THE GREAT STEAM WAR

A Mod by Matthew Oztalay

Based upon Axis and Allies By Avalon Hill

(248)568-3772 moztalay@c.ringling.edu

http://webspace.ringling.edu/~moztalay

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TABLES OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION, STATE OF THE WORLD, THE WORLD POWERS 3 Theocratic Republic of Ra 4 United Soviet Socialist Republics 5 American Tribal Federation 6 Pan-Asian Imperial Protectorate 7 Aryan Coalition 8

BEFORE YOU START

Pick your Nation, The Board 9 Islands, Land Bridges, Dice, Control Markers 10 IPCs, National Production Chart, Reference Card 11 Combat Forces, Plastic Chips 12

PLAYING THE GAME Starting Units, Victory, Round Sequence, Placement 13 Phase 1, Phase 2 14

Turn Sequence

Tank Blitzing, Fighters 16

Movement Rules

Carriers & Unit Transport, Retreats 17 Capturing Territory 18 Phase 3, Phase 4 19 THE UNITS Land Units Tanks, Factories 21

: Infantry 20

Air Units Carrier Zeppelins 23

: Fighters 22

War Zeppelins 24 CREDITS 25

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Introduction

The world is, obviously, a different place than we would think. The Great Steam War takes place in a different world, although quite similar to our own, the landmasses are similar; the powers are in similar places. This is not, however, World War 2, this is the second Great Steam War, wherein behemoths of Helium and Steel plow the skies, bred for war. Choose your side, and decide the fate of the world!

The State of the World

The year is 1940, and once again the world is on the brink of war. Zeppelins now rule the sky, and steam rules the ground. Great behemoths of steel and helium plow the skyways, almost completely eliminating the need for a naval force. The world is poised on the edge of chaos, awaiting the final straw that breaks the camel’s back. 30 years have passed since The First Great Steam War, which devastated the Ottoman Sultanate, and left the world in a shambles. The intervening time has seen the rise of the Aryan Coalition and the United Soviet Socialist Republic, as well as the economic expansion of the Theocratic Republic of Ra. But not all is right with the world; the Aryan Coalition has already overrun Europe. The Pan-Asian Imperial Protectorate may soon silence cries of ceasefire from the American Tribal Federation. All the while the Soviets bide their time, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

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The World Powers

Theocratic Republic of Ra Pharaoh Isotehp

Early in its history the nation of Egypt was great and powerful. The once-glorious trade empire was slowly beginning to wane toward 300 BC, but the fault line under Africa had spread faster and farther than any other in the world, driving Eastern Egypt farther and farther away from its Western enemies. In so doing the once freshwater Nile turned into the Nile Sea, as salt water from the Mediterranean filled the ever-widening gap. Due to a steady supply of fresh water from the Sinai province, the Eastern half of Egypt redoubled its growth efforts to control the entire Eastern African seaboard, but due to the lack of fresh water West Africa fell into severe drought, making the area effectively uninhabitable. Only recently has the Theocratic Republic of Ra begun to re-evaluate the economic viability of the area with the advent of Zeppelin travel, and its capability to bring water to wherever it was needed. The TRR was a close ally of the Ottoman Sultanate, and minor border skirmishes have developed all along the border between the USSR’s new territory and the TRR. Could this spark the global powder keg?

In the Sahara Desert

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United Soviet Socialist Republics Comrade Vladimir Lenin

The Romanov might of Russia swiftly crush the Ottoman Sultanate in a few key, vicious battles. Unfortunately the move was highly unpopular with the people of the Russian Empire, and calls of abdication filled the country. Answering the call was none other than Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks. The Romanovs stepped down from power peacefully, and since then the newly minted United Soviet Socialist Republics have prospered and thrived, becoming a culturally and technologically wealthy nation. With the advent of Zeppelin travel even the farthest reaches of the Republic are well within reach of the resource-hungry nation, further aiding its growth. During their expansion the USSR ran across some rather hostile tribes in the Ural area. It was then, in the early 1910’s that the Soviets were the first to develop Weaponized Dirigibles, or in the native tongue VepinDirig, improving on the Aierobooten technology of the Holy Roman Empire.

