GeneralHandGrenade's House Rules

@Topmat

AxA has often been called a “beer and pretzels” wargame, I suppose because it is fairly simplistic and available—FOR a wargame. That’s not because AxA is elementary or easily mastered, its because other wargames tend to be even more rules-heavy and detailed, which makes some of them famously and notoriously unplayable. They may have an attractive theme or rules, but the “chit” game era (60s-80s) built up to a crescendo before it burst. PC Computer gaming was a major catalyst for this; the ASL/Avalon Hill/SSI style games BEGGED for a computer to handle some of the more complex calculations, setup, rules etc.

I think AxA has the general appeal and longevity it does precisely because it appeared after this “First Golden Age”, and is not married to overcomplex or overly realistic considerations, its a truly “abstract” wargame, where each step (building, conquering, purchasing, combat, movement) is fairly simple, but all together, they are complex enough to satisfy long-time players while only barely overwhelming the new ones.

And, the fact that AxA doesn’t try to simulate or do everything a wargame possibly COULD do is the very reason why there is enough room left in the game to add more, but that’s not necessarily desirable. If the game was already highly complex, rich and random, it would already have many of the things that people are trying to add to it—but its likely no-one would play it. I think most of the more complex house rules systems for AxA fall into this trap, by pushing the complexity/time investment level out of the Goldilocks zone.

I bought a “political” Avalon Hill chit game in 1992, Republic of Rome (4/4 difficulty rating). When I read the instruction manual, I was blown away-- I understood nothing of what i’d read… until I read it for nearly 2 years. We only played it in college 4 times, and the Republic consistently lost as a group. Its a great game, but its also an example of a highly complex simulation game with a narrow audience from the first era–very few people still play these games because they lack any general following or appeal in the internet age, and have been replaced by computer-style games, like the Total War and Europa Universalis series.

Hey Young Grasshopper,

Can you say a few words about why you’re writing these house rules, who they’re for, or what you hope to accomplish with them? Hard to offer comments in a vacuum.

Because there are no neutral victory cities in Anniversary, I’m not sure your VP system changes anything beyond just counting up each victory city as one point. Any time I take a city, that means you lost a city, and vice versa. Normally, when I take a city, I gain +1 VP and you lose -1 VP, so the total VP swing per city is 2 points. Under your system, when I take a city, I gain +2 VP and you lose -1 VP, so the total VP swing per city is 3 points.

That’s it – you’re changing the swing from 2 points to 3 points, but it’s not like you can conquer half a victory city, so it really doesn’t matter if the swing per victory city is 2 points or 3 points or 50 points. I’m pretty sure it all works out the same in the end. No? I imagine you’re trying to reward players for being aggressive/proactive, but I don’t think your rule actually accomplishes that.

Also, to echo Baron Munchhausen’s concern, I don’t like the idea of allowing intercepts against bombers that only deal 1d6 damage, because then it virtually never makes sense to launch a bombing raid. It really doesn’t pay to launch more than 2 bombers against the same factory (you wind up wasting some of their power because the damage gets maxed out, but you still risk losing them to flak). So if I can defend my home factory with 2 or more fighters (really not that hard) then there is no point in bombing anything – between the 2 pips on the fighter and the 1 pip on the AAA gun, you have almost a 50% chance of losing your bomber on each run. 50% chance of dealing 3.5 damage vs. 50% chance of losing a 12 IPC bomber is a terrible trade-off. Sure, you could escort your bomber with fighters – but nobody in Anniversary has that kind of air power to spare. If you can spare 4 planes for a mediocre bombing raid, you should be using them to take territories. Just my two cents. If you’re going to import the interceptor rules, I’d like to see some kind of buff to the bombers.

Here are some of the house rules I have come across to help china in AA50, all of these work for 1941 and 1942 setups unless mentioned otherwise. The rule that no more units can be placed in territories with more than three chinese units is still active. Most of these rules can be used together, though you might want to keep it simple and just use one or two. And you dont wont to make china TOO powerful! I can’t take credit for most of these either!

1-China’s economy: China is able to collect and spend IPCs like any other country, similar to g40, although is only allowed to buy infantry and at 2IPCs a piece. This allows China to save money plus gives a bit more of an incentive to the allies to take manchuria/kiangsu.

2-Burma road: If the Allies control India, Burma and Yunnan China gets one extra infantry per turn. Optionally you could allow the USA to buy one artillery for China instead, if the allies have these territories. Another option is that China could buy their own artillery at (3 or 4?) IPCs instead, if playing with China having an economy (like above).

