One of the benefits of a lengthy
playtest involving
European historians was the recognition that some rules
needed to be
changed & added to make Empires in Arms a useful historical
tool as well as
a fun game to play. New rules were added and some old rules
were changed
to make the game a more realistic simulation. These changes
were validated
during the playtesting and stood-up quite well during the
actual class.
The rules that were modified and adapted for use are on the
following pages
The AFA version of the standard rules contained the
following
modifications/adaptations. Note that these are for
historical realism, not
game balance. Note also they are meant to be used in
conjunction with the
additional new rules ((to be posted in another message)) and
NOT as
stand-alone optional rules or stand-alone errata to the
existing rules. I
suppose you can use them that way if you wish. ((My comments
are in double
parentheses like this)).
1.England will start the game with 80 ships instead of
100. ((Don't
panic...when you see the new shipbuilding rules this will
fall into place a
bit easier)).
2.English Militia.
A. England may set up 10 militia factors anywhere in
England or
Ireland. These factors may move around in England or between
England and
Ireland but may not leave only if an invasion takes place.
((This is
exactly how the rule is worded. I believe the intent is that
these are
permanent militia factors (which may be rebuilt) that can
only leave the
British Isles if an invasion has taken place. Doesn't make
much sense, does
it? But there should be historical justification for it...so
go out and dig
it up)).
B. As soon as any force lands in England or Ireland
the British
player may place an additional 15 militia factors anywhere
in England,
including the area where the enemy corps landed. Once there
is no more
enemy unit(s) in the British Isles, These militia factors
"go aay." They
return at full strenght should England again be invaded.
3.Home nation provinces may be ceded while at peace
during any ceding step. The nations concerned do not have to be allied.
4.Money may be loaned to anyone. The two nations do
not have to be allied.
5.Casus Belli. Even though a nation may have an
enforced peace of 24
or 36 months imposed upon it, there may come into play
reasons why the
enforced peace may be broken. A casus beli is simply a
reason to go to war.
This will be used only with the approval of the instructor.
Should you
think a casus beli exists, ask the instructor. ((It may be
difficult to
find an instructor to ask. Don't write me. If you are using
the "living"
rules format, you will already have an adjuciator or
referee/rules judge
established. If you are using the "rigid" rules format, I
don't see how
this can be implimented, unless there is a three or five
person casus beli
panel established (kind of like a court of appeals) which
can rule on each
casus beli on an individual, situation specific basis. I
don't know what
mechanism to suggest to you to use. Kick the idea around)).
Quick Overview of the Additional Naval Rules:
With regard to the specific subject recently being discussed
at length on
rec.games.board (naval blockade, England et al), the AFA
course did the
following (among other things):
A. Breakouts - anytime that a fleet manages to evade a
blockade,it may
escape into the Atlantic with two options (Move to the West
Indies
Move off the map and return the next move).
B. Naval Attacks on Fortified Ports - When a naval force
attempts to force
its way into a defended port, this is the sequence of
action:
1. The fleet is subjected to defensive fire from the port
2. The fort is subjected to fire from the fleet
3. The fleet attacks targets within the harbor
4. The fleet withdraws, subject to fire from what is left of the fort.
There is a completely new Defensive Fire From Fort/Combat
Losses to Fleet Table
C. Ship Building - instead of using the purchase chart,
ships can only be
constructed in historically accurate shipyards with more
realistic time and
cost factors. Shipyards have limits as to how many ships
they can produce
based on historical capacity.
D. Naval Stores - represent the various types of lumber, tar
, pitch and
the like necessary to construct, repair, and maintain ships.
These must be
stockpiled and/or imported from the primary sources at the
time (Sweden,
Russia, and the U.S./Canada). Trans-shipment of stores may
be interecepted
and captured or destroyed by England.
E. Naval Prizes/Repairs - anytime that a battle takes place
at sea, the
winner has the opportunity to capture prizes and return
these along with
its own damamged ships to a friendly report for repair.
Naval Movement - Not all Fleets/Squadrons can leave ports at
will (There
are special rules for Combined Fleets and Naval Squadrons
/Flotillas).
Let the fur fly! And in the words of the immortal Ceaser,
"veni, vidi, exit"...
Hank