THREE TURN PLAYING SYSTEM and ENHANCED COMBAT
Google Doc Link for Printable Rules: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wC6af1xSY5D2ZSf3NxEAd4j5x1Z0rUXTeRh0joLM9A4/edit?usp=sharing
Philosophy
I wanted to implement changes that stay within the basic structure already laid out by Axis and Allies. I didn’t want to have extra die-rolls or tons of intricate sub-rules and “If - Then” situations to follow. I wanted more cooperation between the respective Axis and Allied players. I wanted to improve some of the aspects for combat, especially Naval Combat. And finally, I wanted to speed up game-play while increasing realism.
These are by no means all my ideas. Special Thanks is at the bottom of this post. Please let me know if I omitted anything or anyone.
Modifications Include
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3 Turn per Round Playing System - “Axis & Allies & Comintern”: Provides a much faster and engaging way to play. Creates more of a “Team-Based” atmosphere with players working together. Enhances historical accuracy.
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Simple way of Simulating Vichy France: More historically accurate. Allows Allies to gain IPCs from Vichy France territories. VERY simple to implement.
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“High-Luck” Casualties System: More historically accurate. Lowers the “Meat-Shield” aspect of conducting combat, but does not eliminate it.
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**Modified Naval Rules: **Focuses on air-power at sea. Will reduce ridiculously large naval stacks. Balances Destroyers, Subs and Cruisers. Will place more importance on the value of islands in the Pacific. … And has a much more subtle Strategic influence on the game in general.
THREE TURN per ROUND PLAYING SYSTEM, “Axis and Allies & Comintern”:
Order of Play
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Turn 1) Axis (Germany, Italy and Japan play together)
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Turn 2) Comintern (Russia) China also plays in this turn. China is not Comintern at this point, but plays in this turn as to not have the ability to coordinate attacks with Allied Forces.
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Turn 3) Allies (USA, UK, ANZAC play together)
MODIFICATIONS TO COUNTRY RULES
Forces Attacking Together
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Axis forces can attack together during their turn. Combined arms modifiers only apply for forces of the same nation.
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Allied forces can attack together during their turn. Combined arms modifiers only apply for forces of the same nation.
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Comintern forces (Russia) and China cannot attack together during their turn. ie … Soviet and China cannot attack together
Attacking Together Casualty Selection
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Axis and Allied forces that attack together randomly select casualties for the same unit type. (For example, if there are 3 German and 2 Italian infantry and they decide that an infantry will be the 1st casualty, the Germans roll 3 dice and the Italians roll 2 dice. Whoever has the higher sum takes the casualty.) Any other “random” method may be used as well
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Occupation may be pre-decided. However, if the attacking players cannot agree: Country with the largest army remaining at the end of the battle takes control of the occupied territory.
Allied/Soviet Movement Restrictions
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Allied and Soviet forces cannot occupy the same land territory. (they can occupy the same sea zone and defend together in that sea zone)
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Allied and Soviet forces cannot move into, over or through a territory controlled by the other power. _(For example, Allied forces could not enter a territory with a Soviet roundel on it, and vice-versa) _
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Allied and Soviet forces CAN move into an originally controlled Allied/Soviet territory that has been lost to the Axis. This “liberates” the territory and returns the IPC value to the original controller.
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Allied and Soviet forces can remain in a “liberated” original territory. If they leave the territory they cannot return. While this original territory is occupied, forces of the other Power Block cannot enter it. (Example: Japan takes the “Soviet Far East” territory. USA Liberates this territory, returns the IPC value back to the Soviets and places USA troops and USA Strategic Bombers there. Soviet forces cannot enter the “Soviet Far East” territory while USA forces are present)
Allied/China Restrictions
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Allied forces can enter China.
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China and Allied forces can defend together, but cannot attack together as they go in different turns.
Soviet/China Restrictions
France - Sequence to Implement After the Fall of Paris to the Axis
This is a “Sequence” that should be implemented once the combat moves are finished with one of the results being Paris falling to Axis Control:
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French Units in UK are now “Free French” and become fully controlled by the UK Europe player. They should be treated exactly as UK Units with no French/UK country restrictions.
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French cruiser in Sea Zone 110 is now “Free French” and becomes fully controlled by the UK Europe player. It should be treated exactly as a UK Unit with no French/UK country restrictions.
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Remaining French units are now “Vichy France” and are treated as “Axis Friendly Neutrals” with the following exceptions:
- Units remain Vichy French / Blue, always.
- Units cannot move from their original territories or sea zones, ever.
