This page contains links to the following variants I created on the second edition rules of The Guns of August: VARIABLE ENTRY MORALE PRODUCTION VICTORY CONDITIONS SURRENDER NAVAL OPERATIONS COLONIES Avalon Hill's Guns of August was one of the first, if not the first, strategic-level wargame on World War I. Although its combat system led to more stalemate situations than gamers tend to like, and many of its features are now outdated, I have always liked the way it recreated the strategic tension both sides felt in that war. Hopefully those who still own the game (it is now out of print) will find that these variants builds on this strength. The colonial variant must be used together with the naval variant (but not vice-versa). The other variants can be used independently, but the variable entry, morale, victory conditions, and production variants work best if used together. These variants have only been partially playtested. Should anyone try them and have any questions or complaints, I can be reached at sabatine@rocketmail.com. -Edward Sabatine VARIABLE ENTRY V._1 During the Reinforcement Phase of each February, May, August, and November the Allied player rolls the die once for each neutral country. If the modified variable entry die roll falls between one and six, inclusive, the country remains neutral. If it is greater than six the country joins the Central Powers, and if it is less than one the country joins the Allies. Each player may modify either a morale die roll or a variable entry die roll by one in his favor each month such rolls take place. If he does, he must modify either a morale die roll or a variable entry die roll by one in the other player’s favor so that the modification might affect the outcome. V._2 Britain enters the war on the Allied side as soon as Germany invades either Belgium or the Netherlands, and the Allied player can conduct movement and combat with British forces that same month. So long as the Central Powers do not invade Britain, Belgium, or the Netherlands, and the die roll for British entry falls between one and five inclusive, Britain joins the Allies as a limited participant. In this case the Allied player controls British land and sea forces as if the country was a full participant, but Britain may not implement either conscription or economic mobilization, may not move land combat units into Germany or Austria-Hungary, and receives only half the pre-modification personnel an d supply points it otherwise would. If Britain is a limited participant the die roll for its entry in the war is reduced by one, but its participation does not modify the variable entry die rolls for other countries.  If the die roll for British entry falls under one, that country joins the Allied side as a full belligerent. If the die roll for British entry is greater than five Britain remains or becomes neutral. This die roll is still conducted if Britain is a limited participant, and if Britain becomes neutral again after being a limited participant, the Allied player must withdraw all British units to British territory as soon as possible, within the restrictions of the movement rules; such movement counts against Al lied rail capacity. The Central Powers player may not interfere with the British withdrawal without declaring war on Britain. V._3 The die roll for Italian entry into the war is reduced by one if the Allied blockade has been effective in both the Eastern Mediterranean and the Western Mediterranean during any month since the previous variable entry die roll. This roll is increased by one if the Central Powers blockade has been effective in both the Eastern Mediterranean and the Western Mediterranean during any month since the previous roll. V._4 The Allied player may give either a dreadnought battleship squadron or a dreadnought battlecruiser squadron belonging to a full or partial Allied belligerent to Turkey. This unit may not arrive in Constantinople in August 1914, but may arrive any month thereafter if Turkey is a neutral. Likewise, the Central Powers may give the German dreadnought battlecruiser squadron in the Mediterranean to Turkey in August 1914 by placing it to Constantinople. If he does so the battlecruiser squadron becomes Turkish ; otherwise the Central Powers player must place it in Trieste. The die roll for Turkish entry into the war is reduced by one if it receives any Allied dreadnoughts and increased by one if it doesn’t, and increased by one if it receives the Central Powers squadron. V._5 (follow the second edition rules for Greek entry) V._6 If using the Colonial variant, Japanese entry into the war is subject to variable entry rolls just like any other country. The die roll for Japanese war entry is reduced by one if Germany is maintaining any land or naval units in colonies adjacent to the East Pacific, and is increased by one if the Allies are. The die roll for Japanese war entry is also reduced by one if the United States is an Allied belligerent. The die roll for United States war entry is reduced by one if Japan is a Central Powers b elligerent and either Japanese units are present anyplace adjacent to a sea area other than the East Pacific, or Japanese units have conquered more than one colony or area. The die roll for United States war entry is increased by one if either of these situations occur if Japan is an Allied belligerent. V._7 The die rolls for the entry of Britain and the United States into the war are reduced by one if Germany has declared unrestricted submarine warfare since the last die roll, and increased by one if the Allies have. V._8 The die rolls for the entry of Belgium, Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United States into the war are reduced by one if any of these countries have joined the Allies, and increased by one if any of them have joined the Central Powers. The die rolls for the entry of Bulgaria, Greece, Rumania, and Turkey into the was are reduced by one if any of these countries have joined the Allies, and increased by one if any of them have joined the Central Powers. Limited participation does not modify these rolls. V._9 The Netherlands may never voluntarily enter the war on the side of the Allies. Belgium, Britain, and the United States may never voluntarily enter the war on the side of the Central Powers. MORALE M._1 The morale die roll is reduced by one for every city in the relevant country currently controlled by the enemy. The morale die roll is reduced by one if the enemy is occupying an objective city that had been friendly-controlled upon war entry, and increased by one if such a city that had been enemy-controlled upon war entry is now under friendly control. M._2 The morale die roll is reduced by one if a colony belonging to the relevant country upon its entry into the war is currently under enemy control. M._3 The morale die roll is reduced by one if that country has lost any supply points due to blockade since the last such roll. The morale die roll for Russia is increased by one if it has received supply points sent by other Allied countries during each of the previous three months. M._4 The morale die roll is reduced by one if economic mobilization has been in effect in the relevant country since the previous such roll, and by one if economic mobilization has been repealed since the previous roll. It is also reduced by one if conscription has been in effect since the previous morale die roll, and by one if conscription has been implemented since the