21.0 Pre-War Historical Variants 21.1 In General The following Pre-War Event Chits (PWEs --10 for the Allies, and 10 for the Central Powers) allow players the option of changing certain pre-war planning and force structures for the various armies in the game. As such, their play may be added as a preliminary only in the full campaign scenario by mutual agreement of all players beforehand. 21.2 Procedure Make up 10 PWE chits for both sides using any available blank counters; number each of them with one number, 1 through 10, as described in the list below. Each side places its PWEs in a separate opaque container, such as a mug. One player from each side randomly draws (without looking) three chits from his side's PWE chit pool without revealing them to the other side. Each side may then choose to play one or two of the drawn chits. Each side must play at least one of its drawn chits. But note that certain chits are listed as being incompatible with certain other chits of that side, meaning they may not be played together. Each side having made their commitment choice(s), both sides' chosen PWE chits are revealed to all. Note some chits may be canceled by chits of the opposing side. To incorporate the effect of the chits into play, follow the instructions given below when setting up for the campaign scenario. 21.3 Allied PWE Chit 1 -- Czar Michael Nicholas II was forced to abdicate during the 1905 Revolution, and the throne passed to his brother, Michael, who proved more willing to share power with the parliament (Duma). Treat the Czar Takes Command event chit as "No Event" instead. 21.4 Allied PWE Chit 2 -- Russian Plan 19 Eliminate all Russian fortifications (heavy fortifications aren't affected). Russian headquarters may be flipped to their support side on Strategic Turns B, C and D. 21.5 Allied PWE Chit 3 -- French Plan Michel French "F" units may set up on any border hexes with Belgium, Luxembourg and/or Germany. 21.6 Allied PWE Chit 4 -- Defense to the Limit! Better French defensive tactics in 1914. The French do not suffer a one-right column shift when attacked on Turns 1 and 2. (But they still do suffer the one-left shift on the attack.) 21.7 Allied PWE Chit 5 -- Alternative BEF Deployment At-start BEF units deploy within one hex of Ostend, Dunkirk, Calais or Boulogne, or arrive on Turn A (Allied player's choice). 21.8 Allied PWE Chit 6 -- Larger BEF Historically the British held back units in England in 1914 to guard against an improbable German invasion. In this variant all British B and C units arrive on Turn A. This chit is not compatible with Allied PWE Chit 5. 21.9 Allied PWE Chit 7 -- Fisher's Gambit British Adm. Sir John Fisher proposed using the Grand Fleet to force the Baltic and land the BEF on the German coast. British at-start units are no placed in hex E5403. The following rules come into play with this chit. British units may not move or attack on Turn 1. Hex E5403 is considered an Allied port and Ultimate Supply Source, and Allied units can be sea moved freely in and out of it. Once the hex is controlled by the Central Powers this status ends permanently. In an exception to rule 3.4, the Central Powers may use Strategic Movement to move up to a dozen units into Berlin and/or Stettin on Turn 1. Allied units may never enter or control map edge hexes in Germany on the East Map (but they may attack into them). Ignore rules 8.3 and 11.7, since the British now control the Baltic Sea. Allied units (including Russian) may freely use sea movement in the Baltic and may also use Baltic ports as Ultimate Supply Sources. Petrograd, Kronstadt, Talinin, Riga, Libau, Konigsberg, Danzig and Stettin are ports. Note both Danzig and Stettin are inland ports; control of hex E5512 is required to use Danzig; hexes E5406, E5306, E5305 and E5206 for Stettin. Treat the Jutland chit as "No Event." The Allies may transfer up to six RPs to Russia per turn, in addition to any for controlling Constantinople. When first playing this chit, the Allied player rolls one die. Treat a result of 1 or 2 or 3 as all equaling a roll of 3, otherwise use the number rolled. The Central Powers side gains this number of victory points, which represents British naval losses incurred gaining control of the Baltic. This chit is not compatible with Allied PWE chits 5 or 6. 21.10 Allied PWE Chit 8 -- Turkey Hesitates The Ottoman Empire joins the Central Powers only when that side's victory point total, minus any Allied Cities Held, is 10 or more. Before then the Allies may ship RPs to Russia as if Constantinople were Allied controlled. 21.11 Allied PWE Chit 9 -- Automatic Italian Entry If Italy isn't bribed (see optional rules 20.4), the Allies may choose the Italian Entry Chit as their first chit pick in Jan/Feb 1915. 