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Topics - Yoper

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1
After action reports from first edition / The Full Monty!
« on: August 13, 2013, 02:18:50 PM »
Well, after I returned from WBC we started a full map '39 game this last Friday.

It is yours truly as all of the Allies versus Eric as the European Axis and Dan as the Japanese.

Should be an interesting ride.  The Poles caused a lot of damage in early fighting so maybe that can help put a dent in the German fortunes. 

We are using the optional entry systems for the US and USSR, but the USSR one has some changes that Eric came up with.  Specifically, an attempt at an escalating garrison requirement for both the Germans and the Soviets.  We shall see how this affects gameplay.

2
We are into our third game of the latest revival of playing this game.

Again it is a Europe only '39 game in which I am the Allies and Eric is the Axis.

We are at a crucial point (Turn 19- Allied half) of the game.  I am still pushing to finish off the Axis presence in North Africa and should be dropping into Western Europe this turn.

I pulled back from the frontier on the Eastern Front with the Soviets and in doing so I saved my troops.  But that also gave the Germans a chance to sit there for a while and work hard to prevent the WA from putting more pressure on in the Med. 

Germans finally attacked in the winter of '43/'44 after I returned my garrison to the border.  So we shall see how the action there affects the defense of the Atlantic Coast. 

The VP clock started ticking in turn 13 and will now start narrowing down.  But even with that we will still play it out to see how well I can do in getting to Berlin.

An interesting note to this game is that this is the first time that anyone in our group has built the V rocket unit.  It took us a while to decide that the rules talk about this unit being something that can be used multiple times. 

At first we were under the impression that it was a one time shot unit.  Spend 5 PPs to get a chance at 1d6?  That didn't make any sense to us, but with the usual reading of the "Mark" rules I picked up that the unit can't retreat from a battle.  So that must mean that the unit is something that is around for more than one turn.

3
After action reports from first edition / Another Europe only '39 game
« on: February 01, 2013, 01:48:01 AM »
Well, the tables are turned and the action has started.

Last week we began a new game that has me as the baddies and Eric as the capitalist dogs/communist slugs.

I went light on Poland and paid for it with not only losing a large portion of the attacking infantry, but I didn't take Warsaw!  We have never had that happen and had to read up on what the consequences were. 

Then the lack of units on the Western front meant that the Fall of France was delayed until the Summer '40 turn.  We are playing with an alternate Fall of France rule that states,

France falls if:
- The Axis control 4 France (continental production) territories at the end of an Axis turn.  (Territories must be in supply.)
- The Axis control 3 France territories at the end of an Allied turn.
- The Axis have 5 (or more) land units in Paris at the end of an Axis turn.

I didn't bring in the Italians yet (we got through 5 turns) simply because I didn't need them to take a territory in France and I didn't want to give the French/UK a chance to suicide into the Italian fleet.  Also, I was pushing an Italian factory so they hadn't put out any extra units to help their cause.  Now I can reset them and think about Yugoslavia and Greece to help their PPs and morale.

Part of Germany's lack of land units early on is the production choice of two factories and a quick start on subs.  Must get my own production ramped up and set up the war in the Atlantic to kill the UK production.

Turn 6 tonight with cleaning up the Balkans, and setting the stage for Eastern Front carnage.

4
After action reports from first edition / Europe only '39 game
« on: October 08, 2012, 06:48:45 AM »
Started a game last Friday and I have already jacked up the Allied cause.

I am the UK/US and Dan is the France/USSR combo.  He had to leave early and I didn't take the time to properly analyze the French position before hand.  Suffice it to say, I allowed the Germans to just walk into Paris relatively unmolested. 

Talk about being rusty!  I was definitely not on top of the tactical situation on the continent. 

Trying to take care of Egypt and the Home Isles had me working some serious tunnel vision and not paying attention to the French troubles.  Well, we will see how the Germans (Eric) are able to capitalize on that blunder.

Now I have to actually email Dan and break the bad news. :o

5
RULES (UPDATED APRIL 2018) / Latest Rule Version Changes
« on: June 23, 2012, 03:46:11 AM »
Hey guys!

What are the changes that you have made to the rule set for this version.

6
After action reports from first edition / Latest Detroit Game- 39 start
« on: September 13, 2011, 02:33:45 AM »
We have been playing a 39 game for the last month or so.

Eric- USSR/China/France
Craig- US/UK
Dan- Italy/Japan
Mike- Germany

Dan ran all the Axis in the first and third session while Mike was there for the second and fourth session.

We are playing with the following rule changes:

1) US/USSR Event Driven Entry-
Use the US/USSR Event Driven Entry charts for the bringing of these two countries into the war.

2) Alternate Italian Surrender Chart-
Use the Italian Morale Table and associated Dobbin Game Group info to determine the status of Italy in the game.

