THE ULTIMATE BREAKTHROUGH CHART

The Ultimate Breakthrough Chart

All of these technologies represents scientific breakthroughs that had or could have had a major impact on the course of the war. I think all other technologies in the box rules should be represented by National Advantages. Using this single breakthrough chart, one can choose any technology you wish to research. More over each researcher token now costs 10 IPCs. For each researcher you have, roll one die.

Success: If you roll at least one “6,” you have successfully made a technological breakthrough for the chosen development. Discard all your researcher tokens. Your development becomes effective during Phase 6: Mobilize New Units of your turn.

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.

1. Radar
You now have radar technology that facilitate offensive fighter control and accurate antiaircraft artillery direction. Your fighters on any territory of your control containing an AA gun, and not under attack, may now defend adjacent territories or sea zones. They act immediately in these battles and must land in the territory the fighter is taking off from, provided they were not removed as a casualty. Moreover your antiaircraft guns hit air units on a roll of 2.

2. Jet Power
Your fighters do now have jet power. Their attack value increases to 4.

3. Super Submarines
Your submarines are now super submarines. They attack on a 3 and may not be attacked by enemy aircraft when alone or in company with other submarines, unless an enemy destroyer is present.

4. 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 of your antiaircraft guns can make a single rocket attack against an enemy industrial complex within 3 spaces of it. In each turn, only one antiaircraft gun per territory may launch rockets, and each industrial complex can be attacked by only one rocket launcher.This attack does 1d6 damage to that complex.

5. Long-Range Aircraft
Your fighters are now long-range fighters, and your bombers are now long-range bombers. Your fighters’ and bombers’ range increases to 6 and 8 respectively.

6. Heavy Bombers
Your bombers are now heavy bombers. You roll two dice for each bomber when you attack or make a strategic bombing raid. On defense, your bombers still roll only a single die.

@Imperious:

3. Super Submarines
Your submarines are now super submarines. The attack value of your submarines is now 3 instead of 2. The defense value of your submarines remains at 1.

Alternately you can do this:

if you have 2+ subs in an area they attack at 3

planes cannot attack these subs anymore (even with DD or CA)

These should also trump the ASW capabilities of Destroyers and Cruisers. Meaning they don’t negate the first strike capabilities.

To me this has alot more dynamic capabilities than just ‘boosting’ the attack value to 3.

the others look fine.

Interesting idea, I have played with similar thoughts for a while but it is simple. Would not a sub that is immune to air (if no destroyer is present) be a game breaker? Have you play teseted it? I have changed it so it now boosts defens too. By the way did you see my change for the Radar tech, and what do you think?

Don’t you think these would be the ultimate techs, and that all other ideas in A&A AE are more like NAs. However I would like you to help me play test these NAs and the mechanics for development and deployment. I am not sure about Super Submarines, Jet Power and Radar. What do you say?

Super Submarines
The reason why aircraft cannot attack alone submarines. It was the aircraft that proved the greatest nuisance to surfaced submarines. Night-running on the surface even to charge batteries, became prohibitively dangerous and the submarines developed the snort. The snort made the submarines slow since the submarine needed to stay submerged and on station high surface speeds could not be used. Efficiency fell off rapidly. Desperately some submarines carried enhanced AA armament, electing to fight it out on the surface. This suited the aircraft very well, which discourage the practice.

Ultimately the type XXI and XXIII submarine was introduced by Germany. These types of submarines travelled faster underwater than surfaced. The former had a 16-kt submerged speed, underwater fire control and acoustic torpedoes, tuned to home on the fast running propellers. A combination of active and passive sonar enabled them to attack without raising a tell-tale periscope. Fortunately for the Allies the war ended before the type became fully operational.

Jet Fighters

About the special move as an interceptor – Jet fighters performed well in high altitudes much better than piston-engine-driven propellers (other high-altitude fighters). It is no surprise that the Me 262 (Germanys best jet fighter) was primarily designed as a bomber-destroyer! Me 262 was easily the fastest fighter in the world: with guns and unguided R4M rockets, this fighter of the future had the potential to knock down Flying Fortresses almost impunity. Too late and not always used in the best way, the ME 262 frightened the Allies but could not alter the outcome of the war!

Jet Fighters
Your fighters are now jet fighters. Their defense increases to 5, and they cannot be hit by antiaircraft gun fire. Moreover they may intercept bombers in a SBR.

Bomber Interception: This battle last for one cycle of combat only. The defender declares intercepting fighters before any defending AA guns fire. Intercepting fighters attack on a 3 were as the bomber defend on a 1, after any AA fire. Any fighters used in a interceptor role may not also defend in a regular land attack against that same territory on the same turn.

:? If we keep AA-guns hit on a 2 for Radar the I personally dont think one need this ability for Jets. Think tactics, should there really be two techs to counter Heavy bombers. And would not Jets be too good and dominate all other techs if we keep bomber interception ability with first strike ability, hence need to be defend on 5 and intercept bombers. However I think all techs should be offensive some how, so I prefer the ability were jets cannot be hit by antiaircraft fire. Moreover, should jets be an enormous threat to navy, as will be with first strike ability. I guess that is the reason why Larry Harris gave them a 4 attack ability in A&A AE.

I like the new Radar technology because the mechanic does reflect how radar actually works. It partly nullify the advantage in concentration that normally lies with an attacker. The precept that attack was everything, that permeated German arms, had prevented them from exploiting their inventions in this field. They knew of the R.A.F. radar system, but did not realized the degree of its efficiency.