On Blockhausen

[Clausewitz]

I wonder if we can find a consensus as to exactly what form a blockhouse/fortification piece for AAR would take. What works for D-Day may not necessarily work in other games.
For example,
Should the piece fire in opening fire or fight as a normal unit?
Can it return fire against bombarding ships?
Can pieces invading by AA, or bombers, specifically target blockhausen?
Should the piece be in a neutral colour, or be nation specific?
Can the piece be captured like AA guns?
Should the piece be considered to defend all borders of the territory it is built in, or just one specific border?
Can you build more than one BH in a territory, or just one for each border?
What sort of cost versus defence strength ratio will make the piece cost effective over simply buying infantry to defend a territory?

Perhaps if we can narrow this down a bit I might get a poll on this up and running.

[pagan]

a fortification along the lines of AdvAAE by DerPanzinator, could work without breaking the game into blocks of defenses I think.

Should the piece fire in opening fire or fight as a normal unit?
---enhances INf 1 for 1 in defense

Can it return fire against bombarding ships?
---nope.

Can pieces invading by AA, or bombers, specifically target blockhausen?
---nope, but they can be selected as a casualty (as in destroyed)

Should the piece be in a neutral colour, or be nation specific?
---just a stack of chips to capture the strength of the fortifications. As they increase the INF defense 1 for 1. They also take time to build up.

Can the piece be captured like AA guns?
---yep. But I would blow them up as casualties in defense.

Should the piece be considered to defend all borders of the territory it is built in, or just one specific border?
---this is not a squad game.

Can you build more than one BH in a territory, or just one for each border?
---FORT are built up to 1 per round per territory at a cost of 2IPcs. This happens at the begining of the turn (purchase phase) and there must be at least 2INF in that zone to build it. there is no maximum number of FORTs that can be placed in a territory.

What sort of cost versus defence strength ratio will make the piece cost effective over simply buying infantry to defend a territory?
enhaces the defense of INF by 1 ; on a 1to1 basis: 1FORt increases 1INF defense. the FORT does not have an att/def number. [2INF+1FORT in defense would be one INF defend at 2, one INF defend at 3]

I'll post the DerPanzinator rules excerpt here later...

[General Norde]

Defense has already the advantage in the game and furthermore, the amphibious-assaulting-player (that name sounds wierd) has to build transports to make his move. So I think adding a def bonus will only encourage stacking and slow the game. If you want to defend, buy inf and fighters or sink the bad guys' fleet. No point of adding a rule and unit according to me.

[Beast1313131]

yeah, i dont think that there should be yet another unit. it works for DDay but not a large area map.

[pagan]

does not bog down in defensive clogs. Works quite nicely for AdvAAE Advanced Axis & Allies Europe

Fortifications:
· Fortifications cost 2 IPC each.
· They may be placed on any territory that was friendly controlled at the beginning of the current players turn.
· A maximum of one fortification can be placed per turn per territory.
· There must be at least two infantry units in the space to build.
· Building a fortification does not inhibit Infantry movement/combat.
· Fortifications do not attack or defend but can be used as causalities.
· Each fortification increases one infantry to defend with a 3.
· An unlimited amount of fortifications can be built in any space.
· Fortifications can be captured if the defending space is unoccupied by enemy units.

[General Norde]

I've played games where defensive stacks had tremendous bonuses (artillery support, better stats, every territory flak) and it often ended up in stackpilling. And anyway, Atlantic wall NA wasn't written for fools, it was meant to be used.

[Stephen]

Shouldn't the title read "On blockhäuse"?

[Clausewitz]

Shouldn't the title read "On blockhäuse"?
Shouldn't that be Steffan from Neue Braunschwigge?

[Stephen]

Shouldn't that be Steffan from Neue Braunschwigge?
Or Neue Braunschweige? Maybe one of my German brüder can correct us :)

[Atlantikwall]

Or Neue Braunschweige? Maybe one of my German brüder can correct us :)Neubraunschweig (one word)! And it is spelled "Brüder" (with capital letters) which is "brothers" for all non-german-speakers! Btw, it`s: "Blockhaus" (singular) and "Blockhäuser" (plural). But nowerdays, nobody would think of a fortification with this term, it´s just a special sort of houses. Guess how we would call it: a "Bunker" (bunker) or propably "Wehrbunker"!