Why call it tactical bombers rather then figther bombers?

I have play tested a revised artillery unit with improved defence capabillity. When an infantry defends along with an artillery, the infantry’s defens increases to 3. Artillery do still support infantry on attack. Remember that the artillery unit we have today were made when the armour unit still defended on a 2, in A&A Europe.

Artillery was mostly a defensive unit during WWII and proved to be the basic weapon of fighting tanks. However, in A&A, it is usually only used as an offensive unit, mainly to give large infantry formations more punch, not for anti-tank defences or counter-battery fire upon enemy artillery. The task of destroying enemy tanks and artillery batteries can also fall to attack aircraft, but unless they are already on patrol overhead, they are usually not quick enough to save friendly forces from damage. More often, ground-based counter-battery fire would suppress the enemy artillery batteries and force them to move, while aircraft would follow up later with a strike to destroy the rest of the enemy artillery.

Once Germany had been thrown on to the defensive in WWII the burden of combat shifted away from aircraft and tanks to the infantry and artillery. This were not because the former were not needed but rather their short supply forced reliance on the latter. However Germany had a shortage of artillery and therefore carried severe penalties. The inabillity to conduct effective large-scale counter-battery operations,as well as the loss of air superiority, was primary cause of German failure in both the West and the East. The early hopes of victory through mobility were replaced by an insatiable demand for the firepower of artillery.

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. Using this single breakthrough chart, one can choose any technology you wish to research. To develop improved military technology, you buy researchers that give you a chance for a scientific breakthrough. Each researcher token costs 8 IPCs and will grant you one die that provides a chance for a breakthrough. For each researcher you have, roll one die. You can only receive one technological advance each turn.

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. Super Submarines
Your submarines are now super submarines. They attack and defend 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.

2. 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 rocket strike against an enemy industrial complex within 3 spaces of it, to attack enemy production. In each turn, only one antiaircraft gun per territory may launch rockets, and each industrial complex can be attacked by only one rocket launcher. On a rocket strike, roll two dice, take the better result to determine the damage done to the industrial complex, i.e. the number of IPCs destroyed by that rocket. There is no defense against this attack.

3. Radar
You now have radar technology that facilitate offensive fighter control. Your fighters on any territory of your control containing an antiaircraft gun, may now defend adjacent territories or sea zones. They can join other defending units or be alone and act immediately in these battles. Any fighthers that you choose to defend in an adjacent territory or sea zone cannot participate in another battle and move back to the territory of origin after the attacker completes the combat phase and before the attacker starts the non-combat phase. If the territory of origin has been captured then the fighter may move up to one space or else be lost.

4. Jet Power
Your fighters (not bombers) do now have jet power. Their attack value increases to 4.

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.

It is done now!

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.

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.

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.

@Imperious:

make some NA’s for the Pacific game. Larry is considering using them.

Also don’t forget a nice list of Italian NA’s for AAE40!

Do what you can.

I will Sir, but need to think a bit  :wink:

@oztea:

A few liberties taken with my ruleset perhaps?

http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=14737.0

No matter, some comments……

Comments noted!

@crusaderiv:

When i say nothing new it’s because those national advantage are available in others axis & allies games and even in the world at war games.
Maybe it’s new for A&A 1942 but there’s no originality.

I don’t think so dude, and if you read about them anywere else it is because its one of my older versions for A&A Revised. Actually I was the first one to revise the Lightening Assault NA for Japan to Yamato Battleships (not Larry Harris), and that was long ago. By the way NAs are only an optional rule in A&A Revised not in A&A AE or any other games. If you actually red the NAs of mine, you would find out a different game mechanic for them than in other variants (except for mine). I am Game Master, B Andersson.