AA50: House Rules

Convoy Zones: Each nation begins in control of specific sea zones that can be attacked by enemy naval forces or bombers. When the listed territory attached to the convoy zone is occupied by the opposing side the convoy is replaced with a new convoy token of the controlling player. Anytime the enemy enters this sea zone with a warship (not transport) they roll one D6:

The following convoy centers are in the game:

Germany:
Sea zone #5-Convoy removed if Germany loses two of the three: Sweden, Finland, or Norway.

Italy:
Sea Zone #14- Convoy removed if Italy loses Libya or Balkans.

Japan:
Sea Zone #62- Convoy removed if Japan loses Manchuria.
Sea Zone #36- Convoy removed if Japan loses French-Indo China.
Sea Zone #61- Convoy removed if Japan loses Kiangsu or Formosa.

Soviet Union:
Sea Zone #3- Convoy removed if Soviets lose Karella S.S.R.

United Kingdom:  (9)
Sea Zone #8- Convoy removed if UK loses any part of Canada.
Sea Zone #2- Convoy removed if UK loses England.
Sea Zone #28-Convoy removed if UK controls less than 6 IPC in Africa.
Sea Zone #35-Convoy removed if UK controls loses India.
Sea Zone #12-Convoy removed if UK controls loses Egypt or Gibraltar.
Sea Zone #39-Convoy removed if UK controls loses Australia.
Sea Zone #38-Convoy removed if UK controls loses East Indies.
Sea Zone #49- Convoy removed if UK loses Borneo.
Sea Zone #46- Convoy removed if UK loses Australia.

United States: (8)
Sea Zone #10- Convoy removed if USA loses Eastern USA.
Sea Zone #56- Convoy removed if USA loses Western United States.
Sea Zone #65- Convoy removed if USA loses Alaska.
Sea Zone #50- Convoy removed if USA loses Philippine Islands.
Sea Zone #53- Convoy removed if USA loses Hawaii.
Sea Zone #20- Convoy removed if USA loses Panama or Mexico.
Sea Zone #18- Convoy removed if USA loses Brazil.
Sea Zone #19- Convoy removed if USA loses Panama or West Indies.

Note: In each case when the sea zone listed and its attacked land territory is conquered, a new convoy zone is established by the side that captures the listed territories and the new player can now be attacked in the same manner on your own next turn.

Example: Japan takes Alaska so the former convoy in Sea Zone #65 is now a Japanese convoy that the American player can attack.

Convoy Raid Attack: Each warship or plane in range can elect to attack these convoys in addition to other attacks in the same sea zone if other ships are also present (subs can only attack transports in this manner with ASW units defending).

Procedure: move warship or plane in sea zone with convoy box roll and d6
1-2= 1 IPC lost
3-4= 2 IPC lost
5-6= 3 IPC lost

Following the Convoy Raid each submarine has the option to attack enemy transports located in the sea zone.

Axis Aid: Germany gets 1 IPC each from Spain and Sweden while they are neutral.

Turkey: Conquest of Turkey allows a land bridge from Black sea, so land units can move across.

Gibraltar and Malta: Malta is added to the map. In both cases they cannot be invaded by the axis. The allies can maintain no more than 2 units of any type on these territories. The allies can build a port but must observe the 2 unit rule at all times. These areas can be attacked only by air.

Denmark/Turkish straights: No naval units can cross unless both sides are under control by the same player or his ally.

Neutral forces: all neutrals have a value of 1 IPC, except the following:

Spain: 3 IPC
Turkey: 3 IPC
Sweden: 2 IPC

Procedure: roll ONE D6 for each IPC= equals starting forces. Until you conquer the nation it is an ally of your enemy but they don’t collect IPC. Only direct occupation and conquest awards IPC to the player.

Note: Sahara, Afghanistan, Mongolia, and Himalayans cannot be entered by any units.

