Weapons Development
1. Jet Fighters
Your fighters are now jet fighters. Their defense increases to 5, and they may intercept bombers (including superfortresses) in a SBR. Intercepting fighters attack on a 3 were as the bomber defend on a 1, the combat last for one cycle of combat. Any fighters used in a interceptor role may not also defend in a regular land attack against that same territory on the same turn.
2. Rockets
Your antiaircraft guns are now rocket launchers. In addition to their normal combat function, they can reduce enemy industrial production. See Special Combats in Phase 4: Conduct Combat for more information.
3. Super Submarines
Your submarines are now super submarines. They attack 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.
4. Long-Range Aircraft
Your fighters are now long-range fighters, and your bombers are now long-range bombers. Your fighters’ range increases to 6. Your bombers’ range increases to 8.
5. Super Destroyers
Your destroyers are now super destroyers. They may like battleships, conduct coastal bombardment during an amphibious assault at an attack roll of 3 or less. In addition they have a move of 3.
6. Heavy Bombers
Your bombers are now heavy bombers. They roll two dice each in an attack or strategic bombing raid (see Special Combats in Phase 4: Conduct Combat), but still only a single die on defense.
National Advantages
Soviet Union National Advantages
1. Russian Winter
Russia’s greatest ally was its winter cold. Germany’s invasion stopped dead as the snows came down.
Once during the game in your collect income phase, you can declare a severe winter. Until the start of your next turn, your infantry defend on a 3.
2. Nonaggression Treaty
The Japanese refrained from attacking the Soviet Union during most of the war. They already had one bear coming at them from the east.
The first time in the game that the Japanese forces attack any red territory, you may place four of your infantry for free in that territory before resolving combat. If Japan attacks more than one red territory in that turn, you may decide which such territory receives the infantry. If you attack an orange territory before Japan attacks you, you lose this national advantage.
3. Guard Tank Regiments (replace Mobile Industry)
Russia used heavy tank regiments as guards of Moscow. Invulnerable to any standard anti-tank weapons available of that time, these tanks were instrumental in saving the capital.
Your tanks in Russia defend on a 5.
4. Conscripts (replace Salvage)
The Red Army won many battles with their raw manpower, by using untrained infantry and many times unequipped.
During your mobilize new units phase, you may place one of your infantry for free in any red territory if you control it. This free unit is in addition to the group of units you just purchased.
5. Katyusha Rockets (replace Lend-Lease)
The Soviets were able to supplement the artillery with massed batteries of rocket launchers. The sheer volume of fire more than compensated for individual lack of accuracy.
Your artillery attacks on a 3, for the first combat cycle only. Thereafter, only one artillery unit can retain this increased attack factor of 3.
6. Trans-Siberian Railway
The Trans-Siberian Railway spanned 10,000 kilometers from Moscow to Vladivostok, the longest main line in the world.
In the noncombat move phase, your infantry, antiaircraft guns, and artillery may move 2 territories per turn only among these territories: Russia, Novosibirsk, Yakut S.S.R., and Buryatia S.S.R.
Germany National Advantages
1. U-Boat Program (replaces U-Boat Interdiction)
During World War II, 1,162 U-Boats were built, and these U-Boats sank 14,687,231 tons of Allied shipping.
Your submarines now cost 6 IPC’s.
2. Atlantic Wall
The Germans fortified the European Atlantic coast with massive defensive systems from Norway to Spain.
During any amphibious assault against a gray territory, all your infantry defend on a 3 during the first cycle of combat.
3. Panzergrenadiers (replace Panzerblitz)
During World War II, the Germans had troops units that were designed for fighting alongside tanks. These were fully motorized units, so that they could at all times keep up with the tanks.
Each of your tanks give one matching infantry one additional movement allowance. The tank and the infantry unit must leave from the same territory.
4. Wolf Packs (revised)
Wolf packs of U-boats prowled the Atlantic, working together to down Allied convoys. The only sure thing about a U-boat was that there always was another nearby.
Your submarines attack on a 3 (4 if you have the Super Submarines development) if there is more than one of them at the start of the combat cycle. When there are less than two submarines at the start of a combat cycle, this ability is lost. The Wolf Packs advantage does not improve defending submarines. Enemy destroyers do not affect this National Advantage. The submarines may come from different sea zones, but they must attack the same sea zone.
5. Tiger Tanks ( Luftwaffe Dive-Bombers)
A single Tiger tank could halt the advance of a complete armored division. These tanks were massively protected and had an extremely powerful anti-tank gun, which were more than adequate to deal with any allied armored fighting vehicle of that time.
Every third tank you have in each combat cycle, attack or defend on a 4.
6. Fortress Europe
The Gustav line in Italy was ordered to hold at all costs. Those costs included tens of thousands of men on both sides.
Your artillery in gray territories defends on a 3.
United Kingdom National Advantages
1. Radar
Britain’s radar alerted it to the threat of German planes crossing the channel.
UK owned antiaircraft guns in tan territories hit air units on a roll of 1 or 2.
2. Joint Strike
The most powerful strike in the war was the joint Allied assault on Normandy. The planning required to launch this simultaneous invasion has never been equaled.
Once during the game at the start of a round (before the Russian turn), you may declare a joint strike. That round, you complete your turn as normal, except you must skip combat move, conduct combat, and noncombat move phases. On those phases of the U.S. turn, the U.S. player uses your units in his or her combat move, conduct combat, and noncombat move phases together with his own units. You and the U.S. player must agree on attacking casualties, or the opposing player gets to choose them. Antiaircraft fire is rolled separately against each nationality of air units; all anti-U.K. dice are rolled before any anti-U.S. die is rolled. Weapons developments or national advantages still only apply to the units of the power that gained the development or has the advantage. A joint strike may not be called off once it is declared.
