Someone suggested to me the idea of using Global War 1936 lend-lease paths instead of moving units for Tech. It would definitely cleaner on the board. I am just trying to think about the advantages and disadvantages to each method. What do y’all think?
Modified Tech. Development, Elite Infantry, Neutrals, A-Bomb, VC's, Shore Guns
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The following rules work together (AAA50), though with a little modifications you could separate them. Some of the following is based on the original Nova edition rules, though with a lot of modifications for this edition of the game. Admittedly, the atomic bomb rules contain several points of contention… said rule is more of a ‘science fiction/alternative history’ rules option, it’s not really meant to be similar to the historical use of the A-bomb in WWII (though I have seen it’s use with a result similar to history). The rules concerning Neutrals are actually to add flavor, but still obeying the fact that said nations still wished for the pretense of staying out of the war. These have also been included with Fighters and Interceptors rule, seemed fine - small test group though.
I’ve broken the tech charts down further, though they’re still designed to be used with the charts provided with AAA50th:
Army Doctrine (Chart 1):
(1-2) Paratroopers
(3-4) Adv. Artillery
(5-6) Mech. InfantryInfrastructure (Chart 1):
(1-2) Increased Factory Prod.
(3-4) Rockets
(5-6) War BondsCombat Aviation (Chart 2)
(1-2) Jet Fighters
(3-4) Long-Range Aircraft
(5-6) Heavy BombersNaval Technology (Chart 2)
(1-2) Super Submarines
(3-4) Improved Shipyards
(5-6) Radar*Elite Infantry: 5 infantry units have an Axis/Allie symbol under each. Whenever a special ability of an Elite Infantry is used, the symbol is revealed. ie: http://s889.photobucket.com/albums/ac95/Viracocha_bucket/Axis and Allies tricked out/?action=view¤t=aa45.jpg
note Japanese symbol - but a simple slash of a marker would do.
- Targeted Attack During a successful attack with Elite Infantry unit(s), the attacker may assign a primary objective, a ‘targeted attack.’ The defender must take a casualty from a defending group of the attacker’s choice (units of the same defense strength). This ‘targeted attack’ can only be done 1 time by each Elite Infantry unit per battle. A defending Elite Infantry unit may negate this attack, but must be chosen as the causality in order to negate. When negating a targeted attack, a defending Elite Infantry unit(s) may not also ‘Force Causality.’
- Force Causality If an Elite Infantry unit is chosen as causality, the defender may ‘force causality’ from the attacking group. The forced causality must be taken from the attacking group that caused the casualty (units of the same attack strength), this is done immediately during the attacking player’s rolls. After Elite Infantry unit forces causality, they are immediately removed from battle.
- Sabotage If a nation has any development from the Army Doctrine, their Elite Infantry may damage ICs (1d6), with a range of 2 territories, (incl. sea zones and/or from transports if the nation has a Naval Technology). If a defender has any Infrastructure development, they may roll a 1 to prevent and eliminate the saboteur, 1 or 2 if they also have any Elite Infantry unit(s) in the same territory as the targeted Industrial Complex. Sabotage may only be done once per turn per complex, and can be conducted from an influenced (with a nation’s marker) neutral government and impassable terrain.
- Deployment At the start of the game each nation receives one Elite Infantry unit at their capital in place of a normal infantry unit. In movement, production, cost, attacking, and defending, the elite units are as infantry. Once an Elite Infantry is chosen as a causality it is removed from the game. Elite Infantry can move through neutral territory and impassable terrain, incurring no Partisan reaction or monetary penalty. As with other units, Elite Infantry my not conduct standard combat from a neutral or impassable territory (but may sabotage if the neutral is influenced).