3-Changed turn order (my fav): China gets to go before any other nation, at the start of a round. Since the USA is last and China is first, they can still go at the same time (except for the first round). This allows China to prepare for the japanese invaders a bit better.

4-Round up rather than down: When China has an uneven amount of territories, round up instead of down. Can’t be used with the ‘China’s economy’ rule.

5-Extra starting infantry: 1941 SETUP ONLY: China starts off with two extra infantry in Yunnan in Ninkang. I believe this was suggest by Larry Harris himself so that china can’t be completely destroyed in round 1 by japan. If you wish, in the 1942 setup you could start with one or two more infantry in yunnan to protect the flying tigers.

6-USA replaces flying tigers: If the flying tigers has been taken out by the axis, the USA is allowed to replace it for 12IPCs (10+2shipping).

7-Less restrictive movement: China is allowed to move into Burma. Maybe French Indo China too, though this might be questionable. Another option is that the flying tigers can also move out of China temporarily, though still needs to land in Chinese territory.

Personally I have only been able to test 3 and 4, which seems to work okay. If you have any suggestions, additions or constructive criticisms feel free to comment  :-)

Moderator’s edit: Added tag [Anniversary] to title.

Played our first game of 1914 tonight and had a blast. Afterwards, we brainstormed some additional house rules (because gamers, I suppose), and one stuck out. Before I say this, let me note this is a very casual crowd.

Rule: A neutral minor power when attacked by one faction or the other sides with the one that did not attack it. If it is able to repel the invasion, it becomes a fully functioning member of the alliance it joined. It has IPCs, builds units, deploys them, and attacks.

Cause: Almost no reason not to attack some of these nations. Defeat means nothing- the scale of units involved means a small handful of units lost is not a true blow. The potential IPC gain outweighs the risk in all but a few instances. By making neutral powers a bigger threat, hopefully players will only attack those they deem important to a war winning strategy and not just as random acts of violence for IPC gain. This can lead to silliness with Switzerland and the Nordic countries along with Spain among others.

Mechanics: New factions get 6/8 IPCs plus whatever IPC total is on their territories. From this point we had some disagreement:
1- They are a fully active faction with no restrictions.
2- They can only attack the faction that attacked them and their territories.
3- They can only counter attack into the territories that the attack against them was launched

––
I posted this in the 1914 forum, then I saw the House Rules forum.  I believe that is the forum suited for the idea. I would message the mods to move this thread but their profiles indicate they’ve been gone for a while. I apologize for my faux paus.

I’m sure…bump! :mrgreen:

Technology Rules:
Technology is done the same as AA50, however there are now four technology trees, land, air, naval and production; and you now pick the technology once you have a breakthrough. Each of these trees is split into three tiers. The first two technologies of each tree belong to tier one. The second two belong to tier two. The third set of two belong to tier three. On a successful role, you can choose the technology you want from any technology tier you have available to you. To start, only tier one is available; you can choose between the first 8 technologies (radar, rockets, heavy artillery, marines, long lance torpedoes, super submarines, war bonds, improved factory production). Once you have a tier one technology, you unlock tier two from that technology tree only. In order to unlock a tier three, you must have at least one tier two technology from another tree. So, once you have at least two tier one techs (radar and marines for example) and two tier two techs (jet fighters and reinforced concrete for example) both land AND air tier threes has been unlocked. From there you would just need one tier one and one tier two from the naval tree (for example) to unlock the naval tier three. You may, of course, acquire all techs on the board so long as you roll successfully and the respected tiers are unlocked.

Air Technology

1. Radar
All your AA guns now hit on a 2 or (including AA Cruisers). Fighters in a territory with an operational airbase may scramble to intercept strategic bombardment attacks against facilities in any adjacent territory, following the standard interceptor rules. Your shore batteries now hit on a 2 or less. Your AA guns may now defend against rockets in the territory that is targeted by the rockets and where the rockets ‘fly over’ your AA guns (including AA cruisers).

1. Long-Range Aircraft
All your aircraft have their range increased by 1.

2. Rocket Projectiles
Your tactical bombers may choose its targets twice. Each tactical bomber can choose its target in the first and second round of combat.
    Ammo chips: http://www.mediafire.com/?9k512hkknsh66ss

2. Rockets
Your AA guns are now 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 AA guns can make a single rocket attack against an enemy facility within 3 spaces of it. This attack does 1D6 damage to that facility. All AA guns that can fire, may fire. Only one shot per AA gun. And each facility may only be the target of one rocket attack per turn.

