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AA.Org Official Alpha 3 Thread
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Research & Development
Either economy can pay all or part of the cost of conducting Research and Development. The results apply to the power as a whole.
Purchase & Repair
Both United Kingdom Europe and Pacific make their own separate purchases and repairs.Combat Moves, Conduct Combat, and Noncombat Moves
All combat moves, combat, and noncombat moves are made or conducted as any other power’s single, united force.Mobilize New Units
United Kingdom mobilizes its new units purchased by each economy at industrial complexes that fall under that economy.Collect Income
Each of the two economies’ incomes should be separately collected and maintained. This will include any income deducted for convoy disruptions or awarded for national objective income.Capture of an Axis Capital
If Berlin or Rome is captured by the United Kingdom, the IPCs go to the Europe economy’s treasury. If Tokyo is captured, the IPCs go to the Pacific economy’s treasury. This applies even if the receiving economy’s regional capital is held by the Axis.Capture of one of the United Kingdom’s Regional Capitals
If one of the regional capitals is captured, it will surrender any unspent IPCs that its economy has in its treasury to the capturing Axis power. An economy whose capital is held by the Axis can’t collect income, spend IPCs, or repair units. The free regional capital may never collect IPCs that would normally go to the captured regional capital, even if such territories are recaptured from the Axis. Other Allied powers can temporarily take control of any original United Kingdom territory that would otherwise be liberated when its regional capital (London or Calcutta) has been captured by the Axis.Rule Changes:.
Some of these changes are already familiar to you, some are brand new. This list is presented mostly in general terms (in some cases it was felt that detailed descriptions and explanations would be needed). I think you’ll get the general game mechanics from the information provided below.What is an Island:
An island or island group is a single territory surrounded entirely by one or more sea zones. A sea zone can contain more than one island or island group, but each one is considered one territory. Each territory has a separate name and emblem on it. It’s not possible to split up land-based units so that they are on different islands in the same group. For example, Sardinia and Sicily are both located in sea zone 95. These named islands can each have independent land-based units. However, West Indies, located in sea zone 89, is an island group (one territory), so any land units there are all together, not on separate islands.AA Guns:
Cost: 5 Attack: - Defense: - Move: 1
Unit Characteristics
Limited Move: Normally this unit can be moved only during the Noncombat Move phase. This unit cannot move during the Combat Move phase (other than being carried on a transport if the unit was loaded on a prior turn).No Combat Value: Even though an AA gun can defend, either alone or with other units, it has a combat value of 0. This means that an AA gun cannot fire in the defending units fire step. It can, however, be taken as a casualty. If a territory containing AA guns and no combat units is attacked, the AA guns are automatically destroyed. AA guns may never attack.
Air Defense: AA guns can only fire at an air unit when that unit attacks the territory containing that AA gun. AA guns fire only once, before the first round of combat. Each AA gun in the territory may fire up to three times, but only once per attacking air unit. In other words, the total number of air defense dice rolled is three times the number of AA guns, or the number of attacking air units, whichever is the lesser. Once the number of air defense dice is determined, the dice are rolled. For each “1” rolled, the attacker must choose one air unit as a casualty. These casualties are removed immediately, and will not participate in the remainder of the battle. This AA gun attack is made immediately before normal combat occurs in the territory containing the AA gun. AA guns do not defend facilities against strategic or tactical bombing. Facilities have their own “built in” air defenses.
Industrial Complexes:
Major industrial complexes can only be built on originally controlled territories (this includes upgrading minor ones). Likewise they may not be upgraded when captured. Major industrial complexes are reduced to minor when captured. The original owner of the territory may upgrade it if the territory is recaptured.Submarines:
Submarines no longer fire a special “sneak attack” shot at unescorted transports that move through their sea zone (see page 30 of the Europe Rulebook). Instead, transports are not allowed to unload land units for an amphibious assault in a sea zone containing an enemy sub(s) belonging to a power with which they are at war unless at least one of his warships was also present in the sea zone at the end of the Combat Move phase.Scramble:
Scrambling is a special movement that the defender can make at the end of the Combat Move phase. It must be done after all of the attacker’s combat movements have been completed and all attacks have been declared. The attacker may not change any combat movements or attacks after the defender has scrambled.