*Neutral Territories: If Axis or Allied non-elite units enter a neutral territory, they must pay a penalty or not be allowed entrance: A nation pays the neutral (bank) 3 IPCs and must remain there as their final move, it is not an attack move. They then place a national marker to show influence. Elite infantry units remove opposing national markers and cannot place them. A nation does not have to pay the penalty for entering a neutral if they have a marker present. Any time there are Axis or Allied units in a neutral territory, 1 “Partisan Attack” is allowed to opponents per neutral: during any nation’s conduct combat turn, that nation may pay 1 IPC to incite/influence neutral forces to attack a nation’s non-elite units in each neutral territory. The attack is as per a cycle of antiaircraft, applied to each unit. A Partisan attack is raised to 2 if a nation behind the attack has any Infrastructure developments. Units may not attack from or into a neutral territory. If an Elite Infantry unit enters a neutral territory hosting enemy units, the non-elite units are treated as having 0 combat values (disarmed/unmanned), and removed. If Elite Infantry of an Axis and Allied nation is ever in the same neutral territory,
---- “Covert Operations” ensues as per normal combat, if all defending Elite infantry are destroyed, any other units of the same Axis/Allie are destroyed. Covert Operations combat rolls cannot be supported by artillery or bombardment. “Secret Agents” may influence covert combat in a neutrally governed territory, for every Research Development a nation has, their Elite Infantry receives a +1 to their combat roll. “The Dardanelles”are the straits linking the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, controlled by Neutral Turkey. Naval units must endure 1 Shore Guns attack through the straits. If a nation has a marker in the neutral territory of Turkey, the shore guns attack is negated. “Sahara & Himalaya” do not have neutral governments, but are impassable to all but Elite Infantry and aircraft (though planes cannot land in the Himalaya).NUKES (you’ll note that some form of markers are necessary, ie: http://s889.photobucket.com/albums/ac95/Viracocha_bucket/Axis and Allies tricked out/?action=view¤t=aa76.jpg
Atomic Warfare
*The Atomic Bomb: If a nation has a development in each of the 4 development areas, they may then dedicate researchers to nuclear fission as if rolling for an additional development. If the nation succeeds they receive a radiation marker to be placed in a territory they owned (and currently own) at the start of the game, and have the technological development, Atomic Bomb. The bomb is purchased as a unit but must be built in atomic testing area. 1 A-bomb costs 20 IPC’s. A nation is limited to 1 A-bomb in play (unless 1 is taken). A nation has 4 methods of attack with an Atomic Bomb: 1. Delivered by Sabotage via Elite Infantry (Infrastructure & Elite Infantry defence applicable), can only target territories. 2. If a nation has the Heavy Bombers development, they may drop the Atomic Bomb as a strategic bombing raid (by only 1 Atom bomber, normal AA Gun rules apply) on a territory or sea zone. 3. If a nation has the Rockets Development they may launch the A-bomb as per a rocket attack with a launcher (AA Gun), targeting any territory or sea zone. 4. Super Submarines may launch the bomb at any coastal territory that the atomic submarine borders, or at an adjacent sea zone. It may not launch an A-Bomb at a territory if an enemy destroyer is in the same zone, nor at an adjacent sea zone if a destroyer is in that zone.
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The Atomic Bomb unit has 3 methods of movement: 1. Moves as per an AA Gun. 2. They can be carried by a Heavy Bomber unit. 3. They can move with a Super Submarine. *Note that when moving by method 2 or 3, the bomber or submarine must start in the same territory/adjacent sea zone as the bomb.
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Recovery: If an attempt to use an Atomic Bomb through method 1 (Sabotage) is prevented, the defender then owns the bomb and places it in what had been the targeted territory. If method 2 (Heavy Bombers) is prevented, the defender rolls a d6, a result of 1 or 2 means the bomb is salvaged, and likewise changes ownership to the nation that was targeted, placed in the territory that was targeted. A nation that captures an A-bomb does not receive the Atomic Bomb development, but may still utilize the captured A-Bomb.
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Blast Site: Any sea zone or territory (except neutrals) may be targeted for an Atomic Bomb attack. A successful blast on a territory removes all AA/Shore Guns and Industrial Complexes. The nation that dropped the bomb is allowed an attack roll at the strength of 4, against each unit in the territory. The bomb is expended. When a territory suffers an Atomic blast the income value of the territory is halved (rounding up) for the remainder of the game and a mushroom cloud is placed. If an A-Bomb is detonated in a sea zone, all units are subject to an attack at the strength of 3 (territories within sea zones are considered separate targets). Any units successfully attacked by an Atomic Bomb are removed immediately. The nation that used the A-Bomb may enter the blast site during non-combat if unoccupied.
