1942.2 The 1 IPC factory for each Nation

Ok we played this today and it turned out to be pretty balanced. Allies won I’m still a little iffy about the 2 German subs that start SZ 2 (Germany subs were in total control of the Atlantic for the entire game) The other rule changes I made was to make Borneo and East Indies (DEI) basically neutral until attacked by Axis or US enters the war, then they join FEC/UK seemed to work out nicely.

1914 house ruling is doomed in this forum

So recently I played out a game using this system. After many rounds and one of the longest games of axis and allies I have ever endured, it was a stalemate. As Gargantua predicted, London fell. Though we had Britain with two capitals, there income was combined and allowed to be spent at either side of the board. Even after all unit builds went to London turn one, it fell turn two. So only London income was lost and the Brits fought on from India. Nevertheless Italy become a God economically and militarily. The Brits in the Med and Africa were sunk naval wise and overwhelmed on land by Italy. The German navy became large enough to contend with America, and later on in the game, Italy almost took Stalingrad and successfully took Calcutta for one turn and also controlled all of the middle east. Japan was effectively contained by America, Britain, China and ANZAC and suffered huge losses after very early wins. Japan doesnt stand much of a chance we decided. Russia got hit hard by German attacks and Itailian attacks on their flanks through the middle east. Russia also rolled terribly. But their navy was strong and the capital never fell. America was hard pressed and couldnt fight Germany effectively while also dealing with Japan. It was mostly string after string of failed landings in Africa and the British mainland while sending a token navy to assist the rest of the allies in the Pacific. Overall, the system sped the game up tremendously and kept all players focused. I find it to be balanced decently. The axis seemed very strong early in the game and kept the allies at bay except in the Pacific. Britain’s economies should be combined probably, but with a better experienced British player this just might create hell for the axis. Great house rule and I will be playing again with my group this way soon.

Italy is sure taking a pounding, and Germany not getting that extra money to use against a fully-powered USSR is hurting them.  This should offset any USA/China/ANZAC loss in a Global game.  We’ll see what happens.

I played another game with India at 5, but I played against myself instead of the AI (first time doing that!). Russia got absolutely diced in the heavy Ukraine strafe, and so West Russia was abandoned R2 and with no fighter support (Iceland gone G1, no other good routes) Germany rolled over them on turn G5. Once the fighter route was gone I went heavy tanks in India, hoping to swing out against the Japanese and provide defence for Moscow.  I did have 8 UK tanks about to rush in to Moscow for defence (on UK6), but that would have exposed India on J6 AND Japanese tanks were closing in on Moscow as well, so it would have been a 1 or 2 turn delay at most.  Japan had the luxury of building a factory in Manchuria for north route tanks and just stacking Yunnan with art and inf (with their fleet in the adjacent SZ) and deadzone Burma, so the UK troop buildup in India couldn’t really pivot out of India as much as I thought.  Any foray out of India, and the 5 IPC factory would be gone, so the two armies stayed in the gravitational pull of one another. I’ve never really done a KJF, but I think that might work a lot better with 5 IPC India.  I might read some KJF strategies and try it out.  So far, 5 IPC India is a failure, haha.

Bumped for curiosity.

@Imperious: The map should be marked for possible landing sites. It is not a fact that major landings could take place “anywhere”. True but it is too much zoom-in tactical level geography. Let’s suppose the amphibious assault is made in an appropriate places. The bad or good luck of the first roll of dices in combat is making for a good or bad landing place. First, the attacker should only be able to attack with infantry only on the first round ( and air units). This would be rolled after SB is performed. AAA fire then Shore Bombardment are the first two steps. At a tactical level, artillery and armor have a bad moment to pass through during landing phase. The issue is to figure it all at strategical level and keep balance. I suggested this penalty can be enough: instead of saying all A1 for the first round of an Amph. Assault Just say all attacking ground units get -1A to a minimum of A1, for the first round. Hence, Artillery get A1. But, at least Armor can get A2. And according to this HR, even an Inf getting A2 for being paired with Art is reduced to A1.   But, at a strategical level, the SB can give a little support to Infantry unit trying to land. That’s why: During the first round of an Amph. Ass. Destroyer, on a 1:1 basis, give +1A boost to 1 Infantry unit. Cruiser,  on a 1:1 basis, give +1A boost to 1 Infantry unit, in addition to the shore bombardment. Battleship, on a 1:2 basis, give +1A, to up to 2 Infantry units, in addition to the shore bombardment. So the warships heavy guns can make a difference (even Destroyer’s one), on landing round. Second, Defending Infantry and Artillery should fire preemptively ( loses taken first do not fire in subsequent rounds) This is a tough one, do we give it to Artillery unit only or to both units? Here I followed Razor and also you, at the strategical level, and for balance (too much Inf vs Art), and for simplicity and also because 1914 give it only to Artillery unit. And it will be a weaker ones however: All Artillery units get a preemptive strike (like subs) against incoming units. Third, all remaining attacking units roll, then remaining The attacker should be able to retreat, however all mech units are converted into infantry ( they leave the beaches with equipment…ala Dunkirk) That one is new. It is alien to A&A system to convert 1 unit into another. However, a retreat possibility could be interesting… But usually the better units will survived last. This means it will probably be armor or artillery… Instead, it can be something like this: If amphibious assault units needs to retreat (at the beginning of the round), attacker must loose 1 Armor unit or 1 Art unit before any other 1 casualty. Basically, attacker must loose 1 additional ground unit (the costlier and valuable one), and this unit cannot fire, then return the surviving units on landing barge (transports). On most occasion this will mean 1 armor unit, an A3D3, 6 IPCs unit. Thanks for this idea about amphibious assault retreat. It can even more create an incentive for the defender, to throw an air/naval assault on transports to get ride of the surviving retreating units. Rarely see, ground troops going into the bottom of the ocean with transports units.

Ya  Play test it.