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Axis & Allies: Europe - J Boulton House Rules (jboultoncdg)



Introduction[]

This set of rules consists of rules changes for certain units and also additional rules such as: Air Transports, Paratroopers, Special Force Teams (SFT), Mechanized Infantry, Heavy Armor, Supply/Isolation Status and Headquarters.



Overview of Units[]

Battleships:

  • Cost: 24
  • Movement: 2
  • Attack: 4
  • Defense: 4
  • Special: Two hits required to sink battleships. One hit may damage battleship. As explained later, may cost owner for repairs.

Air Transports:

  • Cost: 12
  • Movement: 7
  • Attack: 0
  • Defense: 1
  • Special: May carry 1 Paratrooper, or 1 Infantry, or 1 Artillery or 3 SFT units during non-combat; or 1 Paratrooper during combat. A single SFT may be carried in addition to any of the other aforementioned during combat or non-combat.



Paratroopers:

  • Cost: 4
  • Movement: 1 (or paradrop)
  • Attack: 2
  • Defense: 2
  • Special: may be paradropped during combat



Special Force Team:

  • Cost: 6
  • Movement: 1
  • Attack: bonus applied to joint-attacking units
  • Defense: bonus applied to joint-defending units
  • Special: May remain in and/or move through enemy zones; may also perform Secret Bombing Raids



Mechanized Infantry:

  • Cost: 5
  • Movement: 2
  • Attack: 2
  • Defense: 3



Heavy Armor:

  • Cost: 7
  • Movement: 1
  • Attack: 4
  • Defense: 5



Supply/Isolated Status to be explained later.



1. Air Transport move similar to any other aircraft. However, of course, air transports may transport units or paradrop paratroopers or Special Force Teams (SFT). Air Transports may move up to 7 zones (land or sea) but must land in a friendly land zone. Air Transports may transport during non-combat or paradrop during combat. The Air Transport and the unit to be carried must begin movement from the same location. Neither the Air Transport nor the transported unit may move prior to transit. The transported unit may move no further than the zone it had been paradropped into or carried to on the same turn it is dropped or unloaded.

Air Transport may each transport 1 Paratrooper, or 1 Infantry, or 1 Artillery Gun, or up to 3 SFT’s. Air Transport may paradrop 1 Paratrooper. Air Transport or may paradrop SFT’s in as many land zones up to the number of SFT’s it carries providing it does not exceed its movement allowance.



For example:



The German player has three Air Transports, a paratrooper, four SFT’s and an infantry are located in Germany and another infantry located in Northern Italy; and the Allies have control of Morocco and Algeria. During the combat movement the German player could use one Air Transport to paradrop the paratrooper into Algeria and land safely into Vichy France. The German player could also use another Air Transport to carry the three SFT’s during combat and paradrop an SFT into Morocco, another into Algeria and land the third into Tunisia during non-combat; or could land all three SFT’s into Algeria and safely land it into Vichy France. However, the German player would not be able to pick up the infantry in Northern Italy because it is not in the same land zone as the Air Transport from its starting point of movement. It could transport the infantry from Germany to a new destination during non-combat, but not during combat {it is not a paradropping unit}.



A unit transported via Air Transport is not considered on the plane when landed; i.e., should the land zone with the Air Transport and its load that had just been transported be attacked, the load is not currently on the plane, but may be picked up immediately upon departure on the owning player’s turn.



2. Paradropping is utilized in two different manners depending upon the unit being paradropped. Air Transports paradropping paratroopers must first surpass any AA gun defenses utilized against them as normally done against air strikes during combat. Of course, if the Air Transport is shot down any passengers carried on it are lost with it, but with the following exception: upon the hit the attacker rolls a die (per each), if a "1" is rolled the paradropping unit manages to successfully jump out of the declining plane (prior to its crash on the ground). All surviving Air Transports are flown back to land within its remaining movement allowance.



Air Transports paradropping SFT’s do not suffer AA gun defenses – (these are secret missions that are performed quietly via silent gliders).

The defender rolls a die per each paradropping unit (whether paratrooper or SFT). On a die roll of "1" the paradropping unit is killed (or captured upon landing) and removed from play. A die-roll of "2-5" is a successful landing and the unit performs normally. On a die-roll of "6" the attacking unit surprises the enemy: a paratrooper may get a first-strike, or the SFT may perform any mission immediately (as explained later). A paratrooper receiving a first-strike attack is very similar to a submarine first-shot attack except, of course, against a land unit within the land zone being attacked (paradropped). If it rolls a successful hit (the normal "2"), the defender must eliminate a defending unit (defender’s choice) without a defense roll.



For example:



The German player has moved three Air Transports to attempt paradropping two paratroopers and two SFT’s. The Allied player has an AA gun, one infantry, one armor, and one fighter.

