The Elfin Blog

So here’s the deal. I am twenty-nine years old, about to get married, I have a job of great responsibility, and I still like to play Axis and Allies. I am, in fact, an Axis &amp Allies dork. A&A dorks are a special kind of dork because while we aren’t quite the stereo-typical over weight, too fat for a T-shirt to fit properly, eats Twinkies for dinner, I am thirty-eight and work in a comic book store and play D&D kind of dork, we still play this game of complex rules, long hours, not much action, and dice rolling. True Axis &amp Allies dorks also go one step further: we add our own rules to the game. Milton Bradley did a great job, yes. But in an effort to make the game “more exciting” we add new rules. At least I can say I am not alone.

By my wild count, there are at least a thousand Axis &amp Allies web pages out there devoted either to the original board game, one of its spin-offs, or the CD-ROM version. Many of these sites are devoted to tournament play or to new rules for the game, which brings me to the point of all this.

This weekend Skippy and I played the first game of Axis & Allies I have played with another person in years. I play the CD version once in a while when I’m bored, but it has been forever since I have played a human opponent. While opening up that wonderful dark blue box, worn and dog-eared around the edges, I discovered some of those extra rules I have talking about. It seems that years ago, while I should have been studying in college, my buddy and I wrote ourselves some new rules and even created a little booklet for them. Skippy, upon seeing these rules, immediately, and quite understandably, called me a freak and a dork. But I know that deep down Skippy wanted to check out those rules, especially the one called “Atomic Weapons”. Am I right little Skippy? Yeah, you know I am. So, without further ado, to satisfy the dork in me (and you if you’re still reading this), here are some suggested additional rules I have come up with for our favorite guilty-dork pleasure, Axis &amp Allies.

Note: You’ll find many of these similar to other additional rules already out there, but I’d like to think they were original ideas 10 years ago. These additional rules assume you are using the 2nd edition rules for the board game.

The Elf’s Rules for a Better Game of A&A

New Units:

Destroyers: Destroyers are special naval units designed to combat enemy submarines. Destroyers get a special attack advantage vs. submarines. While destroyers hit with an attack roll of “2″ or less, they hit submarines with a roll of “3″ or less. If a destroyer enters a sea zone occupied by an enemy sub, the destroyer attacks the sub first, before regular combat takes place. A submarine hit by a destroyer does not get a defensive roll, but is removed before the rest of the combat is resolved, similar to the special attack capability of a sub. If the sub is not hit, then combat proceeds as normal, with only the special hit advantage for the destroyer remaining. As long as a sub and destroyer are present in the same sea zone, the destroyer must attack the sub with its special “3″ or less advantage, until the sub is destroyed or withdraws.

Cost: 8 IPC’s	Movement: 2
Attack Rating: 2 (3 against subs)	Defense Rating: 2

Panzers: Panzer tanks are a special unit Germany may buy. Panzers have a special attack and defense capability. Germany may choose to buy one Panzer armored unit per turn at the cost of one additional IPC. Make sure you remember which units are Panzers, and which are regular armor.

Cost: 6 IPC’s	Movement: 2
Attack Rating: 4	Defense Rating: 5

Shock Troops: Shock Troops are another special unit only Germany may buy. Shock Troops have an increased attack rating and movement capability. Germany may only purchase two Shock Troop units per turn at the cost of additional IPC per unit.

Cost: 4 IPC’s	Movement: 2
Attack Rating: 2	Defense Rating: 2

Paratroopers: Paratroopers are specialized infantry units that may be purchased by any of the powers. Paratroopers act as regular infantry units until they are transported by air (via bomber) to attack an enemy territory, when they get an attack bonus. Bombers that are used to transport paratroopers may not attack that turn, and must face the usual round of AA fire prior to dropping their cargo of soldiers. One bomber may carry two paratroop units. Paratroopers also cost more than a normal infantry unit. (Another popular variation is that any regular infantry may be transported by bomber, without any additional cost or attack bonus. In this variation though, bombers only carry one infantry unit at a time).

Cost: 4 IPC’s	Movement: 1
Attack Rating: 1 (2 if attacking by air)	Defense Rating: 2

Sub Pens: Sub Pens are special fortified defensive buildings that protect submarines from attack. Sub Pens must be built in a sea zone adjacent to a land zone with an industrial complex, just like all naval units. Sub Pens protect your submarines from sea and air attack by sheltering them. They may hold an unlimited number of subs. Sub Pens are only vulnerable to air attack, and defend as an AA gun. Sub pens also require two hits to destroy, not just one. The Sub Pen takes all damage resulting from an air attack in that zone until the pen is destroyed. After that combat continues as normal. Remember that Sub Pens defend as AA guns, so they may fire on all attacking aircraft at the beginning of combat, just as an AA gun would, but only get to fire the first time around, also just like an AA gun. Sub Pens do not take damage from naval units. Submarines inside the pen only take damage (or participate in combat) after the Sub Pen is destroyed. Any other defending naval units may defend as normal after the attack.