previous roll. M._5 The morale die roll is increased by one for each of these country’s entrances if Italy or the United States has entered the war on the same side as the relevant country. These increases don't apply to the morale die rolls of the relevant country entering the war, or to those of countries which enter the war afterwards. M._6 The morale die roll is increased by one for each country conquered if Austria-Hungary, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, or the United States has surrendered to the enemy. The Central Powers does not benefit from this modifier if Russia has surrendered but each Russian city is not occupied by at least three friendly land combat units, nor if France or Italy has surrendered but each objective city in the relevant country is not similarly occupied. M._7 Each player may modify either a morale die roll or a variable entry die roll by one in his favor each month such rolls take place. If he does, he must modify either a morale die roll or a variable entry die roll by one in the other player’s favor so that the modification might affect the outcome. M._8 The morale die roll is reduced by one if the relevant country has previously suffered a "-1" or "-2" morale result. M._9 The morale die roll is increased by four for each country in 1914, by three in 1915, by two in 1916, and by one in 1917. It is reduced by one in 1919. PRODUCTION P._1 Economic Mobilization and Conscription P._11 Once they have completed all other actions in the Reinforcement Phase, countries may declare or repeal economic mobilization or conscription. This action takes effect immediately. P._12 Once a country declares economic mobilization its supply points increase by a tenth of the relevant August 1914 figure, rounding fractions up and before adjusting for any other modifications. This increase recurs every twelfth, twenty-fourth, thirty-sixth, and forty-eighth consecutive month of economic mobilization. P._13 Should a country repeal economic mobilization it receives, before making adjustments, the same number of supply points it would have received if economic mobilization had never been declared. If it declares economic mobilization again the resulting increase in supply points is the same as if it had never declared economic mobilization before. The die roll for a country’s morale is also reduced by one if it has repealed economic mobilization since the last such roll. P._14 Should a country implement conscription its personnel points are doubled, and its next morale die roll is reduced by one. P._15 Should a country repeal conscription its personnel points are halved until it implements it again. In addition, all of its infantry units with the lowest attack values are disbanded, and the country may not create such units until conscription is reimplemented. P._16 The die rolls for the morale of countries which have implemented economic mobilization are reduced by one, as are the die rolls for the morale of countries which have implemented conscription, so long as either of these policies have been in effect since the last such roll. These modifications are cumulative. P._17 No country has implemented economic mobilization when it first enters the war; however Germany and Austria-Hungary are considered to have implemented it in November 1916 in the 1917 and 1918 scenarios. P._18 All countries are considered to have implemented conscription before their entry into the war except Britain and the United States; Britain is considered to have implemented conscription in August 1916 in the 1917 and 1918 scenarios. P._19 The United States may first implement economic mobilization or conscription the turn when the last United States reinforcements arrive in the game, and that country first receives supply and personnel points. Other countries may implement or repeal these measures at any time. The following table replaces the equivalent table in Leon Tenney’s production rules. The United States starts receiving supply and personnel points once its last reinforcement arrives in Norfolk or San Diego; all other countries start receiving supply and personnel points upon entry into the war. Supply and Personnel Points Personnel Points Supply Points Austria-Hungary 10 15 Belguim 3 5 Britain 8 30 France 14 20 Germany 38 32 Greece 4 3 Italy 10 15 Japan 19 20 Montenegro 1 1 Netherlands 4 5 Romania 5 4 Russia 30 20 Turkey 6 3 United States 15 45 VICTORY CONDITIONS The Central Powers player wins the game once he has simultaneously controlled all twenty objective cities for one month; he loses the first month he controls no objective city. SURRENDER S._1 Conquered Countries S._11 Once it fully enters the war on the Allied or Central Powers side, a country remains a full belligerent until the scenario ends, or it is conquered by the other player. S._12 A player conquers an enemy country once that country surrenders during a morale phase. A player also conquers a country by ensuring that friendly units occupy all of its cities at the start of the Inter-Player Turn. S._13 When a player conquers a country he must occupy as many of its cities as possible with a garrison of at least one combat unit each, given movement restrictions and the actions of the opposing player. A city located in a conquered country is considered controlled by whichever player controls the combat unit currently occupying it. S._14 The Central Powers morale die roll is reduced by one if Russia has surrendered but each city there is not currently garrisoned by at least three Central Powers land combat units. The Central Powers morale die roll is also reduced by one if France or Italy have surrendered but each objective city in the relevant country is not garrisoned by at least three Central Powers land combat units. S._15 If a country which controlled ports located off the map upon its entry into the war is conquered, all units in those ports must leave them by the end of the following month or be automatically eliminated or scuttled. No country may subsequently use those ports. S._16 Once a country is conquered all units currently in play which that country had controlled are eliminated or scuttled, and that country may produce no more units, personnel points, or supply points. French air, engineer, and tank units, which may still be produced by Britain and the United States, are considered exempt from this rule. NAVAL OPERATIONS N.1 Beaches, Ports, and Sea Areas N.11 There are seven sea areas. They are the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the North Atlantic, the West Mediterranean, the Adriatic Sea, the East Mediterranean, and the Black Sea. If using the colonial variant the South Atlantic, the Indian Ocean, the East Pacific, the South Pacific, and the West Pacific are added to this list. N.12 There are thirty-five ports. They are the twenty-five cities located in coastal hexes, plus three cities located on estuaries and seven ports located off the map. The colonial variant adds three more ports located off the map. Players can use ports to send squadrons, land units, supplies and supply points to and from other ports. The Port Chart lists the ports, their home countries, and the sea areas that each port can access. N.13 There are eight beaches. Beaches function as ports in all respect except in that they are not cities, may not have squadrons based in them, and supplies and supply points may be transmitted through them only when they are occupied by a friendly combat unit. The