*Victory Cities:
If a nation has the War Bonds or Increased Factory Production developments they may use their Victory Cities for limited unit mobilization/production. A nation owning a VC may place 1 Infantry (mercenaries/volunteers/displaced troops) unit and/or 1 Transport (Merchant Marines/commandeered civilian vessels) unit there during the place new units sequence, providing that the nation owned the territory at the start of their turn. The territory need not have an industrial complex to produce these units, and these units must be purchased as per normal cost (Tech. is applicable). VC territories with Industrial Complexes conform to normal production rules.
*Shore Guns: Coastal artillery is to be placed at the start of the game, in the 8 territories listed below. Ownership of these units depends upon the ownership of the territory, as they cannot be moved. When passing between the sea zones: 12 &13 (Gibraltar), 15 & 16 (Turkey), 5 & 6 (Norway), 6 & 7(United Kingdom & Northwestern Europe), all naval units (except submarines) must endure 1 cycle of fire from any coastal artillery. Shore Guns hit on a 1 or 2 (before bombardments if applicable). Amphibious assaults on Gibraltar, Caroline Islands, Wake Island, or French Indo-China Thailand must endure an attack as above. Successful bombardments on the above 4 territories destroys the Shore Guns unit as if it was taken as a casualty, though it has no casualty fire opportunity. Exception: Shore Guns do not interfere with amphibious assaults on Norway, Northwestern Europe, and the United Kingdom, but the Shore Guns are destroyed if a bombardment and amphibious assault is successful.
8 Shore Guns: Gibraltar, Turkey, Norway, Caroline Islands, Wake Island, United Kingdom, Northwestern Europe, French Indo-China Thailand.*Air bases:
Fighters on islands (1 land territory surrounded by 1 sea zone) are allowed to defend the surrounding sea zone if the same nation’s naval units are attacked. If a nation has Radar and Long-Range Aircraft developments, this defensive zone includes adjacent sea zones to the island’s sea zone.*Escorts and Interceptors:
Fighters can participate in strategic bombing raids. Attacking fighters may escort the bombing run, and can originate from any territory, range permitting. Any or all defending fighters based in a territory being strategically bombed can participate in the defence of the industrial complex. The number of fighters that will defend is decided after the attacker’s Combat Movement phase but before the Combat phase begins.
1. Interceptors and escorts fire at “1”, for one combat round only. Bombers cannot fire.
2. AA fires at the remaining bombers (not on the fighter-escort). Remove casualties.
3. Surviving bombers may then strategically bomb.- If the attacker/defender has the Jet Power breakthrough their fighters are +1
- If the attacker has Heavy Bombers their bombers may fire at a roll of “1”
Escorts/interceptors cannot participate in other battles during the turn of participation.
Add: Everyone seems to have a name for their collections of house rules, makes it easier to reference… think I’ll dubb mine, “AATech” since so much hinges on that (guess it evolved from the my ‘house ruled’ 50th ed.) Unless someone has used that one…? (this could be like trying to get a password on a website! eh eh eh)
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Eh? Still no input? Most has worked out well in our test runs… but would like to hear some other opinions/try-outs…
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I am looking, but it is alot of information.
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eh eh SOme of the these have been around for many years, handed down from different gaming crews - now modified for 50th (with help from some on BGG). I believe the infantry in VC’s is yours actually, or someone’s… a group I just recently started playing with uses it, said they got it from this site - though I’ve added the transport production. The atom bombs is the one that seems to raise the most controversy in my sessions… I still debate whether A-bombs should be allowed into the A&A games… I think this version is not an ‘end gamer’ unlike others, but it’s close.
Btw - have you finished the “Deluxe” map…I think I read you were working on one yeah?