3) Revised VP Requirement-
Use the Revised VP Chart for determining game victory conditions.
 
4) Spanish and Turkish War Reluctance-
Axis minors Turkey and Spain do not immediately join the Axis upon successfully rolling a trigger entry for them. Instead, it takes two successful trigger rolls to bring Spain or Turkey into the war.

On the first successful trigger roll, Spain or Turkey become “pro-Axis” neutrals and contribute half of their production points to Germany rounded up (like Sweden) every turn. Upon the second successful trigger roll, Spain or Turkey join the Axis as a regular Axis minor ally as discussed above.

5) Fall of France-
France falls when one of the following conditions applies:
•   The European Axis occupy four (4) territories in France at the end of the Axis half of a game turn.
•   The European Axis occupy three (3) territories in France at the end of the Allied half of a game turn.  The applicable territories must be “in supply”.
•   The European Axis occupy Paris with 5 (or more) ground units.

6) Limited Airbase Capacities-
Mountainous, desert/arid and forest/jungle territories that are not production centers (do not have a national flag) have limited infrastructure and can support only one air unit until more infrastructure airbases are built.

Only one plane may remain in one of these territories at the conclusion of a movement phase. If players are forced to move or retreat planes to territories where the airbase capacity is exceeded, excess planes are eliminated at the owning players’ choice.

Players may build airbases to increase air unit capacities in these spaces. During the production phase, a player may spend 4 production points to construct an airbase at any territory they own at the beginning of the turn. At the conclusion of the turn, during “place new units on the board” phase, a 3 plane capacity airbase may be placed in the territory. Territories with an airbase can accommodate up to 3 planes instead of just one during any phase after the airbase has been placed on the board.

Three plane capacity airbases may be upgraded to 5 plane capacity bases in the same manner as airbases are built and cost an additional 3 production points.

Gibraltar, Tunisia, Tripoli, Cairo, Calcutta, Manila, and Hawaii start the game with 3 plane capacity airbases.

7) Extra Airbases-
In addition to the Optional Rule concerning Limited Airbase Capacities, we have added more airbases.  New 3 plane capacity airbases- Malta, Midway, the Caroline Islands.

8 ) Airbase Reaction to Uncontested Amphibious Assaults-
Airbases allow the reaction of air units into an adjacent seazones to contest an amphibious assault.  There doesn’t need to be a naval combat in the seazone as per the normal rules.

9) Parachute Assaults during the Mechanized Phase-
Allow parachute assaults during the mechanized phase with the following rules: If neither the bomber nor the paratrooper move (or conduct combat) during the regular movement & combat phase, the bomber may para-drop the paratrooper on the mechanized movement phase.

10) Air Transport during the Mechanized Phase-
Infantry class units may be air transported during the Mechanized Phase, but the territory that the land unit is being transported to must have been friendly controlled from the start of the current turn.

11) Naval AA Fire-
The naval AA fire has been adjusted to include abort shots.  A naval task force in a sea zone has as many AA shots as the total number listed for those units on the Naval Warfare Combat Chart.

First, the ships fire as many kill shots as there are attacking air units.  AA fire is targeted during the kill shot phase, so specific air units are rolled for separately.  Next, any excess AA shots are fired and these hits would then abort any remaining air units (up to the number of hits rolled).  These shots are general and the attacker would choose which air units are aborted from the battle.

Any remaining air units would then fire at their chosen targets.  Remember, the attacking air units make their targeting determination prior to AA fire, and can only fire at that target once AA fire has been resolved.

Example: Italy has nine AA shots with its fleet and it is attacked by three UK air units.  Based on the above rule change, the Italians would roll three targeted kill shots and resolve any casualties.  Then, it would roll six general abort shots at any remaining attack air units to see if it forces any of those units out of the battle.

12) Naval Units Taking Damage-
Nothing is for certain, even the ability of ships to stay afloat after taking damage.

Immediately after taking a hit on any Battleship or a U.S., British, German, or Italian carrier, the owning player rolls a die. If the result is a “6”, then the battleship or carrier will be eliminated at the end of the combat round instead of being damaged.

Immediately after taking a hit on any cruiser or a Japanese fleet carrier, the owning player rolls a die. If the result is a “5” or “6”, then the cruiser or carrier will be eliminated at the end of the combat round instead of being damaged.

Treat damaged Japanese fleet carriers like U.S. fleet carriers (can only carry one plane).

13) DD ASW-
A destroyer is required for air units to attack an enemy submarine.   


We have had some interesting game playout.  The biggest choice was the attack by the Germans against Spain.  That occupied them long enough that we now have a stalemated Eastern Front that is being fought in Poland and Romania.

The US finally entered that game in the Fall of 1942 and Dan didn't attack the US with Japan because he was watching how long he could keep the US out.

