Axis and Allies, a GD 1938 game

[Bombur]

This is an experimental game with lots of house rules.
The decision to make this game came from some exchanges with ernie, on the design philosophy of GD1938. While ernie wants a more historical game, I´m very happy with the current sandbox versions, where alliances are free, actually it remembers more a Game of Thrones than WWII. Then I changed my mind to some extent. While the sandbox mode is better for a game with 5-8 players, it would be possible to play a 2-4 player game (myabe 4 is to much) based on historical alliances. So I decided to play a 2 player game against cpdyoung. He will play the five allies, while I will play the three Axis powers. Alliances between countries will be subjected to lots of house rules. If this turns to be a fun game, we could consider to create a special "Axis and Allies" version of this game, for 2-3 players.

[Bombur]

And here are the house rules

The following restrictions would be applied to each country

1-Germany
-Must start a war before June 1940 or the Allies win the game
-Can make alliances only with Japan or Italy

2-Italy
-Can make alliances with Germany or Japan

3-Japan
-Cannot make peace with China
-Can make alliances with Germany or Italy

4-GB and France
-Can make alliances with China, USA or USSR (see USSR restrictions)
-Can make alliance with China only if at war with Japan
-Can make alliances with USSR only if USSR was attacked by Germany country AND they are already at war with the Germans (thus allowing Germany to go for a USSR first strategy)
-Cannot start a war against Japan, Italy or Germany

5-USSR
-Can make alliances with China, France, GB, USA
-Can make alliances only if at war against one of the Axis powers
-Can DOW Germany or Italy in 1943 and can DOW Japan only in 1944

6-USA
-Once it wakes up from isolation, can make alliances with any allied country that is at war with one or more Axis countries
-Can DOW any Axis country that is at war with an allied country
-Can play the break neutrality card only after another war, that is not the Sino-Jpanese one, starts.


7-China
-Cannot DOW any country
-Can make alliance with any allied country at war with Japan


Other restrictions

If a war is started, peace cannot be made until the game ends.

We are going to use the last version (v223s)

[cpdeyoung]

Some clarifications :

Extreme care must be taken with any attack on a minor, especially by the USSR, as it could result in a permanent war with the minor's MFN.

Great Britain and France may not ally with Japan.

The last item in point 7-China refers to the USA.

[ironduke1955]

Sounds fine as long as we can interest enough players to make the game interesting, put me down for a Axis power.

[Bombur]

Welcome, ironduke, you wull be the Axis so
cpdeyoung, I will edit the house rules, to fix my mistakes
We must decide now how we divide our forces
France/GB/USSR
China and USA
What will you take?

[ironduke1955]

France/GB/USSR would be great

[Bombur]

Didn´t you choose the Axis powers?

[cpdeyoung]

Perhaps Ironduke was looking for an Axis slot in a Two Player game?

Chuck

[Bombur]

Right, but then it will be a 3 player game. No troubles, however, it´s not clear if he wants to lay axis or allies.
I think the game will be more balanced with ironduke playing the Axis, althought you´re a good player too.

[ironduke1955]

France/GB/USSR
China and USA
What will you take?

I assumed as the post starts welcome Ironduke that the above question was addressed to me.

[Bombur]

Sorry for the confusion, but I mentioned cpdeyoung in the followinng line. I agree the question was not well fomulated, however.

So you take Axis right?


And I and cpdeyoung will take the allies

GB/FR/USSR and USA/China

What will you take cpdeyoung?

[cpdeyoung]

What are the victory conditions?

I assume new VC with no donating VP cities.

This would mean one allied nation must get about 35 VP, with the other Allied nations getting about that much between them. The same would go for the Axis.

The five nation side are not actually allies, and there are numerous restriction on them becoming allies. Despite this there is no possibility of real player variability as the game must be Axis and Allies. The two player game has "perfect" cooperation between all five nations, the three player game forgoes this, and with no gain in any other way.

Why not chose the two player game we were about to play? What does anyone gain by splitting the five nations into two and three, but with house rules that link them with no "variability".

I will play the two player, Bombur as Axis, self as Allies. I will pass on the three player game. I have ten games going and I have to pick carefully.

Chuck

[ironduke1955]

Fair enough I will drop out and let you two guys duke it out.

[cpdeyoung]

Thanks Tom.

To any other players reading this : If you want a piece of the three player game as described please jump in here. As I said I have a ton on my plate and while the three player game may not be to my taste you may love it.

If Bombur wants a two player game I will test it with him, but I am sure he and Tom would enjoy the three player game. Step right up!

Chuck

[Bombur]

Agree with new VC, with no donation to countries with more VP (you can donate to countries with less VP)
I Twill take Axis.
IronDuke, I can play a 2 game with you if you´re interested, so we will have two experimental games running.

[Bombur]

First turn in Dropbox folder.
Not many things to say. The World is at Peace, Germany and Italy are enjoying the order and prosperity created by the Fascist government, while the Japanese Army launched some artillery and air attacks in preparation for future offensives against the Chinese barbarians.

[cpdeyoung]

The Axis post is in error on a couple of points.

First, the world is not at peace.

Second, the Chinese are not the "barbarians" in this conflict.

In Europe the Germans are following Hitler down the path to war. This shows a true failure of memory. Nothing good is down that path for Germany, and the world.

[Bombur]

The imperialist powers, France and Great Britain, signed an alliance, there is no doubt this alliance is directed against Germany.
The peace loving German people is prepared to fight French and British agression.
In China, bad weather hampered air operations against the Chinese forces, anyway, we were able to shot down 40 Chinese fighters with no losses.

[Bombur]

March 1938

Germany is improving its air defenses against French agression, 60 of our new Bf-109D´s were added to the Luftwaffe squadrons.
Italy is at peace
In Asia, the Japanese Emperor grows uneasy on the lack of progresse against the Chinese barbarians. Some Japanese air units shifted to strategic bombing, but the payload of the type 96 Navy bomber is considered too low for this task.

[cpdeyoung]

7 March 1938

The non-Axis nations, not yet the Allies, continue to rearm. Germany boasts of her Luftwaffe - so much creativity dedicated to killing fellow men.

There is, of course, no French aggression.