Beach chart lists the beaches, the countries they are located in, and the sea areas they give access to. N.14 Control of ports and beaches is determined by the same criteria as is control of cities. N.15 Ports located off the map function as cities in all respects except in that they can not be invaded or occupied by enemy units. Only their home countries may control them. A country that controls one or more ports located off the map may not surrender unless it does so during a Morale Phase. N.2 Sequence of Actions during the Naval Phase N.21 During the Naval Phase, both players write down in secret the actions they plan to take, and then reveal those orders simultaneously. Players may wait until the actions concerning their squadrons are resolved before writing down their actions concerning the sea movement of land units, supply points, and supplies. N.22 Both players move their squadrons before taking any other actions. After they have done so, they may in this order resolve any combat involving those squadrons, repair damaged squadrons, attempt to impose blockades, execute any planned sea movement of land units, supply points, and supplies, and resolve any combat resulting from amphibious invasions. N.3 Squadron Movement N.31 Players must base their squadrons in ports. Squadrons must start the game based in ports belonging to their home countries, but may be moved elsewhere any turn after their country enters the war. Squadrons based in ports do not count against any stacking limit. N.32 During the Naval Phase each squadron may either be moved to a different port, sortied into an adjacent sea area, or left where it is. N.33 Each player may move any of his squadrons to any port, provided that both its current base and the new port share access to the same sea area, the new port is under friendly control, and that if the new port is not connected to the old base by a chain of contiguous friendly-controlled coastal hexes (Hex U5 counts as a coastal hex for this purpose) both ports share access to a sea area which was not successfully blockaded by the enemy the previous turn. N.34 If a squadron is located in a neutral or enemy-controlled port at the end of a Naval Phase that squadron must be scuttled or else it falls into the control of the player controlling that port. The squadron is scuttled with a die roll of three or less, whereupon it is removed from the game. N.35 A squadron may be sortied into any sea area adjacent to its current base, provided that it does not move to a new port during that month . N.4 Squadron Combat (use the rules as they appear in Leon Tenney’s Naval Module. These rules appeared in The General, Issue 18-3, and also appear in second edition Guns of August rules booklets) N.5 Squadron Repair and Maintenance (again, use the rules as they appear in Leon Tenneys Naval Module) N.6 Blockades N.61 Both players may attempt to institute or renew blockades in any and all sea areas immediately after the conclusion of all naval combat and repair work for that Naval Phase. N.62 A player may impose or renew a blockade in a sea area if he rolls a seven or more. Imposed blockades are lifted if not renewed. Each player rolls for each sea area individually. N.63 The blockade die roll is increased if the player attempting it controls one or more squadrons remaining in the relevant sea area upon the conclusion of all naval combat that Naval Phase. This die roll is increased by one for each such non-dreadnought battleship squadron, by two for each such dreadnought battleship squadron, and for three for each such battlecruiser squadron. The blockade die roll is decreased if the player against whom the blockade is directed controls one or more dreadnought squadrons left in the relevant sea area upon the conclusion of all naval combat that Naval Phase. These squadrons must not have been involved in naval combat or have support amphibious operations that Naval Phase. The blockade die roll is decreased by one for each such dreadnought battleship squadron and by two for each such battlecruiser squadron. N.64 Starting in January 1915 each player may declare or renew unrestricted submarine warfare after the conclusion of all naval combat for that month. Once a player declares unrestricted submarine warfare his blockade die rolls are increased by four. These rolls are then additionally increased by one for every twelve consecutive months unrestricted submarine warfare has been in effect. The die rolls for the entry of Britain and the United States into the war are decreased by one if since the last such die roll the Central Powers have been waging unrestricted submarine warfare, and increased by one if the Allies have. N.65 Once a player has succeeded in blockading a sea area, the opposing player may not use that sea area to move units, supplies, or supply points until the first player attempts to renew the blockade. N.66 During the month in which a player succeeds in imposing a blockade, some of the countries controlled by the opposing player may lose supply points. A country loses a third of its supply points (before all other modifications) if all the sea areas adjacent to its ports are blockaded against it. A country that entered the war controlling a port adjacent to either the East Mediterranean or the West Mediterranean loses a tenth of its supply points (before all other modifications) if the relevant sea area i s blockaded against it. A country that entered the war controlling a port adjacent to the North Atlantic loses a fourth of its supply points (before all other modifications) if that sea area is blockaded against it. These losses are always rounded up. No country, except Japan, may lose more than a third of the supply points due it monthly upon entering the war due to blockades. Japan loses half its supply points if the East Pacific is currently blockaded against it. Britain loses a third of its supply points if both the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea are both currently being blockaded against it. N.67 Russia never loses supply points due to any blockade. However, Russia gains four supply points each month it is able to receive supplies sent by sea from some other Allied country. N.68 A country’s morale die roll is decreased by one if it has lost supply points due to a blockade since its previous roll. N.69 The effects of a blockade, except on morale, lapse if it is not renewed. N.7 Sea Supply N.71 During the Naval Phase, once both sides have attempted blockading each other, both players may send supplies and supply points from friendly ports to other friendly controlled ports and beaches. N.72 The port from which supplies are sent must either have been supplied overland that month or be located off the map. The port or beach to which supplies are sent must share access a sea area with the port from which supplies are sent, and this sea area must not have been blockaded that Naval Phase. Beaches must be occupied by a friendly land unit in order to receive supplies. N.73 Ports and beaches to which supplies have been sent by sea become friendly supply sources until the next Naval Phase, regardless of whether they meet any other criteria for being so. N.74 Ports located off the map are always in supply. However, they are never used to calculate the supply status of other places. N.75 An objective city may serve as a friendly supply source for no more than twenty-four land units if the only reason it can be considered as such is that it was