A quick reaction team of no more than 3 defending fighters and tactical bombers (strategic bombers can’t scramble) located on each island or coastal territory that has an operative air base can be scrambled to defend against attacks in the sea zones adjacent to those territories. These air units can be scrambled to help friendly units in adjacent sea zones that have come under attack. They can also be scrambled to resist amphibious assaults from adjacent sea zones, whether or not the territory being assaulted is the territory containing the air base. They may defend against the enemy ships conducting the amphibious assault even if friendly ships are not present.
In situations where a sea zone is adjacent to more than one territory containing an air base, sea zone 109 and Scotland and United Kingdom for example, each of the territories can scramble up to 3 fighters and/or tactical bombers. In situations where a territory containing an air base is adjacent to more than one sea zone, United Kingdom and sea zones 109 and 110 for example, the territory may still only scramble up to 3 fighters and/or tactical bombers, but they may be split between the sea zones in any combination.
Scrambled fighters and tactical bombers are defending, so refer to their defense values and abilities when resolving combat. They are treated as normal defending units in their sea zones. As defenders, they may not retreat. They can’t participate in any other battles during that turn, including a battle in the territory from which they were scrambled.
After all combat is completed, each surviving scrambled air unit must return to the territory from which it was scrambled. If the enemy has captured that territory, the unit can move one space to land in a friendly territory or on a friendly aircraft carrier. If no such landing space is available, the unit is lost. Surviving scrambled air units land during that turn’s Noncombat Move phase, before the attacker makes any movements.Kamikaze Strikes:
The Japanese player has the ability to make a special defensive strike against Allied surface warships. Japan is allowed to make six kamikaze strikes during the game. These strikes can only be made in sea zones that contain the Kamikaze symbol. They are the sea zones surrounding Japan, Okinawa, Iwo Jima, Formosa, Marianas, and Philippines. If an Allied player attacks Japanese units or declares an amphibious assault from one of these sea zones, the Japanese player can announce at the beginning of the Conduct Combat phase that he or she intends to launch one or more kamikaze strikes. They are resolved before any combat begins.The Japanese player must declare how many kamikaze strikes will be made, in which sea zone(s) they will be used, and which enemy ship will be attacked by each kamikaze before any dice are rolled. For each declared strike, one Kamikaze token must be spent (no actual air unit is involved) and will be removed from the game after the strike is resolved. A kamikaze strike can target any specific enemy surface warship (not a submarine or transport). More than one kamikaze strike can be made against the same ship. Kamikaze strikes have an attack roll of 2 or less. If a hit is scored, it must be applied to the chosen unit. Sea units (all but submarines and transports) that are successfully destroyed by a kamikaze strike (capital ships still take two hits) are immediately removed and will not participate in the subsequent battle. A kamikaze strike prevents offshore bombardment supporting an amphibious assault in that sea zone, whether or not it is successful.
Strategic Bombing Raids (SBRs):
A strategic or tactical bombing raid is a direct attack on a facility. During this step, you can bomb enemy industrial complexes, air bases, and naval bases with your strategic bombers. You can also bomb enemy air and naval bases with your tactical bombers. When you damage these facilities, their capabilities are decreased or eliminated, and your enemy must spend IPCs to repair them in order to restore those capabilities. Repairs can be made by the units’ controlling player during his or her Purchase & Repair Units phase.To conduct a bombing raid, the attacking player moves his or her bombers to the territory on the map containing the target(s). Note that a base may be both strategically and tactically bombed at the same time. Both attacking and defending fighters (not tactical bombers) can also participate in strategic bombing raids as escorts and interceptors. Escort fighters (those accompanying the attacking bombers) can escort and protect the bombers, and they can originate from any territory or sea zone, range permitting. They can’t participate in any other battles during that turn, including a battle in the territory in which the bombing raid is occurring. This applies whether or not the defender commits any interceptors.
