Naval Projects - Stats

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Before writing up a rule set, I think it well to draw up the characteristics of the ship classes - speed, protection, armament and such. The following table is a tentative scheme.

Some of the peculiarities of this table is that for reasons best known to Microsoft, it insists that I want things that I frankly don't.  Real helpful ... NOT!!
Other 'stats' are entirely tentative, especially the numbers handling of torpedoes and AA.

Speed is in hexes or squares depending on preferences. I have 4 light card sheets marked up in 60mm hexes, to give me a reasonably sized battle area. Each grid area can accommodate up to 3 destroyers, or one other vessel. The 'sea'  scale is approximately 60mm to 4,800m - about 1:80,000. Given the rates of movement - 2 and 3 grid areas the Turn - that suggests that, at 20 and 30 knots respectively, a Turn represents, very roughly, 15 minutes.

One could use a 100mm grid cell (such as my well-used table) If so, I suggest that each could accommodate up to 3 major units, or 6 destroyers of the scale I've been using. Having said that, later on I'll be looking once more at my 'Mighty Armadas', adding vessels to the battle squadrons. 

The secondary armaments of these vessels, and the primary armament of the carriers are purely notional. The models are too small to depict them. It is assumed that the battleships and cruisers carry 12 guns by way of secondary armament.

The battleships' and battlecruisers' secondaries are the same as a cruiser's primary armament, and have a range of just 6 grid areas. There being 12 such guns on these vessels, it is supposed that 6 may fire in each broadside. The question arises how many could fire forward or aft. I have assumed 6 twin turrets, along the sides of the vessel, but none able to shoot across the centre line. This is a purely arbitrary decision. They could all be mounted in single turrets, or in four triple turrets. 

The ranges I have shown in x/y/zhex format because EXCEL was playing silly  bu--- persons, and refused to accept that what I typed in was what I really wanted. They call this faffing around 'User Friendly.'  Wars have begun for less.

These ranges go to large calibre gunfire. As I like the idea of shooting 'per gun', that's the way I propose to go. Here's how it works:
Battleships, and Battlecruisers (Capital ships):
    Primary: 0-3 hexes, D6: 4-6 hits; 4-6 hexes, D6: 5-6 hits; 7-9 hexes, D6: 6 hits.
Ships fire 6 guns forward, 9 broadside, 3 aft - 1 D6 per gun.
    Secondary: 0-3 hexes, D6: 5-6 hits; 4-6 hexes, D6; 6 hits.
Ships fire 2 guns forward, 6 broadside, 2 aft - 1 D6 per gun.
If firing at the same target, the primary and secondary batteries may fire together. Use different coloured dice, or possibly, smaller dice for the secondary armament. However primary and secondary may shoot at different targets...

Cruisers and Fleet Carriers:
    Primary: 0-3 hexes, D6: 5-6 hits; 4-6 hexes, D6: 6 hits
Ships fire 4 guns forward, 6 broadside, 2 aft - 1 D6 per gun
    Secondary (Cruisers only): 0-3 hexes, D6: 6 hits 
Ships fire 2 guns forward, 6 broadside, 2 aft - 1D6 per gun.
Destroyers:
    Primary: 0-3 hexes, D6: 5-6 hits.
Ships fire 1 gun forward, 2 broadside, 1 aft.

Torpedoes are carried by cruisers (1 larboard and 1 starboard salvo of 3), and destroyers (2 salvos of 3 each side.

Anti-aircraft defences:

Capital ships and cruisers roll 4xD6 against incoming aircraft overhead or within 1 hex. A hit is achieved with a score of 5 or 6. A hit knocks 1 Strength Point (SP) from an aircraft stand. 
Destroyers roll 2xD6 for AA defence or in support of other vessels under attack.

Damage:

The damage to vessels is expressed in terms of Flotation Points (FP) lost. Once down to one-third or less of its starting FP, this happens:

• The vessel's speed is reduced by 1 hex;
• The vessel loses one primary turret (dice for which);
• The vessel loses one-third of its secondary armament, all round (i.e may shoot 1/2 gun forward or aft; 4/6 in broadside;
• The vessel must attempt to break off the action. It may still shoot at targets in range;
• An aircraft carrier can not fly off nor receive aircraft owing to a heavy list.