supplied by sea the previous Naval Phase. Other cities may serve as friendly supply sources for no more than twelve land units each, and beaches for six land units each, if they fall into the same situation. N.76 With the exceptions of Britain and the United States, no country may simultaneously maintain more than six land units in hexes supplied by a detached supply source. A detached supply source is a supply source which is neither a friendly controlled city located in the home country of a unit is supplying, nor a hex which is connected to such a city by any number of contiguous rail hexes which a unit could enter while entrained. Colonies and ports located off the map are considered to be detached supply s ources. For the purposes of this rule France functions as the home country for British and American land units, and continues to do so even after the Central Powers has conquered it. Britain likewise functions as the home country for American land units. Both countries still remain home countries for their own units. Otherwise, Britain and the United States may maintain no more than twelve land units each in places served by detached supply sources. N.77 Fleets are always in supply. N.78 Japan may not send supply points to other countries. N.79 In order for one country to send supply points by sea another, both countries must each control a port with access to the same sea area, those ports must have been controlled by those countries upon their entry into the war, and that sea area must not be currently blockaded against them. N.8 Sea Movement N.81 During the Naval Phase, once all blockade attempts are resolved, both players may move land units from friendly controlled ports and beaches to other friendly controlled ports and beaches. N.82 The friendly controlled port or beach to which the land units are moved must be adjacent to the same sea area as the one from which they embarked, and this sea area must not currently be blockaded against the player moving the units. N.83 Land units may not be moved by sea to any port located off the map not currently friendly controlled, nor to any port currently containing enemy naval units.  N.84 Only land units which possess an attack strength of at least three, and which did not move during the previous movement phase, may move by sea. A land unit located in a hex where an overland connection can be made to a port located off the map may be moved by sea from that port, provided that unit is otherwise able to move by sea. N.85 Britain and the United States may move no more than six land units each, and other countries no more than three land units each, during a Naval Phase. N.9 Amphibious Invasions N.91 Combat occurs whenever a land unit is moved by sea to a port or beach containing enemy units. N.92 All combat resulting from sea movement is resolved that Naval Phase. N.93 No more than three land units at a time may participate in an amphibious invasion of a hex, or colony other than Japan. N.94 Land units involved in combat resulting from their own sea movement are eliminated if the enemy units are not either eliminated or forced to retreat. The attackers may not benefit from any combat modifications they are otherwise entitled to, excepting those provided by air units. They do gain a die roll increase of one from the presence, in an adjacent sea area, of at least one squadron which has not been involved that month in naval combat or used to modify a blockade die roll. Combat resulting from sea movement is otherwise resolved exactly like other combat. N.95 Only combat units may participate in amphibious invasions. N.96 Once all the American reinforcements scheduled have appeared in the game the Allied player can convert up to three American infantry units into marines. Such a conversion is made by spending five personnel and five supply points per unit and removing the unit from the game; the converted unit may be placed in Norfolk or San Diego three months later. The attack strength of a marine unit is increased, to eight, when it is attacking in combat resulting from sea movement. Ports Durrazzo Albania Adriatic Sea, East Mediterranean, West Mediterranean Starts the game as an Allied supply source; may serve as a suppy source for no more than one city and three land units if only supplied by sea Trieste Austria-Hungary Adriatic Sea, East Mediterranean, West Mediterranean Antwerp Belguim Baltic Sea, North Sea, North Atlantic Can be used as a port only if no enemy units occupy hex K7 Bristol Britain North Sea, North Atlantic Gibraltar Britain North Atlantic, West Mediterranean Off the map Hull Britain North Sea, North Atlantic London Britain North Sea, North Atlantic Malta Britain Adriatic Sea, East Mediterranean, West Mediterranean Off the map; all sorties from other Adriatic ports must be revealed in detail to the player who controls this port Portsmouth Britain North Sea, North Atlantic Scapa Flow Britain Baltic Sea, North Sea, North Atlantic Off the map; overland connection is with hex E2 (represents all Scottish ports) Sydney Britain Indian Ocean, South Pacific Off the map; used only with the colonial variant (represents all Australian ports) Varna Bulgaria Black Sea Calais France North Sea, North Atlantic All sorties into the North Atlantic from continental ports east of here must be revealed in detail to the player who controls this port Cherbourg France North Sea, North Atlantic Marseilles France West Mediterranean Nice France West Mediterranean Bremen Germany Baltic Sea, North Sea, North Atlantic Can be used as a port only if no enemy units occupy hex S6 Danzig Germany Baltic Sea Hamburg Germany Baltic Sea, North Sea Can be used as a port only if no enemy units occupy hex T5 Konigsberg Germany Baltic Sea Kiel Germany Baltic Sea, North Sea All sorties into the Baltic Sea from ports west of here must be revealed in detail to the player who controls this port Pireaus Greece East Mediterranean Off the map; overland connection is through hex GG35 Salonika Greece East Mediterranean Amphibious invasions of this port are governed by the rule concerning Greek war entry Genoa Italy East Mediterranean, West Mediterranean Naples Italy Adriatic Sea, East Mediterranean, West Mediterranean Taranto Italy Adriatic Sea, East Mediterranean, West Mediterranen Venice Italy Adriatic Sea, East Mediterranean, West Mediterranean Citinje Montenegro Adriatic Sea Montenegro starts the campaign game and the 1914 and 1915 scenarios as an Allied belligerent; may serve as a supply source to no more than one city and three land units if supplied by sea Amsterdam Netherlands Baltic Sea, North Sea, North Atlantic Rotterdam Netherlands Baltic Sea, North Sea, North Atlantic Odessa Russia Black Sea Riga Russia Baltic Sea St. Petersburg Russia Baltic Sea Off the map; overland connection is through hex VV1 Sevastopol Russia Black Sea Off the map; overland connection is through hex YY19 Constantinople Turkey Black Sea, East Mediterranean Norfolk United States North Atlantic Off the map; American units and supply points may be sent from here (represents all East Coast ports) Panama United States North Atlantic; West Pacific Off the map; used only with the colonial variant San Diego United States West Pacific Off the map; used only with the colonial variant; American units and supply points may be sent from here (represents all West Coast ports) Beaches Ostend (hex J7) Belguim Baltic Sea, North Sea, North Atlantic Boulonge (hex G8) France North Sea, North Atlantic