- Units will defend together with Axis Forces in their original territory or sea zone.
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Any French territory can be occupied by Axis, Allies or Comintern forces under the same rules as an “Axis Friendly Neutral”.
If Paris is liberated by Allies:
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France Liberation VO is activated as normal.
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Non-occupied / unclaimed territories (territories with a France Roundel) and units in these territories return to control of Liberated France.
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Occupied / “Claimed by Allies” Territories: Return to control of Liberated France.
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Occupied / “Claimed by Axis” Territories: Remain “Vichy” and Axis-Friendly.
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All Sea-Units return to control of Liberated France.
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Any remaining Free French units absorbed by the UK after the fall of Paris should be returned to Liberated French control.
If Paris is occupied by Russia:
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France is not liberated, but instead absorbed into Russian territories and becomes part of the Comintern.
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France Liberation VO is not activated.
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Non-occupied / unclaimed land territories and units remain Vichy / Axis-Friendly Neutrals
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Sea-Units remain Vichy / Axis-Friendly Neutrals
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Free French units remain under UK Europe control.
OPTIONAL 2-Player USA Rule for 8-Player, or 9-Player Games
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USA is treated as One Economy, 2 Players. (A European Commander and a Pacific Commander)
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IPCs are divided as decided by the two players on a PER ROUND basis. This is important. USA needs to selectively pour resources into either the Pacific or European theater at different times, it is not wise (or historical) to evenly divide the USA IPCs throughout the entire game)
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Breaking a Deadlock: There should be a little tension between the European and Pacific commanders for resources, as there was in real life. This should be part of the fun. If a deadlock should arrive between the two players, here are some suggestions for breaking it:
- Committee: The Russian player temporarily takes the role of FDR and breaks the deadlock
- Even Split: IPCs are divided evenly if the commanders can’t agree.
- Coin Toss: If the two commanders cannot come to an agreement, each should lay out their desired IPC requirements and then flip a coin. This way, at least one theater will accomplish their purchasing objectives in that turn.
COMBAT CASUALTIES (AKA “High Luck” Casualties)
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Hits with a roll of 1 should be applied to the units in the enemy’s “1 Column”
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Hits with a roll of 2 should be applied to the units in the enemy’s “2 Column”
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Hits with a roll of 3 should be applied to the units in the enemy’s “3 Column”
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Hits with a roll of 4 should be applied to the units in the enemy’s “4 Column”
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Defender may choose to move a hit UP to a higher-value column. This would let a BB take a hit for example.
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If no units are available in the target column, it should be applied to lower columns.
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If no lower columns are available to place a hit, it should be placed in the next available higher column.
Exceptions to the Hits Columns
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Strategic Bombers are always considered to be in the “4 Column”
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Aircraft Carriers are always considered to be in the “4 Column”
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Transports can only be selected once no other targets are available. (Same as OOB rules) EXCEPTION: Transports may be hit directly with a TAC hit of “1” if the die-roller decides to apply the hit to a transport. See TAC Bomber rules below.
MODIFIED BATTLE RULES
Naval Retreats
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After the each round of combat, either or both players may opt to retreat.
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If both players decide to retreat: defending player remains in the sea-zone and attacking player moves all forces one sea zone.
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If only one player opts to retreat: a roll of 3 or less must be made to successfully retreat. Otherwise, the battle must continue until both players retreat or a successful retreat roll is made by one player.
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If either side has ONLY airplanes: No retreat roll is necessary from the side with only planes and the battle may simply be “called-off” by that player. Airplanes can then move their remaining movement allowance in the Non-Combat Movement Phase.
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Retreating player moves all naval forces together to a single sea-zone.
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If player retreats to a sea-zone that contains enemy surface ships, it is treated the same as if a ship has been mobilized in a sea-zone with enemy ships. No additional combat ensues this round in that sea zone.
Combat Steps (There are no modifications to the steps. All revised rules fall within the existing game structure)
MODIFIED UNIT RULES (Information not stated here remains OOB)
Naval Bases
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Operational Naval Bases may roll 3 dice @1 at when defending against an amphibious landing.
- Rolls are “Preemptive” and are made after the sea-portion of combat is complete and before the land-portion of combat begins.
- Attacker can select any air, sea or land unit(s) participating in either the Sea or Land portion of the attack as casualties.
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Naval Bases emit an “Operating Radius” of 3 spaces starting with the sea-zone that surrounds, or is adjacent to, the Naval Base. “Operating Radius” is the extent of the range a Naval Base has to service all friendly surface ships (Submarines are not subject to Operating Radius)
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Surface Ships may START their turn inside an “Operating Radius”, but may END their turn outside an “Operating Radius”.