Extra Forces:
Each turn a nation will receive the following free units alternating from odd and even turns:
• Germany: Odd: 1 Bomber, Even: 1 Fighter and 1 Submarine.
• Italy: Odd: 1 Tank, Even: nothing.
• Japan: Odd: 1 Fighter, Even: 1 Destroyer.
• Soviet Union: Odd: 1 Tank, Even: 1 Fighter.
• United Kingdom: Odd: 1 Fighter, Even: 1 Destroyer.
• United States: Odd: 1 Bomber, Even: 1 Transport.
Tech Tree:
Procedure: Same as AA50 except you assign your researcher to one of the following three categories: Land, Sea or Air. Further, you can only assign up to one researcher per category at a time. Germany and USA can assign up to two researchers per category. All other OOB rules are in effect.

Research & Development
In this phase, you may attempt to develop improved military technology.  To do so, you buy researchers that give you a chance for a scientific breakthrough.  Each researcher token will grant you one die that provides a chance for a breakthrough
Research & Development Sequence:
1. Buy researcher tokens
2. Roll research dice
3. Roll breakthrough die
4. Mark development

Step 1: Buy Researcher Tokens
Each researcher token costs 5 IPC’s.  Buy as many as you wish, including none.

Step 2: Roll Research Dice
For each researcher you have, roll one die.

-Success: If you roll at least one “6”, you have successfully made a technological breakthrough.  Discard all your researcher tokens and continue to step 3.

-Failure: If you do not roll a “6”, your research has failed.  Keep all your researcher tokens and continue to the Purchase Units phase of the turn.

Step 3: Roll Breakthrough Die
If you rolled a “6” on any research die, choose one of the two breakthrough charts and roll a die to see which technological advance you get.  You can only receive one advance each turn.  If you have already received the same result on a previous turn, re-roll until you get a new technological advance.  Once you have received all the advances on a chart, you cannot gain any more advances from that chart.

Step 4: Mark Development
If your research was successful, place one of your national control markers inside the appropriate advancement box on the research & development chart.  Your development becomes effective immediately.
Any number of powers may develop the same technology, but powers cannot share their technology.

Land Technology:

Tier #1:
• War Bonds- add one die to IPC total each turn.
• Elite Armor- You can form elite armor forces by converting one tank each turn for 1 IPC or build one from scratch for 6 IPC attack at 4 and defend at 5, move 2
Tier #2:
• Improved Flak Battery’s- AA guns fire at planes at 2.
• IC Repair- (one IPC allocated removes two points of damage)
Tier #3:
• Underground factories- SBR hits count at ½ value rounded down.
• Heavy Artillery- Your artillery rolling a 1 can choose the land target on either attack or defense.
Sea Technology:

Tier #1:
• ASW- Your fighters and bombers can now also attack subs and they hit at 2
(Rather than 1) plus All ASW units attack value is raised to 2. They can also attack subs without having a Destroyer or Cruiser class ships present.
• Shipyards- subs, transports, destroyers cost one less IPC, all other ships cost two less IPC.
Tier #2:
• Improved Carriers- if you pay 6 IPC per carrier they now take 2 hits and move 3 spaces, plus they have a 3 fighter capacity. New Carriers of this type can also be created and they costing 6 IPC extra to purchase.
• Super Battleships- your existing battleships attack and defend at 5 and they always fire preemptively in combat each turn (loses removed before they fire back) for either attack or defense.
Tier #3:
• Super subs- Your subs now defend at 2 and attack at 3.
• AA cruisers: your Heavy cruisers and Cruisers get one AA roll against each plane attacking hitting at 1 prior to the first round of combat. Each plane that is hit is removed before shooting back.

