New units and research for G40 ground combat house rules


  • With all the different unit types on the HBG site I have been thinking about how they could be implemented in a balanced and historically accurate way. I have seen a few threads on addition of different types of tanks and other mobile units and I wanted to consolidate my ideas into one area so people could look at it and see how viable each addition would be and any ways to improve on them.  The units added would be SP artillery, Light/med/Heavy tanks, and rocket artillery, with the addition of two new researches of heavy tanks, advanced tank armament and modify the current advanced artillery research

    SP Artillery
    M2 A2 D2 C5
    Can blitz when combined with Mech infantry and tanks.
    Upgrades infantry/Mech infantry to A2

    This would Simply be mobile artillery that can keep up with the Tanks and Mechs

    Rocket Artillery
    M2 A1 D1 C5
    Cannot blitz
    Rolls two dice per attack
    First Strike

    Rolling two dice for rocket artillery would represent the large volume of rockets fired at once, but they are rather inaccurate since the A1 and D1, but since these are usually used before the battle starts over an area giving them a first strike would allow them to soften up the defenders/attackers before the combat begins. Most of them were on mobile systems which is represented by M2

    Light Tanks

    M2 A2 D1 C4
    Can Blitz
    Mech infantry can blitz with Light tanks
    Can be used for Tac bombers Combined arms

    This would be the reverse of Mech infantry. Light tanks were usually fast and could maneuver well, but not so good in a defensive situation. This would provide a cheap mobile attack unit for many of the smaller nations, but they would be very vulnerable to counterattacks

    Med Tanks
    M2 M3 D2 C6
    Basically the original Axis and allies tanks

    I thought about reducing the cost to 5 but I did not want it to conflict with SP artillery, plus a research will improve them. The strength of medium tanks was again in their maneuverability on the attack with better armor than light tanks, and many of the earlier ones did not have the better guns we saw later in the war

    Heavy Tanks
    M2 A3 D3 C8
    Cannot Blitz
    2 Hits

    Early heavy tanks like the KV, Char, and Churchills did not have the powerful at guns we saw later in the war with the Tigers, Pershings, and IS tanks. Heavy tanks are slow ant not as maneuverable, and I wanted to gear them more toward defensive strength

    R&D system

    From looking at the Global War games on HBG I thought the R&D for that game would work best for adding these types of units.
    The player would choose a research and pay 2 IPCs per roll and have to get a certain number or higher on a 6 or 12 sided die and then would progress through multiple stages of research. The number required would depend on the impact that that research would have one the game. i.e war bonds would be a 4 or higher per stage and jet fighters would require a 6 per stage. The research system I see as crucial to adding these units as it allows some historical accuracy as to when units come into play and how effective they are throughout the game.

    Modified R&D

    Advanced artillery
    Would require a 5 or higher on each stage of research
    In addition to the original changes, it would allow players to build SP artillery and Rocket artillery

    New R&D

    Heavy Tanks
    Would require a 5 or higher per stage
    Allows players to build Heavy tanks
    Another thought is to have Russia and France start with that Tech and have Germany and Britian one or two stages in at the start of the game due to the historical accuracy of when those countries deployed these units

    Advanced Tank Armament
    Require 5 or higher per stage
    Upgrades defense of Med tanks to D3 and Heavy tanks to D4
    Germany starts the game at stage one for this R&D
    This represents the upgrade to the Sherman 76/Firefly, T-34/85, and Panzer IV/ Panther tanks as well as the upgrade to KV-85/IS-2 heavy tanks

    With the research bonuses Germany should get Heavy tanks about the same time as Advanced armament. If it does not there is a slightly historically inaccuracy of the tiger not being as effective as it should be.

