YG wanted to solve some balance issues, not just toying with 8 dices.
At least, he might get credits with tweaking subtly with balance without radical change.
An idea for Tech's
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Ok, this is the first topic I’ve started so spare me if I mess it up, otherwise you can laugh at my idea all you want.
I’ve noticed that everyone complains about how the random luck aspect of rolling for techs unbalances the game and makes many want to exclude them whenever possible. I personally do not mind them and think they add a bit of surprise to a game that eventually becomes almost scripted even though I rarely see them achieved or gone after. Anyway I’ve had this idea floating in my head for a long time now so I figured I’d throw it under the bus and see what comes out the other side.
What if tech’s were not achieved randomly but were the product of a longterm investment that would achieve a reliable result. To accomplish this you would invest in the research of a disired tech for a predetermined amount of time and then get it. Lets say for example it takes 4 turns to get mechanized infantry, you would invest 5 IPC’s per turn for 4 turns to discover this tech. A nation may invest in no more than 2 techs per turn and may only advance their research one turn at a time, so no one can invest 20 IPC’s and expect to get that tech faster. Other tech’s would take longer, like Heavy bombers might take 6 turns, or improved shipyards would take 7. You could also expand or reduce the required time to achieve these techs depended on the start date of you game so it would take longer if you had a 39 set up rather than a 42.
To add a level of historical accuracy you could start certain nations with some initial research investment. Perhaps Germany could have a jump on Mechanized infantry so they would discover it sooner, or the UK would have some investment toward Radar or pParatroopers. The possibilites are endless and they no longer require the random luck of a some wild dice, but rather the determination of a player to achieve them.
Perhaps this has already been thought up by someone else since I have only played the mainstream versions of A&A and The World at War versions, but this is something I’ve never seen on any board.
Also, I’ve played around with fighters and bombers being forced to split their movement between combat and non-combat movement. So, a fighter may only move 2 during the combat movement phase and then 2 again during the non-combat phase and likewise for bombers 3/3. This makes achieving the long range aircraft tech allot more important which with the tech system stated above is always possible it just takes a little investment.
Thanks for taking a look, now hit me with your best shot.
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There is a system in AAR:Enhanced that seems to work well for technologies you may want to try at home.
Round 1: You purchase 4 tech rolls. If this fails then proceed to round 2
Round 2: You purchase 2 tech rolls, you automatically succeed with these rolls.Or
Round 1: You purchase 6 tech rolls and automatically get the technology.
Now, these are targeted (as in, you choose which technology you want.)
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I’m not a big fan of just paying 30 IPC’s and getting what tech you want instantly. What I’m trying to go for is a system that requires an effort on a players part over a certain period of time. Also, I think the true value of the tech should be represented by a longer period of research, this forces a player to budget in the cost of research each turn rather than just blowing all your money to get what you want now. The player has to decide each turn if they have enough to advance their research or are they forced to buy an extra tank to take Moscow. Why should you get Heavy Bombers at the same expense as mechanized infantry or the awesome tech of improved shipyards.
I just think this would add a bit of strategy to technology rather than luck or the ability to blow a wad of IPC’s you got when you took a capital. America did not get the Atom bomb in 1942 becuase they had a bunch of resources and germany did not have rockets becuase they just wanted them on a whim, they researched them over time and spent allot of resources to get them. Also, none of the tech’s available are mythical magical wonder weapons that did not exist they all existed and they all effected the outcome of the war. Yet, we are forced to go without them becuase you cannot roll a six. I just think its silly and believe they would actually add something to the game if luck was not part of it.
Oh well, it was just a thought :-)
Thanks for the heads up on the ARRE tech rule Cmdr Jennifer, but I think its just too simple a rule considering the effects of some techs on the balance of the game over others. Who is going to pay for combined bombardment when they can have Heavy bombers or jet fighters at the same cost and in the same amount of time.
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here is an idea for tech,
pick a technology that you want to invest in,
each technology has a number that has to be reached to get the technology, i.e radar 15, invest 2 i.p.c. get two dice, roll the dice, result could be 9, next turn invest 1 or 2 i.p.c. the result could be 1-6, or 2-12, when the number has been attained, the technology is developed. -
tech could be rolled by having to get a sequence, via a dice roll, i.e. sequence to develop radar could be, 1-3>3-5>4-6,
buy a research dice for 1 i.p.c. the least number of dice you need to research radar would be 3, buy as many dice as you think might be needed, to get the first phase of research you would have to roll 1, 2, or 3 on 1 of as many dice that would be rolled, i.e. buy 9 research dice, roll 2 dice, the result could be 4 and 5, research failed, roll another number of dice, i.e. 1, the result could be 3, research successful, now there would be 6 research dice left over, if a 3, 4 or 5 would be rolled then the second phase would be completed,
if you manage to complete the research with less dice than you had purchased, return the i.p.c. to your stack, if you have not completed the research, wait until the next round and continue the research -
From the future AA50He project.
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 developmentStep 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 negate the submarines first strike on the second round, plus perform ASW search and attacks. They can also attack subs without having a Destroyer or Cruiser present.
• Shipyards- subs, transports, destroyers cost one less IPC, all other ships cost two less IPC.
Tier #2:
• Improved Carriers- if you pay 4 IPC per carrier they now take 2 hits, plus have a 3 fighter capacity. New Carriers of this type can also be created and they costing 4 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 cruisers get an AA roll if any planes attack hitting at 1 prior to the first round of combat. Each plane is rolled and if 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.
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