Air Technology:

Tier #1:
• Radar- any fighters you have defending and not under attack can assist adjacent territories prior to the start of combat rolls.
• Long Rang Air- fighters and bombers now move 2 extra spaces.
Tier #2:
• Heavy Bombers- roll one die= lost IPC, roll second die = damage to factories capacity to place new units.
• Rockets- Your antiaircraft guns are now rocket launchers. In addition to its normal combat function, during the strategic bombing raid step of your Conduct Combat phase each turn, each of your antiaircraft guns can make a single rocket attack against an enemy industrial complex within 3 spaces of it. This attack does 1d6 damage to that complex.
Tier #3:
• Jet Fighters- The attack value of your fighters is now 4 and the defense is 5, also they don’t get rolled at by defending AA guns.
• Atomic Bomb- one bomber per turn can perform one SBR run where the damage is permanent reduction in capacity to place units. The first turn this can be developed is turn 7. Prerequisite: Heavy Bombers technology.

Procedure: allocate researcher to develop a tier #1 technology in any of three categories. Once you have developed a technology you can choose one of the two choices. If you elect to develop further research in the same category and succeed, you may then either elect to choose a Tier #2 technology or pick something from a LOWER tier technology.
Eventually, you can get to a tier #3 technology and chose any lower tech.

Spies: These cost 10 IPC each and can be assigned in secret to any specific enemy player’s technology category (land, sea or air). If that player decides to develop a technology in this category and it succeeds, the spy may be revealed and the spy gets to roll obtaining technology on a roll of 4-6. Note: the Soviet player is the only player that can send spies to his own allies and they cost 5 IPC.

Counter Spy: Each player may buy a super spy which can be used to eliminate the enemy spy but this is also assigned to a specific technology category (land, sea or air) to any technologies that can be developed.

Dogfights: When planes fight in land battles they now are rolling against each other and allocating other air units as hits before land units can be hit. AS such they have different dogfight values as follows:

Fighters: 3
Fighter-Bomber: 2
Bomber: 1
Heavy Bomber: 2
Jet fighters: 4

National Unit purchase changes:
• Germany: Can build one sub for 5 IPC per turn or 2 Infantry for 5 IPC.
• Soviets: Can build two tanks for 8 IPC once per turn or two Mechanized Infantry for 6 IPC each turn. Must be bought as a pair.
• Japan: They can build one fighter or Destroyer for two IPC less per turn.
• Italy: They can build two Infantry for 5 IPC.
• UK: They can build one Destroyer, Cruiser or fighter for 1 IPC less each turn.
• USA: They can build one Transport for two IPC less or two Mechanized Infantry for 6 IPC each turn.

Universal National Advantages:

Procedure: roll D12 or select one NA per turn with each nation choosing a number of them equal to what was agreed by all players.

1. Paratroopers: Each Bomber can now carry one infantry from the territory it started movement from to any friendly or enemy controlled territory. If dropped in hostile land zone the unit attacks at 2 and must fight to the death.
2. Fast Warships: Carriers and Cruisers now move 3 sea zones.
3. Blitzkrieg: Your Armor units moving one space in combat movement and successfully clearing the enemy land zone can perform either: A) attack a new enemy territory from the captured territory, or B) retreat to an adjacent territory during NCM and avoid possible enemy counterattack.
4. Dug in Defenders: You infantry in originally controlled land territories surrounded by water defend at 3. Note: includes all small islands plus Japan, England and New Zealand, but not Australia.
5. 5th Column: Convert one neutral per game in the future by rolling a D6= number of turns you wait before conversion (keep roll secret).
6. Mechanized Infantry: You may freely replace one infantry with a mechanized infantry each turn.
7. Manpower reserves: You may build infantry for 2 IPC for one turn in the game, but any infantry built after costs 4 IPC.
8. Total War: you may elect to build one factory for free per game, or destroy one enemy factory, or move one factory to another originally controlled territory.
9. Trained Pilots: your original fighters you start the game with attack at 4 for the rest of the game, but once each is destroyed, it cannot be replaced. (Write T on chip to designate them.
10. Foreign Aid: one ally can loan another up to what you roll on a D6 each turn.
11. Mobile Warfare: Your fighters attacking with Armor or Mechanized Infantry boost these units +1 each combat round at a matching 1/1 basis.
12. Combined forces: Once per game you and one ally can make your turn together performing movement, combat and non-combat together. The player moving up does not buy or place new units, and he still gets his own turn, so it’s essentially a double movement and combat action. This would be in addition to the D-Day  rule.

