• Liaison TripleA '11 '10

    I have been toying with allowing some tech advantages at the start (Like each country gets one tech)

    Super Subs for Germany, Radar for UK, that kind of thing.

  • Customizer

    Guys,

    ––While everyone is different and has there own preferences,…I and my ‘gang’ prefer to NOT allow weapons developement so as to keep the game one of pure strategy on a more level playing field. IMHO either someone is ‘lucky’ enough to develope some improved weapons and terrorises his opponents or if he doesn’t it’s “sour grapes” from him. Just imagine if Anzac with only three dice developed heavy bombers, long range aircraft and go on to eventually annihilate Japan. To my way of thinking it just unbalances things. Like I just said,…no answer is correct, only what each individual prefers.  :-D

    “Tall Paul”

  • Liaison TripleA '11 '10

    The problem with that is there are twice as many allied players as axis ones…


  • One problem is that its not worth spending money for technology you may not get, or getting technology you do not need (i.e. Improved shipyards for Russia).

    I do like the idea and the rules for technology though, so I thought it would be a good idea to award technology in a similar manner to National Objectives with the powers who historically gained such technology (for the most part) getting such technology based upon specific conditions.

    How about this:

    While both sides have victory goals and objectives of national importance granting bonus IPC�s, some powers will gain improved military technology through Research and Development.  This will coincide with them having achieved specific conditions at the beginning of their turn.  Technology will go to those powers that historically developed them to the fullest extent based upon conditions that represent a historical time frame for when they were actually developed.

    Use the rules for these technologies from optional game rules. No IPCs are spent and no die rolls are made, if the conditions are met, the designated power gets the technology at the beginning of their turn.

    United Kingdom

    Advanced Artillery if 2 or more UK troops are in Normandy/Bordeaux.

    Radar if the UK loses 2 or more air units in the German combat phase.

    Paratroopers if 4 or more US units are in the United Kingdom (London)

    Long Range Aircraft if the Allies control all of North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Tobruk and Egypt) and also Sicily.

    Germany

    Rockets if the US or UK control Normandy or Rome.

    Jets if the UK or US control any original German territory or Normandy, Southern France or Northern Italy.

    Increased Factory Production if any German Industrial complex has suffered damage or has been captured.

    Improved Mechanized Infantry if there is at least one German tank in Libya or Tobruk.

    Soviet Union

    Increased Factory Production if any Industrial Complex is capture.

    Italy

    Improved Mechanized Infantry if there is at least one German tank in Libya or Tobruk.

    Japan

    Super Submarines if the Japanese do not control any Chinese or Russian territory (this included original Chinese territories that Japan controls at the start of the game such as Manchuria etc.)

    United States

    Paratroopers if 4 or more US units are in the United Kingdom (London)

    Long Range Aircraft if the Allies control all of North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Tobruk and Egypt) and Sicily.

    Improve Shipyards if the US loses a capital ship (Battleship or Aircraft Carrier) in the Japanese combat phase.

    War Bonds if the US controls the Palau, Marshall and Caroline Islands.

    Heavy Bombers if the US controls the Marianas and either Iwo Jima, Okinawa or Formosa.

    The conditions correspond to the approximate time frame historically when these conditions occurred and the technologey went into use.

    I think you wont need any bids with these as they favor the Allies. Please offer your opinions.

    Kim


  • I like the idea, but if the axis is winning, virtually all development stops. I think that it shouldn’t be so dependent on what the other power is doing. If the allies hasn’t been winning, technology still would have developed.

  • Liaison TripleA '11 '10

    The house rules for Research Facilities had the best R&D program.

    Basically - all nations except china start with a research facility in their capital. Each facility gives a die roll  (UK gets 2 facilities, one in India, one in London,  USA starts with two one in east one in west USA).  Research facilities can be captured.

    No one can roll for tech until at war.

    What this does is, allows the germans to get a slight edge at the beginning, but by the time the USA is in the war, they’ll probably have 3 or 4 facilities, pounding research dice out each turn, and the facilities become prime targets for SBR.

    Better, if you capture a facility, you can steal one of your opponents technologies.

  • Liaison TripleA '11 '10

    Or… follow a turn schedule for research:

    Each nation has a set schedule of technology they get for each tree.