Any number of defending fighters based in a territory that is about to be strategically and/or tactically bombed can be committed to participate in the defense of that territory’s facilities as interceptors, whether or not there are attacking fighter escorts. The number of defending fighters that will intercept is decided by the owning player(s) after the attacker’s Combat Move phase is completed and before the Conduct Combat phase begins. These fighters cannot participate in other battles during that turn, including a battle in the territory in which the bombing raid is occurring. They must remain in their original territory after the battle. If that territory is captured, they can move one space to land in a friendly territory or on a friendly aircraft carrier. This movement occurs during the Noncombat Move phase, before the acting player makes any noncombat movements. If no such landing space is available, the fighters are lost.
If the defender has elected to commit fighter interceptors, an air battle will be fought immediately before the strategic bombing raid is conducted. This air battle, which ends after one round of combat, is resolved in the following way:
1. Both the attacking bombers and fighter escorts, if any, fire with an attack value of 1. For each “1” rolled, a defending interceptor is immediately removed as a casualty.
2. The surviving defending interceptors then fire with a defense value of 2. For each result of “2” or less, the attacker must choose a casualty and remove it.After the air battle is complete, or if there were no defending fighter interceptors, surviving fighter escorts are considered to be retreated. They don’t participate in the actual bombing raid, are not subject to antiaircraft fire, and will remain in the territory until the Noncombat Move phase. Any surviving attacking bombers carry out the bombing raid. If the territory offers more than one target, the bombers may be divided into groups, and each assigned a specific target (tactical bombers may not attack industrial complexes).
Each industrial complex, air base, and naval base has its own antiaircraft system. If there is an antiaircraft gun in the targeted territory, don’t roll for it. Those antiaircraft guns are used to protect combat units. Each complex and base rolls one die against each bomber directly attacking it (regardless of the number of bombers). For each “1” rolled, a bomber of the attacker’s choice is immediately removed.
After resolving the antiaircraft fire, surviving bombers each roll one die. To mark the damage done by the attacking bomber(s), place one gray plastic chip under the targeted industrial complex or base per damage point rolled. An industrial complex can’t receive more than 20 total damage for major industrial complexes and more than 6 total damage for minor ones. Air bases and naval bases can’t receive more than 6 total damage. Damage exceeding these limits is not applied.
A bomber that performed a strategic or tactical bombing raid can’t participate in any other combat this turn and must return to a friendly territory during the Noncombat Move phase.
Convoy Disruptions:
German subs “On Station” can cause the loss of 3 IPCs when attacking convoys.No single territory can lose more IPCs than its own IPC value from multiple disrupted adjacent convoys (for example, Scotland cannot lose more than 2 IPCs form disrupted convoys in the sea zones 109 and 119).
Research & Development (that have been modified)
Rockets: Your air bases can now launch rockets. During the Strategic and Tactical Bombing Raid step of your Conduct Combat phase each turn, each of your operative air bases can make a single rocket attack against an enemy industrial complex, air base, or naval base within 4 spaces of it. This attack does one die roll of damage to that facility. Rockets may not be fired over neutral territories.Improved Mechanized Infantry: Each of your mechanized infantry units that are paired up with a tank or artillery now has an attack value of 2. Also, your mechanized infantry may now blitz without being paired with a tank.
Super Submarines: The attack value of your submarines is now 3 instead of 2. In addition, during convoy disruptions each of your submarines now causes the loss of 3 IPCs from your opponents’ income.
Jet Fighters: The attack value of your fighters is now 4 instead of 3. In addition, during bombing raids your escorting fighters now hit on a 1 or 2 instead of just a 1.
