by Tom Reinecker
Rules & Game Details
30 Nations/Players
Builds
Builds may be made on any starting home center OR in any supply center that has been owned for at least two years. (captured in F01, build is possible in F03)
This rule variation is in place for two important reasons. The first reason allows for rapid expansion around a large globe. If all units started at home only, the game would take far too long and would be too difficult to expand effectively. The other reason for this change is there are a few landlocked powers that would otherwise have no chance at true global domination, stuck on their home continent with no real chance of winning. These powers need access to the seas so they may reach these far flung areas of the world. Instead of allowing IMMEDIATE builds on new supply centers, the reasoning can be thought of as the time needed for a conquering nation to quell all resistance and demonstrations, also giving this new center the time to recognize their newfound important role in the ever expanding nation they are now a big part of. With time the citizens will support a new unit being built in their own home, they appreciate the peace and stability that has been brought to them by your nation after they grow accostomed to the new ways.
The added year also allows others to try and block or prepare for this possible future build giving them time to maneuver their units into or away from these areas.
United Nations and Victory
Unique new rule to WW4 is the advent of the UN.
Each power holds one vote in the UN. At any time during the course of the game a vote may be called to declare a winner of the contest. Only the power with the MOST supply centers held may be declared winner. (you may not vote to have a minor power win, a power may not win by being “nice” alone! The leading player can not be cheated out of his lead by voting for another lesser power.) One half of the UN votes (15 votes) will end the war and decide the winner. For those who do not vote, it will be assumed that all NON-VOTES are from pacifistic nations uniterested in the worlds events. These will be considered votes to end the warfare.
………………There IS a twist however:
Each power, at the start of the game, will declare one of his starting centers as his capital city (to be marked with an “X”). This capital city will empower its conqueror one single vote in the UN upon the elimination of its original owner.
Ex. If power “A” loses his capital to power “B”, Power “A” may still vote in the UN (assuming he is still alive). Once power “A” is eliminated, his one vote will go to whomever controls Power “A’s” capital city. (To the victor go the spoils so to speak) This capital city may NOT be changed at any time during the game for any reason.
Powers may “collect” these extra UN votes and vote with them as they see fit. (although ALL votes are cast together, no “splitting” votes)
The winner of the contest will be the first to either control ½ of all supply centers, or be declared winner by the United Nations. (15 votes)
If a power receives 15 votes he will be declared the victor of the war and hostilities will cease. All remaining powers will share in survival. There will certainly be an incentive for many weak powers to vote to end the game so they assure themselves survival credit, others will be firm in their refusal to grant their enemy any votes…this is a wild world that can not be predicted very well.
Formal Alliances
A new idea will be tried in this game, the idea of formal alliances fascinated me and how they could be used for good or bad, here is the info:
Each power has the option to enter a formal peace
Alliance with any power(s) they wish. Formal alliances will work as follows:
Alliances will offer a great degree of peace to each member that is allied. Peace must come at a cost…
Any two powers may enter into a formal peace alliance during the summit meeting phase of the game. Summit meetings will be held each season lasting approximately 48 hours after orders are due
The first Summit Meeting will start Wednesday, January 30th 9pm US EST and end Friday, February 1st, 9pm US EST.
Formal Alliances are between any TWO powers. To enter into a “FA” each side must post in the forums it’s ratification of the alliance during the Summit meeting phase. These “FA’s” may be broken by either power making a formal declaration of it’s desire to end the alliance during a Summit meeting. While an alliance consists of TWO members only, a group of powers may join in a mutual alliance of sorts…
If power “A” allies with power “B” and “C”
Power “B” allies with power “A” and “C”
Power “C” allies with power “B” and “A”
This in effect is a three way alliance where none can touch the other, however, if one power drops out of the alliance, the entire alliance is not destroyed, only the two member pact that was affected.
Partners in a formal alliance may not attack another partners contolled supply center nor may they support another power into their partners scontrolled supply centers, any orders doing so will be declared invalid orders. This “guaranteed” peace comes at a cost however;
As strategic allies, each power may have some of their troops under the supervision of their allies commanders. These foreign commanders may choose to move troops as they see fit. Each member of a formal alliance may submit orders overiding the orders for ONE unit of their ally. If two allies submit conflicting orders, then the FIRST set rec’d will take precidence over the later orders. These order “overides” are just that…Overides to the owning power, the owner of the unit has no recourse and can not change these orders. The units receiving these orders must still follow the rules of any alliances they are in regardless of who orders them where. Foreign commanders must also abide by their own alliances and may not order anothers troops (or support others) into an allys supply centers.
These overide orders MAY be made to move an ally off a supply center enabling another power to enter but no direct attacks may be made on an ally. The alliance will almost certainly be called off in the next Summit meeting, but the damage has been done!
These overide orders can also be helpful to an alliance, if one power gets a last minute bit of information, he can move one ally unit to actually help the ally as well, it can go either way. Remember, overide orders may also not be “surprises” either, a ‘stab” of ones ally can be cleverly done by having a third party do the “dirty work’ for you and make one look “innocent” in the stab. Lots of possibilities here!
Overide orders will be noted as such on order results
Formal Allies may NOT submit UN votes for each other.
A clarification and example:
A power may have more than one unit ordered by it’s allies. Each ally may move only one unit but all allies combined may move as many units as that power has allies. (formal allies)
Also, First orders rec’d are the accepted overide orders. If a power changes an overide order then the next order “in line” will take precedence over the changed order. This includes duplicated orders.
example:
Lets use standard Dip for an example (I don’t want to give anyone any ideas)
Germany, France and Italy are in formal alliances with each other. (remember, there are no 3 way alliances…each alliance is 2 way only. G allies with F & I. I allies with G & F. F allies with G & I)
This alliance is working well for move after move, the safety it provides works well for all involved. Germany and Italy decide to secretly work with England and “stab” France…
Germany orders French fleet English Channel to MAO, the Italian orders French Fleet Irish Sea to NAO. The Germans also order their army in Munich to Burgundy. These can all happen as there was no attack on an allied supply center by an ally (Germany could not move from, say, Burgundy to Paris).
Lets take the same example above…
Lets assume in a ridiculous world that France is also allied with Russia, IF Russia had ordered F English Channel to North Sea, The first order rec’d by the GM will be accepted. It does not matter when the prder was sent, the first rec’d will be accepted.
If The Germans order for the English Channel was first, his orders would overide the French orders as well as the Russian orders. IF the Germans changed their mind and decided to instead move the English Channel to Wales, then the Russian orders would take over.
I honestly don’t think this will happen too much at all, but it is certainly in the realm of possibility and must be spelled out. I am interested to see if anyone will use this optional alliance, is the price of peace too high? If this IS indeed used frequently, I wonder how many will “stage” stabs designed to sucker a third party…could be interesting!