[joegrundman]

There are two problems with oil.

First getting it

Getting the oil

There are oil centers (look for oil wells on the map). Most produce between 1 and 3 oil counters per turn. The exception is the US box, which produces an unlimited number of oil counters each turn.

Other sources of oil include Russian ICs (industrial centers) set to oil production in the Urals, and German Synthetic oil centers. Each of these produce 1 oil counter per turn. Germany and Russia may build new oil ICs/synthetic oil plants.

Second getting it to where it's needed.

For Germany and the USSR the main problem is the first one
For Britain and the US the main problem is the second one
For Japan both are problems.

If you have a land route, the transportation of oil counters to an unlimited supply source is automatic.

Otherwise you must use sea transport. Sea transport is subject to air, naval and submarine interception, as well as the general maritime transport problems that arise from strategic submarine warfare.

To transport oil by sea, you need 1 transport unit to carry 1 oil counter.

However, for ever 3 transports in your control, you may only use 1 for oil transportation (reflecting the fact that tankers are dedicated vessels, and most merchant ships are not tankers)

To transport 6 oil counters, you need at least 16 transports in total.

Oil convoys on-board are subject to naval interception, and the convoys may in fact be completely terminated. You may sea-escort these convoys, as well as provide air-cover for those parts near air bases.

If insufficient oil gets through, you have to use oil reserves.

When the oil in the reserve has run out, and you have no oil coming through, you are in big trouble.

USing oil

there are 5 oil effects. You would ideally like to avoid all these effects all the time.

The three service effects

Air service effect. if supplied with oil, you may uninvert 25 factors of air
--if suffering oil shortage then -1 air natinoality DRM, no offensive ops, defending only in own hex (with some exceptions for japanese units)

Navy service effect. if supplied, may uninvert 25 factors
--if suffering oil shortage, then -1 navy DRM, no offensive ops, 2 fewer dice for interceptions, -1 for raiders

Army service effect. if supplied 25 factors of armor may exploit
--if suffering oil effect, -1 CTL, may not sea transoprt or sea invasion, cannot be takes as attritioni losses for a fully supplied zone, armour units halted and act as infantry units.

Construction oil effect.
For no oil counters you may build 25 BRPs of units at normal cost, and thereafter at double BRP cost. For 1 oil counter, you may build 50 BRPs of units at normal cost. For 2 oil counters, 75 BRPs etc.

Economic oil effect

You need to service your economy. If you cannot spend 1 oil counter on your economy, you lose a severe 10% of your BRP base (or 10 BRP's, whichever is greater)

Other oil uses

If you have the oil and wish to do more, than 1 more oil counter will uninvert 25 mroe air factors, or 25 more naval factors, or allow 25 more factors to exploit, in combination. Alternatively you may use 1 oil counter to uninvert all Air units, or all naval units in two Task Forces..

Conserving oil

If you wish you may voluntarily incur an oil effect to conserve your oil reserve

Joe's considered optional rule

I think there could be a general belt-tightening option. Instead of using 4 oil counters to keep you functioning OK, I'd suggest a belt tightening option for only 3 oil counters.

this only allows the uninversion of 10AAF, 10 FF, the exploitation of 10 armour factors and the normal building cost of 10 BRPS of units, and the economy cannot grow (all surplus end-of year BRPs wasted, but no shrinkage), but no other ill effects.

Joe's second considered optional oil rule

I think that if Russia surrenders to GErmany, Germany should be able to insist on Russia sending some oil to Japan in lieu of the indemnity paid to germany.

the conditions would be: Japan and the USSR must have an immediate ceasfire - the USSR will accept this ceasefire, so it's up to japan.
one oil counter to Japan would be worth a deduction of 5 BRP's from the indemnity that the USSR pays to Germany
the USSR is only able to send one oil to japan for every 3 that the USSR produces
the oil will be shipped by land to to Vladivostok or port Arthur. From there it is up to Japan to convoy it to the Japanese mainland.
If it cannot be convoyed, then the oil can only be used by units in the Asian supply zone.

Are there any objections to these two rules? - i feel they keep in keeping with the flavour of the game. the first rule is inspired by the British response to the oil chortages in ww2. It is clear that Britain never suffered what could be compared to a full oil effect, but nonetheless there were steps taken to conserve consumption.

As for the second, of course the axis were never in a position histroically to make such a demand of the USSR, but i feel that it would be a reasonable surrender demand, don't you?