3. Jet Fighters
The attack value of your fighters is now 4 instead of 3. The attack value of your escorts is raised from 1 to 2. The defense value of you interceptors is raised from 2 to 3.

3. Heavy Bombers
Your strategic bombers now roll 2 dice when you attack or make a strategic bombing raid, choose the better roll. Each bomber rolls separately. Heavy bombers still only roll one dice when defending.

Land Technology
1. Heavy Artillery
Each of your artillery units can support two infantry instead of 1 per attack. Two infantry, when coupled with one artillery, have an attack value of 2.

1. Marines
Your infantry attack at a 2 (3 when paired with artillery) during the first round of amphibious assaults only.

2. Improved Mechanized Infantry
Mechanized infantry attack at 2 or less when paired with a tank.

2. Reinforced Concrete
Your bunkers and block houses each gain 1 hit point. Your blockhouses’ guns cease to fire on the fourth damage marker rather than the third.

3. Conscription
You may place one infantry, for free, in any one territory that you have owned since the beginning of your turn.

3. Heavy Tanks
Each of your tank units can support two mechanical infantry instead of 1 per attack. Two mechanical infantry when coupled with one tank have an attack value of 2. In addition, every third tank attacks/defends at a 4.

Naval Technology
1. Long Lance Torpedoes
During the first cycle of combat only, your destroyers attack and defend on a 3. In succeeding cycles of combat, your destroyers fire as normal.

1. Super Submarines
Your submarines attack at a 3 now instead of a two, but they still only defend at a 1.

2. Combined Bombardment
Your destroyers now can conduct bombardment during an amphibious assault. (Their attack is 2.)

2. Heavy Carriers
Your carriers now have a 3 plane capacity.

3. AA Cruisers
Your defending cruiser(s) gets one AA roll against each enemy attacking plane, hitting at 1 (2 with radar tech) prior to the first round of combat. Each plane that is hit is removed before shooting back. Only one AA roll per combat, regardless of how many cruisers present. Same rules as AA guns.

3. Dreadnoughts
Your battleships have a first-strike capability (both attack and defense qualify). This capability is for the first round only. Any casualties are destroyed and removed from play with no chance to counter-attack (it does not disrupt the special ability of a submarine, but rather fires at the same time). In addition, your battleships now roll two dice during the coastal bombardment step of an amphibious assault, you may choose the best roll. Each battleship rolls separately. Casualties may still return fire.

Production Technology
1. War Bonds
Collect 1D6 extra IPCs during collect income phase.

1. Improved Factory Production
Your factories may produce one and two extra units respectively. Additionally, the cost to repair your factories is halved rounded up.

2. Mobile Industry
Your minor industrial complexes each may move one territory during your noncombat move phase. They cannot move during the combat move phase. If they are captured by an opponent, that opponent cannot move them without this tech. You cannot produce units from a factory on the turn it has moved. Subterranean industry cannot be moved.

2. Household Industrialization
Penalties to factory output by damage reduced by half, rounded up. i.e. A major industry, with 7 damage done to it, will still be able to produce 6 units.

3. Subterranean Industry
You may purchase/upgrade subterranean industry. Damage taken from strategic bombing raids is halved, rounded up. Subterranean industries cannot be moved. On the turn it is upgraded, an industry can only produce units equal to the amount it would have been able to produce prior to its upgrade. i.e. if a minor complex is upgraded to a major complex, that complex may only produce 3 units during your mobilization phase.
Cost is as follows:
Minor sub: 15 Upgrade minor to sub minor: 6 Upgrade minor sub to major sub: 25
Major sub: 38 Upgrade major to sub major: 15 Upgrade minor to sub major: 30

3. Improved Shipyards
Your sea units are now cheaper to build. Use these revised costs:
Battleship: 17 Cruiser: 10 Transport: 6
Aircraft Carrier: 11 Destroyer: 7 Submarine: 5

The National Objectives
http://www.axisandallies.org/forums/index.php?topic=21079.0

Edit: changed the Air tech tree for better historical accuracy and playability
Edit: replaced heavy payload with Rocket Projectiles. Moved heavy payload into the
      rules section.
Edit: added link to ammo markers for projectile rockets.
      http://www.mediafire.com/?9k512hkknsh66ss
Edit: heavy bombers and dreadnoughts.

Well i love these house rules man 19 posts! in 1 chat board!@!

Anyways, i’m new here as well and imperious could tell you how bad i am when i 1st came here and i am.
Anyways love some of the ideas (i will admit that i scimmed)  anyways ya well maybe you could have done a few less posts unstead of doing pg: 1,2,3,4,5 … etc.