[G40] Hengst's Standard Rule Simplifications


  • There’s a lot of complex rules out there, ones which are hard to teach to new players & ones which produce weird gamey behavior. While Indian fighters to Moscow and “let’s not liberate Paris; it’ll hurt our economy” have long been Axis and Allies classics, I like to do better. Presented mostly without comment:

    Note: these rules are written assuming you’re using a Grasshopper-esque 3G40 merged UK Pacific/ANZAC economy known as the Pacific Commonwealth (Cmm).

    Ally Exclusion

    • Despite being allied, not all nations are cooperating. Germany and Italy are cooperating; USA, UKE, Cmm, and France are cooperating.
    • China and all Allied nations at war in the Pacific are cooperating (Allied nations not at war in the Pacific are not cooperating with China).
    • No units may end movement in a territory under control of or in which are units of a non-cooperating ally.
      • Note: This does not apply to submarines.
    • You may not take advantage of non-cooperating NavB for repairs or range.
    • Bolshevization/Democratization: If non-cooperating allies liberate each others’ territory, they keep it for themselves.

    Simple Declarations of War

    • If Germany or Italy attacks the USSR, it automatically declares war on both of them.
    • If a Western Ally (USA, UKE, Comm, or France) is attacked by Japan, or Japan occupies French, Dutch, or neutral Thai territory, the Western Allies immediately declare war on Japan.
    • Otherwise, at the start of round 4:
      • The USSR declares war on Germany & Italy.
      • The USA declares war on all Axis powers (and immediately earns a 20 IPC bonus).
      • The UKE, Commonwealth, and France declare war on Japan.
    • Note: There is no US bonus if it is brought into the war by the Axis.
    • Note: The Western Allies may never declare unprovoked war on Japan.

    Simplification of Mongolia Rules

    • If Russia attacks Mongolia or Japan, Mongolian troops will never become Russian.
    • Otherwise, if Japan attacks Mongolia or the Soviet Union, Mongolian troops immediately become Russian.

    Generic Capital Bonuses

    • The first time a capital is liberated, place 4 infantry from the liberated nation on its capital
    • The first time a capital is captured, give the conquering nation a 10 IPC bonus and all of the cash in the conquered nation’s bank.
    • If the capital is conquered multiple times, the conquered nation’s bank is discarded.

    Revised Economic Liberation Rules

    • Liberating a territory does not give control of that territory to the liberating nation, even when the owner’s capital is occupied.
    • If the owner’s capital is occupied & its economy inoperable, the liberated territory’s PUs are collected by nobody.

    Cooperative Facilities

    • You may build or repair facilities in any territory in which you have a land unit.

    Clarified Dutch Territory Income

    • Originally Dutch territories are each treated like that of a Pro-Allied neutral.
    • They may not be captured or occupied by a nation unless it is at war on that board.

    Clarified Peacetime Naval Restrictions

    • A nation’s ships MUST end movement in a seazone adjacent to that nation’s own territory or the territory of a nation with which it is at war.
    • If a nation is at war on a map, its ships may travel without restriction on that map.
    • Note: Japan must be at war with the Western Allies (war with China or the USSR is insufficient) before it may travel unrestricted.
    • Exception: the US may always venture out into sea zone 102 without restriction.

    No Sneaky Carls

    • Transports may load and unload units in hostile sea zones.
    • Note: If there is a sea battle in a sea zone supporting an amphibious assault, it still must be won for the landing to continue (no change).

    Someday we’ll come up with a streamlined strat bombing/escort/interceptor ruleset, but that day has yet to come…


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  • hengstH hengst referenced this topic on

  • Substantial revisions based on additional house rule testing


  • Further testing has got us to this suite of rules. Note that “Peacetime Commitments”, “No Submarine Duels”, and “More Mobile Navies” are still being tested. The rest have proven very stable. No sneaky carls has proven to not be needed thanks to joining the UK & UKP economies.