Normandy (hex C9) France North Sea, North Atlantic Toulon (hex G24) France West Mediterranean Friesland (hex R5) Germany Baltic Sea, North Sea, North Atlantic Anzio (hex Q30) Italy Adriatic Sea, East Mediterranean, West Mediterranean Salerno (hex T33) Italy Adriatic Sea, East Mediterranean, West Mediterranean Gallipoli (hex OO35) Turkey East Mediterranean May not be occupied by Central Powers units Players may want to substitute rolling on the following Naval Combat Chart for using Leon Tenney’s detailed naval combat system. They may do so by substituting the following for naval variant Rule N.4: N.41 Naval combat ensues when both sides have sortied fleets into the same sea area in the same month. N.42 Naval combat is resolved using the Naval Combat chart. N.43 During naval combat the Central Powers player locates a column heading that equals or at least doesn’t exceed the combined gunnery factors of every squadron he has sortied into the sea area and rolls the die; the Allied player does the same using the combined gunnery factors of the squadons he has sortied. Both players then cross-reference their die roll in the vertical column with the number under the column heading they have located earlier. This number represents the "damage" suffered by the opposin g fleet. Both sides then roll twice more. They divide each of these roll by ten, then multiply it with the "damage." After the first die roll and calculation, each player designate as "sunk" as many of his opponent’s squadons so that those units’ combined protection factors do not exceed the resulting number. After the second die roll and calculation, each player may designate as suffering "heavily damaged" as many of his opponent’s squadrons so that those units’ combined protection factors do not exceed the total r esulting number, and that the combined protection factors of the opponent’s squadrons sunk or suffering heavy damage do not exceed the original "damage." Then each player may designate as many of his opponent’s squadrons as "lightly damaged" so that the combined protection factors of the opponent’s squadrons sunk, suffering heavy damage, or suffering light damage do not exceed the original "damage." Whichever player is left with the most squadrons has made a successful sortie and may use those units to attempt to establish blockades in that sea area. N.44 Squadrons that are to be used to increase amphibious invasion die rolls or to lower blockade die rolls may not have their gunnery factors included for the purposes of naval combat. However, all squadrons that have sortied into a sea area that may be damaged or sunk as the result of naval combat there. N.45 If a player has not sortied squadrons into a sea area, but is currently waging unrestricted submarine warfare, he may still conduct naval combat against whatever squadrons his opponents have sortied there. If he does so he must forgo any attempts to establish a blockade in that sea area that turn. In this case the player with no squadrons in the sea area simply uses the far-left column of the Naval Combat Chart. N.46 All naval combat die rolls of the opponent of a mostly German, British, or American fleet are reduced by one. The German player has the option of reducing the initial naval combat die roll for both fleets involved in naval combat by one, but must exercise the option for both fleets. Naval Combat Chart Combined Gunnery Factors - 1 7 7 7 7 7 7 4 - R 21 21 21 21 21 12 - 2 o 35 35 35 35 20 - - 3 l 45 47 47 28 - - - 4 l 61 61 36 - - - - 5 6 75 COLONIES C.1 Colonies and Adjacent Sea Areas C.11 There are forty-two colonies, representing possessions controlled by the belligerents in August 1914, and nine areas, representing independent or semi-independent countries, all located off the map. They are adjacent to five additional sea areas, which in turn are accessible through three new off-map ports: Panama, San Diego, and Sydney. C.12 The colonies, their defense values, the countries that control them in August 1914, the sea areas they are accessible through, and any adjacent colonies and neighbors are listed on the Colonies Chart. The same information for areas is listed on the Areas Chart. C.2 Colonial Deployment C.21 At the start of the August 1914 scenario and the campaign game five British 4-6-4 infantry corps, in addition to the corps listed on the Set-Up chart, are deployed in the colonies of Biafra, Cape Colony, Kuwait, and Egypt, and the port of Sydney. An additional British battlecruiser squadron is also deployed in Sydney. An additional German battlecruiser squadron is deployed in Tsingtao. Six 4-6-4 infantry corps, six 3-5-3 infantry corps, one 3-3-5 cavalry division, and two 2-2-2 artillery units are depl oyed in Japan or its colonies, as is one dreadnought battleship and one non-dreadnought battleship squadron. An additional American dreadnought battleship and two additional American non-dreadnought battleship squadrons are deployed in San Diego, in addition to another additional non-dreadnought battleship squadron is deployed in the Philippines. C.22 At the start of the 1915 scenario and the German colonies of the Solomon Islands and Tsingtao have been conquered by the Allies. There are no British corps in Sydney, and one additional British corps in Uganda. Three additional Russian infantry corps are deployed in the Caucasus. Neither the British nor the Germans have any fleets based in their colonies. Japan is an Allied belligerent. Otherwise the colonial deployments are the same as in August 1914. C.23 At the start of the 1916 scenario Namibia has been conquered by the Allies. There are no British corps in the Cape Colony, but one more in Zambia. Japan receives an additional dreadnought battleship squadron. Otherwise the colonial deployments are the same as in January 1915. C.24 At the start of the 1917 scenario the Allies have conquered Kamerun, Darfur, and Armenia. There are no British corps in Biafra, but one more each in Kenya, Persia, and Egypt. The three Russian corps are deployed in Armenia, not the Caucasus. There is one Turkish corps each in Syria and Iraq. Otherwise the colonial deployments are the same as in January 1916. C.25 At the start of the 1918 scenario Iraq has been conquered by the Allies, and Armenia and the Caucasus by the Central Powers. There is a Turkish corps in the Caucasus, and the British corps that one once in Kuwait is now in Iraq. Japan receives anadditional dreadnought squadron. Otherwise the colonial deployments are the same as in January 1917. C.26 Japan receives 19 personnel and 20 supply points each turn it is a belligerent. It enters the war with conscription in effect. If may create dreadnought battleships, and land units from a force pool that includes six 4-6-4 infantry corps, twelve 3-5-3 infantry corps, eighteen 2-4-3 infantry corps, six 3-3-5 cavalry units, three 3-3-3 field artillery, and six 2-2-2 field artillery units. Japanese naval units have the same protection factors as do those of France. If Japan remains neutral it receives one additional dreadnought battleship each in January 1916 and January 1918. It receives an additional three 3-5-3 infantry corps one month after United States entry. The United States must maintain more naval units based in areas accessible to the East, West, or South Pacific than Japan before basing such units in areas adjacent to other sea areas. C.3 Sequence of Actions in the Colonial Phase C.31 The Colonial Phase occurs after the Naval Phase every