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If a surface ship starts their turn OUTSIDE of the Operating Radius, it should attempt to get back INSIDE the Operating Radius of a Friendly Operational Naval Base.
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If, when starting from OUTSIDE an Operating Radius, movement fails to end inside of an Operating Radius, ship’s movement is reduced to 1 instead of the usual 2 spaces for that turn. Otherwise, a ship may use it’s full 2 movement spaces if the result returns the ship back inside of a Friendly Operational Naval Base’s “Operating Radius”.
Ship Based AAA All ships have AAA capabilities. It works as follows:
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Ship AAA is rolled at the beginning of every combat round. (Just after the “Sub Special Attack” step, and before the normal attack rolls) Each Airplane can still only be targeted up to ONE time per combat round.
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Is rolled independently from a ship’s normal combat rolls. So, in theory, ships can roll 2 times per combat round. Once for their AAA which must be applied to enemy planes and once for “Ship-to-Ship” which must be applied to enemy ships.
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Can be used in the attack as well as defense.
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IMPORTANT: Is the only way a ship can hit an aircraft. Ship’s regular combat rolls must apply their hits to the other ships.
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Is treated as normal AAA in all other aspects.
Land Based AAA
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Is rolled during the normal combat rolls.
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Is rolled during every round of combat.
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AAA can now only target up to a single enemy airplane. (Airplanes can still only be targeted up to ONE time per combat round)
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AAA now cost 4 IPCs.
**Aircraft Carriers **
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Aircraft carriers can only launch attacks with airplanes of the same nation.
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Aircraft carriers can launch and receive friendly aircraft during the Non-Combat move.
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Have ship based AAA that can target up to 1 plane per turn.
Transports
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Transports can only launch amphibious attacks in the Combat Move with units from the same nation.
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Transports can load, move and unload friendly units in the Non-Combat move.
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Transports do not control a sea-zone. Therefore, when not escorted, they cannot interfere with an amphibious assault. However, attacker must still roll for “Hits” and any surviving transports may attempt to retreat after each round of combat. Once this is finished, the amphibious assault may continue as normal.
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Transports must be chosen last for casualty selection unless Die-Roller choses a transport with a Tactical Bomber @1 hit. See TAC Bomber rules below.
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Have ship based AAA that can target up to 1 plane per turn
Destroyers
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Can only apply their special anti-sub abilities to ONE enemy sub in the sea zone per destroyer.
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Destroyers now cost 7 IPCs
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Destroyers have ship based AAA that can target up to 1 plane per turn.
Cruisers
Battleships
- Have ship based AAA that can target up to 2 planes per turn.
TAC Bombers
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Applies to NAVAL BATTLES ONLY: During attack and defense, if a TAC bomber rolls a 1, the DIE ROLLER may choose which ship to apply the hit to.
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The Die Roller applies their TAC @1 hits before the regular hits are applied that are chosen by the defender.
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With an “@1” hit, Die Roller may choose to hit ANY enemy ship, including Transports.
Strategic Bombers
- Attack at 2 against Naval Units
CREDITS AND SPECIAL THANKS
Young Grasshopper
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For suggesting to “Keep it Simple, Stupid”. This went into consideration when modifying the way the Naval Rules and TAC Bombers work.
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For land-based AAA working on EACH combat round 1@1 instead of 1@3 only at the beginning of combat.
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For his cool method of selecting casualties!
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For his ideas regarding the Added Value to Naval Bases and their defense against Amphibious Assaults.
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And also, for all of his great G40 videos on YouTube. Those have had a great influence in general.
Baron Muchhausen
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For suggesting that Transports also receive a AAA defense roll.
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On how to break a dispute for the 2-Player USA optional rule
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For having the TACs pick their target on a roll of @1 instead of the previous suggestion I had.
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For his input on refining the cool method of selecting casualties!
CWO Marc
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for suggesting that Cruiser’s and Battleship’s AAA can target up to 2 attacking aircraft instead of 1
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For suggestions on the way China and Russia should be handled when playing during the same turn.
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Used his great Map Analysis post to create a better model for Vichy France
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On how to break a dispute for the 2-Player USA optional rule
Kreuzfeld
- for suggesting that TAC “Special Hits” are applied before the regular hits and to also give suggestions for the way Naval Air Attacks are conducted.
Carolina
- For proposing that combined arms modifiers only apply for forces of the same nation.