    For every turn you have been paying $5 to the bank, you move up your schedule and get X technologies at X time.

    Also Because there are two schedules, you can pay $10 a turn to move your token through the schedule… but what a burden!

  • TripleA

    I roll tech before the game ending battle. I hate rolling tech early.

    Japan and USA about to have their big pacific clash? TECH ROLL.

    Germany about to attack Russia? TECH ROLL.
    ~
    When I roll tech, I spend as much money as I can on it, because improved arty for moscow can totally change the outcome of that. Same thing with jet fighters in the pacific showdown.

    I do it for the game deciding battle.

  • Customizer

    I always thought one die each turn for everyone was cool. Or one tech roll guaranteed before the game starts for each nation.


  • My two cents:

    Giving a free roll per turn for EACH Power every (at least) 20 IPC of production: this means an average of 1 roll for UK and URSS and (maybe) Italy, 2 rolls for Germany and Japan and 3 rolls for USA. This for every round starting, for example, after the 4th or later.


  • @Makoshark13:

    I like the idea, but if the axis is winning, virtually all development stops. I think that it shouldn’t be so dependent on what the other power is doing. If the allies hasn’t been winning, technology still would have developed.

    If you look at the conditions I put forward for each technology, many of them become on going game balancers, though you are right that some (mostly for the Allies) require them to be winning.

    UK can get radar early pretty easy and help hold London and India. US likely gets improved shipyards. Germany will get Jets and Rockets if its getting pressure from the US and UK.

    Its not a perfect idea so I’m open to a different way, but I really don’t like the idea of it being chance to even get them, or chance as to what you get. I also don’t like the idea that EVERY power has equal chance to get any possible tech.

    I mean really, should Italy be getting heavy bombers and jets? Rockets for the ANZACs? Improved mech infantry for Japan? I would prefer to have the powers that historically developed the technology (or at least were at the for-front) be getting it. I would rather it work like the National Objective bonus that only certain powers get the bonus for.

    Just giving every power a free shot at it really puts to much luck into the game that some think has to much luck already.

    Also, tying tech to IPC cost isn’t quit right either as in reality some of it was being produced when the historical power was LOSING the war (German rockets and jets).

    I would be interested in any approach that is not luck based or money based.

    Kim


  • I really like research facilities
    I’m guessing they have similar health and rules in regards to SBR as do naval/air bases?
    1 per territory maximum?
    Can build anywhere?
    Can they be built before a power is at war? (USA would plop down a few on its first turn so that as soon as its at war it rolls the dice)

  • Liaison TripleA '11 '10

    @Uncrustable:

    I really like research facilities
    I’m guessing they have similar health and rules in regards to SBR as do naval/air bases?
    1 per territory maximum?
    Can build anywhere?
    Can they be built before a power is at war? (USA would plop down a few on its first turn so that as soon as its at war it rolls the dice)

    Exactly the same as any other facility, and like any other facility, can be built before the war.


  • @Strikers:

    I am just wondering if anyone invests in weapons developement?

    I do

    Which powers they choose to invest with,

    I usually play Allies, so USSR, USA, UK

    gradually one or two dice at a time, or all at once?

    Usually gradually, usually 1 die at a time.  Almost always roll one with USA.

    Anyone bother at all outside of messing around after you clearly have the advantage?

    Absolutely - this is one of the best times to roll tech.  When I get ahead and know I’m going to win, it is not risky to buy tech because I can afford to lose the money.  But when I hit them, it’s more fun for me AND I can win faster.  This is actually one of the main reasons I like to play with tech in games.  It helps the player who is ahead to win faster and end the misery quicker.  This was more true in AA50 than in G40.  AA50 games could drag on for a long time without tech.

    Garg mentioned early LRA or heavy bombers is amazing with the USA, and he is right.  Other terrific techs:

    LRA for anybody

    German/Italian rockets
    German/Italian paratroopers
    German increased production
    German jets
    German radar
    German heavy bombers
    German super subs on G1 (and could be good at other times as well)

    Russian paratroopers
    Russian advanced artillery
    Russian radar (would be rare to roll this chart tho - but maybe for a desperate defense when the big attack on Moscow is imminent?)

    et cetera

    Rockets are particularly amazing because of their ability to go 4 spaces and to hit bases.  Note that you may target the same facility with more than one rocket attack at a time (a subtle and unheralded change between the time of OOB and 2nd edition).
    I’m in a game where my Gibraltar naval base was disabled 3 straight times by the Germans, and so the Americans could not go 3 spaces from 91/92 on their turn.
    Since there are interceptor rules now, and because there is AA defense 100% of the time, SBR’s are riskier and more difficult than ever before, on average.  Rockets present a 100% chance of hitting a facility every single turn.  It takes 3 damage to disable a base, but again, you can target a base with more than one rocket.  If you target a base with 2 rockets, there is only 1/36 chance that it will not be disabled (snake eyes).

