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World War II by Jeff Stein Campaign Game Setting for AFRIKA CAMPAIGN Jeff Stein's WWII board game, for those of you who have not played it, makes for a very enjoyable afternoon or evening of gaming. Our group has made some adaptations to the basic game based of Jeff's extensive rules. One of those adaptations deals with technology. The chart below illustrates a way to keep track of the Technology the Nation Players in Jeff's game resolve their need to improve their military hardware. Each Major Nation is given the opportunity to upgrade their aircraft, armor, and naval units within the constraints of the rules system Jeff established. Explanation follows the chart below... The chart above provides an easy way to track a Nation's investment in technology. Each Nation has been given a goal based of 10% of their projected income if that income remains stable throughout the eight turns of the basic 1942 game. We realize a Nation's income with change as their control of territories changes throughout the game but this system provides a good starting point and is certainly easier to keep track of. We also realize there is a historical record of the technological progression of each Nation that participated in WWII which provides the basis for this system. The historical record provides evidence that most Nations invested as much as was necessary for their survival, the US invested 32% of their 1943 GDP in defense spending, but a workable game average of 10% for "military hardware upgrades" provides a figure that should work within the confines of the rules. We took the beginning income of the major powers and multiplied by the number of years in the game (Germany... 127 X 8 = 1016 as example). 10% of 1016 is 102 rounding up. Germany's goal for advancing existing technology is 102. Their goal for keeping existing technology on track is 51, ...which means they will get the ME-262 in the second half of 1944. To advance the ME-262 by as much as a year the Germans must invest 51 monitory units by the end of 1942 and be successful in their first technology die roll. Not an easy task... The process goes as follows. Using a National marker keep track of how much your nation invests in the technology pool chart above. When the 5% level has been reached the player announces what technology they wish to advance. Roll a d12. If less than a 10 is rolled use another national marker to note the number rolled on the chart to the right of the tech pool. When the nation's pool level gets to 6% another roll is made. If the previous roll and the new roll total equals 10 or more the technology is achieved. A MINOR FACTORY MUST BE BUILT immediately to facilitate construction of the new technological wonder and the new item is available to purchase the next turn. It is possible to achieve two technological developments the same turn. If a player's first roll is 8 or 9 and the second roll is 12 or 11 the player may announce a second technological advancement immediately and either build another minor factory or a major factory to build both of the items acquired that turn. You will note there are 10 colored boxes on the chart above. They are color coded by Nation based on the game colors Jeff used for the different powers. Yellow for Japan through Green for the US. The first national box represents 5% of the nations technological development requirement and is the minimum required to that nation to achieve advances indicated by their "material" chart (see the US chart below) which outlines the progression of equipment improvements like Jets or bigger Tanks. You will also note there are colored dots at additional points along the numerical progression that indicate each additional 1% investment where a nation may attempt to acquire new tech by rolling a d12 again.
The picture below illustrates the US aircraft available for the game pictured above. Note the various types by including the US Navy fighters that can be applied by year. Also note the P-80 Jets and the AD-Skyraider, both weapons that may have arrived if American technology is applied properly at the chart at the top of this page indicates... US technology is expensive but the arrival of jets or the B-29's you can see below a year early in the war may have made a difference in the outcome.
The picture below is of a game using the technology chart and the UK equipment chart above. Note the different types of tanks and artillery. The UK heavy gun (5.5) and the 25# gun are also noted as medium and light Anti-Aircraft plus their normal artillery function. Note the Italian tank and the German MK-III plus the APC and SPG for support. The SPG has armor capabilities of moving 2 to support an armored second attack if applicable.
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