We have been discussing the USSR tension system and we are looking to seriously/completely overhaul it.  The ability of the Soviets to drive its own entry into the war is still a lot like the base game mechanism.  Multiple ideas have been proposed and we continue to debate the individual merits of each.

We shall play it out and see if the Axis can grind out a conditional win.  Or I should say that some want to play it out and others are looking to get out and start again.  It will be interesting to see what we will be the choice.  I tend to believe that we should play it out and see if the Axis can hang on, especially since the Japanese just showed up and are jumping out to grab VP.

 

7
Europe Map / Map correlation
« on: April 04, 2010, 05:26:28 AM »
I was wondering how the "around Africa" sea zones would be dealt with when playing both halves of the game together?

Do you just ignore the last set of boxes that have India and Australia in them and just come out into the sea zones on the Pacific map?

From looking at the Pacific map in the Jon Con thread, it would seem that the numbers (the "3"s) don't exactly match the number of sea zone present for movement to Australia.

8
Game Design / Revised Air Units/Change in the USSR Entry Chart Playtest
« on: December 21, 2008, 02:57:33 AM »
Hey guys,
I have set the game in the basement and will be playing through some ideas that I have.

While we played at Origins last year with my change of air unit values and extra naval air units, I am think that it was too much of a change.  Especially for the European Axis and the air coverage in the Med.

I am going to play with a scaled back idea that gives a naval air unit to the Japanese and USA, comparable to the ground tac unit that the Germans and USSR have, and makes all other regular fighters a (2) against naval units.

The UK swordfish will work the same way now and there won't be any restriction on the use of a fighter on a UK carrier time wise.  The main issue here will be the fact the you will have to choose between attack power against ships and air-to-air capability.

I will put forth the full air unit chart later.


I am also looking to change a few of the conditions on the USSR Entry Chart. 

Specifically, reducing the effect of the USSR placement of the first Medium Armor and first regular fighter to draw (1) card each. 

Also, I am going to remove the draw (1) card for maintaining the minimum garrison condition since this situation is already addressed by the condition of the player not drawing any cards if they don't have the garrison in place.

This seemed like a "double-whammy" condition.  The fact that they stop drawing any card if they aren't in compliance should be enough of an incentive to have the garrison.  They shouldn't then get rewarded with a card draw for maintaining the garrisons.

We shall see how it plays out.

Craig

9
After action reports from first edition / New Game!
« on: November 14, 2008, 01:34:52 AM »
We are looking to start a new game tonight.

We haven't played this in a year and a half (except for Eric and I at Origins) and it should be good to get back into this great game.

It should be fun to go over some of the game ideas again.

Craig

10
I am going to start posting pictures from the game that Eric and I played against John D. and Tim at Origins.

Eric and I were the Axis (Eric- Germany and Italy; Craig- Japan).

John and Tim were the Allies (John- all Allies for the first two turns and then the UK, US-Atlantic, and China for the rest of the game; Tim- USSR and US-Pacific).

We used certain optional rules:

Optional Rules-
1) Limited Airbase Capacities
2) Parachute assaults on the mechanized phase
3) Spanish and Turkish War Reluctance
4) Alternative Italian Surrender
5) Naval Units Taking Damage

We also went with my idea concerning a new unit- a naval air tac unit.

The UK, US, Japan, and Italy (land-based only) had these units added to their initial set ups and were allowed to build these units.  I will post the specifics later.

Craig

11
Guys,
Now that I am starting to think about the game again, I have been thinking about the issue of sea zone control in the Pacific.

I never liked the Japanese running ships to the edge of the map and cutting off the Allies supply and blocking their strategic movement.  Especially since it was normally accomplished by one ship that ran out to the edge of the map and then strategic moved all the way back to Western Pacific, never to be see again.

I did play a couple of rounds in the Saturday Origins game from last year in which Mark was trying out a different system that involved maintaining a certain surface naval presence but I cant remember too much about it at this time.

What I do remember is a feeling that it wasnt quite right either.

The idea I always liked was this- if the Japanese truly wanted to interrupt the supply and (more importantly) the strategic movement of the US From the NA West Coast out to Australia and beyond, then they needed to take islands out in the South, Central, and even Eastern Pacific.  Once they have these islands, they then could project control over adjacent sea zones through the use of air power.

I have a couple of different ways in which this could be accomplished:

1) Airbases + an air unit-The idea here is that the Japanese (or UK/US) player would have to invest in a permanent airfield from which long range air patrols would be able to operate from and subsequently interfere with the strategic movement ability of ships trying to move through any sea zone that is adjacent to that island.  It would also block any attempt to trace a supply path through any of those adjacent sea zones. 

