Hey, those guys with their names in the creditsHouse Rules are a "third tier" of game rules, below the Standard and Optional Rules in stature. Much of what we collected from playtesters prior to publication we managed to fit into the back of the Rules Booklet (Rule 20). The rest you'll find here. Remember, every section of every House Rule is a "stand alone" component. Therefore, feel free to use these House Rules in whole or in part.
Alternate Delay Track
courtesy of Sal Vasta
mathematically modified by Jay Muchnij
(December 1999)
Examine the Alternate Delay Track included with these House Rules. When units enter the Delay Box, they are placed in the "Start Box." During each Delay Segment (7.1), units in the Start Box are placed in the Box on this Track that corresponds with that unit’s Delay Die Roll Modifier. For example, a unit with a –1 Delay DRM goes in the –1 Box on this Track. Alternately, instead of placing newly arrived units in the Start Box, you can sort them into their appropriate Delay DRM box when they enter the Delay Box.
After the "Start Box" is emptied out, players then receive their pieces in the –5 Box. Then they roll an unmodified die for each piece in the –4 Box, then the –3 Box and so on in ascending order all the way to the +5 Box. Each unit rolled for will either be received immediately ("Arrives"), or placed (or left in) in the indicated Box ("Delay #") to be rolled for again during next turn’s Delay Segment. Note that units are no longer placed on the Game Turn Record Track when using this Alternate Delay Track system.
You’ll have to roll a lot of dice every turn during the Delay Segment, but you will add a considerable amount of tension and uncertainty surrounding units that are "in Delay." Try preparing to launch or defend against Operation Sealion, for instance, to see what an increase in the "sphincter factor" this system presents.
Rocky
Roads
courtesy of Sal Vasta
During the Reserve Movement Phase (5), the movement rate along Roads (not Rails, but Roads) is always one Movement Point per hex for all ground units.
Advanced Partisan Recruitment
courtesy of Alan
Emrich and the gang on the Totaler Krieg! Discussion Boards at ConsimWorld.
Stirring up and arming the populace of a partisan-receptive nation during W.W.II was not always a smooth process. Troop loyalty and quality varied widely. The two parts of this house rule (both of which are mutually exclusive, remember) reflect this.
Part I: Determining the Partisan Faction
Each time he wants to place a Partisan step, the Western Allied player designates a "partisan receptive" country (1.4.4) and rolls on the Partisan Step Placement Table, applying the current Political die roll modifier:
Partisan Step Placement Table |
|
| 1 | Western Allied player’s choice |
| 2 | Soviet Allied player’s choice |
| 3 | Soviet Allied player’s choice |
| 4 | Western Allied player’s choice |
| 5 | Western Allied player’s choice |
| 6 | Axis player’s option |
| Add or subtract the current Political die roll modifier. |
If the result is a Western or Soviet Allied player’s choice, then that player chooses which Partisan Faction’s (Nationalist or Communist) infantry step will be placed in that country from among those available in the Western Allied Force Pool, and places it according to rule 1.4.4 (and see Part II, below, if you’re incorporating that Partisan Step Selection Procedure).
If the result is an Axis player’s option, the Axis player may either: 1) Declare that no Partisan step will be placed. This results in the loss of that Western Allied replacement step; or 2) Receive an Axis Nationalist infantry-type step (even if they have not been added to the Axis Force Pool) in that nation. Its placement restrictions are identical to that of a Partisan step (1.4.4) except that it is friendly to the Axis faction. If the Axis player chooses this option, the Western Allied player does not lose his Western Allied replacement step. He still receives it an can try to take it as another Partisan step (even in the same nation, assuming it is still partisan receptive as defined in rule 1.4.4) or a minor ally step for any other available Western Allied minor country.