month. C.32 During the Colonial Phase, both players write down in secret the actions they plan to take, then reveal those orders when it is time to take those actions. Players may wait until the actions concerning their squadrons are resolved before writing down their actions concerning land unit movement and combat. C.33 Both players move their squadrons to and from colonies before taking any other actions during the Colonial Phase. After they have done so, they may sortie into adjacent sea areas, resolve any resulting combat, repair damaged squadrons, attempt to impose blockades, move land units, and resolve any land combat. C.34 No blockades may be attempted until all squadron combat for that month has been resolved, and no land units may be moved by sea until all blockades for that month have been attempted . C.4 Colonial Naval Actions C.41 Colonies function as ports in all respects, except for transmitting supply points. They are also considered to be detached supply sources. C.42 Except as modified herein the Naval Rules apply to colonies and their adjacent sea areas. C.43 Unrestricted submarine warfare as practiced by the Central Powers only affects those sea areas adjacent to ports located on the map. Unrestricted submarine warfare as practiced by the Allies affects all sea areas. C.44 Undamaged battlecruiser squadrons based in colonies, excepting those based in Armenia and the Caucasus, may attempt to directly return to any European port adjacent to the North Atlantic. During the three months after the player controlling the relevant squadron announces the attempt, the opposing player may designate one or more of his battlecruiser squadrons to intercept it; such squadrons may not have conducted any other activities that month. The squadron(s) attempting to return must combat the int ercepting squadrons; if they are not sunk within three months after commencing the attempt the successfully shift base to the relevant North Atlantic port. C.45 If the Central Powers successfully blockades either the South Atlantic or the Indian Ocean, Britain loses three supply points that month. If the Central Powers successfully blockade the East Pacific Britain loses one supply point that month, Russia loses four, and the United States loses three. If the Central Powers successfully blockade the West Pacific the United States loses three supply points. If an opponent of Japan blockades the East Pacific the latter loses twelve supply points. C.5 Colonial Movement C.51 Land and naval units may be sent to and from any colony adjacent to a sea area by sea in accordance with the Naval Rules. C.52 Russian land units located in one of the four railway hexes located at the eastern edge of the mapboard may be sent to the Caucasus or Vladivostok during the next Colonial Phase, and Russian units may be sent from those colonies back to those hexes. Land units located in Constantinople at the beginning of the month may be sent to Armenia, Iraq, or Syria during the next Colonial Phase, and land units may be sent from those colonies back to Constantinople. C.53 Land units located in one colony may be moved to one adjacent colony during a Colonial Phase, if the same player controls both. Land units located in one colony may be moved to Persia, Shantung, Hopei, or Manchuria if the latter colonies are adjacent and free of enemy units. C.54 The United States may place any reinforcements listed on the reinforcement schedule in either Norfolk or San Diego. C.6 Colonial Combat C.61 At the end of each February, May, August, and November Colonial Phase the Allied player rolls the die for each Central Powers colony that has not yet been conquered. If this roll is greater than the defense value for that colony listed on the Colonies Chart, the Allies conquer that colony. The Central Powers player than rolls the die for each Allied colony adjacent to a colony he currently controls; if this roll is greater than the defense value for that colony listed on the Colonies Chart he conquers that colony. These die rolls only occur once per colony attacked per month. C.62 The die roll for checking whether a player who controls one colony has conquered an adjacent colony only occurs if the former colony was controlled upon its metropolitan country’s entry into the war, or if the colony is an occupied area such as Abyssinia or Manchuria. Players do not roll to see if they have conquered colonies solely because those colonies are adjacent to colonies they have previously conquered. C.63 Colonies may also be conquered through amphibious invasion, if it is possible for a player to move units to that colony by sea that turn. The player attempting the invasion rolls the die; if the roll exceeds the defense value he conquers that colony. Amphibious invasions may occur even if naval units are currently based in the invaded colony. Up to six units may be used to attack Japan in one amphibious invasion; otherwise no more than three units may participate. C.64 The player controlling Constantinople may always attempt to conquer Syria, Iraq, and Armenia through the amphibious invasion method. The Russian player may also always attempt to conquer the Caucasus and Vladivostok through that method. C.65 Players never roll for the conquest of Manchuria, Hopei, Shantung, and Persia unless one or more enemy units currently occupy those areas. In the latter case these areas are treated as enemy-controlled colonies. Simply moving a land unit into them may otherwise conquer them; occupation in this manner by the Central Powers units takes precedence. Players may roll for the conquest of Abyssinia, Arabia, Darfur and Libya as if these were enemy-controlled colonies. Abyssinia is activated as an enemy colony, except for morale die roll purposes, if and only if a player announces that he is attacking it. C.66 Except for impacting morale die rolls, upon Turkish entry into the war Libya and Darfur is treated as if it were a Turkish colony, and Arabia as a belligerent on the other side. C.67 Players need not garrison conquered colonies. C.68 Each player's colonial combat die roll is increased by one for every three attack factors of friendly land units, excluding support units, which are either located in an adjacent colony or participating in an amphibious invasion of the former colony. The presence of an air unit in an adjacent colony increases this roll by one, as does the presence of naval units supporting the invasion. Only the units in one of the adjacent colonies, chosen by the attacker, count for these purposes. C.69 A country’s morale die roll is decreased by one if it has lost a colony it controlled upon entering the war. Colonies COLONY COUNTRY SEA AREAS NEIGHBORS DEFENSE VALUE Bechuanaland Britain Indian Ocean, South Atlantic Cape Colony, Namibia 5 Biafra Britain North Atlantic, South Atlantic Kamerun 5 Cape Colony Britain Indian Ocean, South Atlantic Bechuanaland, Namibia 5 Egypt Britain East Mediterranean, Indian Ocean Cyrenaica, Syria, Sudan 5 Hong Kong Britain East Pacific 4 Kenya Britain Indian Ocean Uganda, Taganikya 5 Kuwait Britain Indian Ocean Arabia, Iraq 4 New Guinea Britain East Pacific, Indian Ocean, South Pacific The Solomons 5 New Zealand Britain South Pacific 5 Singapore Britain East Pacific, Indian Ocean 5 Somaliland Britain Indian Ocean Abyssinia, Afars and Issars, Somalia 3 Sudan Britain Indian Ocean Abyssinia, Darfur, Egypt, Eritrea 5 Uganda Britain Kenya, Taganikya 4 Walvis Bay Britain Indian Ocean, South Atlantic