From: shoham@ll.mit.edu (Daniel Shoham)
Newsgroups: rec.games.board
Subject: A&A House Rules
Date: 7 Oct 92 00:52:32 GMT
Organization: MIT Lincoln Laboratory

The following "house rules" are used at the M.I.T. games club. They were
developed (mostly) by Howard Mohler and are reproduced here with his
permission. Many hundreeds of games have been played under these rules over
the past decade. This variant appears balanced.
Some of the rules have been adopted in some of the MB editions.

MAP MODIFICATIONS:
1. Panama: The sea zone around Panama is divided to two zones (one on each
side of the canal)
2. Turkey: A land bridge (for tanks+infs+AAA) exists between Turkey and 
S. Europe as well as E. Europe.
3. Sweden: The line connecting W. Europe to Finland-Norway is moved. It now
connects W. Europe to Sweden. (i.e. Sweden now adjoins the North Sea).
4. Gibraltar: The line connecting Spain with Africa is moved to the narrowest
point (i.e. Gibraltar). Gibraltar is now accessible from the Atlantic.

STRAITS:
Unless a side controls a straits, surface ships may not cross it (unlike a
canal, where submarines cannot cross it either). The following are Straits:
1. Gibraltar - Algeria
2. W. Europe - Sweden
3. Turkey (who alone controls the enterence to the Black Sea)
While Neutral, Sweden ALLOWS both sides through the strait (and hence W.
Europe alone control the stright). While Neutral, turkey FORBIDS both sides
passage through the strait (and hence the Black Sea is off-limits to surface
ships).

OPTIONAL PLACEMENT:
The original placement of:
1. British Gibraltar Battleship.
2. German W. Europe Sub.
3. British Syria-Iraq Sub.
4. American, Western U.S. Battleship+Transport.
(in the above order) can be placed on any of the sea zones ajoined by the
listed province (provided it is not enemy-occupied).

STARTUP BONUS:
As their populations are enthusiastic about the war, Germany and Japan get a
bonus of $8 and $4, respectively, in the begining and the end of the first
turn. Afterward, (when the body-bags arrive home, and people realize that
war is hell) no more bonus.

JOINT COMMAND:
After new units are produced (i.e. the last action of a turn) joint command of
forces may be assumed. Any unit in a province may take command of ALL (friendly)
forces in that province. The next time the nation to which the commanding unit
belongs moves, it may also move any or all commanded units. Commanded units
may continue to move at the commanding unit's turn so long there is at least
one unit from the commanding nation in the force. Commanded units may pull out
of the joint force on their own nation turn. HOWEVER, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES
MAY A UNIT MOVE TWICE ON THE SAME TURN.
When attacked, joint forces defend at the discretion of the commanding nation
player (i.e. the U.S. player decides what casualties are taken first if a
force commanded by a U.S. unit is attacked). When a province containing forces
of different nations NOT UNDER ONE JOINT COMMAND, the ATTACKER decide which
nation (or which command, in case of multiple commands) takes casualties
first (nonetheless, ALL defenders shoot back).

DISCOUNTED HARDWARE:
1. Subs        $6
2. Battleships $20
3. I.C.        $10

I.C. LIMITS:
An I.C. (including initial I.C.'s) can produce goods valued at no more than
5 times the province's value. (Thus, an I.C. in Manchuria can produce $15 worth
of goods per turn - say 3 tanks or 5 infs.) Note that Russia can never build a
capital ship (unless it captures a German factory).
The capacity of an I.C. is reduced by $1 for each Bombing die rolled against
it in the past turn. (i.e. a japanese I.C. in Manchuria that was bombed by
a British and by a U.S. bomber will - for that turn onle - have capacity
reduced to $13). An I.C. may not be bombed for more than its capacity (i.e.
if three bombers bomb Manchuria for a total of $18, only $15 are paid).

NONCOMBAT LANDINGS:
Immediatly after a province has been captured, air units MAY land there
during the non-combat phase, provided they HAVE NOT MOVED DURING THE COMBAT
PHASE.

