G40 House Rules - What Do The Pros Think?

Interested in what people who have played the game a lot think this will do in terms of playability. It’s been a lot of fun for me, and I prefer it to the original set up - but my instincts aren’t as honed as most of you, who can detect flaws on an advanced level. How could this slant the game?

Allies have some distinct advantages (more income, loss of London significantly less catastrophic) but also disadvantages (cleaving Canada from Britain gives less force multiplication, axis base of power more fortified, more likely Sea Lion occurs). By the way, the fortresses are all based on what actually existed in those territories at this time in the war. Only one I kept out was the Maginot Line in France, as it was inconsequential and would change the course of the game too much.

Each new rule is in a box below. Goal was to be both realistic and add a new dimension to the game without throwing it off. Looking forward to your thoughts!

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New Stationary Unit: Fortresses

The Game Starts Out with Fortresses in the Following Territories:

Allied:
Malta
Gibraltar
Ukraine
Malaya

Axis:
Western Germany
Northern Italy
Poland

Role: All infantry, mech infantry, and artillery units in territory have increased defense +1 (defend at 3)

Cost: 15

Can be built on any territory controlled since the beginning of your turn.

Can be damaged with strategic/tactical bombing; inoperable with 3 or more damage points, up to 6 damage points possible.

Can be repaired like air/naval bases, and also has built in anti-air defense against bombing like them.

Changed Unit Prices:

Strategic Bombers cost 14

Cruisers cost 10

Unit Changes:

Each cruiser rolls an anti-air shot before combat against attacking planes, hits at 1. Each cruiser has only one anti-air roll no matter how many planes are attacking. If one plane is attacking two cruisers, both cruisers roll for anti-air. If anti-air hits, attacker chooses which unit(s) to remove before combat begins. Anti-air rolls do not stop cruisers from defending that round.

National Objective Updates:

Increase Japan National Objective for Avoiding Unprovoked Declaration of War against ANZAC/UK and Invasion of French Indochina from 10IPC to 15IPC per turn.

Add German National Objective: 7 IPCs if Germany controls UK (London). Theme: High Strategic and Propaganda value

Add German National Objective: 3 IPCs if Axis controls Belgium/Holland, Normandy-Bordeaux, Denmark, and Western Germany. Theme: Atlantic Wall

New Rules For Purchasing Technology:

Technology: Buy tokens for 5IPC each, choose tier of research you wish to assign it to. If you roll a 6 you get a technology in that tier to roll for, 4-5 token is saved for a later turn to roll, 1-3 token is discarded. If token is saved, tokens technology tier cannot be switched. If you win a technology in a tier, all tokens in that tier are discarded. You may have multiple tokens in multiple tiers.

4 Tiers for tech based on:

Land (Paratroopers, Improved Mechanized Infantry, Advanced Artillery)
Naval (Radar, Super Submarines, Improved Shipyards)
Air (Long Range Aircraft, Heavy Bombers, Jet Fighters)
Strategic (War Bonds, Rockets, Increased Factory Production)

If you acquire a technology, you do not get it until the collect income phase at the end of your turn (Note: Because of this, you can use war bonds at end of the turn it was acquired, as money received can only be used the next turn).

New Technology Detail Changes:

Jet Fighters defend at 5, not attack at 4. Same rules as in book for escort/interceptors apply.

Add +2 to all War Bonds rolls to calculate IPCs earned

Radar Tech turns Cruiser anti-air defense to +2. See rules above for how Cruisers use their anti-air defense.

Paratroopers do not require coinciding land / amphibious invasions to attack a territory. Ability can also be used as non-combat movements.

The Dutch Liberated Territory Rule

Allied (and Axis) nations territories can be liberated by their allies if the territorys capital has been captured. These territories should be treated as friendly neutral territories, along the lines of the Dutch East Indies. They do not require the enemy to capture them first for allies to receive income value. Example: After the fall of France, UK can send soldiers to French African territories and collect income from them. They do not, however, receive this income automatically; ground forces must enter the territory to occupy it.