Historical Suggested starting NA’s:
Germany: Paratroopers, Blitzkrieg, 5th Column, Mechanized Infantry, Mobile Warfare, Total War.
England: Fast Warships, Trained Pilots, Foreign aid, combined forces.
Japan: Dug in Defenders, Trained Pilots
Soviet Union: Mechanized Infantry, Manpower reserves, Total War.
United States: Paratroopers, Mechanized Infantry, Total War, Foreign Aid, Combined Forces.
Italy: Dug in Defenders

China:

China is now made up of two military/political entities:

1. The Nationalist Kuomintang- KMT
2. The Communists- CPC.

Set up: the starting Chinese units remain in place and are considered KMT. Add one infantry in Chinghai, Ningxia and Sikang which now represent starting CPC units. If the KMT leaves any of their starting territories or is removed from them, the KMT may attack or occupy these by breaking the truce.

Placement change: KMT units are placed at the rate of one infantry per territory under control. The KMT conducts its turn functions as per the out of the box rules and is considered the official Chinese player as per the rules. The CPC can attack the KMT and break the truce, and this would be a desirable considering the production is double.

The US player can always replace the lost Chinese starting fighter if it’s destroyed. They can also fly one bomber to China to be used as needed on the USA turn. No other US/UK forces are allowed in Chinese territories.

The CPC conducts its turn functions during the Soviet players turn.
The KMT conducts its turn functions during the American players turn.

Greater China: China (both KMT and CPC) may only enter the following additional territories of greater China which consist of French- Indo China, Manchuria, Kwangtung, and Kiangsu. If China occupies any of these territories they keep the income to buy any unit they choose.

Burma Road: If Yunnan or Burma are under allied control, the UK player can lend up to 3 IPC a turn to the KMT player. This income can be used to buy any type of unit.

give me the list of exact changes and ill make it just for you and post a PDF.

General Rules:
1. No shore bombardment (highly unrealistic and require more strategic thinking, particularly in the Pacific)
2. Bomber escort rules from A&A Europe, or something to that effect
3. Able to choose what tech. you roll for or want to develop…Not sure how will balance, but much more realistic
4. Subs (at least some) able to inflict some economic damage

Some National Advantages I’ve considered…Not Final
1. Atlantic Wall for Germany so fewer troops can defend the West a little better
2. Operation Barbarossa- Germany has advantage attacking Russia to begin
3. Russian Winter
4. Some sort of Lend-Lease for Russia
5. Africa Korps under Rommel getting some kind of advantage
6. US Marines having Amphib Assault advantage
7. Japan defending better on islands (Dug-In-Defenders)
8. China being able to pump out more infantry to warrant more attention from Japan (perhaps 1 free one for every territory they hold vs. 1 free for every 2 as stated in the rules)
9. US inf. being mechanized (no-one else in the war even compares)
10. etc…

of your ideas i have already playtested nearly everything you requested sake item #1 in the first list and #6 in the second list.

Under you #9 mechanized is a new unit and is a NA, while many of these ideas are either NA’s or in the rules as optional add ons or form the basis of standard rules which are 4 pages. Pick an idea you would like a change too and we discuss. I think they are minimal and quick to grasp.

A little off topic, but IL what models from stytrex do you recommend too represent the extra units for each nation

In perticular I wanted too know what you recommend for representing Mechanized Infatry, Self-propelled artilery, Heavy Tanks, Light Crusiers, Battlecrsuers, and escort carrires

I dont have time to compile a list for each unit and nation,

But i prefer to stay with plastics in AA50.