STEALING AAA:
After a province with an AAA is captured, the AAA may be moved provided it has
not fired during the battle (i.e. the attack did not involve air units). It is
legal for a transport to dump the AAA overboard (one would do that if one has
"stolen" an AAA and has no place to put it - and one needs the Transport space)

BRIBED OVERFLIGHTS:
At a cost of $3 (per province) a player may bribe a neutral province to
overlook air-units overflights. The bribe would allow violation of the Neutral
airspace by as many air units as desired during one (nation's) turn. This
action does not cause the Neutral to become occupied or to become less Neutral.

CAPTURING A CAPITAL:
When a capital is captured, the attacker is awarded 1/2 the cash of the
defender (rounded down) with the rest of the money destroyed. A player whoose
capital is captured continues to collect income (from his other provinces) but
may not build anything. (Research, see below, may still be performed).
At the beginning of its turn, a capital-less nation may declare civil disorder
by removing all its units from the board and returning all its cash to the
bank. (This will allow its allies to "capture" its former provinces and get
income for them). Civil disorder is not reversible.

TRANSPORTS:
A Transport must do all its pick-ups (in a given turn) at the same place.
A Transport must do all its drop-offs (in a given turn) at the same place.
Amphibious  landing units may not retreat from battle, other units with them
(such as air units) may retreat, leaving the marines to fight on their own.

RESEARCH:
The entire research table was reworked as to provide for less randomizing
events (i.e. under MB rules, a player in a compeatative position will gain
automatic victory if he gets a good research result cheaply). Also, this
version allows for much more varied games.

At the beginning of the game, each nation other than the Soviet Union gets one
free result (Stalin should have thought twice before purging all his scientists
in the 1930's). If that result is not desired, it may be rerolled (once only).
In addition, Germany and the U.S. (The scientific powerhouses) get one free
ATTEMPT (i.e. a result, if a 6 is rolled) EVERY turn. In addition, any nation
at the begining of its turn may attempt ONCE a paid research. Price for
attempted research:
$5  - will succeed on a roll of a 6
$9  - on a roll of 5 or more.
$12 - on a roll of 4 or more.
$14 - on a roll of 3 or more.
If a result is achieved, the player SETS one die and roll the other two to
determine what that result is. (This gives player some flexibility as to what
typr of results are desired). If a result is allready owned, it is rerolled.

The result is determined by the sum of the three dies as follows:
3-5 RADAR/SONAR    Your AAA now shoot at 2. Enemy subs no longer surprise you
                   (i.e. what they sink shoots back).
6   HEAVY SHIPS    Your Transports now carry 3 infs (or inf+tank). Your Carriers
                   now carry 3 fighters.
7   JET POWER      Your fighters now roll two dies on defense (for 4).
8   LONG RNG SHIPS Your surface ships now move 3.
9   IMPROVED LABS  You get a free research attempt every turn (for Germany and
                   the U.S. the free attempt is now on a roll of 5 or 6). Also,
                   paid research will now buy you one lower die-number (i.e.,
                   $5 will succeed on a 5 or a 6; $14 will on 2 or more). Also,
                   when getting a result, you may set *2* dies and roll only 1.
10  IMPROVED AGRI  All provinces worth $2 or more controlled at the START of
                   your turn will produce $1 extra. (Does not count toward
                   economic victory).
11  INDSTRIAL TECH Infs are now $2.5 each (rounded up). Everything else is now
                   $1 cheaper (does not effect research, rockets, bribes).
12  SUPER SUBS     Your subs ATTACK at 3 and move 3.
13  ROCKETS        Your AAA are now also rocket launchers. Rockets cost $1 each
                   and can be fired one per gun (which may not move that turn).
                   Range = 2 provinces. Effect: same as strategic bombing
                   (but can't be shoot down).
14  LONG RANGE AIR Your fighters now move 6; your bombers 8.
15  SUPERTANKS     Your tanks now attack at 4. They also move 3 provided the
                   first two provinces are friendly.
16+ HEAVY BOMBERS  Your bombers now roll two dies on attack and bombing.

By doubling the cost of the research attempt, a player may place two *2* dies
and roll only 1. This is called DIRECTED RESEARCH. A player who has IMPROVED
LAB may conduct directed research attempts. If successfull, the player
DETERMINES the results he gets.


Dan Shoham
shoham@ll.mit.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.board