Slitherine

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ORIGINAL: Lobster

If you are going to do this:

Special rules for Finland
Throughout the war Finland kept close ties to the Western Allies, and never signed a formal alliance with Germany. In the game this means that if the Russians tries to conquer Finland before turn 214 by taking a hex with a red star the USA, will reduce Lend Lease to Russian (-2 supply to Russia). In addition the German units in Norway will activate and can be sent to support Finland. These effects are cancelled if the Finns or the Germans take any hex between (268,89) and (274,101) on the Kirov rail line or on turn 214 whichever comes first.

Then you have to do it completely, not just for one side. The Finns MUST stop their offensive in first week of November along the entire front. That was part of the U.S. demands and the Finns did stop. So if you want to get historical do it for both sides, not just one.

From Wiki:

Finland maintained good relations with a number of other Western powers. Foreign volunteers from Sweden and Estonia were among the foreigners who joined Finnish ranks; Infantry Regiment 200, called soomepoisid ("Finnish boys"), mostly comprised Estonians, while the Swedes mustered the Swedish Volunteer Battalion.[110] The Finnish government stressed that Finland was fighting as a co-belligerent with Germany against the USSR only to protect itself and that it was still the same democratic country as it had been in the Winter War.[98] For example, Finland maintained diplomatic relations with the exiled Norwegian government and more than once criticised German occupation policy in Norway.[111] Relations between Finland and the United States were more complex; the US public was sympathetic to the "brave little democracy" and had anti-communist sentiments. At first, the United States sympathised with the Finnish cause, but the situation became problematic after the Finnish Army crossed the 1939 border.[112] Finnish and German troops were a threat to the Kirov Railway and the northern supply line between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union.[112] On 25 October 1941, the US demanded that Finland cease all hostilities against the USSR and withdraw behind the 1939 border. In public, President Ryti rejected the demands, but in private, he wrote to Mannerheim on 5 November asking him to halt the offensive. Mannerheim agreed and secretly instructed General Hjalmar Siilasvuo and his III Corps to end the assault on the Kirov Railway.

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not allowing to blow major bridges until enemy contact makes things more interesting

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2. The Soviet player is not allowed to blown bridges until Turn 3. Again: to simulate the initial shock.
3. Major bridges (the ones on the major roads) can only be blown up by a dug in unit (with exception of tank and motorized recon units) or by any form of engineers.
4. Blowing major bridges is only allowed when in contact with the enemy. Rule of the thumb: enemy visible one hex away from the bridge means "in contact".
5. The defending player (e.g. in 41-42 by definition Soviet) should not attack the hexes taken by the attacker in attacker's phase.
This is quite a hard rule but it prevents the situation where only 6SP out of 90SP attacking stack takes control over the hex thus unrealisticly exposing itself to full blow of the opponent in next turn.
This one relates to the hexes. Normally in hex games the attacker is allowed to move any attacking unit to the hex. Hence the above rule makes sense (and a lot of difference) in this scenario

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ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

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2. The Soviet player is not allowed to blown bridges until Turn 3. Again: to simulate the initial shock.
3. Major bridges (the ones on the major roads) can only be blown up by a dug in unit (with exception of tank and motorized recon units) or by any form of engineers.
4. Blowing major bridges is only allowed when in contact with the enemy. Rule of the thumb: enemy visible one hex away from the bridge means "in contact".
5. The defending player (e.g. in 41-42 by definition Soviet) should not attack the hexes taken by the attacker in attacker's phase.
This is quite a hard rule but it prevents the situation where only 6SP out of 90SP attacking stack takes control over the hex thus unrealisticly exposing itself to full blow of the opponent in next turn.
This one relates to the hexes. Normally in hex games the attacker is allowed to move any attacking unit to the hex. Hence the above rule makes sense (and a lot of difference) in this scenario

The part about blowing bridges gets murky in the middle. I'm confused about what's allowed and what's not. I get the part about no dropping bridges until T3, and having to have leg movement troops do the dropping of the bridge, unless they are engineers, and all that but why not allow the defender to reclaim the bridge after the attacker grabs it? The attacker might be forced out of the hex during the defenders turn. So what?

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And at what point to the Germans blow up bridges in the first turns. Because they bombed the hell out of them.

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ORIGINAL: larryfulkerson

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And at what point to the Germans blow up bridges in the first turns. Because they bombed the hell out of them.

Yeah, that's another thing that gives me heartburn...no bombing of bridges and no INT missions. Those rules ruin the game for me. Too unrealistic. For the Axis not to use it's planes to do those missions is like tying one hand behind your back and trying to fight that way. I'd rather not play the Axis side if I can't do that. If those rules are needed for balance then balance your scenario some other way. A special rule about the Soviet side skipping T1 is a better way to balance a scenario but it sounds rather harsh on the Soviets. Why not deploy them in garrison mode so that the Soviet player doesn't have to give it a single thought.

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ORIGINAL: docgaun
Your suggestions are noted. However, we try to keep the house rules to a minimum.

I am pretty sure that Kristian would kill anybody as German with those house rules you present. Partisans are a German option. So, they usually stay in game.

To answer your requests.
1. It’s based-on calculation of historical available air transport at the time. Just after Crete, the Germans were low on Ju-52. So, it’s completely historical. Split your Brandenburger’s, to maximize the effects.

2. All options are described in the short briefing, and its effects can be seen on the spreadsheet, in details.

I think we all agree that the Germans have to be buffed slightly, but without house rules if possible. We have just seen the effects of the latest changes, the Pz,Mech,mot halved conversion cost, the 3 offensive chits.

From what we have seen it seems more balanced, but there is no way you can simulate every historical feat. Some are simply down to personal courage and initiative, like the Brandenburgers disguised as wounded Soviet soldiers taking bridges. Or indeed that the Germans took Crete, at all.

So, after seeing games of Fite2, and playing with Kristian, I still hold that opinion that planning and attacking skillfully as Axis, does make it real hard as Soviets. Kristian almost destroyed me, and I am very good at playing the Soviets. It was down to blind luck (2 turns ending with failed proficiency at 1 or 2 rounds).

Having said that, there will in the next version be some nerfing to the Soviet side, and perhaps some buffs for the Axis, still to be decided. However, it’s very close to balanced when it comes to Kristian and me.

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Well, I will disagree with the T1.

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ORIGINAL: BigDuke66

Just wondering if other stuff needs to be updated, the FITE2 graphics folder is pretty full including FITE2.col, FITE2.eqp, FITE2.nqp and FITE2.sce all from 2017, does none of them need an update to 1.6?

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ORIGINAL: Lobster

The bridges at Riga nearest the sea are broken. Even though they get blown up units can cross them at one MP at 184, 266. Makes it kind of pointless blowing the bridges. There have been a couple of other places like this but I didn't make note of the locations. Kind of wonder about the design decision to make major rivers into minor rivers at bridges. That one has me scratching my head.