    The addition of these new units would most likely call for a slightly modified starting setup. Particularly adding more light tanks to the initial setup for Germany/Japan/Italy, and maybe one heavy tank for Russia

  • '17 '16

    @tomhop10:

    With all the different unit types on the HBG site I have been thinking about how they could be implemented in a balanced and historically accurate way. I have seen a few threads on addition of different types of tanks and other mobile units and I wanted to consolidate my ideas into one area so people could look at it and see how viable each addition would be and any ways to improve on them.  The units added would be SP artillery, Light/med/Heavy tanks, and rocket artillery, with the addition of two new researches of heavy tanks, advanced tank armament and modify the current advanced artillery research

    SP Artillery
    M2 A2 D2 C5
    Can blitz when combined with Mech infantry and tanks.
    Upgrades infantry/Mech infantry to A2

    This would Simply be mobile artillery that can keep up with the Tanks and Mechs

    Rocket Artillery
    M2 A1 D1 C5
    Cannot blitz
    Rolls two dice per attack
    First Strike

    Rolling two dice for rocket artillery would represent the large volume of rockets fired at once, but they are rather inaccurate since the A1 and D1, but since these are usually used before the battle starts over an area giving them a first strike would allow them to soften up the defenders/attackers before the combat begins. Most of them were on mobile systems which is represented by M2

    Light Tanks

    M2 A2 D1 C4
    Can Blitz
    Mech infantry can blitz with Light tanks
    Can be used for Tac bombers Combined arms

    This would be the reverse of Mech infantry. Light tanks were usually fast and could maneuver well, but not so good in a defensive situation. This would provide a cheap mobile attack unit for many of the smaller nations, but they would be very vulnerable to counterattacks

    Here is the change I would make to get something different that has already been put forward in older thread on Assault gun and Self-propelled Artillery:

    Self-Propelled Artillery
    M2 A2 D1-2 C4
    Can blitz when combined with Tank, or Tank and Mech Inf.
    Upgrades infantry/Mech infantry to A2

    Defend @2 when combined with Tank, any kind.

    Light Tank

    M2 A2 D2 C5
    Can Blitz
    Mech infantry or SP Artillery can blitz with Light Tanks.
    Can be used for Tac bombers Combined arms.
    Gives +1 Defense to SP Artillery paired 1:1.

    Rocket Artillery can be 4 IPCs IMO.

    I see SP Artillery as very lightly armored on front while regular Artillery gets a much better hardened fixed position due to slow move.
    I also read that Assault Guns were frequently working with Tanks, hence the defense bonus.
    That way, MI + MArt + Tank gives A2+A2+A3 / D2+D2+D3, A7 D7 M2 for 14 IPCs
    A pretty optimized trio. But MI+ MA only A2+A2 / D2+D1, A4 D3 M2 for 8 IPCs.
    Art and Inf will stay better A4 D4 M1 for 7 IPCs.

    Light Tank now can use the 5 IPCs sweet spot with A2 D2 M2, instead of SP Artillery.
    Such MI+ SP Art+ LTk gives A2 A2 A2 / D2 D2 D2, A6 D6 M2 for 13 IPCs.
    With 3 units or 3 hits, it is slightly better than 2 Tanks A3 D3 for 12 IPCs.

    The original things is all about SP Art at the same price than Artillery sacrifying Defense to get Mobility instead.

    Also, this make all three Artillery units types at 4 IPCs while Tank is 5 and higher.

  • '17 '16

    @tomhop10:

    Med Tanks
    M2 M3 D2 C6
    Basically the original Axis and allies tanks

    I thought about reducing the cost to 5 but I did not want it to conflict with SP artillery, plus a research will improve them. The strength of medium tanks was again in their maneuverability on the attack with better armor than light tanks, and many of the earlier ones did not have the better guns we saw later in the war

    Heavy Tanks
    M2 A3 D3 C8
    Cannot Blitz
    2 Hits

    Early heavy tanks like the KV, Char, and Churchills did not have the powerful at guns we saw later in the war with the Tigers, Pershings, and IS tanks. Heavy tanks are slow ant not as maneuverable, and I wanted to gear them more toward defensive strength

    Advanced Tank Armament
    Require 5 or higher per stage
    Upgrades defense of Med tanks to D3 and Heavy tanks to D4
    Germany starts the game at stage one for this R&D
    This represents the upgrade to the Sherman 76/Firefly, T-34/85, and Panzer IV/ Panther tanks as well as the upgrade to KV-85/IS-2 heavy tanks

    With the research bonuses Germany should get Heavy tanks about the same time as Advanced armament. If it does not there is a slightly historically inaccuracy of the tiger not being as effective as it should be.