If the Axis player receives an Axis Nationalist step and has revealed his Anti-Comintern Pact card, then that Axis Nationalist step is treated like every other Axis Nationalist step. If the Axis player has not yet revealed his Anti-Comintern Pact card, however, these Axis Nationalist steps are considered pro-Axis Partisans (until his Anti-Comintern Pact card is revealed, if ever). When eliminated, pro-Axis Partisans are returned to the game box. While on the map, they operate under the usual Partisan restrictions (12.7). Specifically:
 | Partisans cannot move, nor advance or retreat after combat across border hexsides except to cross a Border Region (see 12.5) hexside within their own country, as defined by its pre-war boundaries (see 3.4). Note that Partisan units may attack across, and their ZOCs do extend across border hexsides. |
| Partisan units can never use Naval Transport. |
| Partisan units cannot participate in an attack with units of another Minor Country – "Ex" corps are exempt from this restriction. |
| Partisan unit cannot stack with a unit of another Minor Country or Partisan faction – Again, "Ex" corps units are exempt from this restriction. |
| Partisan units are always in supply. |
| Partisan units are not subject to, nor do they subject enemy units to, the effects of Truce Markers (14.3) upon their faction. Partisans are subject to Command/Supply Failures (14.4). Exception: they can neither attack from, nor be attacked in, a hex containing non-partisan units from their faction when their faction is subject to the effects of an Armistice, Reassess Policy, or Change of Government Truce (see 14.3.1). |
| If that country is (see the Communist Germany card) or becomes (see Optional Rule 15.5, Axis Puppet States) an Axis country, Partisan units in the country may be immediately removed by the Axis player and replaced with that country's own units on a step-for-step basis. |
Part II: Determining the Partisan Unit Strength
Once the Partisan Faction is determined (either through Part I, above or, if not using that House Rule, by the free will of the Western Allied player), all of the currently available (i.e., not on the map) infantry-type corps units of that Faction (including its Reserve corps) are gathered together and one is selected randomly. That is the actual partisan unit that will be placed on the map by the placing player.
Minor Country Activation Restriction
On the Player Turn (only, not the Game Turn) that a Minor Country is activated, its forces are out of supply.
What this does is reign in some of those "surprise attack" neutral activations. Now when Italy or Hungary, etc. activates, for the duration of that Player Turn, its forces are out of supply. Primarily, this means they won't get to move in that Operational Movement Phase, if they activate at the beginning of their own Player Turn. If they activate at the end of their own Player Turn (like Finland did, historically), this rule has little effect. If France begins as a neutral, though -- watch out! The French HQ unit will be "asleep" (out of supply) during the Axis Player Turn if the Germans use a regular Ultimatum card on France to activate it at the beginning of an Axis Player Turn.
The Fighting Stavka Logistics Marker
The Soviet's Stavka could use a bit more "oopmh" to add the right dash of historical flavor to it. Apply this rule: Soviet units that are stacked with the Stavka Marker at the beginning of the Soviet Reserve Movement Phase may enter Enemy Zones of Control (an exception to Rule 5). All the Zone of Control Effects on Movement (8.1) that apply in the Operational Movement Phase also applies for this special Soviet Reserve Movement capability.
Independent Russian States
As a supplement to rule 15.5 (Axis Puppet States) and rule 18.4.3.3 (Soviet Collapse), allow the Axis player to create the independent nations of The Ukraine, Siberia, or the Caucasus. In order to activate these independent nations, the Axis ground units must currently occupy all of the cities within it borders and either successfully play a Treaty card (15.5) or Collapse the Soviet Union (18.4.3.3, in which case creating this new nation is done in lieu of activating a neutral minor country). When created, add the new nation's units to the Axis Force Pool. None of its forces are placed on the map (these new nations are born naked by decree), but their units can be brought into play as normal replacements by their controlling Faction for the rest of the game.
15.4.5 One Use and
Out
[Extension] Sortie to Glory!
Setup: The Sortie
to Glory! Marker begins the Campaign Game (only) in the Western Allied
Available Box. Once during the game, the Western Allied Player may use
this Marker to contest the placement of an Axis Support unit in a Naval Zone Box
(2.3.1). Both this Marker and the Contested Axis Support unit are sent to the
Delay Box.
While
this Marker is on the map (either in the Delay Box or on the Game Turn Record
Track), the Western Allies can conduct no Naval Transport during their Operational
Movement Phases. (Naval Transport is still allowed during Western
Allied Reserve Movement Phases.) This Marker is removed from the game when it is
removed from the Game Turn Record Track. This simulates the Royal Navy
pulling vitally needed warships off convoy duty for a crucial
"showdown" with the Axis.