British Second Capital Rule:

If London is captured, all of Britains European Economy IPCs go to its conquerer. However, the following turn all Sub-Saharan African and Middle Eastern Territories IPCs (Turkey, Syria, Trans-Jordan, Egypt and further) still held by Britain transfer to Calcutta, assuming it is also not captured. All unoccupied British American, European and North African (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya) derived IPCs are considered stranded. Britain may, however, liberate territories and have Calcutta receive IPCs for them; for example, if London falls but British troops are in Southern France, those IPCs may go to Calcutta. If Britain controls Morocco, however, but has no soldiers there, that territory would become stranded. If Calcutta is captured, no Pacific territory automatically transfers to London; however, the same rules apply regarding troop occupation. If Britain has soldiers in Malaya and Calcutta falls, that IPC value can be collected by London. If Calcutta or London is liberated, economic control over respective territories reverts back to the initial format.

ANZAC Split Economy - Canada

Canada is not controlled by UK, it is controlled by ANZAC, with the economy being split (ANZAC Europe starts out with 7IPCs, UK Europe with 21). There is no Second Capital rule with ANZAC; ANZAC Pacific receives economy for all conquered/liberated East African/Middle Eastern Territories bordering Sea Zones 70, 71, 72, 76, and 80 and all territories in Asia (including Asian Russia). ANZAC Europe receives economy for all American and North/West African Territories including Sea Zones 81, 82, 83, 87 and all European territories (this includes all Russian territory on the European Map). This rule is void if one of the capitals is captured; IPCs anywhere may be acquired by the remaining capital by physically moving ground units to the territories.

ANZACs split economies, like UKs, share technology.

All British units on Canada are replaced with ANZAC units, including ships in Sea Zone 106.

All prior ANZAC National Objectives apply strictly to ANZAC Pacific Economy.

ANZAC European National Objectives:

5 IPCs if UK, Scotland, Newfoundland, Greenland, and Iceland are free of Axis soldiers, Canada controls all of its original territories, and all bordering US territories are controlled by Allies. Theme: Basic Defense Perimeter.

5 IPCs if America is at War with the Axis. Theme: North American Shared War Economy.

New Unit Placements:

Germany starts with a Submarine in Sea Zone 67

Germany starts with a Submarine in Sea Zone 114

Germany starts with a Submarine in Sea Zone 112

Germany starts with a Tactical Bomber in Holland/Belgium

Germany starts with a Fighter in Poland

US starts with a Destroyer in Sea Zone 89

ANZAC starts with 2 Infantry and 1 Fighter in UK

ANZAC starts with a Destroyer in Sea Zone 119

Russia starts with 1 infantry in Bryansk

Russia starts with 1 infantry in Smolensk

New Victory Cities And Victory Rules:

Allies:

• Johannesburg in Union of South Africa
• Kiev in Ukraine
• Chicago in Central US

Axis:

• Frankfurt in Western Germany
• Milan in Northern Italy

New number of Victory Cities on map: 24

Total Under National Control at Start:

5 American
5 British
2 ANZAC
4 Russian
1 French

3 German
2 Italian
2 Japanese

Axis Needs 14 Victory Cities total to win.
Allies Need 18 Victory Cities total to win.

Reasonable. Germany had an eastern wall which they began extending into Poland, but it was far from the Siegfried line. Also fair on Ukraine; mostly added it because if Germany has a fortress in Poland, Russia needed to have one on it’s eastern front or it would get unfair.

Get your point about Malta, but that’s why I think it’s ok to leave it in. The city was HEAVILY fortified like Gibraltar and Singapore. Considering only one infantry is there (and unlikely too many more will join), it won’t change the game much but makes an attack on the city more realistic.

Northern Italy, Western Germany, and France all had big fortifications so added accordingly. If you give Germany 2 more infantry in West Germany at game start this fortress does not substantially change the aftermath of the attack.

As far as the WW1 Critique though, I disagree. Fortifications are costly to build, and can be tactically bombed before an invasion and rendered ineffective in battle. It adds a new level of strategy to the game. Do you want to just see if you can muscle through, or do you want to send a bomber or two to “soften” up the defenses? Considering you only need 3 damage points, a single Strategic Bomber hitting a fortress (assuming it avoids anti-air) will render it ineffective for the round. The catch is that you lose that bomber as an attacking unit. Makes a player just have to take more into consideration - which would be realistic in battle.