Improved Shipyards: Change the IPC cost of cruisers to “9”.
END PART 3
http://www.harrisgamedesign.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=6491
This ends the core rules. Changes to rules follow.
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SBR
Air Battle.
All escorts and bombers (Strategic & Tactical) fires @ 1
Jets fires @ 2Generated casualties are placed behind the casualty line and will return fire before being eliminated.
Interceptors. fires @ 1
Jet interceptors fires @ 2All casualties, both sides, are removed.
Surviving escorts retreat.Bombing Run
Bombers are assigned to targets.
Strategic bombers can be assigned to any target (IC’s, naval bases. airbase).
Tactical bombers can be assigned only to naval bases and airbases.Each targeted facility fires @ 1, each can fire one time at each bomber that is attacking it.
All casualties at both stages of the raid are chosen by the owners of the units involved.Bombs Away
Strategic bombers roll a 1d6+2
Tactical bombers roll a 1d6Damage Report
The damage to the target (hits) is equal to the total number rolled on the die/dice. Place 1 gray chip (damage marker) under the target for each hit scored.
The target is considered inoperable if it receives any hits. It can be repaired by paying 1 IPC for the removal of each chip. This is done during the players next Purchase & Repair phase 1.
The maximum damage a major IC can receive is 20 damage markers. Minor ICs and bases can’t receive more than 6 damage markers each.http://www.harrisgamedesign.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=6491
This ends the SBR rules update.
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Convoy Disruptions
Convoy Disruptions are conduced during phase 6: Collect Income of the turn-player’s turn.
Three conditions that must exist for this kind of attack to occur:
1. Sea zone must have “Convoy Symbol” image.
2. Sea zone must be adjacent to one or more of your controlled islands or territories.
3. At least one warship belonging to a power with which you are at war must be in the sea zone. Note: Air units on an aircraft carrier can conduct convoy disruptions, but the carrier itself does not roll any dice.Each carrier based aircraft, including jets (see the optional rule Research & Development) rolls 2 dice. Submarine including Super submarines (again, the optional rule) rolls 2 dice.
All surface warships, except an aircraft carrier, rolls 1 die.
All rolls of 3 or less are counted. This total is the number of IPCs the turn player will lose due to convoy disruption(s). Note: A disrupted convoy can’t lose more IPCs than the total IPC value of controlled territories or islands adjacent to the sea zone, and each territory may not lose more than its IPC value to more than one disrupted convoy.As the player collects his income (Phase 6: Collect Income) the total amount of convoy disruption is subtracted from his normal income.
http://www.harrisgamedesign.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=6492
This ends the Convoy Raid rules update.
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All text in maroon are direct copy/paste actions of Larry’s public rules changes and alterations. Links to the original text are included for verification, should you desire verification.
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Alpha 3 Game Changes, located here: http://www.harrisgamedesign.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=6149 appear to have been made official (as they are integrated into the official ruleset.)
Soviet/Japanese Non Aggression Pact: Due to their mutual border conflct with Japan in 1939, the Soviet Union and Mongolia have a special relationship. If the Japanese attack any Soviet territory that is adjacent to any Mongolian territory, all Mongolian territories (Olgiy, Dzavhan, Tsagaan-Olom, Central Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, and Buyant-Uhaa) that are still neutral are placed under the control of the Soviet Union at the end of the Japanese Combat Move phase, in the same manner as though the Soviet Union had moved land units into a friendly neutral territory. These territories have Soviet control markers placed on them, and their standing army units are placed on the board and are controlled by the Soviet Union player from then on. This occurs regardless of the state of relations between the Soviet Union and Japan at the time of the attack, with one exception: If the Soviet Union attacks any Japanese-controlled territory bordering these Mongolian territories while Mongolia is still neutral, Mongolia will remain neutral and not ally itself with the Soviet Union. In addition, the Mongolian territories will never become pro-Axis unless one or more of them is attacked by the Soviet Union.
