House Rules
These House Rules are not offered as a set of “super-advanced, most-realistic” rules, so don’t feel like you have to dive into the deep end! At the very least, some might enhance solo study, and as such are worth including. As with the optionals, each rule has a letter grade to show its popularity.
HR-1. Initiative Rolls (2.3) - C
The player who went first the previous turn wins tied rolls.
Commentary: This adds an interesting new wrinkle to the decision-making.
HR-2. Increased FOW (4.9) - B
Allow peeking under the top unit in an enemy stack (to see what is under a marker or air unit) only if an Attack-Capable unit is adjacent to the hex.
Comment: This is more like v3.0 rules.
HR-3. Decreased FOW (4.9) - B
For ease of play, spread out aircraft to one side of the base, Active planes faced one way and Inactive planes the other.
Commentary: This style was often used at Homercon. It violates the spirit of limited intel, but is more playable.
HR-4. Reserves & Hogs (5.7g) - B
Let Reserves operate out of hedgehogs.
Commentary: The restriction bothers some people, and this also gets rid of a fiddly exception.
HR-5. Tiger Tanks (9.4e) - B
Tiger tanks get special treatment:
- Attacking Tigers never have a “x2” terrain multiplier reduced by enemy AT Effects (9.4e).
- Defending Tigers reduce an enemy terrain multiplier of “x2” down to “x1” (better than usual “x1.5”).
- Moving Tigers become DG at the end of any segment in which they spend more than 1/2 MA.
Commentary: This is a fun little rule. I wish I’d thought of it!
HR-6. Effects of Losses (9.11d) - C
A 4-step division down to its last step is x1/4 attacking and x1/2 defending.
Commentary: It bothers a fair number of players that a 4-step division has the same strength whether at -2 or -3 losses. This fixes that.
HR-7. Artillery Factors (10.1) - A
Allow an artillery unit to fire less than its full barrage factors (to save on cost).
Commentary: Many players want the option to fire cheaper barrages. This might scratch that itch.
HR-8. Barrage Losses (10.0) - B
Roll a die to randomize which step is lost.
Commentary: This can get awkward from a playability standpoint. But some gamers play this way, and for them it seems more realistic.
HR-9. Aircraft Barrages (10.2) - C
Only allow three planes to be subject to flak and to actually drop bombs (there can still be a fourth plane in the mission, serving as a fighter escort).
Commentary: Barrages were made more effective in v4, so this is a big change but not off the charts. It has a playability advantage: flak loss easier to randomize.
HR-10. Minimal Fueling (12.5c) - C
An HQ or Formation is fueled for 2T (not 1 SP) if units multiply their MA by x1/4. Furthermore, the fuel marker is removed at the end of the phase. Commentary: Gives the option to shuffle a sector using minimal fuel costs.
HR-11. Air Combat (14.3e) - C
For aircraft engaged in air combat over a friendly air base, the loss roll is a 6 (not a 5-6).
Commentary: This restores some of the old air combat advantage of defending over an air base.
HR-12. Late-War Flak (14.4e) - A
Starting in June ‘43, change the Flak to:
- On a ‘9’ or more, a random plane is aborted before resolving the mission.
- On an ’11’ or more, that plane also takes a loss.
- On a ‘13’ or more, a 2nd plane is randomly selected to abort before the mission is completed. Also, a combat unit with a flak symbol is now +1 Flak.
Commentary: Mostly just the return of the old abort result. Makes a Flak roll more likely to do something significant.
HR-13. Hip Shoots (14.7) - new
The mission size is no longer limited to a single unit, but there is a new phasing limit of only one hip shoot per segment against any given hex.
Commentary: This speeds resolution and makes the hip shoot less magical.
HR-14. Refit (15.1) - C
Halve the refit rate at an air base in Very Close or Extremely Close terrain.
Commentary: This discourages players building bases in mountains, etc. If a scenario setup has an air base in this sort of terrain, allow it to displace to an adjacent hex before play begins.
HR-15. Air Strips (15.2) - new
A hex with an Engineer-Capable HQ has a temporary Air Strip. These cannot be upgraded. When the HQ moves, air units still at the Air Strip must follow the Air Base Capture (9.14f) procedure.
Commentary: Roland wants, Roland gets! Seriously, this seems like a good way to let players establish Patrol Zones.
HR-16. ALT Landings (18.5) - B
On a Failure or Mixed result, landed combat units change to DG Mode.
Commentary: Very minimal impact.
HR-17. SP Arty (21.10) - new
Artillery with a Track MA can barrage during Reaction and Exploitation even if not in Reserve Mode.
Commentary: This makes self-propelled arty a blessing rather than just a fuel-chugging curse!