Cost: 10 IPC’s	Movement: none
Attack Rating: none	Defense Rating: 1

New Weapons Development Options

Weapons development is one of the most under rated options in the game, in my opinion. Many players will go an entire game without ever attempting to develop weapons, usually because they don’t want to spend the money. Ironically the advantage provided by weapons development can often turn the tide of war. In an effort to expand on these possibilities and to encourage players to develop weapons, I offer these additional weapons that may be gained through weapons development. Note that with the additional weapons, players must now roll two dice instead of one to determine which development he/she gets. For example, a player decides to do some weapons development. They pay their five IPC’s as usual and luckily
roll a “6″. Normally they would roll another die to determine which weapon they get. Now they
would roll two dice instead. Otherwise the process of weapons development remains the same.
First I will introduce the new weapons, then I will provide you with an updated weapons development table.

New Weapons:

Radar: If a player acquires radar, then all of his AA guns now defend against air attacks at “2″ or less.

Multiple AA Guns: If a player rolls for this technology, he may place an unlimited number of AA guns in a territory. In other words, this removes the rule allowing only one AA gun per territory. Each AA gun fires at each attacking aircraft, just as a single AA gun might. Of course, since AA guns can be captured, one must be careful about where they place multiple guns, lest they get a taste of their own medicine.

Artillery: With this technology, AA guns may act as battlefield artillery units. Each gun may fire once per turn with a range of one space. They hit at a “2″ or less, and guns may fire on either land or naval units. If they roll a “2″ or less, the defender selects which unit to remove from play. Artillery may also defend once against attacking naval units during an amphibious assault. In this special case, they defend at a “1″. The gun however, gets one shot, not one shot per naval unit.

Troop Trucks: Infantry units now have a range of two spaces.

Super Carriers: Carriers may now carry three fighters.

Heavy Tanks: Armored units now defend at “3″ or less.

Atomic Weapons: Okay, this one is little different. Because Atomic Weapons are so powerful, their development happens a little differently. During the Weapons Development phase of their turn, a player has a choice. They may either pay five IPC’s per chance and develop weapons in the usual manner, or they choose to attempt to acquire Atomic Weapons. If a player chooses to develop Atomic Weapons, he/she must pay ten IPC’s to the bank. They must first roll a “6″ in the usual way, to see if they get to proceed. If the player succeeds and rolls a “6″, then they must roll two dice. The player must roll a “12″, or a “6″ on each die, to acquire atomic weapons. If a player pays for a chance at atomic weapons, rolls a “6″ initially, but then does not roll a “12″, the weapons development phase is over. They do not acquire any other weapons. A player may not attempt normal Weapons Development and Atomic Weapons development in the same turn.

Okay, so say you pay your ten IPC’s, roll a “6″ with one die, then roll a perfect “12″ with two and get your Atomic Weapons. You would probably want to know how to use them. Atomic weapons are delivered by bomber in a way similar to a strategic bombing raid. The bomber moves into an enemy territory. AA guns fire and if the bomber survives, ten enemy units are removed automatically from play. If there are less than ten units, then all enemy units in that territory are removed (industrial complexes and AA guns are not affected, as usual). The defender does not get a defense roll, but the defender does choose which units to remove if there are more than ten. After the Atomic Weapon is dropped the bomber may return home. It does not participate in any additional combat that may occur. An atomic attack may be used prior to a regular attack, with the rest of the combat phase proceeding as usual. Once an attacker uses their atomic weapon, they must develop the technology again, so a player may only attack once with each atomic weapon they develop.

New Weapons Development Table

If you roll a…	Then you get…
2	Jet Power
3	Rockets
4	Super Submarines or Heavy Tanks (Player’s Choice)
5	Long Range Aircraft
6	Industrial Technology
7	Heavy Bombers
8	Radar
9	Multiple AA Guns
10	Artillery
11	Troop Trucks
12	Super Carriers

Well there you have it. I hope you enjoy playing around with these rules. If you are still reading this, then you are no doubt a dork like me, and in a hurry to go play, so I won’t keep you. Enjoy.