USSR Rally

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American Tribal Federation Grand Chief Broken Arrow

The West’s continued, failed, attempts to conquer the New World had a profound impact on the tribes of the New World. The disparate tribes realized the need to unify, and so they did. The American Tribal Federation flourished under their unified efforts, borrowing Zeppelin technology from the USSR to connect the various tribal outposts. Recently the nation has decried the actions of the Aryan Coalition, calling for a ceasefire before the fighting reaches the front door of their closest ally, the USSR.

ATF Mountain Outpost

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Pan-Asian Imperial Protectorate Emperor Hirohito

Quietly the Pan-Asian Imperial Protectorate has taken control of South Eastern Asian, extending their reach as far south as Australia, but has not progressed further for fear of angering the ATF’s allies in the Western half of Australia. Hirohito recognizes the might the ATF could bring to bear should it be provoked, and is attempting to avoid it at all costs, at least until Hirohito knows the Aryans will be able to help in a hammer/anvil action against the ATF from the Northwest, and the Egyptians can further distract the Russians.

Mt. Fuji at Dawn

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Berlin Aryan Coalition High Chancellor Adolf Hitler

High Chancellor Adolf Hitler rose as The People’s Leader from the ashes of the Holy Roman Empire at the end of the Great War. He campaigned for the Chancellery of the country on a platform of racial and social equality. This caused the substantial Buddhist population of the former HRE to cast their lot with him. Sadly, the country fell into a rather bad spot of economic despair, and when the citizens cried for blood, the cries slowly focused on the Buddhist. Hitler had no choice but to placate his people. When this spun the country into further unrest, Hitler reformed the nation into the Aryan Coalition, under the banner of a temporary emergency executive control of the country. That was 10 years ago, since then the AC has slowly crept outward, into the Franspanian territories to the West, and now to the Slavic Confederacy in the East. Recently his expansion has slowed as protest from the American Tribal Federation has increased. The Holy Roman Empire was the first to create Zeppelins, classifying them as Aierobooten. They were implemented to unexpected effect in The Great War as reconnaissance platforms. Hitler’s development of the Aierobooten as a weapons platform started later than the USSR, but quickly matched its pace. The Aierobooten were especially effective in the Aryan conquest of Great Britain in the last 5 years, enabling the Aryans to put boot to ground rather expeditiously.

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Before You Start

Pick Your Nation The nations of The Great Steam War are divided into two sides, “The Socialists” and “The Capitalists”. Players cannot switch sides during the game. You may decide amongst yourself who plays which nation. Calling dibs is a just fine, or if you prefer a more random approach one player may hold the reference cards upside down, and every player then picks a reference card and that is the country they will play for the duration of the game.

Soviet Union – Red “The Socs”

American Tribal Federation – Green

Pan-Asian Imperial Protectorate – Orange “The Caps”

Aryan Coalition – Dark Grey Theocratic Republic of Ra - Tan

Less Than 5 Players? Should you wish to play, but have less than 5 players available, one person can control more than one nation, just make sure whichever nations that person controls are not on opposite sides!

The Board Each country starts out in control of the territories with the nation’s corresponding color.

Hostile: Controlled by an Enemy Power Territories

Friendly: Controlled by you or an allied power Neutral: (Light Grey) Controlled by no one at the start of the game, but can be taken over by anyone. Neutral territories increase the income of the controlling country by the amount indicated in the territory.

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Islands Islands are landmasses surrounded by one sea territory and only contain one territory. For example, LON and SVL are islands. WGR/NPL/GRL is not an island. Islands count as one territory for the purpose of movement (players do not have to move into the sea around an island, then onto the island)

Land Bridges

A number of “land bridges” link various territories throughout the world. This means the gap between the territories is sufficiently small that land units can cross un-aided by zeppelins.

Circumnavigating the Globe The territories at the edge of the map are the same territory, and players can move units around the globe through these territories. Being that the world is not a torus, this only works horizontally (East/West) not vertically (North/South).

