Optional rules...

[Maucat]

I want start a solitaire Global War to test my rules knowledge and I'm still deciding what optional rules apply to the game. I want a fun and quite historical game without rules too much heavy for the game mechanics and for the time necessary to handle them.

What do you suggest to choice?

Thanks to all [:)]

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Maucat

I want start a solitaire Global War to test my rules knowledge and I'm still deciding what optional rules apply to the game. I want a fun and quite historical game without rules too much heavy for the game mechanics and for the time necessary to handle them.

What do you suggest to choice?

Thanks to all [:)]

warspite1

Maucat, If you have chosen VV because she's your fave battleship, you might want to avoid my AAR [;)]

For what its worth I would say:

- Do not use Oil (due to problems with convoy routing and trade agreements) and synthetic Oil plants
- Food In Flames
- 2D10
- Do not use limited overseas supply or Limited Supply Across Straits - added complexity for little (if any) gain
- Carpet Bombing
- I would not bother with Partisans either

[Maucat]

Thanks for your suggestions...

I have chosen the Vittorio Veneto because it was one of the beautifull ship of the "Regia Marina" and one of the best italian counter of MWIF.
I'm italian and I think that my avatar should be an italian counter... [:D]

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Maucat

Thanks for your suggestions...

I have chosen the Vittorio Veneto because it was one of the beautifull ship of the "Regia Marina" and one of the best italian counter of MWIF.
I'm italian and I think that my avatar should be an italian counter... [:D]

warspite1

She was certainly a nice looking ship [:)]

[Courtenay]

Interesting. Warspite's rules to omit are the ones that I would use!

The one essential optional rule is motorized movement costs. The game really is designed for the use of that rule.

Divisions add a lot to the game -- a lot of units, a lot of options, a fair amount of complexity. WiF with divisions and WiF without divisions are almost two different games. I always use them.

Cruisers in Flames adds a lot of naval units. If you love navies, you will want to use this rule. If you hate them, you won't.

In my opinion, the game is designed for the use of oil. The code works well enough. If you don't use oil, use Food in Flames. If you do use oil, don't use Food in Flames. Both optional rules help the Allies; use one or the other, but not both. My view is that Food in Flames is for games without oil, to give the Allies some balance for not using oil.

Carrier planes is an important rule; I use it. If you use it, build lots of them; no one has enough at the start.

O-chits are almost essential; I can't imagine not playing without them. If you did play without them, I can't imagine what the US would spend its late game production on.

The Amphibious rules are important; without them, the attacking player can run wild with amphibious assaults, far beyond what was historically possible. If you use them, though, use the SCS assaults, otherwise the Japanese player will go insane, as he can't do nearly enough.

Do not use construction engineers. Someone described this as "the most annoying" optional rule, and I completely agree. HQ movement is also a very annoying rule.

Surprise ZOCs is a ridiculously unbalanced rule; it grossly favors the Axis. I will not play with it under any circumstances.

I have never played with "In the Presence of the Enemy"; I think it would be a very annoying rule.

Off city reinforcement should be used, as it eliminates some annoying problems that can occur.

Fractional odds are good, in as much as you don't have artificial break points in combat when using them.

2d10 or 1d10 combat is a matter of taste. I prefer 2d10, others 1d10. If you do use 1d10, use Blitz combat. (If you don't, you can't.)

Scrap units is part of the base game, and should be used. It prevents the annoyance of drawing really crappy units late in the game.

There are a lot of optional rules that add a little flavor, with not too much effect on game play, like float planes. I like them; if you don't like chrome, then skip them.

Twin engine fighters looks like chrome, but it is not; a lot of CW and German airpower is in twin engine FTR threes. Both sides are hit by this rule, and I think it is important. Most of the other air options are chrome, though.

Saving Build points is a good rule; it means that you don't spend a bunch of time each turn trying to figure out how to use that last build point.

Chinese attack weakness is a rule I have never seen the need for; the Chinese are so bad at attacking that they almost never do it anyway until quite late in the war.

[WarHunter]

ORIGINAL: Maucat
I want start a solitaire Global War to test my rules knowledge and I'm still deciding what optional rules apply to the game. I want a fun and quite historical game without rules too much heavy for the game mechanics and for the time necessary to handle them.
What do you suggest to choice?
Thanks to all [:)]

Based on my current experience playing MWiF. These are the options i would reccomend for your 1st Global campaign to test rules knowledge. Its a good foundation before adding more to the soup. The fun and historical flavor you are looking for will shine through whatever choices you make.

As you play, read up on options you have excluded and reflect if you want to include them in a later play through.

[alexvand]

If it's your first game. None.

Learn the core of the game first.

You won't really understand what the optionals do unless you understand the core rules first.

Those of us who have played before have lots of opinions on which ones are necessary. But don't believe us all as we all have different play styles and desires.

The core game will get you a fairly historical and not too rules heavy game.

After that start exploring the many great optionals out there.