Soviet Union
When the Soviet Union Is at War in Europe:
• 3 IPCs for each original Axis territory the Soviet Union controls. Theme: Propaganda value and spread of Communism.(Note: 3 IPC for Korea now too!)
When Japan Is at War with the Western Allies:
• 5 IPCs if Axis powers control all ofthe following territories: Guam, Midway, Wake Island, Gilbert Islands, and Solomon Islands. Theme: Strategic outer defense perimeter.
• 5 IPCs per territory if an Axis power controls India (Calcutta), New South Wales (Sydney), Hawaiian Islands (Honolulu) and/or Western United States (San Francisco). Theme: Major Allied power centers.
• 5 IPCs if Axis powers control all of the following territories: Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and Celebes. Theme: Strategic resource centers.
• 5 IPCs if the United Kingdom controls both Kwangtung and Malaya. Theme: Maintenance of the empire considered vital national objective.
The United States:
• 5 IPCs (one time payment) if there is at least three US units, at the same time, in Normandy/Bordeaux or Holland/ Belgium following an amphibious assault. Theme: Great Alliance collaboration
England gains 1 Strategic Bomber on England in the initial setup.
France loses 1 Armor in W. France (Normandy) and replaces it with 1 Artillery.
New SBR rules, to include proposed changes to Air Defense, are integrated into the official ruleset.
These changes are listed above.
Same for proposed convoy raid changes, those are also included in the official ruleset. Those changes are also listed above.
Technology:
Rockets: Your air bases can now launch rockets. During the Strategic and Tactical Bombing Raid step of your Conduct Combat phase each turn, each of your operative air bases can make a single rocket attack against an enemy industrial complex, air base, or naval base within 4 spaces of it. This attack does one die roll of damage to that facility. Rockets may not be fired over neutral territories.
(Note: Rockets previously had a range of 3 spaces, now they have 4 spaces to be fired from.)
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kind of confused. Doesn’t this help out allies WAY more than axis? Aren’t the axis loosing more games than the allies as it stands?
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Jen,
I haven’t looked over everything, but you do have some errors in your Alpha +3 battlemap. The airbases in Gibraltar and Malta should be deleted (they are gone now). Also, I did not see any UK units listed for Normandy anymore at Larry’s site. Meaning the UK infantry and fighter need to go from Normandy.
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If I may make a suggestion Jen:
Instead of having multiple downloads titled the same (Alpha +3.AAM) could you just go back to your first post containing the original download and change that one. I think it could get confusing if several downloads are title the same and a person misses a subsequent attachment that has the most current download. It would be easier to just have one download and keep that one up to date in my opinion.
Thank you.
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Also, hear tell that Finland/Bulgaria might be Russian NO Territories soon. Film at eleven.
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If I may make a suggestion Jen:
Instead of having multiple downloads titled the same (Alpha +3.AAM) could you just go back to your first post containing the original download and change that one. I think it could get confusing if several downloads are title the same and a person misses a subsequent attachment that has the most current download. It would be easier to just have one download and keep that one up to date in my opinion.
Thank you.
Errors fixed.
Battlemap file included in FIRST POST as an attachment. Other versions of the map deleted to end confusion.
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Editted text to reflect new rules for placements, technologies etc. Links to Larry’s original posts are still correct and working, for anyone who wishes to confirm the above rules are, in actuality, the rules.
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If I read it correctly, it means that a factory MUST be repaired because otherwise it’s inoperable??? (even if only one IPC damage has been done?)
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@Larry:
The target is considered inoperable if it receives any hits. It can be repaired by paying 1 IPC for the removal of each chip. This is done during the players next Purchase & Repair phase 1.
The maximum damage a major IC can receive is 20 damage markers. Minor ICs and bases can’t receive more than 6 damage markers each.Unless something changes, this is the current discussion on SBR damage. In effect, 1 IPC damage to an industrial complex or base renders the entire facility unusable until it has been repaired. If you cannot afford or choose not to repair an industrial complex or base, then it remains unusable.