Dice

Throughout this manual dice will be referred to as “d” then the number of sides. So the standard dice used in Craps will be referred to as “d6”. The other three types of dice used in The Great Steam War are the four-sided die (d4), the eight-sided die (d8), and the two-sided die –flip a control marker, icon-side up is the higher of the two as indicated on your reference card, the cardboard-side up is the lower of the two numbers. Defenders dice rolls are modified; this simply means you add that number to your die roll.

The Dice

Control Markers

Each country has a number of control markers, with that country’s corresponding symbol. Use these control markers when capturing enemy or neutral territory, or indicating on the victory cities chart that your nation controls someone else’s victory city. These markers are also used to indicate the amount of Industrial Production Credits you receive at the end of your turn on the National Production Chart.

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National Production Chart Place a control marker on the number corresponding to your starting number of Industrial Production credits as denoted on your country’s reference chart. Move your control marker as you gain or lose territory through the game.

Reference Cards

Each nation has its own reference card that provides at-a-glance information on that country’s starting units, the statistics for each unit, and the turn and round sequence.

Industrial Production Credits These are the money of The Great Steam War world. Each nation starts out with different amounts, based on the total supply value of its territories. Use these to purchase units at the start of your turn.

Though you have allies, you cannot give them your IPCs.

USSR – 30 ATF – 24 AC – 24 PAIP – 30 TRR - 24

Reference Cards

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Combat Forces

Each nation has a number of combat forces in different colors. These plastic pieces denote 1 of that type of unit

USSR – Red Nation

ATF – Green AC – Dark Grey PAIP – Orange TRR - Tan

Infantry Unit Types

Tank Fighter Carrier Zeppelin War Zeppelin

Plastic Chips

Obviously the board would quickly become overcrowded if players used one unit token to denote each of that unit type. Plastic chips have been provided to use to denote multiple of a given type of unit. Grey chips indicate one, and red chips indicate five units. Thus, stacking three grey chips underneath one infantry token indicates four total infantry. Stacking one red token underneath an infantry token indicates six total infantry.

Three grey chips and an infantry token, or four infantry.

Cockpit of an Aryan War Zeppelin

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Each country starts off with a specific number of each type of unit unique to that nation. Nations take turn placing their units in their territory at the start of the game in reverse round order (specified below). Sides can coordinate their unit placement.

Playing the Game

Each nation’s turn consists of phases, which occur in a fixed sequence. Collecting income is the only mandatory part of your turn, all others are voluntary. Play continues until one side completely annihilates the units and territory of the other side.

Starting Units

Unit USSR ATF AC PAIP TRR Infantry 14 10 8 10 8

Tank 5 3 2 3 2 Fighter 4 2 1 3 1

Carrier Zeppelin 2 1 1 1 1 War Zeppelin 2 2 1 2 1

Factory 2 2 2 2 2 Victory

One side wins the game when that side controls 100% of the territories in the game. If one side captures all the opposing side’s territory AND eliminates all that side’s units the game is over. If one side no longer controls territory, but has units, the game continues until those units are destroyed Players can also agree to declare one side the victor at their discretion after 10 rounds.

Placing Units

To start the game, place units in your home territory in the order below.

TRR Place Order

USSR PAIP ATF AC

Round Sequence

The Great Steam War is played in rounds. A round consists of each nation taking a turn, and then checking to see if one side or the other has won the game. Round order is NOT decided by a roll of the dice.

The round order below is the order to be followed during the game.

AC Round Order

ATF PAIP USSR TRR

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Turn Sequence

Phase 1: Purchase Units Phase 2: Movement/Combat

Phase 3: Place New Units Phase 4: Collect Income

Phase 1: Purchase Units

At the beginning of your turn you have the option to purchase units with your Industrial Production Credits (IPCs). Each unit has an associated IPC cost:

Infantry - 3 Tanks - 8 Fighters - 10 Carrier Zeppelins - 12 War Zeppelins - 18 Factory - 15

You cannot buy units if you do not have the IPCs to cover the cost. You cannot purchase additional units after you start your combat moves. Do not place units on the board yet. Set them in the marshalling area on the board.

Should you forget to buy units before you start moving your units, you can still buy units as long as you have not resolved any

combat .