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yes i have and its on my signature.
supreme map
if your referring to the new project based on AA50 i am working on that tonight. I will keep the sea zones, but add more territories and make them have realistic borders. This will be a larger map (80 x 40 max or 6x3 smallest)
It will have Canada, Minor axis allies, ANZAC, France, and others and it will be based on 1939. It will include the new units and the blockhouse from D-day and possibly transports from old MB edition as convoy units ( the current transport will be more of a ‘landing craft’)
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Yeah… I was referring to the AA50th one… sounds sweet.
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These rules are rather complicated.
For elite infantry you seem to be making a case for something like “commandos” because they can target a specific unit like they are on a special mission.
The A-bomb rules are IMO also too complicated.
I also like the spy idea and had them in my own AA50 rules
Partisans as well. these are fine.
Instead of shore guns perhaps just bringing back the ‘blockhouse unit’ from D-Day would work. This would be a unit anybody can buy and place anywhere to defend vs. invasions.
I think the house rules should have the look like they are something larry would design, than to be complicated and specific exceptions. This would lend them well to acceptance by others.
If you want i can post your own rules streamlined into a more simple application.
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Revised Tech Tree:
Procedure: Same as AA50 except you assign your researcher to one of the following three categories: Land, Sea or Air. Further, you can only assign up to one researcher per category at a time. Germany and USA can assign up to two researchers per category. All other OOB rules are in effect.Research & Development
In this phase, you may attempt to develop improved military technology. To do so, you buy researchers that give you a chance for a scientific breakthrough. Each researcher token will grant you one die that provides a chance for a breakthrough.Research & Development Sequence:
1. Buy researcher tokens
2. Roll research dice
3. Roll breakthrough die
4. Mark developmentStep 1: Buy Researcher Tokens
Each researcher token costs 5 IPC’s. Buy as many as you wish, including none.Step 2: Roll Research Dice
For each researcher you have, roll one die.
-Success: If you roll at least one “6”, you have successfully made a technological breakthrough. Discard all your researcher tokens and continue to step 3.-Failure: If you do not roll a “6”, your research has failed. Keep all your researcher tokens and continue to the Purchase Units phase of the turn.
Step 3: Roll Breakthrough Die
If you rolled a “6” on any research die, choose one of the two breakthrough charts and roll a die to see which technological advance you get. You can only receive one advance each turn. If you have already received the same result on a previous turn, re-roll until you get a new technological advance. Once you have received all the advances on a chart, you cannot gain any more advances from that chart.Step 4: Mark Development
If your research was successful, place one of your national control markers inside the appropriate advancement box on the research & development chart. Your development becomes effective immediately. Any number of powers may develop the same technology, but powers cannot share their technology.Land Technology:
Tier #1:
• War Bonds- add one die to IPC total each turn.
• Elite Armor- You can form elite armor forces by converting one tank each turn for 1 IPC or build one from scratch for 6 IPC attack at 4 and defend at 5, move 2
Tier #2:
• Mobile Warfare Doctrine- Armor units on first round combat get +1 in battle.
• IC Repair- (one IPC allocated removes two points of damage)
Tier #3:
• Underground factories- SBR hits count at ½ value rounded down.
• Heavy Artillery- Your artillery rolling a 1 can choose the land target on either attack or defense. Your Artillery now moves 2 spaces.Sea Technology:
Tier #1:
• ASW- Your fighters and bombers can now also attack subs and they hit at 2
(Rather than 1) plus All ASW units attack value is raised to 2. They can also attack subs without having a Destroyer or Cruiser class ships present.
• Shipyards- subs, transports, destroyers cost one less IPC, all other ships cost two less IPC.
Tier #2:
• Improved Carriers- if you pay 6 IPC per carrier they now take 2 hits and move 3 spaces, plus they have a 3 fighter capacity. New Carriers of this type can also be created and they costing 6 IPC extra to purchase.
• Super Battleships- your existing battleships attack and defend at 5 and they always fire preemptively in combat each turn (loses removed before they fire back) for either attack or defense.Tier #3:
• Super subs- Your subs now defend at 2 and attack at 3.
• AA cruisers: your Battlecruisers and Cruisers get one AA roll against each plane attacking hitting at 1 prior to the first round of combat. Each plane that is hit is removed before shooting back.Air Technology:
Tier #1:
• Radar- any fighters you have defending and not under attack can assist adjacent territories prior to the start of combat rolls. They act immediately in these battles.
