• I’m slightly confused about whether or not England and France can lend lease to Abyssinia in version 2. There is no supply path, and UK/France player cards state that they cannot lend lease until they are at war with a major power. But, concerning the Italian campaign in Abyssinia, it states that other countries can lend lease to Abyssinia.

    Is it possible, and if not, why include it in the Italian campaign rules? There seems to be no other way to prevent Italy from conquering Abyssinia.

    This issue seems to be fixed in version 3, but we’re playing version 2 on Tabletop Simulator because of covid19.


  • From what I can tell it is very difficult. Rules as written prevent any lend lease from being sent to Abyssinia turn 1, barring any extreme declarations of war. It is possible to have Britain or France build a railroad, if you are using the fighting railroads expansion, to kordofan or nubia turn 1 then have USSR send lend-lease turn 2. This isn’t very helpful because Italy almost always attacks turn 1. When my group played version 2, we added a naval port to French Somaliland and allowed France to lend-lease. It still is very hard for Abyssinia to survive but it solves the problem of lend-leasing to Abyssinia. I have seen 1 successful defense of Abyssinia, but it required a deal with USSR to send an anti-air artillery and for France to send a mountain infantry. The defender got lucky by hitting the fighter round 1 and it was downhill for the Italian from there.

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    Yeah, the only way to do this, without using any expansions, is for France to build a naval base on French Somaliland. There’s a railroad connecting French Somaliland and Abyssinia already in the game, so an added naval base there would allow this.

    But yes, this of course would take two turns to complete, and is too late by that point.

    @Boardgame-Medic I’m shocked the USSR would waste the unit on lend leasing down there. Propping up Abyssinia does nothing for the Comintern war goals, and units are so precious for them early in a game!

    I think this rule was just put in there to add “potential flavor” to the Abyssinia war in the event Italy messes up and doesn’t take them out turn 1. But any Italian player really should never let that happen!


  • @Chris_Henry I’ve Lend Lease to Ethiopia as USSR and I can tell you if you can get Ethiopia to win which I’ve seen once so far. It really screws over Italian land invasions at the start of WWII.


  • @Caesar-Seriona I guess that’s a good point. If they possibly could do it, if Italy didn’t somehow win on the first turn, I guess I’m not considering that it could have longer term repercussions. I guess it really comes down to how much Italy messes up by not defeating them turn one!


  • @Chris_Henry Yep that’s the point however it’s risky as well to do it as USSR as you only start with $8 dollars and if you’re Lend-Leasing to both Ethiopia and Republican Spain, you’re not building for yourself.


  • @Caesar-Seriona exactly what I was thinking too. But I’d agree with you. If Italy fails to take them turn 1, I think it has to be at least a considered. That said, I’m wondering it what realms this really happens? The USSR couldn’t possibly Lend Lease unless France has built a Naval Base, right? It takes three turns to build a Naval Base, I keep not thinking about how long it take to build a Naval Base here. You’ve had a game where Italy didn’t take Abyssinia for 3 turns?

    I keep feeling like I’m overlooking this possibility, as I assume Italy takes out Abyssinia turn 1. But it doesn’t even need to be turn 1. There couldn’t be a Soviet Lend Lease until turn 4 (because the French Naval Base wouldn’t be completed until after the USSR’s round 3 turn was over). Am I not thinking of another way this could happen?


  • @Chris_Henry I had a game where Italy forgot it was at war with Ethiopia and Ethiopia managed to recruit for a few turns.


  • @Caesar-Seriona Well that would certainly do it hahaha.

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