Phase 2: Movement/Combat To resolve combat, both sides roll the number and variety of dice corresponding to that of their forces. Players modify this role if they are defending according to the numbers in their defense column. The player with this highest cumulative die roll is the winner. This total die roll is the damage that player deals to the losing player’s forces according to the rules on this and the following page.

The losing player deals half his die roll in damage to the winning player following the rules on this and the following page.

Both players then divide the damage dealt amongst their forces, looking to maximize casualties. Something must be destroyed if at all possible. Each unit has a health value; this is the maximum amount of damage a unit can take before it is destroyed. Units can be destroyed if damage is greater than half the unit’s health (rounded up). A unit cannot “absorb” damage. You cannot spread five damage amongst five tanks, because one damage per unit cannot destroy anything. You can destroy one tank, and the remaining damage would be dissipated because it cannot destroy another unit.

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War Zeppelins are they only unit which can be partially destroyed. They can absorb five damage as a “hit”, then another five damage and it will be destroyed. To repair a War Zeppelin the owning player can pay 7 IPCs during his place new units or purchase units. No other units can take “half” damage. The unit is either destroyed or not. Dividing damage can be a gray area, as damage dealt will not always divide equally into your forces. Players should use their discretion in this situation. If the other players feel that a player is not properly distributing damage they can vote to redistribute the damage more efficiently.

If any damage dealt cannot destroy a unit outright, but is greater than half the unit’s health (rounded down, so 3 damage could potentially destroy a fighter), the unit is destroyed. If damage dealt cannot destroy a unit outright, but is less than half the unit’s health, that damage is negated. Combat can last more than one set of dice rolling. At any point in this stage the attacker can choose to call off the attack and retreat to friendly territory. Those units cannot move for the rest of your turn. Units do not have to border the territory they attack, but must be able to move into the territory they are attacking. Units can move a number of Territories equal to the amount in their “move” column. Moving from a sea territory to a land territory is moving one territory. Island territories count as one whole territory for the purpose of movement. If a unit attacks it cannot move again that turn.

TRR Attacks with 3 infantry, 2 tanks, and a war zeppelin. The USSR defends with 2 infantry, and 2 tanks.

For example:

The TRR rolls 3d2 + 2d4 + 1d8, and the USSR rolls 2d4-2 + 2d4+2. The TRR roll totals 19, and the USSR roll totals 13. The TRR deals 19 damage (to the nearest unit), and the USSR deals 7 damage (to the nearest unit). Infantry have a health of 1, tanks have a health of 5, and war zeppelins have a health of 10, but can absorb 5 damage without being destroyed, but the next 5 damage it takes will destroy it. SO, the USSR’s total health is 12, and is completely destroyed. The TRR chooses to have the War Zeppelin absorb five damage, and removes two infantry (2 damage total).

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Movement Rules

Tank Blitzing Tanks can move through unoccupied neutral or enemy territory and engage in combat in the next territory. When tanks blitz their nation gains control of the unoccupied territory, and the territory in which the tank ends its movement (assuming is succeeds in its attack). Tanks are the only units that can capture unoccupied territory solely by moving through it.

Fighter Movement

Fighters have a movement range of 4. Fighters cannot land in newly captured territory, and so must spend part of their movement returning to land in allied territory or carrier zeppelin. Fighters can land in carriers in newly-captured territory as long as the carrier is not full. If a fighter cannot land on a carrier or in friendly territory, it cannot attack. Fighters MUST be able to return to friendly territory or carrier at the conclusion of their attack.

All units can end their movement in Allied territory, and will be rolled for in the defense of that territory by the person who controls that territory. (This includes fighters)

Tank Blitzing

Infantry- 1 Unit Movement (In Territories per Turn)

Tanks- 2 Fighters- 4 Carrier Zeppelins- 2 War Zeppelins- 2

Fighter Movement, Ending on a Carrier

In this instance the ATF will gain control of both VNC and YUK.

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Carriers and Transporting Units

Carrier Zeppelins, as their name implies, carry units. War Zeppelins, because of their size, can also carry units.