• Long Rang Air- fighters and bombers now move 2 extra spaces.
Tier #2:
• Heavy Bombers- roll two dice = pick the best result and apply to SBR. Also, your Bombers also now attack at 5 or less and defend at 2 or less.
• Rockets- Your antiaircraft guns are now also rocket launchers. In addition to its normal combat function, during the strategic bombing raid step of your Conduct Combat phase each turn, each of your antiaircraft guns can make a single rocket attack against an enemy industrial complex within 3 spaces of it. This flak level for this is not regarded and each AA gun gets one roll.
Tier #3:
• Jet Fighters- The attack value of your fighters is now 4 and the defense is 5, also they don’t get rolled at by defending AA guns.
• Atomic Bomb- Each Atomic Bombs costs 10 IPC and only one can be made each turn. When dropped no AA roll is made. Effects: 3 dice of variable damage and one die of permanent damage. The first turn this can be developed is turn 7. Prerequisite: Heavy Bombers technology.Procedure: allocate researcher to develop a tier #1 technology in any of three categories. Once you have developed a technology you can choose one of the two choices. If you elect to develop further research in the same category and succeed, you may then either elect to choose a Tier #2 technology or pick something from a LOWER tier technology.
Eventually, you can get to a tier #3 technology and chose any lower tech.Spies: These cost 10 IPC each and can be assigned in secret to any specific enemy player’s technology category (land, sea or air). If that player decides to develop a technology in this category and it succeeds, the spy may be revealed and the spy gets to roll obtaining technology on a roll of 4-6. Note: the Soviet player is the only player that can send spies to his own allies and they cost 5 IPC.
Counter Spy: Each player may buy a super spy which can be used to eliminate the enemy spy but this is also assigned to a specific technology category (land, sea or air) to any technologies that can be developed.
Partisans: If the German or Italian player controls soviet territories but does not garrison them with at least one land unit, Partisans can attempt attacks on the IPC value as follows: For each un-garrisoned territory the German player rolls one D6 1-2= 1 IPC lost, 3-4= 2 IPC lost 5-6= 3 IPC lost.
Universal National Advantages:
Procedure: roll D12 or select one NA per turn with each nation choosing a number of them equal to what was agreed by all players.- Paratroopers: Each Bomber can now carry one infantry from the territory it started movement from to any friendly or enemy controlled territory. If dropped in hostile land zone the unit attacks at 2 and must fight to the death.
- Fast Warships: Carriers and Cruisers now move 3 sea zones.
- Blitzkrieg: Your Armor units moving one space in combat movement and successfully clearing the enemy land zone can perform either: A) attack a new enemy territory from the captured territory, or B) retreat to an adjacent territory during NCM and avoid possible enemy counterattack.
- Dug in Defenders: You infantry in originally controlled land territories surrounded by water defend at 3. Note: includes all small islands plus Japan, England and New Zealand, but not Australia.
- 5th Column: Convert one neutral per game in the future by rolling a D6= number of turns you wait before conversion (keep roll secret).
- Mechanized Infantry: You may freely replace one infantry with a mechanized infantry each turn.
- Manpower reserves: You may build infantry for 2 IPC for one turn in the game, but any infantry built after costs 4 IPC.
- Total War: you may elect to build one factory for free per game, or destroy one enemy factory, or move one factory to another originally controlled territory.
- Trained Pilots: your original fighters you start the game with attack at 4 for the rest of the game, but once each is destroyed, it cannot be replaced. (Write T on chip to designate them.
- Foreign Aid: one ally can loan another up to what you roll on a D6 each turn.
- Mobile Warfare: Your fighters attacking with Armor or Mechanized Infantry boost these units +1 each combat round at a matching 1/1 basis.
- Combined forces: Once per game you and one ally can make your turn together performing movement, combat and non-combat together. The player moving up does not buy or place new units, and he still gets his own turn, so it’s essentially a double movement and combat action. This would be in addition to the D-Day rule.