Using the Milton Bradley AA and the AH BOTB trucks you can get all of these items

MB AA:

battleships=battlecruisers
carriers= escort carriers
Tanks = mech infantry, or use the BOTB trucks
Self propelled= use 1/285 elephants, jackson M-10 tank destroyers, SU-155, etc.
interceptors use MB fighters

For heavy tanks  i guess ill go with C and C miniatures 1/285 scale “axis and allies tanks set”

For self propelled

After much number crunching i think Cruisers must be 11 IPC and fighters must now be 9 IPC. Now with these values and costs the value to spend for naval configurations are closer to balanced.

Cruisers at 12 lose to battleships 3:1
Carriers and fighters VS. battleships (even in groups of other ships lose 3:1)

You do realize that these changes:

1. require all sorts of new pieces

2. bring marginal fun to the game and perhaps less fun

3. require wholescale changes to the game

4. add lots of chrome

I think keep it simple would be enough of a task. A d12 system could work but not with all sorts of tank models for each nation.

IMO variants need to have changes that are in the same vein of the OOB rules just a bit more realistic. They have to seem like they would be the OOB rules if the OOB rules were given a bit more reflection.

although your house rules are great they do not attract the “casual” A&A player and leave players who are genuinely interested in World War 2 wanting more. You expect people to pay over a hundred dollars too print out your map so they can play with six pages of additional rules!

well its not just 6 pages its that plus the original rules too. I play with them and to get the majority of people involved you need to appeal to the “hey why the **** do i need 3 new pieces?” type of weirdos. I can gaurantee using these rules will, give enough additional fun and realism.

If your going to go through the trouble of making a great map, make a great game to go along with it

Thats map too one day to make. The rules have been tinkering since August 2007. So you see its the other way around.

and i agree 1939 is no fun, put i think an early 1940 setup could make the game a lot more historical and varied. I will explain exactly why if you want.

we can make a 1940 scenario with some political rules. I have no problem with that, but i am not into this D12 ( Panzer 1,2,3,4,5 thing)

In  my opinon A&A should be a six to ten hour game that is highly varied. Alliances should take their turns together and they should be timed. 15 minutes before combat, 10 minutes after.

Well id like to see it under 4 hours so most people wont have it sitting on the shelf waiting for the next time they can spare a day playing one game.

c me and my buddy, I have all the good idea’s, he knows all about the magic(he calls it mathimatics) we will post our variant in a few months, you will like it. I promise.

Im sure i will.

by the way, why dont you just tell me how to edit your map, then i can stop annoying you.

LOL well for starters you never asked, and secondly your not annoying me. If you dont have CS3, then get GIMP and try to edit it or give me a list of changes ( must be minor) and ill try to configure.

General Rules
1.  No New Factories–This will screw up the game. If you want to go this way allow IC in only specific territories

2.  No BB bombardment–- i don’t like this because it takes out the fun, but i see thats its not very realistic that a warship will blow up an army

3.  Fighter escort rules from A&A Europe– that should be standard. Take a look at my modification on that.

4.  Denmark counts as a straight* (However: Subs can still pass in and out)–-Make it like the canal ( you cant pass unless you control both sides except for Germany( Kiel Canal)

5.  Subs can fire 1 sneak shot each at enemy units passing through them (Destroyers still cancel this out)–OK this is fine.

