In the last rules article, we reviewed some of the new rules for Axis & Allies Pacific 1940 and this article will conclude going over the new rules. This article will cover the following topics: the rules for the declaration of war, China, Convoys, strategic bombing with escorts, and national objectives.

Click on the image above for the full high resolution version. Special thanks to Krieghund and Craig Yope for proofreading this article.

 

Declaration of War

The game starts with only Japan and China at war with each other. From there war can be declared under certain circumstances.

  • The only territories that Japan may attack without declaring war on all of the Allies are Chinese territories and French-Indo China.
  • If Japan attacks any territories, attacks units, or disrupts convoys that are operated by USA, UK, ANZAC, or the Dutch, then that act constitutes a declaration of war on all of the Allies.
  • UK and ANZAC are allowed to capture and occupy Dutch territories without provoking war.
  • If the UK or ANZAC attacks any territories, attacks units, or disrupts convoys that are operated by Japan, then Japan is at war with only UK and ANZAC (and China, of course). The USA does not go to war with Japan in this circumstance.
  • If the USA is not at war with Japan by the beginning of the collect income phase during the third turn, then the USA is immediately at war with Japan.
  • When the USA is at war with Japan, it’s income is increased by 40 IPCs as represented by the 10 and the 50 printed on Western USA. The IPC value of W. USA basically goes up by 40, from 10 to 50.
  • If only Japan and China are at war, moving UK or ANZAC units into Chinese controlled territories is considered an act of war against Japan. The USA player may not move units into China until it is at war.
  • No country, Japan nor the Allies may enter the Soviet Union.

China

China has been in a few version of the Axis & Allies family of games and this edition improves upon the previous sets of rules.

  • China is a separate power with separate resources and it’s own turn.
  • China is controlled by one of the Allied players.
  • Infantry are the only units that China can normally produce.
  • If the Burma Road (Szechwan, Yunnan, Burma, and India) is open, controlled by Allied powers, then China may also produce artillery.
    • Use the USA artillery units to represent the Chinese artillery.
  • China starts the game with one USA fighter, which represents the Flying Tigers.
    • This fighter is controlled by China and moves and fights as if it were a Chinese unit.
    • This fighter also has the same restrictions on movement and attacks as all Chinese units.
    • If destroyed, this fighter cannot be replaced.
  • China does not have industrial complexes so China may mobilize some or all of their new units on any territory. The number of units that may be placed on one territory is not restricted.
  • If China captures or liberates a Chinese territory where Japan had built an industrial complex, that industrial complex is immediately removed from the game.
  • China is restricted by where it can move and occupy territories.
    • Chinese units may only move into, attack, and/or capture territories with the Nationalist Chinese symbol on them.
    • Chinese units may also attack and occupy Kwangtung and Burma but the UK player maintains control of these territories.
  • Other Allied units may be moved into China but remain under control of the Allied player and such units do notbecome Chinese units.
    • If the Allied player is not at war with Japan, moving units into China is considered an act of war
  • China has no capital. If all of the Chinese territories are captured by Japan, China keeps all of their IPCs and does not hand them over to the Japanese player.
  • China is not subject to convoy disruptions.

Convoys

Disrupting a convoy causes the loss of IPCs from the player who is affected by the “attack.” The term “attack” is not to be confused with combat, convoys are special rules that should be considered to be handled in isolation.

  • Disrupting a convoy is considered an act of war (source: Krieghund).
  • Convoy disruption occurs only during the Collect Income phase of the country affected by the disruption.
  • The following conditions must be met for a convoy “attack” to occur
    • The sea zone has a convoy symbol on it
    • The sea zone must be adjacent to one or more of the current player’s islands or territories
    • At least one enemy warship must the in the sea zone.
    • The intent to disrupt the convoy must be declared by the enemy player.
      • You are not required to disrupt a convoy even if all the conditions are met.
      • This prevents you from accidentally going to war.
  • Each enemy warship causes in the sea zone the loss of 1 IPC, except submarines.
  • Each enemy submarine causes the loss of 2 IPCs.
  • The maximum number of IPCs that can be lost are the total IPC value of the adjacent islands or territories that belong to the current player.