Fortifications:
It defends preemptively at two rolls of 3. It does not move and costs 8. It must be manned by at least one infantry and this infantry also defends. Only Artillery or Bomber hits can destroy a fortification and the fortification takes 2 hits to kill. Infantry inside cannot be destroyed until the fortification is also destroyed. -
Yeah - I just recently downloaded these - haven’t had the chance to finish 'em yet. Have some stuff to bring up about these - praise and crit. - but need to finish reading them, perhaps even have a test run if I convince some others… Will post more about some of these soon - have some questions…
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A great thing about A&A, is that each game is an abstract interpretation of an historical event. Each house’s rules - or ones even toyed with stemmed from a lot of variables (hell… down to the ‘socio’ levels - “How Ba ba black sheep influences my A&A game” eh eh eh). Basically a disclaimer: personal choice/perspective.
Tech. Tree - like the idea of dabbling with tech. and making some that are lame more worthwhile. Your tier system… I’d have to have some games with it. One of my groups favours a lot of this, seen some nice flowcharts and some good games. But then… I have just as much fun (and level of tactics/strategy) with a different group which would immediately say there’s too much to it. The former group would be much to your thinking and you’d probably ally, and I’ll assume you’ve heard reasoning of the latter group’s angle.
I like the mechanics, really nice to see it through some medium… map drawn like a battle plan or something (I got a little of this nuance to the right in here, a map behind where the victory city tokens are kept).http://s889.photobucket.com/albums/ac95/Viracocha_bucket/?action=view¤t=aa90.jpg
I’ve used a scanned battle plan for Stalingrad as a background on a battle board, (inspired by the fact that the new editions come with a “strip of war”, what sounds cooler: “Battle Board” or “Strip of battle”?). What I’ve seen of your cartography tells me that you could really trick out a chart. Nice War Bonds boost. REALLY like the underground factories… Like the Heavy Artillery - excellent… though I don’t like the 2 spaces movement. (avoiding a springboard into the power of what self-propelled artillery could do and did). It messes too much with the mechanic in my opinion. It’s still artillery and not a tank or mech. inf. Kinda the same thought on the super carriers (dodging discussion on how the folded wings enabled such and such, and this carrier was bigger and faster), increasing the movement rate of a carrier on the AA50th map is too much. On a different map… perhaps. Love the new Battleship, (ed: ‘losses’) but just the pre emp fire is enough I think… Really like the AA guns on cruisers take… really do. Came across it a while back while still lurking here. That is good stuff. I’m sure you’ve heard otherwise, one could try to slice that with “but then wouldn’t you consider Battleships to have this as well? For they also have at-at’s and etc.” But some models did have good AA capabilities, and it gives the cruiser the character it needed, at the same time fulfilling the role of helping aiding against the aircraft wiping out an armada issues… Good stuff. That will sir, I plan to trial is some form. Spys, Counter Spys? REeeeeaallY? eh eh eh… I like it. I know some who don’t like that nuance/component/factor in play, but I’m a big fan. I have my Covert Ops. rules which border, but what’s nifty about your spies is that they are literally doing their job/role in the game. And they’re short and simple rules. eh eh eh… sweet.
I’m not keen on the Partisans… can detract from the game’s vague suspension of disbelief by conflicting with the alternative history default. And who’s to say there wouldn’t be partisans in many nations that were never invaded?Your selected/added NA’s: Well first off, if they’re Universal they can’t be National Advantages, because they are no longer concerned with only 1 nation - any nation could get one that another had in a previous game.
Like the fortifications rule, simple and sweet yet adds the depth of an important factor. But I think they should also be susceptible to off-shore bombardments, as they were. If you meant smaller fortifications that are not coastal… I think they are too small to have to factor with the global AA50.
DELETED NA statements… EDIT: Hmm, there are advantages to making those advantages a random draw… because some could be considered to have had different levels of effect at some period in the war - in regard to keeping in the realm of a WWII theme.
That’s my take. Throw some thoughts about mine.
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Oh - have some thoughts on your Atomic warfare.
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I am gonna post a new version of mine using KISS. I think it is too complicated.
but i will do that in a new thread :-D