Namibia 4 Weihaiwei Britain East Pacific Shantung 4 Zambia Britain Indian Ocean Taganikya 5 Afars and Issars France Indian Ocean Abyssinia, Eritrea, Somaliland 3 Congo France South Atlantic Gabon, Kamerun 5 Gabon France North Atlantic, South Atlantic Congo, Kamerun 5 Indochina France East Pacific 5 New Caledonia France South Pacific, West Pacific 3 Tunisia France East Mediterranean, West Mediterranean Tripolitania 5 Kamerun Germany North Atlantic, South Atlantic Biafra, Congo, Gabon 5 Namibia Germany Indian Ocean, South Atlantic Cape Colony, Bechuanlaland, Walvis Bay 5 The Solomons Germany East Pacific, Indian Ocean, South Pacific New Guinea 3 Taganikya Germany Indian Ocean Kenya, Uganda, Zambia 7 Tsingtao Germany East Pacific Shantung 4 Cyrenaica Italy East Mediterranean Libya, Tripolitania 5 Eritrea Italy Indian Ocean Abyssinia, Afars and Issars, Sudan 5 Rhodes Italy East Meditteranean 5 Somalia Italy Indian Ocean Abyssinia, Kenya, Somaliliand 4 Tripolitania Italy East Mediterranean Cyrenaica, Libya, Tunisia 5 Formosa Japan East Pacific 5 Korea Japan East Pacific Manchuria 5 The Caucasus Russia Black Sea Armenia, Persia 6 Vladivostok Russia East Pacific Manchuria 6 Armenia Turkey Black Sea The Caucasus, Persia 6 Iraq Turkey Kuwait, Persia 6 Syria Turkey East Mediterranean Arabia, Egypt 6 Alaska United States East Pacific, West Pacific 6 Hawaii United States East Pacific, West Pacific 6 The Philippines United States East Pacific 6 Areas AREA SEA AREAS NEIGHBORS DEFENSE VALUE NOTES Abyssinia Afars and Issars, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, Somaliland, Sudan 6 Sovereign country; activated only upon attack; attacker must announce invasion Arabia Indian Ocean Kuwait, Syria 6 Activated upon Turkish war entry; considered colony of Turkish opponent except for morale determination Darfur Sudan 5 Activated upon Turkish war entry; considered Turkish colony except for morale determination Hopei Manchuria, Shantung 4 Part of China; units may occupy without die roll if free of enemy units Japan East Pacific 6 Place all new Japanese units here; may be attacked amphibiously by up to six units at a time Libya Cyrenaica, Tripolitania 6 Activated upon Turkish war entry; considered Turkish colony except for morale determination Manchuria Hopei, Korea, Vladivostok 4 Part of China; units may occupy without die roll if free of enemy units Persia Indian Ocean Armenia, the Caucasus, Iraq 4 Sovereign country; may be occupied without die roll if free of enemy units Shantung Hopei, Tsingtao, Weihaiwei 4 Part of China; units may occupy without die roll if free of enemy units DESIGNERS NOTES These variants are designed to remedy what I have always seen as the main flaw in The Guns of August: the narrow focus on the land warfare on the European continent. By giving the Central Powers player a greater potential ability to threaten British colonies and shipping, they should allow the German player more of a means to strike at Britain, a country the German government historically saw as its main enemy. The variants should also allow players to try more diplomatic and economic measures to break the inevitable stalemates. They do not alter the combat system, which for many seems to be the central flaw of the game. Hopefully these variants will give players enough tools to break the strategic stalemate that finding a way out of the tactical stalemate will seem less important. MORALE The current Guns of August morale rules do not provide for the German, Austro-Hungarian, and Bulgarian collapses in late 1918. With the only negative morale modifier affecting Germany the reduction of one due to the blockade, and with Germany historically in possession of enough VP cities to prevent an Allied automatic victory in the game, there is no reason in Guns of August why the Central Powers player should not continue to play into 1919 if he has achieved the historical German position in November. These revisions maintain pressure to win the war early by allowing either side to win an early "morale victory" by taking enough cities, but by ensuring that every belligerent’s morale die roll is automatically reduced by one each year. In game terms, a Germany faced holding the historical position in November 1918 would have its morale die roll reduced by one for the blockade, by one for colony loss, by one for "conscription", and by one for "economic mobilization" but increased by one each for occupying a n Allied objective city and for Russia's surrender, for a net negative two modifier. Depending on the effects of each side using its free positive and negative morale/variable entry roll modifiers, Germany would probably not be able to survive the further reduction of its morale die roll by one in 1919. The new morale rules also give the Central Powers more incentive to try the "counterblockade" of unrestricted submarine warfare. PRODUCTION Historically, Germany devoted 83% of its public expenditure to the military during World War I; the corresponding figure for Britain is 62%. Putting so many of the country’s resources into the army unbalanced the economy and led directly and indirectly to the starvation in the cities, which eventually resulted in the revolutions that forced Germany and Austria-Hungary out of the war. In this variant this unbalance is reflected by "economic mobilization." If the Central Powers player forgoes economic mobilization he must make do with the 32 supply points Germany is allocated by the revised Supply and Personnel Points table located below. If he implements economic mobilization but then repeals it the resulting short-term economic dislocations costs him a further morale point. The controversy in English-speaking countries over introducing conscription is recreated by the "conscription" rules. Other countries which enter the war with conscription in place may now repeal it, at the cost of losing all their weaker units and seeing their manpower pool reduced. Note that the variant does not apply to unit creation by Britain and the United States before those countries implement conscription. VICTORY CONDITIONS The Guns of August victory conditions, although they have the virtue of forcing the Central Powers player to launch an invasion of Belgium by January 1916, have always seemed "gamey" to me. They imply, for example, that Germany would have been compelled to surrender in January 1916 had Central Powers taken "only" one objective city outside of Germany and Austria-Hungary. Furthermore, the Central Powers player does not lose the Guns of August if he controls the objective cities his side historically controll ed in November 1918: the Allied player does not get an automatic victory, so the CP player may continue the game. The morale variant hopefully provides what the original victory conditions were designed to provide: mounting pressure to win before the inevitable home-front morale collapse. Using the morale variant and the victory condition variant together will preclude the players from launching offensives solely to take another "objective city," a common bugbear of strategic-level games. If using the morale variant and this victory conditions variant the player may want to consider substituting Berlin for Brest-Litovsk, and London for Frankfurt, as objective cities. The former change will increase the pressure on the German player to try the historical "West first" strategy, and will duplicate the historical political pressure on him to push for gains in the Baltics