The defending Ally rolls two dice from the defending AA gun against the planes with paratroopers (cannot defend against the SFT’s), resulting in a "2" and "5"; both misses. The paradrops commence: the defending Ally rolls four dice against the two paratroopers and the two SFT’s; resulting in a "1", "3", "6", and "6"—one hit, a miss, and two dreaded rolls of bonus successes. The German player decides to remove an SFT and utilize a bonus towards an SFT (discussed later in section #4) and a first-shot attack to a paratrooper.

Before the land battle continues, the German player utilizes the first-strike of the paratrooper against the Ally defenders; rolling a "2" results in a hit, of which the defending Allied player decides to eliminate an infantry without any chance to defend.

The land battle continues to which the German player will utilize a SFT bonus as explained later.



3. Paratroopers attack at "2" to hit during the turn in which it is paradropped (similar to the marine’s bonus during amphibious landing). When not being paradropped, Paratroopers are treated as normal infantry – attack "1" to hit (they always defend at "2" to hit). Paratroopers may not receive bonus from artillery attacking in same area. Paratroopers may move 1 space as normal, and/or be transported by air or sea transport during non-combat. Should paratroopers move by land or amphibiously land during combat movement it must attack as a normal infantry unit.



4. Special Force Teams (SFT) are small elite force teams or engineer companies or even the "underground" partisan forces that are really too small to be represented in the scale of the game but whose effectiveness are large enough they should not be ignored. These teams have been known for disrupting enemy units whether by destruction or confusion or "disinformation". Furthermore there was not only the risk of danger but also the risk that the mission just might fail. The weight of their cost in the game is considered more into their training than operation, and also to realize the limited availability of such units that further required particularly unusual skills, wits, valor, and endurance of those few who utilized such abilities. The problem of design further includes the matter of supplying extra pieces for the "few" that they amounted to. Therefore, rather than utilizing extra units for these elite units these rules apply to the outcome effects that their comrades would benefit due to the actions performed by these special missions who successfully led the way to opened "holes" or "pockets" in the lines of resistance.

An inverted nationality marker (of course, using corresponding marker to the owner’s nationality) can easily present SFT. SFT’s have a movement of 1 across land, or may be paradropped by Air Transport, amphibiously landed by Sea Transport or may be transported by Air or Sea Transport. One SFT may be carried without cost to the load limit; for example, a Sea Transport may carry 2 infantry plus one SFT, an Air Transport may carry a paratrooper plus one SFT. Otherwise, two SFT’s are considered equal to one infantry for load capacity (Sea Transports could carry up to 5 SFT’s total, and Air Transports up to 3 SFT’s total). Sea Transports may drop one SFT without having to stop there; but, if it unloads any other unit with it, it may move no further. Air Transports may paradrop SFT’s anywhere along its route.

SFT’s are permitted to begin, end, or remain in enemy controlled land zones, but are subject to detection and elimination by the enemy – SFT’s cannot perform missions in sea zones. Detected SFT’s are removed from play. SFT’s being transported in sea zones are subject to rules concerning Sea Transports and their loads.

SFT’s cannot be removed as casualty from a battle (with exception to Evasive mission). Whether the attacker or defender wins a battle the SFT may remain until detected or mission performed for remainder of game should the owning player chooses to.



SFT’s that are paradropped or amphibiously landed may not perform missions during the same turn it is unloaded or paradropped unless a "6" is rolled for the paradrop defense as explained in the Paradropping rule (#2).

Prior to any battle containing a SFT, unless the SFT receives the immediate "surprise" bonus from a paradrop mission, the enemy rolls a die for each of his/her own ground units (excluding AA guns) in that same land zone per each SFT – whether defending or moved in to attack. A SFT is removed from the board per every "1" rolled.



For example:



Germany has moved 2 armor, 2 artillery, 4 infantry and 2 SFT’s into Russian controlled Leningrad having a Russian fighter, 3 artillery, 3 infantry, a paratrooper, an AA gun and the factory. There was no paradrop performed so the SFT’s do not get any immediate bonus. Prior to the normal combat roll the Russian defender rolls 7 dice (3 artillery plus 3 infantry plus the paratrooper) against each SFT; the first 7 dice result in all misses, the second 7 dice rolls one "1"—a hit! One SFT is removed from play.



SFT’s may perform various missions such as:



Disruption (attack), Supply Strike (attack), Industrial Strike (attack), AA Suppression (attack), Booby-trap (defense), evasive (defense), or avert (defense). Once SFT(s) have performed certain missions the SFT(s) may be removed from the board, otherwise they may only be eliminated by enemy detection. [Note: the removal from the board is merely reflection of the time lost to return home and rebuilding reflects the cost to return, refit, re-supply and re-commission the team—it is not considered lost in action].



The owning player’s die roll(s) will determine the ability and success the SFT is able to perform. A die is rolled for each performing SFT and its roll determines the mission allowed as follows:



1-6: Disruption

1-3: AA Suppression*

1-2: Industrial Strike*

1: Supply Strike*

1-6: Booby Trap

1-2: Evasive*

1: Aversion*



  • Denotes the indicated mission or either any other mission with easier dice-roll odds. For example, a die-roll of "1" could perform Industrial strike, AA Suppression, Supply Strike or Disruption; but a die-roll of "6" may only perform a Disruption.



