yes to this proposal, which we have played three times without any problematic effects, and feel to be rather more logical than the original rule.

Playing with a regular foursome, we are mostly gripped by the naval combat side of AA50, as it plays so much better than other AA editions.

Here’s an idea that comes from wanting to simulate damage effects to important ships, and typically their withdrawal from combat areas for many weeks after taking damage.

I’d love to hear how experienced players get along with this idea!

A&A 50 - Capital Ships and Damage House Rule

1. Capital ships were important ships and in AA50 include battleships, aircraft carriers, and cruisers. They represent major investment and benefit from armour and escort protection.

2. Capital ships can take damage without being sunk as follows:
   a) Battleships can take two damage
   b) Aircraft Carriers and Cruisers can take one damage

3. Whenever a capital ship takes damage without sinking, place a damage marker under the ship. A battleship can therefore have one or two damage markers.

4. When a capital ship has a damage marker its firepower is reduced by one i.e.
   a) A battleship with one damage marker, hits on a roll of 3
   b) A battleship with two damage markers, hits on a roll of 2
   c) An Aircraft carrier with a damage marker, has 0 attack firepower, but hits on a 1 in defence.
   d) A cruiser with one damage marker hits or a roll of 2

5. Damage can only be repaired “in a shipyard” at a friendly victory city (includes Cairo and Capetown), as follows
   a) The damaged ship may return in non-combat movement to the shipyard. A battleship with two damage markers may only move one sea zone per turn.
   b) Damaged ships to be repaired are then placed “in the shipyard” on the land space.
   c) Once placed “in the shipyard” a damaged ship may not go to sea without having repairs.
   d) The vessel may be repaired by the owing player at a cost of 1xD6 IPCs for each point of damage in any subsequent repair damage phase. A battleship which has two damage markers may be repaired in any one repair damage phase at a cost of 2xD6 IPCs, or if the owner chooses over any two repair damage phases (i.e. spreading the cost)
   e) A ship which has had full repairs must leave the shipyard in the same turn and must return to the same sea zone from which it entered the shipyard.
   f) A battleship which has been partly repaired may go to sea as above, but does not have to until it is fully repaired.
   g) A ship in the shipyard has no attack or defence value, and does not prevent enemy forces entering the territory. It is eliminated if this occurs and also by an enemy combat hit. A damaged ship cannot take hits before other defending combat units.

6. If an aircraft carrier is damaged, roll one die for any fighter attempting to land on its deck. On a roll of 6 the fighter must be taken out of service by placing a damage marker under it. It may not take off or defend or take a hit. It is treated as cargo and is eliminated if the carrier is sunk. Any unserviceable fighters become service ready if and when the carrier itself enters a shipyard.

Ian Duncan, Galashiels, Scotland

Writing down movement for a lot of ships is a bit too cumbersome for me and really slows down the game. Why not try identical national counters to represent the ship types and let each player have two or three blank markers to place at the start of the game.

These counters would have the ship type on the underside eg B, AC, Cr, D, S, T. Of course it’s a fair bet that those single units being loading on a couple of counters are on destroyers (or are they a couple of deceitful transports?)

Players would move these markers as they wish, and they would only reveal them in attack phases (optional), or when unloading (compulsory) . A player could forego revealing an important ship (or blank), to add to uncertainty for his opponent.

Any blank counters forced by combat to reveal themselves would be returned to the base sea zone. Players would pay the correct cost for new ships, but when placing in the base sea zone, they would be placed as counters.

What do you think?

Air recon might need to be considered……

I am enjoying the game and also think that this forum is excellent. I can only fault the game in the way that subs are handled, which seems to lack a certain realism! I am experimenting with various ideas here, but would love to see an official variant!