This page is a list of commonly asked questions about gameplay in East & West. See below for a list of rules updates and additions. For frequently asked questions about The Great War, click here.

Can tanks move on non-combat even if they moved during combat?

 

Yes.  If a tank or any other land unit still has movement points remaining following combat, that unit may move to any friendly territory (even newly captured territories) during the non-combat phase.  This effectively raises the value of armored units by preventing them from being easily stranded at the front lines of combat in poorly defended territories.

I captured a Russian territory with Western European troops.  Can I land British or American fighters in that territory to bolster its defense during the same turn?

 

No.  Air units may not land in a territory until the next game turn.  A good rule of thumb is that air units cannot land in a newly captured NATO territory until the Soviet Union has moved. Helicopters are the only exception to this rule.

Do I get to use the troops of a neutral alliance if I successfully influence them with my spy?

No.  Neutral alliances (unlike minor neutrals) only contribute income to one side or the other; they do not ever provide military support.  There are two exceptions to this rule:  first, if a neutral alliance is ever militarily attacked by any nation, all of the troops belonging to the alliance are replaced by the opposing player's troops.  In addition, all territories within the alliance lose their independence and merge with the opposing player.  For example, if the Soviet Union attacks the Arab League, then the Western European player replaces all of the Arab troops with his own, and places his control markers on Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Egypt.  Obviously, an attack on a neutral alliance must be carefully planned to avoid helping the enemy!
For the second exception, see the next question.

When I play the Soviets, can I use Chinese troops on my turn?

Chinese troops may only be used for a limited deployment in North Korea.  This is to represent Mao Zedong's meddling in North Korean politics in the mid-twentieth century.  Only if the Chinese are contributing money to the Soviets (any amount...4, 8, or 16 per round) can the Soviets move Chinese troops.  The player may deploy up to six Chinese troops in North Korea from Manchuria each round on non-combat.  The troops are automatically rebuilt in Manchuria on the following round up to the original maximum (China has never had a shortage of foot soldiers).  These troops may never leave North Korea, and may only defend.  No more than six Chinese infantry may be in North Korea at any time.  The NATO alliance troops are free to attack these troops without violating Chinese neutrality, but they may not move into actual Chinese territory.

 

May I retreat troops from an amphibious assault?

No. Troops attacking from a transport or bomber may never retreat. However, any accompanying air units may retreat, leaving their infantry to battle alone (example: Bay of Pigs). If the attack is a combined assault from land and sea (example: Inchon landing plus Pusan breakout) then the non-amphibious attack may be broken off. This holds true for combined paratrooper and land assaults as well.

If the Soviet Union captures an Allied bomb before learning Fission technology, can they still use the bomb? Do they gain the technology just from capturing the bomb?

If the Soviets capture an American bomb, they can load it into a bomber and use against its former owners, but they do not gain the Fission technology. It takes a lot less know-how to use a bomb than to build it. (That statement could apply to any weapon from a quarter staff to a stealth bomber).

In a nuclear attack, does a battleship count for two of the five units destroyed, or just one?

A battleship absorbs two hits before being destroyed, and counts toward two of the five total units vaporized by the atomic blast.

Are atomic attacks similar to strategic bombing runs, occurring separately from ground combat?

A nuclear attack works exactly like strategic bombing in that the only defenses allowed are whatever AA guns the bomber flies over to get to its target. Note that ballistic missiles also must avoid antiaircraft fire. One difference--unlike with strategic bombing, nuclear strikes may not be combined with conventional strikes (or strategic bombing runs!).

Why can't I combine nuclear and conventional attacks?

The rule is in place for two reasons.

First: Since you must declare nuclear and conventional combat simultaneously, you should assume that the attacks occur simultaneously. Obviously, one cannot send troops into an area that is going to be bombed or has been recently bombed.

Second: Realistically, NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARE NOT TACTICAL. They are essentially strategic anti-civilian weapons with no use on the battlefield. Even Kruschev, as he tested the 50 megaton hydrogen bomb in northern Siberia which rattled glass panes in Moscow (and melted most of a glacier), admitted that these weapons were practically useless during a ground war.

Can I build an unlimited number of units on factories that I own at the start of the game (i.e. Karelia, Ukraine, Italy, etc.)?

No. "Original factories" are bound by the same placement rules governing territories with newly built factories.

Is Western Canada directly adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean?

No. Units must cross through Ontario to reach Western Canada; likewise, units flying from Western Canada must move through Ontario before reaching the ocean.

Although this odd rule exists in Axis & Allies™, can you truly imagine a successful amphibious assault on Vancouver via the Hudson Bay?

Does the Chinese fleet interfere with United States fleet movement?

No. Consider the small neutral fleets to be coastal defenses only, unable to challenge ships on the high seas. However, if any major power amphibiously assaults a neutral territory with a coastal fleet, that fleet must be destroyed before the assault can proceed.

What happens if I build a factory on a territory with no credit value?

Zero-value territories may never produce units; adding an industrial complex still does not allow any output.

This reflects the fact that some islands and territories simply lack the resources and population to allow the large-scale building process necessary for modern warfare.

Rules updates and additions

Rules for a short game:

To shorten gameplay, change the victory conditions to the following--to win as the NATO alliance, the players must capture any two of the original Soviet factories (Karelia, Ukraine, Eastern Siberia, or Moscow) and hold them until the end of the Russian player's turn. To win as the Soviet Union, the player must capture one NATO capital (typically Paris) or have a combined income of 72 credits at the beginning of the Soviet turn.

Nuclear submarine rules (revised):

Historically, nuclear submarines hid under the Arctic ice floes, spying on enemy transmissions and monitoring fleet movements. In East & West, nuclear subs may remain under the polar cap, with the following restriction: the sub must either begin or end its turn in open ocean. For example, a Russian nuclear submarine begins its turn in the Barents Sea and moves to the polar cap, where it ends its turn. On the next turn, the submarine must emerge, so the player moves the sub to the Bering Sea.

While under the ice, submarines may only be attacked by other nuclear subs.

 

Fleet placement clarifications:

The placement for several of the NATO and neutral ships is ambiguous. This list should clarify the locations. Please e-mail us if you notice any other discrepancies.

Quebec: The transport starts in the EASTERN sea zone.
South Africa: The cruiser starts near Cape Town (WESTERN sea zone).
Portugal: The transport begins in the Bay of Biscay.
Brazil: The transport begins off Rio (SOUTHERN of the two).

Western US: Place the fleet off Los Angeles.

Australia: The fleet begins in Sydney harbor.