Should the player not like the roll, the mission may be stopped until another turn: meaning, of course, repeating all the processes—including enemy-detection in a later turn. This can continue consecutively. Remember that the enemy can attempt to detect SFT’s on their own turn prior to combat and/or defensively against any SFT found within their own controlled land zone during the turn of the owning player.



Disruption is a mission in which the SFT is able to sneak behind enemy lines and disrupt certain troops from proper response time, or no response at all. For each SFT performing a disruption mission the owning player may choose a unit to get a first-strike attack at their normal "to-hit" roll. Similar to submarines (except, of course, against any unit defending in the land zone), any unit eliminated by this first-strike attack is eliminated without any chance of defense (defender’s choice). The SFT is not removed from play for this type of mission.



AA Suppression is a mission directed at any defending AA gun in the same land zone being attacked. The defending AA gun cannot perform AA shots against attacking aircraft. (Remove the SFT from play).



Industrial Strike is a mission very much like Strategic Bombing Raids from bombers. The attacker rolls another die for each SFT performing this mission; the total dice amount rolled must be paid by the defender to the bank to rebuild damaged industry. (Remove the SFT from play).



Supply Strike is a mission directed at supplies of defending units. All defending units in this same land zone defend at half its normal defense (rounded up). (Remove the SFT from play).



Booby traps may be set up by any defending SFT. For each SFT performing this mission an attacking unit (attacker’s choice) is denied its die-roll during the first round of attack. The SFT is not removed from play for this type of mission.



Evasive mission allows the SFT to retreat out of combat into an adjacent, friendly land zone; or it may sacrifice itself to allow another defending unit to retreat (defender’s choice). For this second, sacrificial choice the owning player would then eliminate the SFT from play.



Aversion mission is a secret operation in which the SFT is able to avert the enemy unit(s) into making critical strategy errors or confuse them into wrong positions. For each SFT performing this mission the player owning the SFT may choose which enemy unit (in the same land zone the SFT is in) is averted. The owning player of the averted unit may choose to either withdraw the unit to an adjacent, friendly land zone (moving closer to its own capitol), or may leave the unit where it is but unable to roll during the game turn. This mission may be performed by an SFT presently in enemy zone prior to enemy’s combat movement or following the enemy’s combat movement. Whatever the outcome, the SFT is removed from play after combat phase.



5. Mechanized Infantry are infantry units more heavily armed and have faster mobility due to vehicles to move them faster. They cost a little more than normal infantry the same as armor; they offer better defense than armor and better attack than normal infantry, and are able to move 2 but are not able to blitzkrieg. (Armored infantry moving into an empty enemy land zone must stop there, but of course, conquer the land). Armored infantry may only move 2 spaces through friendly land zones.



6. Heavy Armor are very good land unit but not nearly as mobile as normal armor. They a bit costly (7 IPC) but offer very good attack (4) and defense (5). They move only 1 space.



7. Supply/Isolation Status. Fighting units are only as good as their supplies will take them. Without getting too involved with the complications it can be easily recognized that should a friendly land zone be completely surrounded by enemy land zones (whether occupied or not) before any combat movement, any units in this "isolated" zone are considered low or out of supply. In such circumstance, the isolated land unit(s) attack at half the normal "hit" roll (rounded up), armor may not blitz, air unit(s) may not fly during combat, but all units defend normally (including air). "Isolated" air units may fly during non-combat movement. This never affects the sea zones; and furthermore, should the land zone in question have a sea zone adjacent to it that is not occupied by any enemy sea units (excluding transports), it is not considered isolated.



NOTE: Another interesting concept would be to add Headquarters into the game that supply isolated units and defend at a "1".



8. Battleships are treated with the same normal rules, including the 2-hits-to sink. However, there is the damage factor: a battleship is not sunk by the end of a battle, requires a die-roll. A result of "1-2" the battleship is up-righted; "3-4" it requires some repairs at dock – it attacks and defends at "3" and unable to bombard. This condition continues until it is able to move to any friendly coast during non-combat and remain there until the next owning player’s non-combat movement. A "5-6" suffers heavy damage: requires repairs at dock – attacks and defends at "2" and unable to bombard. Again, it must move to any friendly coast but must roll two dice for cost of repairs during the next builds phase or remain in its status until the cost is paid for during the owning player’s build phase. When this cost is paid the battleship may be moved during the non-combat phase of that turn.



9. Normandy Coastal Defense: Germany receives a bonus coastal defense against any amphibious landing from the English Channel. This is treated similar to AA gun defense against planes but instead against all ships in this sea zone when amphibious landing is attempted from it. Prior to any bombardment by attacking ships, the German player receives a die roll per each ship; a roll of "1" is a hit.



NOTE: although this may not destroy battleships, it may cause damage to battleships as explained in rule #8.



Any ships destroyed are eliminated and unable to commit bombardment or amphibious landing. Any transports destroyed also lose any loads with them.

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