Revised AH battle of the Bulge rules

For those who prefer the old game i have rescripted the OOB rules for the upcoming Bulge game as follows:

Avalon Hill’s Revised Battle of the Bulge

This variant is a series of house rules designed to replace the existing combat system with a more standard Axis and Allies system using the D12 dice that come with the game. A number of additional rules are also offered to bring a more historical feel for the game.

New unit values:
All Infantry attacks at 2 and defends at 4
All Artillery attacks at 4 and defends at 3
Allied Tanks attack at 6 and defend at 5
German Tanks attack at 7 and defend at 6
German Tiger Tanks attack at 8 and defend at 8
Panzer Grenadiers (armored infantry) attack at 5 and defend at 5
Fighters attack and defend at 2
Bombers attack at 4 and defend at 1 in Dog fighting.

Players roll for hits in the normal fashion as OOB normal Axis and Allies combat system with these new rules:

1. All combat is one round.
2. Any Artillery that rolls a one can select the unit it hits.
3. Any Tanks (including Tigers) that roll a one or a two can also select the unit it hits.
4. Tiger Tanks must be hit twice to be destroyed. The first hit puts the unit on its side and the second hit removes the piece from play. A “damaged” Tiger is automatically repaired on the following turn.
5. For every two units you lost in combat that side must retreat one unit. Example: Germans attack and cause 2 units to be destroyed. The Allied player must also withdraw one unit. Any units defending in cities can ignore this rule.
6. Artillery is the only unit that can perform Anti-Aircraft rolls. Each unit rolls one D12 and on a result of 1-2 the plane must be returned to the off-board area until the following turn.
7. Artillery boost one matching Infantry +1 on a 1/1 basis.
8. One fighter boosts one Tank +1 on a 1/1 basis.

During setup the German player makes the following changes:

1. The German player replaces one Tiger Tank for every starting SS panzer division Tank as outlined on the board. This also includes any reinforcements that may be in the form of SS units
2. The German player also replaces one Infantry piece with a Panzer Grenadier (halftrack) for every armored division he starts the game with. This also includes any reinforcements he may receive that are armored units.
3. All Starting a reinforcements that are labeled “SS” are painted Black.
4. The units of Panzer Lehr are painted grey green.
5. ZOC does not extend into or thru the river ‘hash marks’. Thus units under ZOC otherwise can ignore enemy units and continue moving to their original destination.

Additional movement rules:
All units move in accordance with OOB rules with the following exceptions:

1. Allied Artillery can now Blitz by paying an extra supply chit like Tanks.
2. The German Tiger Tank requires two extra supply chits to move off-road.

Supply Tokens:
The German player starts the game with 12 supply chits while the Allied player begins the game with 15 supply chits. Note that the Allied player still as per OOB cannot engage in any combat action during his first turn.

Bridges:
If the German player is in ZOC of any allied controlled bridge, the Allied player may attempt to blow up the bridge if he has at least one Infantry unit in the same hex as the river hex that includes a road. The Infantry unit can still be moved during the turn it’s used for this mission except it suffers a – 1 modifier if also used for combat.  Roll one D12 and the bridge is blown up on rolls of 7+.
    The German player may attempt to repair a destroyed bridge by also rolling a D12 and repairing it on a 7+. The Infantry must move into the hex. If the attempt fails the German player must then play an additional supply chit to the bank. The bridge is considered repaired in any case.

German SS Panzer Divisions and Panzer Lehr Divisions:
Each of the units of these units has special fighting qualities as follows:

1. Any time they are in a hex that involves at least 1 infantry, 1 tank and 1 artillery of these units in combat they can re-roll one die that was a miss in combat. They only get one re-roll per turn.
2. They do not retreat under any circumstances.

Optional Rules:

Historical NA’s:
To reflect any balancing issues the following historical ideas can be added by prior agreement to both players:

Germans:

1. Operation Greif: On turn #1 -One Infantry can be added to the game (use an extra unit from another game) and whose position is recorded by the German player. The position can be anywhere within 3 hexes of the original German starting line. This unit attacks at 4 and defends at 2 but can be used to surprise the allied player. Typically it will be used to hold a bridge or stop allies from using a road. If the Allied player moves forces at any point into the secret hex the German player must roll a D12 and the unit is discovered on rolls of 7+. Of course if the attempt fails the Allies know something is up. This secret unit can once the roll is made move one hex in any direction (it does not require supply to move or attack). The search procedure is repeated each time the allies move in its hex until it’s located. Once it’s located or it decides to attack it must perform like any other unit. Note: After an additional search attempt after the first has a +1 modifier, so if two attempts have been made the die roll for success is 6+.

2. Operation Bodenplatte:
   On turn 8 the German player can claim two extra fighters and automatically deploys after the Allied player.

3. Jet fighters:
   Each turn allow one German fighter to be a Jet fighter which can make its attacks preemptively so if it hits the allied plane cannot fore in return.

4. V- Weapons:
   Allow the German player up to two separate attacks where any city can be attacked as follows:  All supply chits are automatically destroyed and all units in the hex have to roll a ‘saving’ score of any result of 3+ to avoid destruction. Each unit rolls separately.

5. German Nebelwerfers:
   Allow one German artillery per turn to make one free attack to an adjacent enemy occupied hex. Any hits caused are preemptive and the defender cannot fire in return. This attack does not cost any supply chits.

American and British:

1. Airborne Assault:
   Allow the American player the ability to make 2 separate drops featuring the 82nd and 101st airborne units. Each entire division can be dropped up to 3 hexes behind German lines (not behind original starting lines) before the start of the 2nd or 3rd turn. These units can be supplied by the air at the rate of one supply chit per turn until the 5th turn when additional chits can be carried at the rate of one chit per Bomber. This is the only time when the allies can use airpower before the 5th turn.

2. Monty commits early:
   All British reinforcements arrive one turn earlier than scheduled. No other changes to American reinforcements.

3. Historical Allied Supply:
   The Allied player now receives 12 supply chits per turn.

4. Air Interdiction:
   Each air unit can attempt to stop the movement of enemy units out of a given hex. The plane is placed into the space until the following turn when it can then be used for further missions. For each tank or artillery unit that attempts to move into or leave the hex is subject to a roll of one D12. A roll of 1-2 and the unit is destroyed. A roll of 3-4 and the unit may not leave the hex that turn. A separate roll is performed for each qualifying unit.

5. Continued Campaign:
   Turn 8 is no longer the last turn and the game continues another 8 turns where the Allied victory is necessary to push the German player back inside of his original starting point. The Allied player must further capture at least 3 out of the 5 cities inside German territory (behind the original German starting position). The game continues until the 16th turn. The following additional reinforcements are now deployed:

German:
Turn 9: 340th VG Infantry division = 2 Infantry, 1 artillery.

Allied:
Turn 11 Americans deploy south: 90th Infantry division= 2 infantry, 1 artillery.
Turn 12 British deploy north 51st Infantry Division (highland) = 2 infantry, 1 artillery.

You can but it has not been playtested with the map. The ideas have been playtested and they work very well in other games. I am working on changes on the air power thing because its not historical. Both sides had limited air power for each day of the campaign and i plan on spreading out the pain of allied 3/9 planes for the last 4 turns of the game , while i feel many games will progress with the statement " if the germans dont get far by turn 4 they should resign" I want to take the same number of air allocations but spread them out over all the turns ( except no allied air allocations on turn one).

So what im saying it go ahead and post but let me email a better version first  to you with these new changes. Ill have it by tomorrow.