This needs an example. It is the UK player’s turn during the Collect Income phase. The UK player determines that they collect 21 IPCs from the territories that they control. Next, all players look for possible convoy disruption scenarios. The players discover that there are 2 Japanese submarines and 1 Japanese destroyer in Sea Zone 37. Sea Zone 37 contains a convoy icon and is adjacent to two UK controlled territories: Malaya (IPC value: 3) and Shan State (IPC value: 1). Each submarine is “on station” and disrupts the convoy for 2 IPCs each and each warship disrupts for 1 IPC for a total of 5 IPCs in this scenario. However, since the total IPC values of the adjacent territories is 4, then the UK player will only lose 4 IPCs.

Strategic Bombing

The rules for strategic bombing raid have expanded in the edition to include escorts, interceptors, and raids on industrial complexes, airbases, or naval bases.

To conduct a strategic bombing raid, follow these steps:

  • The attacking player moves strategic bombers into an enemy territory that contains one or more of industrial complex, air base, and/or naval base.
  • The attacking player optionally moves fighters, to escort the strategic bombers, into the same territory.
  • Both strategic bombers and the escort fighters may not participate in any other battle this turn.
  • Tactical bombers may not participate at all.
  • The defending player may choose to commit any fighters in the territory to intercept the strategic bombing raid.
    • When this condition arises, a special battle is fought before the bombing raid.
    • Only the attacking escort fighters, attacking strategic bombers, and defending intercepting fighters participate.
    • Strategic bombers do not fire.
    • Strategic bombers may be taken as casualties.
    • In this battle, attacking fighters hit 1 and defending fighters hit on 2 or less.
    • The battle lasts one round.
    • Hit aircraft are removed.
  • Escorting fighters now “retreat” but remain in the territory until the non-combat phase.
  • The attacking player now chooses which facility (industrial complex, airbase, naval base) will be attacked by which remaining strategic bombers.
  • More than one strategic bomber may attack the same facility.
  • Each facility has it’s own anti-aircraft guns built in, which can only be fired during a strategic bombing raid.
  • Each facility rolls one die for each strategic bomber attacking that facility.
  • Remove one strategic bomber for each 1 rolled by the defender.
  • The AA guns for a facility can only hit the strategic bombers attacking that facility and not bombers attacking other facilities.
  • Each surviving strategic bomber rolls one die for the amount of damage done the the facility being attacked.
  • Place gray chips under the facility to represent the damage.
    • Maximum damage for an airbase, naval base, or minor industrial complex is 6.
    • Maximum damage for a major industrial complex is 20.
    • Airbases and naval bases are considered to be non-operation if they have 3 or more damage.
  • Attacking strategic bombers and fighters that survive must move to a friendly landing spot during the non-combat movement phase, as normal.

National Objectives

The national objectives add an extra bit of strategy because they give certain groups of territories more strategic importance. When an objective is achieved bonus income is awarded.

  • Japan
    • 5 IPCs for controlling Java, Sumatra, Borneo, and Celebes at the same time
    • 5 IPCs for controlling Solomon Islands, Dutch New Guinea, New Guinea, and New Britain
    • 5 IPCs for controlling Honolulu
    • 5 IPCs for controlling Sydney
    • 5 IPCs for controlling Calcutta
  • USA
    • Income for Western USA goes from 10 to 50 IPCs when at war with the Axis.
    • 5 IPCs for controlling the Philippines
    • 5 IPCs for controlling Okinawa and Iwo Jima at the same time
  • China
    • 6 IPCs when the Burma Road is controlled by the Allies (India, Burma, Yunnan, and Szechwan)
  • UK
    • 5 IPCs if the Allies (excluding the Dutch) control Sumatra, Java, Celebes, and Borneo at the same time
    • 5 IPCs for controlling Kwangtung and Malaya at the same time
  • ANZAC
    • 5 IPCs if the Allies (excluding the Dutch) control Dutch New Guinea, New Guinea, New Britain, and the Solomon Islands
    • 5 IPCs (once and only once) for occupying any territory that was originally Japanese controlled.