3. Enigma Decoded
Working in a secret facility in Bletchley Park, Alan Turing’s cryptographers broke the codes of the Nazi Enigma machines. They could then send false messages back.
Once per game, when Germany finishes its combat move phase, but before its conduct combat phase, you may make one special move. You may move any number of your units from any one adjacent space into one friendly space being attacked by Germany (Germany moving sea units to an empty sea zone does not count). Alternatively, you may move any number of your units from a space being attacked by Germany into an adjacent friendly space, but you must leave at least one of your units behind. This special move otherwise follows the rules for a noncombat move. If your units survive, they remain in the space to which they were moved.
4. British Commonwealth Troops (replace Mideast Oil)
The British Commonwealth Troops served in all theatres in World War II - from Europe to North Africa to South-East Asia.
During your mobilize new units phase, you may place one of your infantry in one of the following territories if you control it: India, Western Canada, Eastern Canada, Australia, South Africa, Anglo-Egypt, or New Zealand. This unit has to be purchased.
5. French Resistance
France fell quickly to the Germans. Thousands of French patriots who would otherwise have died in battle on the frontlines later rose up against the occupiers.
Once per game, if the Allies control Western Europe, you may place three of your infantry there for free during the mobilize new units phase of your turn.
6. Colonial Garrison
World War II represents the height of the United Kingdom’s colonial empire. Two decades later the Commonwealth was a shadow of its world-spanning former self.
You begin the game with one additional industrial complex in any tan territory with an income value of at least 1. (You still can’t have more than one industrial complex in a territory.)
Japan National Advantages
1. Tokyo Express
The Japanese High Command used destroyer convoys to ferry infantry. Allied forces at Guadalcanal dubbed this the “Tokyo Express”.
Each of your destroyers may act as a transport for one infantry. These destroyers follow the same rules for loading and offloading units as transports do.
2. Kamikaze Attacks (revised)
A terrifying development was the willingness of Japanese pilots to fly their planes directly into U.S. ships. They even developed “Flying Bombs” piloted by the soldiers inside.
Any Japanese fighter may perform a Kamikaze Attack and may use up all of its movement to reach a target of his choosing. A Kamikaze Attack must be declared during combat movement turn and they are only to be used during opening fire step of the first cycle of combat (meaning, their casualties cannot hit back). Kamikazes hit on a 4 and the target chosen may only be an enemy naval unit, except submarines. If an Aircraft Carrier is chosen as a target, any fighters on board can defend the Carrier on a 3 in the opening fire step. Any protecting fighters may than not also defend during the defenders roll turn against another attacking unit. Kamikaze fighters may not be taken as casualties, as they are destroyed when they make their attack.
3. Floatplane Fighters (replace Kaiten Torpedoes)
With an empire stretching across thousands of kilometers of the Pacific, the Japanese specialized in good floatplane fighters.
Your fighters may treat islands you control and adjacent sea zones as one. Therefore your fighters can travel in and out from an island group you control at no cost of movement.
4. Dreadnoughts (replace Lightning Assaults)
Dreadnoughts or leviathans like Yamato and Musashi were the largest and most powerful battleships the world has ever seen.
Your battleships have a first-strike capability (both attack and defense qualify). This capability is for the first round only. Any casualties are destroyed and removed from play, with no chance to counter-attack (it does not disrupt the special ability of a submarine).
5. Dug-In Defenders
Many Japanese troops defending Pacific islands elected to die in their bunkers rather than surrender.
All your infantry on islands defend on a 3.
6. Banzai Attacks
A fearsome rallying cry of the Imperial Japanese Army, “Banzai!” meant, “May you live ten thousand years.”
When you begin an attack with only infantry, all those infantry attack on a 2. This also applies to any amphibious assault in which all your attacking units in the land combat (other than those conducting shore bombardment) consist of only infantry.
United States National Advantages
1. Lend-Lease Program (replace Island Bases)
During World War II, the U.S. military began administrating what became known as the “lend-lease program”. In this program, the U.S. gifted its allies with an array of military equipment and munitions, including ships.
During your mobilize new units phase, you can convert one U.S. unit to an equivalent U.K. or Soviet unit. The conversion can only take place on an allied territory containing an industrial complex or in a sea zone adjacent to it. Remove the affected unit from play and replace it with the same unit of your allys’ color.
2. Chinese Divisions
The Chinese had three hundred divisions in 1942. President Roosevelt spent much of the war trying to get Chiang Kai-Shek to do something with them.
During your mobilize new units phase, you may place one of your infantry for free in one of the following territories if you control it: China, Sinkiang, or Kwangtung. This free unit is in addition to the group of units you just purchased.
3. Marines
“Send in the Marines!” was a popular U.S. rallying cry in World War II.
Your infantry attack on a 2 in the first cycle of the land combat portion of an amphibious assault. Even if supported by artillery, their attack remains 2.
4. Mechanized Infantry
With its fleet of trucks, the U.S. Army was the most mobile force of soldiers in World War II.
Your infantry have a move of 2 and may blitz as tanks do.
5. Liberty Ship Program (replace Fast Carriers)
In 1941, the U.S. embarked on a massive expansion of the merchant marine fleet under the auspices of the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. The standard Liberty ship was the centerpiece of this program.
Your transports now cost 6 IPC’s.
6. Superfortresses (revised)
The B-29 Superfortress flew higher than any other plane in the U.S. arsenal.
Your bombers are immune to antiaircraft fire and defend on a 2. An enemy antiaircraft gun can roll one die against only each attacking fighter. (If no fighters are in the attacking force, the antiaircraft gun cannot fire.)