The opposite side could still trace supply and/or move strategically through one of the sea zones if they actually had a surface naval unit in the sea zone at the beginning of the movement phase (i.e. it moved into the sea zone on the prior turn).  If the surface naval unit either left or was forced out of the sea zone, then the air influence over the sea zone would be reestablished.   

The air unit wouldnt actually have to be capped out in a particular sea zone, it would just be positioned on the island that has the airfield.  While it may seem like a powerful tool, it would be balanced by the need to invest in the building of the airbase and the keeping of an air unit at that air base to maintain the control over the adjacent sea zones.

2) A Special Flying Boat Unit for the US and Japan- This could be used instead of the first idea or it could be used along with the first idea as an alternate way in which to project air power.  Instead of building an air base and placing an air unit (fighter, bomber, and/or the new naval air unit) on an island, you could have a special flying boat unit that could be flown to an island and that would then produce the same affects as stated in the first idea.
 
The US had the PBY Catalina and the Japanese had the H6K Mavis and the H8K Emily.


The first idea also is historically backed by the fact that the Japanese designed their bombers with range in mind.  They wanted to send them out long distances, as such they made certain choices when it came to design- namely a lack of armor and a lack of self-sealing fuel cells.

Another example of the ability of Japanese to project air power over long distances is when they were able to send fighters on long patrols from Rabaul during the Solomon Islands fighting.  It was a great surprise to the US Navy at the time.

Later in the war, the US used converted B-24s (PB4Y-1s) to range out and ravage Japanese shipping.


My thinking with these ideas is that the islands in the Pacific would play a greater role in the game. 

Many times it has played out that the Japanese would make their one great swipe out into the Pacific and then collapse back in on themselves hoping to hang on. 

Also, it seems that once the US had opened up a supply/strategic lane through the ocean, they would just leap across the seas right into the face of the Japanese.  They never had to clean out any pockets of resistance or had to worry about getting cut off again.

Like anything new, it would have to be playtested to see if it would work within the framework of the game.  I dont think that it is too complicated, but I will leave it up to all to chime in.

Craig             

12
General Discussion / Hearing a pin drop
« on: December 06, 2007, 01:12:17 AM »
It's quiet.

Too quiet.

Where did everyone go?

Did you guys (Mark and John) fall in a hole?

Let us know what is going on in "Struggle Town".

Craig

13
After action reports from first edition / Origins Grudge Match
« on: July 11, 2007, 08:25:57 AM »
Well, here they are! 

The long awaited pictures of the Detroit vs. New England rematch.

All the pictures are from the end of the Allies portion of each turn.  I was not going to try to take pictures after both sides simply because it is such a hassle.

Allies-
UK- Craig
USSR- Dan
US- Eric

Axis-
Germany- Mark
Japan- John
Italy- Michael/James (?)

Enjoy!

Craig

14
Game Design / Strategic Bombing and the timing of AA fire
« on: June 06, 2007, 01:47:07 AM »
This is from a post of mine over in the AAR section:

Quote
I have been doing a bit more strategic bombing of Germany than we normally do.  The combination of defending fighters and the AA guns have just been too much of a deterent for our group up to this time.

We were thinking that maybe the AA gun rules concerning the SBRs should be modified to allow the bomber to make its attack before the firing of the gun.  Kind of like the attacks on the convoys by the subs.

The damage is then done but the defender has the chance to bring the bomber down.  Defending fighters still fire before the the bomber rolls its SBR attack.

This change would simulate the defending fighters intercepting the attacking bombers before the bombers reach the target.  It then would model the fact that the bombers are being lost over the target, but that most bombers still happen to release their bomb loads on said target.

We are talking about a bomber representing a large amount of aircraft.

Craig

What does everyone think about this?

15
After action reports from first edition / Detroit Game #7
« on: May 15, 2007, 03:27:55 AM »
Two Friday's ago we started a new game.

We are playing with the US and USSR Optional Entry rules, the alternate Italian Surrender rule, and we used an alternate French Surrender rule.

French Surrender-
France surrender if:
- The Axis occupy three territories in France at the end of an Axis turn, or
- The Axis occupy two territories in France at the end of an Allied turn.

It seemed to work quite well.  The Germans had to work a bit harder than they wanted to to take out France, but it still happened in Spring '40.

I was running all the Allied nations the first session knowing that Martin would most likely be around for the second session.  That means that Eric is the German horde and Dan is playing the two "li'l feller" nations of Japan and Italy.

I went with a French-only defense of France (Okay, I did send some UK air units to help out.  The combined French-UK air force wiped out the Italian-Southern German air threat in the battle for Marseilles).

All the French navy went to the bottom of the sea.

The second session saw Martin take over as the WA.

I will have to look at some of my info and make another post later to give a better view of how the optional rulus have been playing out.

Craig

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