    Standard Simplifications

    Ally Exclusion

    • Despite being allied, not all nations are cooperating. Germany and Italy are cooperating; USA, UKE, Cmm, and France are cooperating.
    • China and all Allied nations at war in the Pacific are cooperating (Allied nations not at war in the Pacific are not cooperating with China).
    • No units may end movement in a territory under control of or in which are units of a non-cooperating ally.
      • Note: This does not apply to submarines.
    • You may not take advantage of non-cooperating NavB for repairs or range.
    • Bolshevization/Democratization:
      If non-cooperating allies liberate each others’ territory, they keep it for themselves.

    Simple Declarations of War

    • If Germany or Italy attacks the USSR, it automatically declares war on both of them.
    • If a Western Ally (USA, UKE, Comm, or France) is attacked by Japan, or Japan occupies French, Dutch, or neutral Thai territory, the Western Allies immediately declare war on Japan.
    • Otherwise, at the start of round 4:
      • The USSR declares war on Germany & Italy.
      • The USA declares war on all Axis powers (and immediately earns a 20 IPC bonus).
      • The UKE, Commonwealth, and France declare war on Japan.
    • Note: There is no US bonus if it is brought into the war by the Axis.
    • Note: The Western Allies may never declare unprovoked war on Japan.

    Simplification of Mongolia Rules

    • If Russia attacks Mongolia or Japan, Mongolian troops will never become Russian.
    • Otherwise, if Japan attacks Mongolia or the Soviet Union, Mongolian troops immediately become Russian.

    Generic Capital Bonuses

    • The first time a capital is liberated, place 4 infantry from the liberated nation on its capital.
    • The first time a capital is captured, give the conquering nation all the cash in the conquered nation’s bank.
    • If the capital is conquered multiple times, the conquered nation’s bank is discarded.

    Revised Economic Liberation Rules

    • Liberating a territory does not give control of that territory to the liberating nation, even when the owner’s capital is occupied.
    • If the owner’s capital is occupied & its economy inoperable, the liberated territory’s PUs are collected by nobody.

    Cooperative Facilities

    • You may build or repair facilities in any territory in which you have a land unit.

    Clarified Dutch Territory Income

    • Originally Dutch territories are each treated like that of a Pro-Allied neutral.
    • They may not be captured or occupied by a nation unless it is at war on that board.

    Clarified Peacetime Naval Restrictions

    • A nation’s ships MUST end movement in a seazone adjacent to that nation’s own territory or the territory of a nation with which it is at war.
    • Peacetime Commitments: Nations not yet at war must keep at least one surface vessel adjacent to every Naval Base they possess.
    • If a nation is at war on a map, its ships may travel without restriction on that map.
    • Note: Japan must be at war with the Western Allies (war with China or the USSR is insufficient) before it may travel unrestricted.
    • Exception: the US may always venture out into sea zone 102 without restriction.

    Standard Combat Changes

    Slippier Submarines

    • A single destroyer can only prevent one enemy submarine from submerging during combat.
    • Thus, if two destroyers attack three subs, the defender may submerge one sub.
    • All other interactions remain the same (first strike denial, blocking subs, allowing planes to hit subs).
    • No Submarine Duels: SS may never hit other SS.

    Unrestricted Bombardment

    • There is no limit on how many units may participate in a given bombardment.
    • A bombardment may be declared at any time; it need not be in support of an amphibious assault.
    • Fighting a naval battle does prevent the same ships from also bombarding.
    • You may scramble in response to a declared bombardment, after which the bombardment may not proceed (a scramble into a sea zone is considered a naval battle).

    Better Air Battles

    • Escorting and intercepting fighters roll on a 2.
    • A maximum of three facility AA dice may be rolled for each AAA in that territory.

    More Mobile Navies

    • Ships may move 3 spaces if they begin or end their move adjacent to an undamaged cooperating Naval Base.
  • 2023 '22 '21 '20 '19 '18

    @hengst said in [G40] Hengst's Standard Rule Simplifications:

    A bombardment may be declared at any time; it need not be in support of an amphibious assault.

    This is interesting. Do you think maybe BBs hit @2 and CAs 1 would be better for Bombard if no Amphib ? Regular 4 and 3 if the Marines going in ?

    Nice that you’re testing :)

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