Advice / Home Rules for Historically inclined "new-ish Allied Players"

[Macclan5]

I often note that the Artificial Intelligence is criticized - both fairly and unfairly.

Further a players perspective also motivates them; are they more historically inclined or are they more experimentally inclined.

Once an Allied Commander has completed a full game - or perhaps a couple scenario - they may seek more difficult challenges.

One method it to ratchet up the difficulty although this can inevitably lead to some boredom as the AI gains "supply advantages". Siege weariness may set in.

Another method is to play a custom scenario such as the Iron man series.

Here I am attempting a slightly different approach - likely for the "new-ish" more historically inclined player:

Advice / Home Rules:

1. Only ship Fuel in TK (Tanker) except where certain xAK (Cargo) allow fuel in addition to cargo incidentally as part of a ‘mixed’ cargo run. i.e. loading Supplies and Fuel in a mixed convoy.

Better emulates the true historic constraints the Allies faced in shortage of Tankers.

2. All ship off map movement may not be greater than Mission Speed

Better emulates a historic shakedown cruise. Running at Full speed incurs no damage – but the shakedown cruise – is not 100% full speed – it’s a mixture of speeds and tests.

3. Until 1944 - All Fuel and Supply off map movement must be escorted by at least Armed Merchant Cruisers / Destroyers / Destroyer Escorts : 1 to 8 ratio. Example: Eastern USA to Capetown runs

Emulates the German search and destroy missions on the east coast during the early war and further the German armed merchant “wolf hunters” circa thru 1943

4. P39 AirCobra cannot exceed Altitude 12000

Reflects the lack of Oxygen support for the design. The P39 are worthy competitive fighters for the Allied Commander if deployed well in the early war. Take away any potential altitude bonus reflecting reality of the design.

5. Set a “gimmie” target. i.e. 1 per year etc.
The AI’s feelings will not be hurt if you re-load a turn – a day back – a week back – etc. However if you make mistakes as the Allied Commander be prepared to work through them and recover…This includes Carrier Combats so treasure the “gimmie dearly”. It may not be rolled over.

6. PDU off is closer to historic

7. Allied Carrier Task Forces should be roughly guided by historic example. No Death stars although CV Task Forces can work closely together within a hex or a series of nearby hexes.

1941/42: 3 CV (max 3) 2X CA 2X CL and DD support reflecting i.e. Midway

1943 + : 3X CV 1X CVL (max 4) – CA CL DD perhaps BB reflecting TF38 / TF 58 components

May websites provide Ray Spruance’s thoughts on this.


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If there are any further suggestions for such a player base (obviously such as myself) I welcome them.

[Yaab]

1. No fuel in xAKs

Hardcore: no fuel in xAKs
Softcore: smallest xAKLs in Jap/Allied nations are allowed to carry fuel as emergency tankers


2. CAS rule

2Es cannot fly Ground attack in combat hexes where Jap/Allied LCUs fight against each other. Only F/FB/DB/Light bombers can fly Ground attack in such hexes


3.New Guinea special supply rules

All bases in New Guinea are set to stockpile supplies. Supplies can only be moved between bases by aircraft/ships. The only way to push huge amount of supplies from Moresby to Buna by land would be by walking a Command HQ through the Owen Stanley mountains ( HQs attract 20,000 supplies to their location).

[BBfanboy]

Interesting set of rules. The only one I have issue with is the 1:8 ratio for off-map ASW escorts. Lots of convoys in the Battle of the Atlantic had only about 1:20 escort ratio, and they were in the thick of it. Off-map routes were less threatened. I think 1:15 or one per 50,000 tons of cargo/equipment/troop capacity would be challenge enough.

[bradfordkay]

I have one I have used in every game I have ever played: when transferring air units they must stand down unless the transfer takes four hours or less - or the target is en route.

P39s I have generally set no higher than 10,000'. I can't recall if I have ever set them higher.

[Macclan5]

Thank you gentlemen.

I encourage more suggestions if any have some.

I have thought about these type rules for a number of months.

They are not perfect - nor absolute - of course. Pick and choose as you like.

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You often see debates about house rules and 'slowing the pace' - incurring PP price penalties - etc. Mostly as PBEM agreements but additionally as observations against the AI

My intent was not to 'handicap' an Allied Player (mostly vs AI) - i.e. 'concede this base X till date Y - let AI have its way - etc etc

Rather impose constraints that reflect a historical reality.

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@ Yaab:

Your no fuel rule (Allied) is a further potential refinement.