Play Test Action:

1.Convoy:

Somewhere in the dangerous seas north of the Great Southern Continent a convoy of three merchant vessels ply their trade carrying vital supplies to their destination, Ra'esharn. The escort comprises the Cruiser RNS Apollyon and three destroyers of the 8th Flotilla: R81, R82, and R83.  It is well the convoys has such protection, for the much feared commerce raider, SNS Banshee has recently arrived in these waters, and on the prowl for just such prey. The vessels are;

Ra'esharn:
RNS Apollyon Cruiser 12FP
R81 Destroyer 6FP
R82 Destroyer 6FP
R83 Destroyer 6FP
MS Shelby Wright 6FP
MS Tramper 6FP
MS Black Pig 6FP

Saabia:
SNS Banshee Battlecruiser 18FP

The escorts spy the battlecruiser approaching on a converging course. As the escorting destroyers swing to port to engage, the raider alters course slightly to port itself to bring its broadside to bear. As the target is just within range of its secondary armament, that, too chimes in. At medium range, the primaries hit on 5s or 6s, the secondaries on a 6. The lead destroyer, R82, takes 3 heavy gun hits, and a further damaging hit from the battlecruiser's secondaries - the 6.

A mistake, here: I adjudicated 5 hits on R83, when
at that range, Banshee scored but 2 hits. That put R83
out of the action when it might have remained to do 
some damage.

Such blows - 4FP out of 6 - are enough to force R82 to break off the fight, burning, its forward turret out of action, and speed reduced to 3 hexes. As R82 crawls off, R81 closes the range, whilst R83 swings off on a westerly course. In between, aiming straight towards the enemy surges Apollyon, closing the range. Boldly closing to within torpedo range (3 hexes) R81 takes heavy damage from the battlecruiser's forward big guns, whilst the latter's secondary broadside engages R83.

The damage to R81 is very nearly mortal - 4FP lost - but not before R81 releases its larboard torpedoes. Three dice represent 3 torpedoes in the pattern. Each requires a 6 to hit. But if a 6 is rolled, it takes 6FP from the target. 

One of the 3 torpedoes strikes! At once the battlecruiser's FP is reduced from 18FP down to 12FP.
(Aside:
1. I think I'm on to something, here. One possible amendment is that if a hit is scored, any 5s also rolled in the pattern also add to the damage. A 5, be it noted, would merely augment a hit; it's not good enough for a hit itself. More on this later.
2. The battlecruiser is facing end on. Possibly the chances of a hit ought in someway to be reduced.)

Having released its torpedoes, the wounded R81 also crept out of the fight. Now was the turn of the cruiser Apollyon, which brought itself under the cover of the destroyer attacks to within range of its primary armament. The Ra'esharn ship at once struck two quick blows. Banshee was down to 10FP (8SP lost). Much more damage, and it would have to call off the action.

Retribution was swift - and dire. Swinging to port, and shortening the range, Banshee slammed 7 hits upon Apollyon. 


Apollyon returned the compliment as best it could with its lighter guns, and, with three hits brought Banshee close to the point that it would break off the action: just 7FP remaining.



Gallantly keeping up the close range fight, Apollyon continued to score damaging hits on Banshee. But Banshee had well and truly got the range now. It took four hits, enough to persuade it to draw off, the convoy itself undamaged. But Apollyon vanished in a maelstrom of shellfire from the Banshee's heavy guns.  



Limping away, a mere 3FP keeping it afloat, Banshee had time for one last salvo from its 'Y' turret guns
at the distant convoy. The hit upon MS Shelby Wright did a little damage, but not enough to prevent it continuing its voyage.



It is hard to know who won this action. Ra'esharn lost a cruiser sunk, and three destroyers badly damaged (though still with their torpedoes). But so much hurt had Banshee received, that its commerce raiding cruise was done.

