase.

4. Wolf Packs
   Wolf packs of U-boats prowled the Atlantic, working together to down allied convoys.  The only sure thing about a U-boat was that there always was another nearby.

Your submarines attack on a 3 (4 if you have the SUper Submarines technology) if there is more than one of them at the start of the combat cycle.  When there are less than two submarines at the start of a combat cycle, this ability is lost.  Wolf Packs do not improve defending submarines.  Enemy destroyers do not affect this National Advantage.  The submarines may come from different sea zones, but they must attack the same sea zone.

5. Luftwaffe Dive-Bombers
   Europe was blitzed and bombed.  The JU-87 Stuka Dive-Bomber, a small plane, played a big role.  Its screaming siren generated terror on all battle fronts.

Your fighters may conduct first round tactical bombing runs.  They are subject to antiaircraft fire as normal.  In the first cycle of combat, if there are no defending fighters present, the fighters hit on a roll of 5 or less in land battles only.  Any units hit still fire back normally in that round of combat.  In succeeding cycles of combat, the fighters hit normally.  If defending fighters are present, this first cycle ability is canceled.

6. German Scientists
   Germany gathered some of the greatest scientific minds in the world to make technological breakthroughs to aid the German war effort.

Your weapons development dice cost 4 IPCs instead of 5.

Any ambiguities with these rules?  Honestly, I think Germany’s National Advantages are pretty descriptive (and powerful) although, I preferred Atlantic Wall + Fortress Europe myself.  Scientists just don’t replace my artillery defending like tanks, IMHO.

I agree, Stukas took a major nerf moving from 1.3 to 2.0.  And they are nice, but are they nicer then Panzer Blitzing?  After all, Panzer Blitzing is the equivalent of using fighters since they can hit the target and retreat.

I kind of wish they could hit the target, if they won, continue to an unoccupied territory behind the target if one existed though.

German scientists, while good for getting Rockets (uber nice in Revised) doesn’t seem to do much more for Germany.  Between carriers and rockets, there isn’t that much disposable income.

But wolfpacks work like Super Submarines, only for attack, not for defense.  That means Germany has to attack the combined American fleet to get the bonus.

Honestly, U-Boat interdict is nice, but of all the German NAs, it’s the weakest, IMHO.

IL:

I think they limited themselves to 6 choices so that people could easily randomize it.  Just like with technology rolls.  Sure, anyone can think of 30+ technologies or advantages for each nation, but man, that’s going to be hard to implement when we’re talking randomization desires.

My ranking, for Germany’s NA’s would be more like the following:

1. Atlantik Wall (Infantry defending like tanks really, REALLY discourages the England and Americans from storming the beaches of Europe!)
2. Panzers (Great period!  Attack like tanks, retreat like fighters!)
3. Dive-Bombers (Great for land battles, worthless at sea or against enemy fighters)
4. Scientists (Great for Rocket tech, Jets too if Russia becomes AA Gun heaven!)
5. U-Boat (Nice in early stages, but easily over come and swamped by the allies)
6. Wolf Packs (I just don’t see Germany attacking much, and they don’t work on defense)

The reason they are rated low, for me, is as follows:

1)  Submarines are expensive
2)  Submarines die to fighters without risk to the fighters
3)  Submarines purchased take 4 full turns to break even (odds?)
4)  The two submarines in SZ 5 die in every game I’ve ever seen.  It’s just a debate over when, not if they die.
5)  Germany has no business buying up lots of submarines.
6)  America is relatively unaffected by U-Boats.  Sure, they have less money, but honestly, -3 IPC from 42 IPC is not that much.

Those are ranked in order of importance to me.

That said, if you get them as a random bonus, it isn’t horrible.  Germany, of course, has no worthless advantages.