Grasshopper's Production Roll for Allies

  • Sponsor

    I don’t play online games, in my world I’m in large groups playing table top games and also 1 vs. 1 table top games. Therefore, the popular online “bid rule” doesn’t really work for us because the sides are already determined by a rotation system, and allied teammates tend to argue about what and where units should be placed.

    We all agree that the Allies need a boost, so I have created a system that will allow some of the most popular uses of a bid, while neutralizing arguements with the random roll of a dice. A player playing on the side of the Allies must make a 1d6 Production Roll to begin the game, and is rewarded with a setup bonus depending on the # showing on the die.

    Setup modifications from an Allied production roll

    # 1.

    • An American Destroyer off Washington (#101).
    • An ANZAC Transport off New Zealand (#63).

    # 2.

    • 2 American Artillery in Hawaii.
    • A British transport off South Africa (#71).

    # 3.

    • A British Submarine off Egypt (#81).
    • 3 Russian Infantry in Yakut S.S.R.

    # 4.

    • A Russian Strategic Bomber in Moscow.
    • A French Infantry in Alexandria.

    # 5.

    • A British Fighter in Scotland.
    • An American AA Gun in Philippines.

    # 6.

    • A British Tactical Bomber in Gibraltar.
    • A Chinese Artillery in Szechwan.

  • <deleted>because you totally changed the first post</deleted>

  • Sponsor

    I agree with your suggestions to #1 (I’m thinking the Sub and a Brit in Egypt), but aren’t you worried that your changes to #4 and #6 might be to powerful?

  • '17 '16 '15 '14 '12

    The nice thing about this is the allies roll and they will have to adjust their strategy to suit whatever they get.  More challenging than bids where you can place as you like.

    For #5, you could put the 6 Russians in Yakut so they can get to Moscow just before the Germans can get the with Bulgarians and Finns.

  • Sponsor

    @variance:

    The nice thing about this is the allies roll and they will have to adjust their strategy to suit whatever they get.  More challenging than bids where you can place as you like.

    For #5, you could put the 6 Russians in Yakut so they can get to Moscow just before the Germans can get the with Bulgarians and Finns.

    Hey Vance, thanks for your input… I have made some significant changes to the bonuses.

  • '17 '16 '15 '14 '12

    Here are a few more ideas.  Each is worth $15 and an allied player rolls 1 die to see what they get

    1: USSR gets 1 bomber and an extra infantry in Moscow (edited, thanks gamerman)

    2: USA gets 1 bomber and an extra infantry in Eastern USA (edited)

    3: UK gets 1 transport in z71 (with the destroyer off South Africa), and 1 destroyer in z91 (with the cruiser off Gibraltar)

    4: ANZAC gets 1 transport in z63 (with the cruiser off New Zealand), and 2 artillery in Egypt

    5: France gets 1 extra infantry in each of the following: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, French West Africa, Syria

    6: Each of the 5 allied powers gets 1 extra infantry in their capital


  • Yo variance, bombers don’t cost 15 anymore  :-)

  • '17 '16 '15 '14 '12

    Ooops.  Haven’t played in a while.  OK USA and USSR would get a bomber plus an infantry in their capitols.

  • Sponsor

    @variance:

    Here are a few more ideas. � Each is worth $15 and an allied player rolls 1 die to see what they get

    1: USSR gets 1 bomber and an extra infantry in Moscow (edited, thanks gamerman)

    2: USA gets 1 bomber and an extra infantry in Eastern USA (edited)

    3: UK gets 1 transport in z71 (with the destroyer off South Africa), and 1 destroyer in z91 (with the cruiser off Gibraltar)

    4: ANZAC gets 1 transport in z63 (with the cruiser off New Zealand), and 2 artillery in Egypt

    5: France gets 1 extra infantry in each of the following: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, French West Africa, Syria

    6: Each of the 5 allied powers gets 1 extra infantry in their capital

    You’ve got some really good ideas here Vance… in fact, about a month ago I played with the idea of giving each nation (including China) 1 infantry to put where ever they liked… that would have came to a total of $18. However. after editing I feel as though I have my final list above… gonna try it in tomorrows game.