Carrier Zeppelins can carry a maximum of three units, which could be any combination of infantry, fighters, and tanks. Fighters can land on carriers occupying newly captured territory. War Zeppelins can carry a maximum of one land

unit, be it a tank or an infantry.

Moving LAND units into a zeppelin counts as moving one territory. Moving land units off a zeppelin counts as moving one territory, and can count as an attack. This does not apply to air units. Zeppelins can offload land units into enemy territory and engage in combat in that territory in the same turn. You can choose to NOT offload the land units a Zeppelin is carrying, but if that Zeppelin is destroyed, those units are lost and not counted as taking damage in combat.

If a Zeppelin engages in combat over a sea territory, the land units it carries cannot engage in combat, and cannot take damage as if they were in combat. If the zeppelin carrying the land units is destroyed, the land units are also destroyed. However, fighters in a carrier CAN participate in the defense and are NOT destroyed if the carrier is destroyed. If the fighters are over a sea territory or newly-captured territory then and their carrier is destroyed, they must retreat to the closest allied territory.

All Possible Carrier Loads

Retreating

If an attacker does not completely annihilate the defending force in the first round of combat, then the defender has the option to retreat to the nearest allied territory without suffering further losses.

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Capturing Territories

In order to control an enemy territory, the enemy’s units occupying that territory must be destroyed. Once the territory is empty, your units must occupy that territory. If you destroy the enemy units, but the enemy destroys all of your units, you do not automatically gain control of the territory. You can move your units into that territory as part of your movement/combat phase. You MUST occupy a territory at the end of your turn to gain control of it. Since you must be able to move a unit into a territory to attack it, and if you eliminate all occupying forces you move into said territory, then you’ve captured that territory. Once you control a territory you gain the supplies of that territory. Move your control marker on the National Production Chart to your new total IPCs. Also move the control marker of the former owner of that territory to match his new total as well. If you capture a neutral territory, no other nation’s production capacity is affected and you only have to move your control marker on the NPC.

Once you control a territory, you do not need to occupy that territory with your army. Be warned! Enemy tanks can blitz through these territories, or they can be taken with little effort from enemies. You can stagger your attacks, so you could attack first with fighters, and then attack with tanks as separate combat. More than one territory worth of your units can attack a single enemy territory as long as you follow movement rules.

The Battle of Vladivostok

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Phase 3: Place New Units In this phase you may place the units you purchased in Phase 1 on the board. You can place Infantry, Tanks, Carrier Zeppelins, and War Zeppelins, within one territory of a factory you control. Fighters can be placed in within two territories of a factory you control. Newly-built units cannot be placed in sea territories. Units cannot be placed in newly-captured territory.

Phase 4: Collect Income

After you have placed your units, you collect income in the form of IPCs. You collect income equaling the combined IPC value of the territory you control. To make life easier, simply collect the amount indicated by your control marker on the NPC, instead of adding up all the numbers on the board at the end of your turn.

The Second Battle of Vladivostok

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The Units

Unit Attack Defense Health Move Infantry

Cost d2(0 or 1) d4-1 1 1 3

Tank D4 D4+1 4 2 5 Fighter d6 D6+1 5 4 10

Carrier Zeppelin d2 (1 or 2) D4+1 8 2 16 War Zeppelin d8 D8+1 5,5 2 24

Factory - - - - 15

Starting Units Unit USSR ATF AC PAIP

Infantry TRR

14 10 8 10 8 Tank 5 3 2 3 2

Fighter 4 2 1 3 1 Carrier Zeppelin 2 1 1 1 1

War Zeppelin 2 2 1 2 1 Factory 2 2 2 2 2

Infantry Land Units

Standard Infantry, equipped with semiautomatic rifles, grenades, field rations, and shovels. Easy and inexpensive to train, weak against vehicles, although gains bonuses when defending because they can entrench themselves and build up proper defensive fortifications.

Attack Defend Health Move Cost

d2 (0 or 1) d4-1 1 1 3

TRR Warrior

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Tanks Most heavily developed during the Great War, though designers saw little need to change tanks after their devastating effect in the Great War. The baseline technology has been improved, certainly, but the overall design aesthetic has not. Some designers are working on “reversible” tanks for traversing heavy terrain.