    Maybe you should keep A3 D3 C6 as Medium Tank (since it is that way in all second edition, plus 1941) but
    early Heavy Tank gets only A3 D2 C8 M1, 2 hits.
    Or reverse A2 D3 C8 M1, 2 hits.

    So you have room for later improvement to A3 D3 M1 or A4 D3 M1 C8, 2 hits.


  • Thank you for the response they are good inputs. I think I will go with the A2 D3 heavy tanks with an upgrade to A3 D4 with research.

    For Mediums, Has there been a good House rule proposed that can represent the upgrades they received throughout the war? I can keep the Base Medium at A3 D3, but say upgrading them to A4 with the Advanced armament research would make Germany more of a beast to deal with than it is already.

    The only way so far I have seen on the forums is a proposal for Advanced Mediums with a C7. One way I think it could be implemented would be allowing the player to upgrade any mediums already on the board for 1 IPC, or just buy it for 7. This would require another tank sculpt or marker to represent the difference, and I do not want to make the rules too complicated for someone to understand.


  • I like the idea of differentiating tanks.

    I’d take it a step further:

    Only Russia and Germany can have heavies, cost ten like a fighter, but take two hits because off armor. So, you’d basically have a low movement fighter that has less defensive strength, but takes more punishment. No repairs, replace with medium to keep track.

    Japan and Italy only have light tanks. Lights would be treated like mobile artillery, giving bonus to attacking infantry (mech or not) and cost 5.

    US and UK can have lights and mediums, maybe even knock the US cost down to 5 being they produced 60,000 during the war, compared to 2000 Tigers.

    How about mediums/lights both defend on 2 when facing a heavy?

    My son and I have '41, '42 and both '40s ('14, D-day and Guadalcanal too) so we have Tigers, Panthers, T34s, JS-2s, but would need to represent lights somehow.

    I never liked the Tiger I molded in Japanese colors…

  • '17 '16

    @tomhop10:

    Thank you for the response they are good inputs. I think I will go with the A2 D3 heavy tanks with an upgrade to A3 D4 with research.

    For Mediums, Has there been a good House rule proposed that can represent the upgrades they received throughout the war? I can keep the Base Medium at A3 D3, but say upgrading them to A4 with the Advanced armament research would make Germany more of a beast to deal with than it is already.

    The only way so far I have seen on the forums is a proposal for Advanced Mediums with a C7. One way I think it could be implemented would be allowing the player to upgrade any mediums already on the board for 1 IPC, or just buy it for 7. This would require another tank sculpt or marker to represent the difference, and I do not want to make the rules too complicated for someone to understand.

    I believe it is simpler. 1 IPC to upgrade or built one for 7 IPCs.


  • I personally like to keep with the idea of allowing each nation to have the possibility to access each of the new units, because Even Japan and Italy had some heavier tank designs and prototypes, but they just never had the production to actually put them into full production. With the research system proposed however it does accomplish your goal to an extent. Since each research would be 4 stages to progress through, if a country has no bonus to what stage they start on it can take quite a few turns and money to get some researches especially if one has to roll a 6 or a 5+ with one die to progress one stage. Italy does not have the money to spare, and Japan probably wants to spend more money on ships and taking islands and tank upgrades wont suit them unless they are trying to crush Russia. I could also add another research of mass production which the US, and probably Russia has a bonus in, and it will reduce the cost of all of their units by one IPC.

    You can find some good light tank pieces on Historical Board Gaming, they are about 0.65 cents per piece

    Thanks for the inputs I think I will go with the advanced mediums, and I am currently taking a look at the board to see how some of these could be included in the starting setup

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