21.12 Allied PWE Chit 10 -- T.R. in the White House Teddy Roosevelt wins the 1912 election. The USA enters the war on the Allied side on the first Strategic Turn following a roll of 4 or higher for U-boat Warfare before Strategic Turn K (the 1916 election). Under this rule, the Allies must win the game by the ninth Strategic Turn following US entry or forfeit the game. For example, if the USA enters on Turn I, the Allies must win by Turn R, or they lose. 21.13 Central Powers PWE Chit 1 -- Austrian Plan R All Austro-Hungarian at-start "B" units set up as if they were at-start "A" units. No Serb units may enter Austria-Hungary on Turn 1. 21.14 Central Powers PWE Chit 2 -- Less Naval Construction A smaller navy allows Germany a larger army. German "A" and "B" units are now available at-start as either "W" or "E" units (player's choice). The British always win at Jutland (rule 7.28). This chit is not compatible with Central Powers PWE chits 3 or 4. If this chit is drawn and the Central Powers player decides to commit it, he must immediately announce that decision to the Allied player (before that player has made his PWE chit commitment choices). Further, if this chit is played and the Allied player commits to Fisher's Gambit (Allied PWE Chit 7), the die roll for Royal Navy victory point losses is altered so a roll of 1 or 2 yields one VP to the Central Powers; a roll of 3 or 4 yields two VP, and roll of 5 or 6 yields three VP. 21.15 Central Powers PWE Chit 3 -- More Naval Construction And vice versa -- subtract 16 attack factors from the German at-start "A" or "E" units. These units now begin in the dead pile and may be entered as normal replacements. The Central Powers player may subtract 2 from his Jutland die roll. This chit is not compatible with Central Powers chits 2 or 4. If this chit is drawn and the Central Powers player decides to commit it, he must immediately announce that decision to the Allied player (before that player has made his PWE chit commitment choices). Further, if this chit is played and the Allied player commits to Fisher's Gambit (Allied PWE Chit 7), the die roll for Royal Navy victory point losses is always and automatically considered to be a 6. 21.16 Central Powers PWE Chit 4 -- More U-boats The Germans put more pre-war emphasis on constructing U-boats then on constructing battleships. The Central Powers player now rolls two dice to determine the effects of U-boat warfare (a 4 or higher still moves up USA entry). The Central Powers player may not cancel U-boat warfare. The Allies add one to their die roll at Jutland. This chit is not compatible with Central Powers PWE chits 2 or 3. If this chit is drawn and the Central Powers player decides to commit it, he must immediately announce that decision to the Allied player (before that player has made his PWE chit commitment choices). Further, if this chit is played and the Allied player commits to Fisher's Gambit (Allied PWE Chit 7), the die roll for Royal Navy victory point losses is always and automatically considered to be a 6. 21.17 Central Powers PWE Chit 5 -- Germans Invade Holland Remove a dozen attack factors of German "W" at-start units, and all Turn A units, permanently from play. Both sides may freely enter Holland. German units may now set up anywhere in Holland or Belgium within three hexes of Aachen and may trace such a set up through hexes in Holland. 21.18 Central Powers PWE Chit 6 -- Albert Caves In The Belgian government gives in to German demands. Remove all Belgian units permanently from play. Treat all Belgian fortifications and heavy fortifications as destroyed. Move the USA entry marker to Turn P. The Central Powers may not count victory cities in Belgium toward a win, including Sudden Death victory, but he may count them to avoid a loss. 21.19 Central Powers PWE Chit 7 -- Aggressive German Navy The German navy interferes with the transport of the BEF. All at-start British units arrive at Turn A at Le Havre, or Turn B at any Allied port on the western front. This chit is not compatible with Central Powers PWE chit 2. This chit cancels Allied PWE chits 5 and 6, but is itself cancelled by play of Allied PWE chit 7. 21.20 Central Powers PWE Chit 8 -- The Goeben The Goeben interferes with the transfer of the French North African Army. All French Turn A 3-4-4 units arrive on Turn B instead. 21.21 Central Powers PWE Chit 9 -- Romanian Treaty Place the Romanian Central Powers chit into that side's chit pool on Turn C. 21.22 Central Powers PWE Chit 10 -- Von Moltke the Elder The Central Powers player must set up at least 100 attack factors of "W" units as "E" units. Belgium and Luxembourg are now neutral and their territory may never be entered by units of either side. The British enter the war on Turn B. BEF at-start and Turn A units are treated as Turn B reinforcements. The British Turn A RP is lost. Place the USA Entry marker on Turn P. Normal victory conditions are not used. The Central Powers side wins if they have eight or more VP (after Allied subtractions) and have concluded a Brest-Litovsk Treaty by the time the USA enters the war. Any other result is an Allied victory. This chit is not compatible with Central Powers chits 5, 6 and 7, and cancels Allied PWE chits 5, 6, 7 and 10. Thanks to Joseph Bissio for the "Fisher's Gambit" chit.