Axis & Allies Variants
With the re-release of Axis & Allies, this is a good time to look at the older edition that most gamers possess, with some simple but interesting variants. (These variants also apply to the new edition).
Manpower Limits
Historically, the size of armies could not be increased without limit. In addition, limiting army sizes encourages building of more expensive units.
Each nation is limited to the number of pieces that came with the game. If you are over the limit for a given piece type, you do not have to remove the excess, but you can’t build any of that type until you fall back below the limit. You may remove units during your buy new units phase, in order to rebuild them elsewhere (or prevent capture).
The limits for the Hasbro Edition are:
17 Infantry, 10 Armor, 10 Fighters, 3 Bombers, 6 Submarines, 6 Transports, 2 Aircraft Carriers, 3 Battleships, 3 AA Guns and 3 Industrial complexes for each nation
{default}The limits for the Avalon-Hill edition are:
|
Unit |
Russia |
Germany |
UK |
Japan |
US |
|
Infantry |
15 |
15 |
15 |
15 |
15 |
|
Artillery |
8 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
|
Tank |
10 |
10 |
10 |
6 |
10 |
|
AA Gun |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
Ind. Complex |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
Fighter |
10 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
|
Bomber |
2 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
|
Carrier |
2 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
Transport |
4 |
5 |
6 |
8 |
6 |
|
Submarine |
5 |
10 |
5 |
8 |
5 |
|
Destroyer |
2 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
No Luck
One of the pleasures of Axis & Allies is its chess-like feel. To make it more so, you can eliminate all luck as follows.
1. Rather than rolling dice for each round of combat, add up the combat values of all units. This total is the total number of damage points (DP) inflicted. For every 6 DP, 1 enemy unit is destroyed, with the balance being carried over to the next round. Damaged units may have reduced effectiveness, and cost IPC’s to repair. Damage must always be taken against already damaged units (except that air units damaged by AA fire)
2. When the battle is over, the leftover damage is handled as follows. The damaged unit can be repaired for 1/6 the units initial cost per DP. The decision to repair damage must be made immediately. If the unit has 1 or 2 DP, it can be repaired on the spot. If the unit has 4 or 5 DP it is removed from the map and comes back during the owner’s next build phase. If the unit has 3 DP, it is repaired on the map if it is a defender and rebuilt if an attacker. You may choose to sacrifice the unit and pay nothing.
3. Round against the attackers and in favor of the defenders.
4. If the attackers have 3+ DP of leftover damage at the end of the round, 1 attacking unit can’t fire. If the defender has 4+ DP of leftover damage, 1 defending unit can’t fire. A unit that can’t fire can’t use any other special abilities, such as the ability of artillery to promote a paired infantry unit. This does not apply to air units damaged solely by AA fire.
5. A player does not have to decide his production at the start of the turn. Instead, choose your units when you place them. Units which you had to rebuild because of damage are counted against build limits. Note that units are rebuilt during the same player-turn when they were damaged (for the attacker). (The build phase is moved because you could work out all the consequences of your attack anyhow, so it saves work to choose units at the end).
6. Each bomber inflicts 3 IPC’s in losses. The bombers take damage normally from the AA fire.
7. If aircraft are attacking without the support of ground units, damage is inflicted by the AA fire normally. Otherwise, total the attack values of the all the aircraft and reduce it by 6. AA damage must be repaired normally at the end of the battle with 1 plane shot down for every 6 DP. If any attack starts with supporting units, but they are destroyed, starting treating the AA damage as normal damage
8. Submarines may only damage ships, so if they fight alongside other units, their opponent may take some damage against ships and other damage against aircraft. Note that if the submarines achieve 4 DP during their first fire, it would prevent an enemy ship from firing back. A submarine that receives 4 or 5 DP from an attack can retreat, but it would still have to be rebuilt.
9. If the attacker wishes to retreat, the defender may forestall him by removing all his units and conceding the territory. This prevents the attacker from cutting his attacks very close.
10 If a transport takes damage, its cargo takes the same damage
11. Don’t use technology in the Hasbro version. In the Avalon-Hill version, you can buy technology for 30 IPC’s.
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