    People who say tech is a waste of money often overlook various considerations/factors.  One of them is that once you get a couple of techs, you have a much greater chance of knowing what tech you will get next.  Of course, once you have 5 techs on a chart, you know for sure what your next one will be.  We call that “buying” (LRA, heavy bombers, whatever it is) even though of course there is a chance you will not roll a 6.
    Another is the surprise factor.  Especially if you have not been buying it.  Like Cow said, a good time for a big tech buy is right before a big attack.  Your opponent is probably not prepared for the LRA or jets or Heavy bombers or paratroopers, and you get to use them immediately, before your opponent can do anything about it.  This can be a game winner.  Tech is not for the faint of heart.  
    Tech adds a whole ‘nother dimension to the game, including a lot more strategy.  I simply don’t agree with players who say tech is all about luck.  If tech is all about luck, then A&A is all about luck, because every time you attack enemy units you have to roll dice and get the right results to win the battle.  The only thing that is for sure is that if you don’t invest any IPC’s in tech…… well… you ain’t gettin’ any breakthroughs.


  • There are two problems with tech.

    1. You pay 5 IPC’s worth of income for a 16.67% chance to hit.
    2. There is only a 16.67% chance of getting what you really wanted after you hit the first 16.67% to get to the tech tree.

    So 1/6 * 1/6= 1/36 chance of hitting what you really wanted.


  • @theROCmonster:

    There are two problems with tech.

    1. You pay 5 IPC’s worth of income for a 16.67% chance to hit.
    2. There is only a 16.67% chance of getting what you really wanted after you hit the first 16.67% to get to the tech tree.

    So 1/6 * 1/6= 1/36 chance of hitting what you really wanted.

    This is where research tokens and/or research facilities come in
    Also I believe your understanding of tech rolls is incorrect according to the rules, you only have to roll 1 ‘6’ then you simple roll to see what tech you get

  • Customizer

    What theROCmonster is saying is if you want a certain tech, then you have a 1/36 chance.

    First you have a 1/6 chance of even getting a “6”. Then, say you really, really want Heavy Bombers. Again, you have another 1/6 chance of getting that specific tech. Sure Long Range Aircraft or Jet Fighters are good techs, but if you are really going bomber heavy, even those won’t do you a lot of good if your enemy is relatively close or you don’t have a lot of attacking fighters.


  • Well, how about just putting an IPC value on each technology and allow it to be purchased?

    Then put a random (die roll) time frame from the time of purchase to when you actually get the R&D complete. Things like paratroopers you could get much sooner then rockets or jets.

    This way you can “invest” in what you want, but you may not get it right away.

    Certain techs should be much more expensive then others, like 10 IPCs for Paratroopers and 30 IPcs for Rockets.

    Kim

  • Liaison TripleA '11 '10

    I like to use tech to “bluff”.

    It’s not a 16.67% chance, because by the fact that I choose to “roll” a die every turn, it’s enough to make my opponent triple check all his units, and play more conservatively in the event I get LRA, or HB, or Jet fighters, or whatever, and cripple his forces.

    Even blitzing mechanized infantry can be a big problem.

    Yes the theoretical odds of achieving tech are quite low, but, having your opponent account for those odds, is almost as good as having your opponent treat you as if you already have the tech.

    And of course… the more tech you get, the more dangerous this game becomes for the man across from you.

    It also helps when you “kindly” advertise “If I get LRA this turn, you will lose all 8 of those transports… just saying

    Tech is a game in itself, and you have to use “Threat Projection” to it’s maximum.

    There’s nothing quite like those invisible units that you can magically summon from the realm of possibilities.

    Ask Canuck12 about this experience…


  • You evil man Garg!

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