1942 GDW To give this fine little game a little more historical flavor, you might want to try the following optional rules that I designed back in 1980. I have used this variant, and, although very simple in keeping with the regular game design, have found it to work quite nicely. The optional naval units that are described have to be created out of spare counters, or extra units form other games. I used the Force Z, and Cruiser units from the old game Pearl Harbor, but any counters can be used to represent these pieces. ALLIED AIRPOWER 1. In the actual campaign allied air power was virtually eliminated in the first few weeks. To reflect this, at the beginning of each Japanese turn a six sided die will be rolled (One for Corregidor and one for Singapore). To destroy air units the die must be equal to, or less than the turn number. For example: on turn 2 it would take a die roll of 1 or 2 to eliminate the air unit. If successful die roll, remove the air unit from the game. 2. Dutch airpower is eliminated when Batavia, Tilitjap, or Sourabaya (any two of these) are occupied or controlled by the Japanese. BEACH HEXES -The rules do not make it clear as to where amphibious landings can take place. Not all coastal areas in the Philippines and Malaya for example were suitable for landings. Therefore only CLEAR coastal hexes will be allowed to be used fro amphibious landings. For this purpose any hex with partial or all jungle or mountain, (plus the Manila hex), are NOT available for landings. Manila of course can bae used for normal sea movement from port to port. All other hexes with cities on the coast (Borneo, Clebes, and Bali for example) ARE invadable whether they have jungle or not. SCORING -For game purposes the Japanese will have an advantage because of rule 1and 2 (above). Therefore to balance the game again the following scoring rules will be used: Japanese recieve only 10 points each for Corregidor and Singapore instead of 20 pts. each. The Japanese recieve only 1 point instead of 2 for each surrendered allied unit. The Allies recieve 5 points for having a British unit in Rangoon and the end of the game. (This added Rangoon rule will make Burma an important location for strategic consideration in the game, as it was in the actual campaign.) FORCE Z -During the actual campaign for Malaya the British "Force Z" consisiting of of the battlecruiser Repulse and the battleship Prince of Wales, plus some destroyers was a possible obstacle to successful Japanese landings on the Mayla coast. To reflec this in the game use the following rule: The Allied player can move his "Force Z" unit (you must make a unit out of a spare counter to represent this and the other naval units that will be described further in this variant) up to 7 hexes from Singapore to contest any Japanese amphibious landings on the Malay coast. He does this just as the Japanese player makes his landing. Once arriving in the beach where the Japanese are attempting to land, the Allied player rolls one die for each Japanese unit in the hex. A die roll of 1-3 would eliminate the Japanese unit. (In affect these units would be destroyed in their transports or the supplies would be destroyed in the transports or on the beaches thus rendering the units useless as effective fighting forces). IMPORTANT: For EACH hex of a Japanese air umbrella that Force Z must travel through (including the target beach hex) the Japanese player rolls one die. A roll of 1-4 immediately sinks Force Z before it can accomplish its mission. (This was of course the actual outcome when Repusle and Prince of Wales were sunk by Japanese land based aircraft in the Gulf of Siam). BURMA SET UP -During the set up for British forces, one of the eight "strength 5" brigades MUST be placed in Rangoon instead of Malaya. ZONE OF CONTROL -A unit can always move directly from one zone of control to another IF that move is into a fortress. BATTLE OF THE JAVA SEA -In the actual invasion of Java the Allies had a group of cruisers and destroyers under ABDA command (American, British, Dutch, and Australian) based at Sourabaya. This strike force could conceivably had slowed or even detered the Japanese landings in Java. To incorporate this into the game, use the following rule: The ABDA Naval unit with a strength of 4 can move from Sourabaya into the Java Sea to intercept the Japanese invasion attempt. The Japanese will use its cruiser unit, with a strength of 6, to engage the Allies (recreating the Battle of the Java Sea). Each player will roll one die with the Japanese adding 2 to his roll (because he has a stonger and more integrated force: 6 to 4). The higher roll wins the battle. If tied, roll again. If the Japanese win, the ABDA unit is sunk and the invasion can take place. If the the Allies win, the Japanese invasion is delayed one turn, with the loss of NMP's used and the whole process is repeated on a later turn. --------------------------------- Food fight? Enjoy some healthy debate in the Yahoo! Answers Food & Drink Q&A.