Air Attack:

Force Q was sent, without air escort, to incept a reported invasion convoy west along the southern Kiivar coast. Lacking carriers, Force Q comprised:

KNS Avian Raptor Battleship 24FP
KNS Buteos Battleship 24FP
K1 Destroyer 6FP
K2 Destroyer 6FP

Unfortunately shortly after daybreak of 14 March, the Ra'esharn aircraft found them. Five squadrons of bombers and torpedo bombers swept into the attack. Two squadrons took on the lead battleship, Buteos; three attacked the Admiral's flag aboard Avian Raptor. The attackers ignored the destroyers.

This account will be pretty brief. Beginning with the leading squadrons, the AA from Bureos and K1 - 6 dice - met the incoming. Requiring 5s and 6s to hit, they scored one hit only. That reduced the attacks upon Buteos to 5 dice out of 6. Again, requiring 5s and 6s to hit, the aircraft scored 1 hit. But the PIP scores on the hit dice reduce the target's FP by that amount. Buteos FPs are reduced by 6 to 18FP.

The attacks upon Avian Raptor were heavier. Flak accounted for 2SP from the incoming squadrons, but they still had 7SP to attack with. The seven dice yielded one 6 and one 5 - two hits, resulting in 11FP damage to Avian Raptor.

A few points to consider here.
1.  I am considering making bombing more chancy: Just 6's scoring hits, but when any 5s are scored in the same roll, they add to the damage. In this particular play test, the result would have been exactly the same. Just to increase the carnage, if two sixes are rolled, then any additional fives and fours add their pips to the damage.

The idea here is to make successful torpedo or bombing attacks a 'lowish' probability of success (somewhere less than 50-50), but potentially devastating when they do succeed.

2. A. I am in two minds whether or not to designate aircraft into fighters, bombers and torpedo bombers. They could be distinguished by the height of their stands: e.g. low level torpedo bombers 4-5cm, medium level bombers 6-7cm, top cover fighters 9-10cm. Now, I have just 4 stands to a carrier, standard. The standard mix would be 1 fighter stand, 2 bomber stands and 1 torpedo bomber stand.
Fighters fight aircraft; bombers attack ships. 

Fighters are there to intercept incoming bombers; I'm not sure whether their function also included escorting bomber to their targets.  Some research perhaps required here.

2.B. The other thought is to consider aircraft types as 'below the grain'. In the following picture, 6 incoming Ra'esharn squadrons have been intercepted by two from the Saabia carrier. The two Saabian squadrons neutralise two of the Ra'esharn squadrons, but lose three SPs 'shot down', to Ra'esharn's none:

Saabia intercept roll 1.1.1.2.3.4
Ra'esharn aircraft roll 1.1.3.5.6.6

Despite the lopsided result, two of Ra'esharn's aircraft stands are in effect neutralised. 

Four stands - squadrons - remain to carry out the bombing attack - 12 SP. But Saabia has 10 points of anti-air to come: 2 from the destroyer; 4 each from the carrier and the battleship. First, the attackers select their targets. He sends 3 squadrons in against the most valuable - and fairly vulnerable - carrier, and one against the battleship. He ignores the destroyer.

Battleship vs Squadron: 4AA Roll 1.2.4.4. = no hits at all! 
Squadron vs Battleship: 3SP Roll 1.3.4. = no hits either. 
OK, fairly dismal, let's have a look at what happens to the carrier. 

Ships vs Aircraft: 6AA Roll 1.2.2.5.6.6. = 3 SPs shot down! Great shooting!
That leaves Ra'esharn with just 6 SPs to attack:
Aircraft vs Carrier: 6SP Roll 1.1.2.5.6.6 = 2 hits, with the 5 adding to the damage.
The Carrier loses 6+6+5 = 17FP of damage - which, glancing back at my 'stats' means the carrier has been sunk. Perhaps the carrier ought to be given 18FP instead.

A 18FP Carrier reduced to 6FP or less can not fly off or receive aircraft on account of fires and a heavy list.

Result of this action:
Ra'esharn lost 3SP of aircraft - in effect, a stand.
Saabia lost 3SP of aircraft, and the carrier sunk, or possibly seriously damaged. 
If the remaining airborne aircraft stand have  no alternative landing place, it will be lost as well.

At the moment I am inclined not to differentiate between aircraft types.

Battle of the Saucer Bay -

I think I might leave this for another posting. This one's long enough already. 
To be continued.