rather than gains in Poland. The latter change will encourage the German player to focus on defeating Britain, and will give t he Allies a chance to survive a complete disaster on the continent as long as Britain and the United States are still in the war. SURRENDER This revision of the surrender rules clears up some confusion as to who controls the hexes in a country that has just surrendered for morale reasons. They also deprive players of a gamey free movement bonus the original rules granted them whenever an opposing country surrendered. The requirement for the Central Powers in maintain triple-strength garrisons in captured Russian cities reflects the historical inability of Germany to transfer most of the units it was using on the East Front west due to the political ambitions as reflected in the Brest-Litovsk treaty. Germany may reduce its garrisons in Russia, but at the cost of giving up some of its war objectives and damaging homefront morale. A similar requirement is in place to reflect German territorial ambitions in France, if France collapses. VARIABLE ENTRY The big change here is allowing a player to modify one variable entry or morale die roll in his favor, so long as he modifies a simultaneous roll in his opponent’s favor. This tries to recreate the dynamic in which each side would try to entice Country A into the war with an offer of Country B’s territory, alienating the population of Country B. It also tries to show the trade-off between boosting morale at home with "maximalist" war-aims versus trying to weaken enemy resolve with "reasonable" offers of peace. For example, if Germany increases the Italian variable entry roll at the expense of the Austro-Hungarian morale roll, in game terms that means Germany is trying to bribe Italy with Austrian territory. If Germany increases the US variable entry roll at the expense of the German morale roll, it means that Germany is trying to impress President Wilson with "reasonable" peace terms (of course, this can work the other way). These modifiers can have a big effect on the game, especially if a player is altering on e of these rolls in his opponents favor at the same time the opponent is altering the same roll in his favor (a Zimmeran telegram type disaster). I’ve always disliked the "Variable Entry Table" in Guns of August for a number of reasons (for one thing, Rumania always winds up joining the Central Powers). I've replaced it here with a simple rule (if the roll is over six, the country joins the Central Powers, if less than one the country joins the Allies). Most of the modifiers provided for are self-explanatory. One of the major reasons Italy entered the war on the Allied side was fear of British seapower; this is reflected in the modifier in favor of whichever side is blockading (and therefore dominating) the Mediterranean, as well as the automatic reduction whenever a Western Front country joins the Allies. Belgium can now enter the war on the Allied side, giving the Germans an incentive to try the historical initial invasion of Belgium (which the Germans justified by claiming –not without evidence- that Belgium favored the Allies anyway). Turkey may also now join the Allies, appropriate if indeed Turkey’s alliance with Germany was a reflection of Brit ish diplomatic bungling as much as anything else. NAVAL OPERATIONS The naval rules in the Guns of August are scattered throughout the basic, advanced, and optional rules, and in the Leon Tenney variant included in the second edition. This variant combines them into one set of rules. It also opens up players’ naval options by allowing for either side to conduct operations in any sea area, with the units of any country, so long as they currently control that sea area and an adjacent port. Which bases give access to which sea area, and most of the rules governing special situations, are subsumed on the Ports Chart and Beaches Chart located below. Unrestricted submarine warfare now does enough damage so as to be a viable option for the Central Powers player, especially when combined with attrition against the British surface fleet in the North Sea. Historically, of course, destroyers and not cruisers were used against the U-boats; the use of dreadnought battlecruiser squadrons to combat unrestricted submarine warfare was put in simply to show the diversion of ships and shipbuilding resources from the North Sea convoy protection required. Amphibious invasions are somewhat easier to conduct in this variant, which should also increase players’ strategic options. A French collapse is now not necessarily a disaster for the Allies, if Russia is still in the war. Among the new options created are British landings in the Balkans, Austro-Hungarian operations in the Adriatic, Russian invasions in the Black Sea, and German attacks in the North Sea. Finally, I have created a "variant on the variant" to allow players to cut down on the time it takes to play the Naval Phase, by abstracting the naval combat. The Naval Combat Chart should allow simulation of most of the effects of naval combat, but to use it players need to roll the die only three times: once to find how much "damage" they did to the opposing fleet, and twice more to find out how much of this "damage" consisted of sunk and heavily damaged squadrons. COLONIES This variant provides for a way to incorporate the non-European combat which occurred in World War I into the Guns of August. The idea is simply to allow the players (especially the British player) to decide how many resources to divert from the big show in Europe to these theaters. The defense values represent the prewar garrisons, the logistical difficulty of conquered it, and the support the colonies enjoyed from the native population. The difficulty the British historically had in defeating Lettow-Vorbeck in East Africa is represented by Taganikya’s defense value of 7, and the need for the British to commit corps to defend surrounding colonies that can’t necessarily be used against him. The Sassunni, Darfur, and Arab rebellions are represented in the rules concerning their respecti ve areas. This subsystem should not overwhelm the rest of the game. Players will barely use it if Turkey, Japan, and Italy all either remain neutral or enter the war on the Allied side. In the unlikely but possible event that they enter the war on the Central Powers side, or if Germany is somehow able to reinforce one or more of its own colonies, then the Allied player will have to choose between the defense of the British empire, or British support of France. Use of this variant will require the creation of a few new counters. The additional British corps represent the pre-war Australian and South African armies, and the troops the British committed to the various colonial "sideshows" (the variant subsumes the rules in the second edition of The Guns of August concerning Allied troop commitments in the Near East). Since the corps is the smallest infantry unit in the game this such forces are necessarily overreresented. The additional British battlecruiser squadro n represents the Australian navy, the additional German battlecruiser squadron the German Far Eastern fleet, and the remaining new naval units the Japanese navy and the US Pacific fleet. The other new corps form the Japanese army. The basis for including these units was partly information drawn from volumes 2 and 13 of The Times History of the War, and volume 2 of Allen, Whitehead, and Chadwick's The Great War.