6.  Subs cant kill other subs–- Yes one of the biggest things in the game that should be included
7.  Can choose which technology you want to develop, but doesn’t take affect until the following round– Yes right.
8.  Black Sea closed to the Mediterranean– Yes right besides its too powerful for the Italian German attacks on Caucasus
9.  New technology- Heavy Tanks- Defend at a 4. Get rid of mech infantry and make them a new unit using the bulge trucks
10.  *Note- These rules are not meant to be used with NO’s

Germany
1.  Upgrade Cruiser to BB–ok
2.  Atlantic Wall- Infantry defends at 3 for first round against amphibious assault in Northwestern Europe, France, and Norway–ok good
3.  Starting Sub in SZ 11–ok

Italy
1. Destroyer starting with rest of Med. fleet—yes right

Japan
1.  Starting IC in Kiangsu—they will need this if you give all the infantry to china as you have below.
2.  Lightning Assault for first round of game only- Transports can offload, move, then offload 2nd unit in a different territory----yes right.

UK
1.  IC starting in India and Australia—ok i see what you mean about no new factories, but you may want to give the germans one in france or poland or both
2.  Cruiser starting with BB and Transport----yes but now the sub wont be enough to kill it on G1, perhaps move a fighter to france from somewhere else or add a german fighter.

Soviet Union
1.  Lend-Lease- Can convert any allied Land unit to Russian at beginning of Russian players turn if they start in Russian territory (Tanks, Artillery, Infantry, and AA)----ok standard AAE stuff…fine
2.  No starting Submarine
3.  Starting Destroyer and Transport in Black Sea—too much id rather give them a transport off Karelia

US
1.  Marines- Attack at 2 during first round of amphibious assault–ok standard AAP

China
1.  Receive 1 infantry per territory (Chinese) held at end of turn
2.  5 Additional infantry at beginning of game—way too much
a.  1 additional in Suiyuan — too much
b.  1 additional in Hupeh— too much
c.  1 additional in Sikang— too much
d.  1 additional in Ningxia— too much
e.  1 additional in Chinghai— too much

perhaps just keep the 1942 set up for both scenarios and move the plane back out of harms way.

Here are your new files of course all completed before the game came out and play tested:

strategy map for 1941 scenario:
http://www.mediafire.com/?jrfltrddwj2

strategy map for 1942 scenario:
http://www.mediafire.com/?yrnntzloydw

Phase 1 map:
http://www.mediafire.com/?kn1n3yygqni

Phase 2 map ( includes additional islands and territories)
http://www.mediafire.com/?m1jy4wwlynj

1941 with units set up
http://www.mediafire.com/?nzn4j1jgvk1

1942 with units set up:
http://www.mediafire.com/?cmzwmkujgyd

Rules:
http://www.mediafire.com/?thqhyxfnulx
http://www.mediafire.com/file/ltfzkjyhmgy

now i have made cards so when you get technology you get a card to indicate the tech and what it does. The format is Avery labels #8395 which are decals that fit perfectly on EAI education blank playing cards #530658.
these decks cost like $2 bucks each and the decals are sold for a package of 160 badges for about $20 bucks.

18 cards total with extras on sheet 3

sheet 1
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=1719431d339c3594dd8b33b5a…

sheet 2
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=1719431d339c3594dd8b33b5a…

sheet 3
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=1719431d339c3594dd8b33b5a…

I will change the color of the fonts to white eventually but these look fine.

scoresheet:
http://www.mediafire.com/?mhdiq4qjiy3

roundels and tokens:
http://www.mediafire.com/?nwzjmmzdjmy
http://www.mediafire.com/?vncw1m2gzmn
http://www.mediafire.com/?mlmaigmhwd1
http://www.mediafire.com/?nkmyd0w0xcm
http://www.mediafire.com/?2wcnlzjm241
http://www.mediafire.com/?a02yn5glzmn
http://www.mediafire.com/?tcygoymajit

and for extra credit here is AARHE the definitive Historical version of Axis and Allies.

below is just the 1939 map which is what we call phase three.
http://www.mediafire.com/?mgfmznjnzze

http://www.mediafire.com/?nrynnmizwzn

updated map file for standard OOB map.

http://www.mediafire.com/?y3mgy5mymvy

updated map with charts on side and border

http://www.mediafire.com/?mwxmmzzvt3h

updated map file