However if an Allied Commander is running mixed cargo support a number of the Liberty Ships will have organic fuel storage of 500

I would permit this as it is not inconsistent with historic practices.

Your New Guinea Supply rule is a very thoughtful addition.

[Yaab]

The New Guinea house-rule is fun.

At start you cannot do anything.You cannot go across the mountains to Buna because Buna has no supplies. You cannot go to Kokoda Trail(adjacent to Port Moresby in scen 100) because there is no supply either. Sure, I can march a unit there, but once the unit arrives there I get a permanent RED exclamation mark. The only supplies there are the supplies piggybacked by the unit itself. You need to use Wirraway for airdrops, flying from Port Moresby one hex away. You cannot really sustain a battalion in the mountains this way. You need to build the airfield in Kokoda, but there are no supplies to do so. It is so wicked it is actually funny!

[Flicker]

I mentioned this in another thread, however I don't deploy any Canadian LCU out of the country until they have upgraded from militia to infantry - this is to replicate the policy of not deploying militia out of the country (even the US).

[Lokasenna]

I have what is really the best one:

Allow the computer to control both sides until 1/1/1943, and then play as normal afterwards. You can step in on the 1st and 15th of every month to do things like adjust ship repairs and pilot training cycles. That's it.

[Macclan5]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I have what is really the best one:

Allow the computer to control both sides until 1/1/1943, and then play as normal afterwards. You can step in on the 1st and 15th of every month to do things like adjust ship repairs and pilot training cycles. That's it.

[8D]

Well that is not specifically my goal as a "whole year of Micromanagement enjoyment is missed"

Having said that - have you actually done this ?

I would suppose depending upon the randomly selected AI script you may - or may not have some very unusual results ? Japanese in Canton ? Allied Forces in Guam ?

Or is it your experience that it yields pretty much a 'historical' parity - loss of Carriers - etc ?

How long does this take ? Half a day ?

I may have to give it a try just to see what happens [:D]

[Lokasenna]

I haven't quite done that, no. I did start it at one point, and I got the game into mid-1942, but I haven't touched it since.

I was running it on 4-day turns. I wasn't really looking at things for historical parity or accuracy. I can see with reasonable certainty, however, that it probably wouldn't be too far off of history for early 1943, just because of how the AI scripts seem to work.

[LargeSlowTarget]

If there are any further suggestions for such a player base (obviously such as myself) I welcome them.

No US air, ground and fleet units allowed in the "deep SRA" i.e. CBI, Thailand, Malaya, Indochina and the DEI - except what is assigned to HQs in that areas by the OOB.

Esp. no participation of US units in ground campaigns in Burma, Thailand, Malaya, Indochina, Sumatra, Java, Borneo.

Exceptions: Subs can operate in the SRA without restrictions, long-range bombers can strike target in the SRA, US ground units can participate in the opening of the Ledo Road and at the fringes of the DEI to clear the approaches to the Philippines (PNG, Moluccas)

Reason: Historically there was a very strong opposition on the US side to use US assets to recover the colonial possessions of the British, French and Dutch.

[spence]

Reason: Historically there was a very strong opposition on the US side to use US assets to recover the colonial possessions of the British, French and Dutch.

Is that not what political points are for? For a house rule it would seem very appropriate to assigning US ground troops to some foreign command (British, Dutch, French). Not so much for ship and plane refugees from the PI or ships or the occasional fighter/bomber squadron.


BTW using "a dozen" political points to replace some Ensign who has trouble tying his shoes with a real (O-6) Captain to command a NZ light cruiser is the height of absurdity. Same with replacing the 'butterbar' CO of a bomber squadron etc.

[kbfchicago]

Macclan5, see my post here: tm.asp?m=4571376 for discussion on limiting allied activities in the early turns to reflect mobilization, communications, and delays...

Kevin

[bradfordkay]

I have another I have used in all my games (AI & PBEM):

no American unit outside of the continental US can take replacements until a decent amount of supply has arrived via cargo TFs. This is based on each island, but Burma, Malaya, Australia just need the supplies to be delivered to a major port attached to the rail/road system.

no British unit outside of India/Ceylon/Canada can do so until cargo TFs have delivered supplies.

No air units outside of the continental US/Canada can take upgrades until cargo TFs have delivered supplies. No ground units outside of the continental US/Canada/India/Ceylon can take upgrades until cargo TFs have delivered supplies.

Air units within reach of HQs that have received supplies may take replacements/upgrades even if their location has not received the supplies.