• Blitzing: Tanks can move through unoccupied neutral or enemy territory and engage in combat in the next territory. When tanks blitz their controlling nation gains control of the territory it passes through.

Attack Defend Health Move Cost

D4 D4+1 4 2 8

AC USSR

Factories

Factories are the heart of any military-industrial complex. Units are produced at these smog-belching colossi, spewing out guns, tanks, fighters, and zeppelins. Whoever occupies a territory with a factory in it can build from that factory.

• Allies cannot build from factories you control. • You cannot build from newly-built factories. • Factories cannot be destroyed. • There is no limit to the number of units that can be produced from a factory.

Factories cost 15 IPCs to build.

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Air Units

Fighter Aeroplane technology varies from nation to nation. Some use steam-induction, others simply use steam power to run propellers. All share the trait of having wings and guns. These units can travel quite a distance, but must return to a friendly landing strip at the end of a combat mission.

Attack Defend Health Move Cost d6 D6+1 5 4 10

TRR AC PAIP

ATF USSR

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Carrier Zeppelin These behemoth Zeppelins are used to transport land and air units across vast expanses of land or sea. Though they have very little offensive capabilities, they become a tangled web of anti-aircraft fire on the defensive.

• Can carry any combination of 3 of the following: infantry, tanks, fighters.

Attack Defend Health Move Cost d2 (1 or 2) D4+1 8 2 12

TRR PAIP USSR

AC ATF

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War Zeppelin Though similar in size, the War Zeppelin’s role is almost exclusively ground combat. Armed with large cannons and bombs, images of fleets of War Zeppelins fill the nightmares of every citizen presently under Aryan rule, as a testament to their terrible power. If a War Zeppelin is damaged (absorbed 5 damage), but not destroyed, a player can pay 7 IPCs to repair it during either their Phase 1 or Phase 3. A War Zeppelin’s attack and defense is not affected by being damaged.

• Can carry one land unit.

Attack Defend Health Move Cost d8 d8+1 5,5 2 18

TRR AC PAIP

ATF USSR

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Credits

Design…… Matthew Oztalay Artwork…… Matthew Oztalay QA Lead…… Matthew Oztalay Manual…… Matthew Oztalay

Inspired by the designs of Sillof Based upon

Axis and Allies by Avalon Hill

Playtesters Tony Sladky Jeremy Griffith Jarrah Bautista Monty Bess Tyler Good Kathryn Laczin Kuo Yu Lu Hayden McGowan Pete Richmond Logan Scelina Larry Vallely Shannon Vesey

Blind Playtesters Aaron Egan Ben Oztalay Alex Rovinski Matthew Sunderlin Jim Smith

Special Thanks to Tony Sladky Who playtested with me damn near every game I played. Your feedback and camaraderie was invaluable throughout this entire project. Jeremy Griffith For those wonderful late-night playtests that resulted in so many great things. Daniele Nanni,

For being one of the coolest professors I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the course of my academic career.

My Blind Playtesters You guys had no idea what you were getting involved with, and I thank you guys for sticking with it as far as you did. Your insight was a fresh shot of energy in the final days of this project. My Playtesters (Blind or Otherwise) Seriously, without you guys I don’t know what I would have done. I owe you all so much for the amount of time you put in to testing THE GREAT STEAM WAR, and dissecting Axis and Allies. The Previously Unmentioned GA227_01 Classmates,

Whose invaluable critique pushed me further than I ever thought possible

Cassie Otte For that very last late-night push to the finish line. You kept me going right until the bitter end.

My Family For being so understanding when I had to skip out on Post-Thanksgiving festivities in order to get my homework done, and being the supporting, loving, and caring bunch that you all have always been. And for your general support (financial or otherwise) through all my life’s little adventures.

The Great Steam War

Designed by Matthew Oztalay. Manual, Artwork, Graphics, are all © Matthew Oztalay 2008.

This mod was designed for educational purposes only and by no means intended to infringe upon the copyrights of any individual. All rights reserved.

Axis and Allies is © Avalon Hill.

(248)568-3772 moztalay@c.ringling.edu

http://webspace.ringling.edu/~moztalay