Does anyone do Arms Buildup?

[Der Kuenstler]

We've done this before and it is a lot of fun. Instead of setting the game up over and over the same way, players each take 5-7 rounds doing an "Arms Buildup". The amount of money you get to spend for units is inverse to the amount of starting income you have. (i.e. USA gets the least, USSR the most) During arms buildup, you do not need to place units where you have an Industrial Complex. Just put units anywhere within your borders and ships adjacent to friendly borders. After arms buildup ends, the war starts! 

[knp7765]

I don't understand how you figure out the amount of money each country gets to spend on arms buildup. I understand the concept, but what are the actual amounts for each country?

[empireman]

How much money does each country get?

[Der Kuenstler]

You would use percentages - normally USA starts the game with 25% of global income and USSR with 15% of global income. So this would be inversed. With 200 IPCs of global income, the USA would get 30, USSR 50, Germany 34, UK and Japan 43 each. But this only works well when you use four players and one of the Allies is neutral.   

With all five nations, you would have add up the total amount of all units in each nation's setup and then use those percentages to buy what you want during the buildup.

[empireman]

How about this:

USA: 55   Germany: 75  USSR:  45   Japan:  40   UK:  30  ANZAC: 20  China:  17
France: 12   Italy:  23

Every nation starts with 1 Infantry, 1 Major IC, 2 AA guns, Air base in their capitol. You get 1 Navy base and 2 Infantry to place in any of your territories.

The Turn Phase is

Buy Arms
Move
Place (can be placed in any territory, Sea units must be next to a friendly Territory)

Turn 1- Can build Infantry and Transports
Turn 2- +Artillery and Destroyer
Turn 3- +Mech, Navy Base, Air Base
Turn 4- +AA gun and Sub
Turn 5- +Tank, Cruiser, and Fighter
Turn 6- +Battleship and Carriers
Turn 7- +Tac Bombers and Bombers
Turn 8 - Can build any unit

This is like a Pre war game.

[knp7765]

Interesting idea. For one thing, this might allow some players to try out new strategies that are not possible with the regular setup.

So round 8 would be the last buildup round? Then the war would begin on round 9, right? I like how you put only certain types of units on each round. Otherwise some might just get 8 rounds of tanks and bombers or something like that.

Question: What about India/UK Pacific? Is the 30 for UK split between London and Calcutta?

[empireman]

Interesting idea. For one thing, this might allow some players to try out new strategies that are not possible with the regular setup.

So round 8 would be the last buildup round? Then the war would begin on round 9, right? I like how you put only certain types of units on each round. Otherwise some might just get 8 rounds of tanks and bombers or something like that.

Thanks

Lets see, 1 Round is 4 Months right? Then the game starts in Feb. 1938.
I might want to try this, did any try it?

[Der Kuenstler]

I'm using the Spring 1942 map but you get the idea with global - it is adaptable - it gets fun because you see your opponent building up somewhere and then you have to react to that. It makes every game a new game with new starting strategies. We don't find it necessary to put restrictions on what you buy. Each round of buildup you will be observing what others place out and can buy accordingly.