@Larry:
Also being considered:
Major industrial complexes can mobilize up to 10 units per turn minus the number of damage markers they have. For example a major IC with 6 damage markers can produce only 4 units. A major IC can only receive up to 20 damage markers, after that they are no longer assigned. A major IC with 20 damage markers would have to remove 11 of them before it could build 1 new unit.This was added later after pressure was brought to bear by the community.
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At this rate, G40 alphas will be still changing when WOTC start selling G39 :-P
And the funniest thing is that I still fail to see why OBB is saw as unbalanced and too favor to Allies. Each time I play OOB, I see it more and more good done (save for the ACME wall and the lack of non-agression pact rule, of course) :|
Are you sure people that you’re not testing the next version of G39 for free? :-D
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Is anyone playing alpha2 or is it only alpha3 ?
Does anyone have an alpha3 start.aam file which they can attach ?
Thanks in advance.
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Okay, I’m confused on the convoy raiding.
It says that German submarines on station cause the loss of 3 IPCs of convoy damage. Also, the tech Super Subs increase other nation’s subs to 3 IPCs for convoy raiding.Then, further down, it says you have to roll 2 dice for ANY subs and only count rolls of 3 or less.
So which is it? Do subs cause a set level of convoy damage or a dice roll?
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Hey Jenn you missed a few things on your map as of last night:
You forgot to add the extra German inf to Norway
The UK infantry in Paris needs to be removed. No UK units in France according to Larrys post (unless he changed it from yesterday)
The Italian Fighter in N Italy needs to be moved to S Italy.
I think those are the only errors I saw so far.
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ACME wall?
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ACME wall?
The fact that the Chinese cannot enter/leave certain territories. The reference to an ACME wall is to stress the unreal or cartoon nature of the rule, ie: Road Runner and Coyote used whimsical constructs produced by ACME (although I’m not bothered by the rule personally, mainly because my Chinese are usually retreating into their own lands… and I believe that during these periods the Chinese were more concerned with survival as a nation and not expansion/aiding others - imo).
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Some of these changes look like changes just for the sake of making changes…
No airbase on Gibraltar I can understand, but the airbase on Malta was incredibly significant to the battle of the Mediterranean, almost all of the problems Germany faced in the Mediterranean can be laid at Malta’s feet.
The British units in France aren’t nearly enough to hinder Germany’s push, so what’s the rational behind moving them? Historically the UK lost almost all their heavy equipment and a lot of their general material when the BEF was pulled off the beach at Dunkirk. Frankly I think that England proper should have less to start with than it does, but I also think that Italy should go before the UK so they aren’t effectively neutered before their turn even starts. So I’m obviously crazy.
I get that Axis & Allies is a board game and isn’t supposed to be 100% historically accurate, but there’s something to be said for balance, and something to be said for realism and accuracy. I play Axis & Allies because World War II is fascinating, I enjoy the challenges both sides faced. If the game is based on World War II, then it should reflect what key aspects it can. Fundamental changes (IE: removing the airbase on Malta would have dramatically changed the campaign in the Med) to things that are incredibly important to this period in time take away from the games namesake. Too many more and you should change the name from “Axis & Allies” to “Global War in/around 1940”, people could make their own alliances and stab each other in the back, it’ll be a glorified game of Risk.
The point of my post isn’t to be rude or troll anyone, so I hope it isn’t taken that way, I just wanted to bring somethings to your attention that maybe you hadn’t thought of. I’m 100% sure that I’m not the only person that plays this game because I enjoy this part of our history, in fact I’m sure the vast majority of people playing the game do (otherwise why would you pick up the box in the first place). Don’t trade away the history, make changes that are NEEDED for balance or to work out a kink in game play, don’t try to please everyone by dumbing the game down. It should be complicated, it should be difficult and above all, it should be fun.C
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