  • Thanks for your work and thoughts both. I have been following.
    Enjoy your game YG.
    Vance: may the Force be with you in your game against The Dark Lord.

  • Sponsor

    So we used this house rule during a 6 player game on the weekend, Allies rolled a 5 getting the Scotland fighter and the AA Gun on the Philippines… I was Japan and escaped the AA guns during my J1 attack. The fighter scrambled saving the 111 Battleship even though it got damaged. All in all… the production roll helped, but couldn’t save the Allies in the long run.

    As Japan, I was definitely worried about the American AA Gun taking down one or more Japanese planes in an already risky J1 attack, but the Allies got minimal value for an otherwise good production roll. I’ve decided that in 1 VS. 1 games, the player playing the allies will choose the bonus given… the only one I’m open to changing at this point is #1.

  • Liaison TripleA '11 '10

    Make it +5 infantry in Moscow.

  • Sponsor

    @Gargantua:

    Make it +5 infantry in Moscow.

    Although you got the $15 part right, it still goes against the continuity of multi national bonus.

    The fact that your suggestion was so minimal Gargantua, tells me that there is more right with this approach than there is wrong. Perhaps online gamers will offer to take the Allies for a production roll… guaranteeing them units equalling at least $15.

  • '18 '17 '16 '11 Moderator

    I like that those are static bids so everyone can kind of know how they want to deal with it depending on what shows up.  Takes some guess work and a lot of surprises out of early game rounds.

    Hell, I like the concept so much, maybe we should discuss it for next year’s league (hey, bidding is a house rule, one Krieghund has said he does not want to touch and one Larry said he refuses to acknowledge one way or the other, so we already have a house rule, I just suggest talking about it.)

    I also like it’s based on die roll. :P

    I don’t see the IPC value being a concern since each of the 6 placements are not optimal placements for all units in question (ie France might get 5 infantry, but they are scattered about not all stacked in Paris.  Etc)


  • Not everyone agrees the Allies need a bid

  • '18 '17 '16 '11 Moderator

    Still worth a discussion I think.

  • Sponsor

    @Cmdr:

    Still worth a discussion I think.

    I’ve put a lot of thought into this house rule, and I can safely say that the six options laid out in post #1 of this thread are final. Every entry was created based on a $15 equality, and a multi national representation. There was also a strong attempt to help both the Europe and Pacific within each bonus, and to also use popular placements from experienced online players… I also like the fact that most of the bonuses are very equal, however, #6 is obviously better than #1. My groups are now using this system as a staple, feel free to use it as you desire.

  • Customizer

    @Gamerman01:

    Not everyone agrees the Allies need a bid

    I agree with you. I don’t care for bids either. I think either side can win if played right with the setup as is.

    That being said, Grasshopper’s list is very interesting. I think you should spice things up though. Make ONE of the dice rolls end up in a $15 bid for the Axis. Perhaps an extra German tank in Poland, an extra Italian tank in Tobruk and an extra Japanese infantry in Kwangsi.
    The Allies still have a 5/6 chance of getting some padding for themselves. But now there is a 1/6 chance that the Allies will have to go without.

  • '18 '17 '16 '11 Moderator

    As I said, I think it is worth a discussion in the league.  Not saying it will happen, not saying it won’t be changed, but I think it’s worth a discussion.


  • @knp7765:

    @Gamerman01:

    Not everyone agrees the Allies need a bid

    I agree with you. I don’t care for bids either. I think either side can win if played right with the setup as is.

    That being said, Grasshopper’s list is very interesting. I think you should spice things up though. Make ONE of the dice rolls end up in a $15 bid for the Axis. Perhaps an extra German tank in Poland, an extra Italian tank in Tobruk and an extra Japanese infantry in Kwangsi.
    The Allies still have a 5/6 chance of getting some padding for themselves. But now there is a 1/6 chance that the Allies will have to go without.

    lol that’s insane.  It would be radical enough to have a 1/6 chance that the Allies get no bid, but to give 15 to the Axis?  Most players would give up before playing if they rolled that.

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