Salvo II
Salvo II Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Game Scale
Each Turn represents 10 minutes of real time. Each hex represents 2000 yards from side to parallel side. Each movement point represents approximately 6 knots of real speed.
2.0 Game Components and Glossary of Game Terms
2.1 The Units
The units (counters) represent either individual Capital ships or Armored Cruisers, or groups of smaller ships. Some units have printing on both sides, others only on one. In addition to ship units, memory aid markers are provided to record damage, and unit speed.
2.2 Color Schemes
The colors used to identify ship units are:
Capital Ships:
- British = blue
- German = gray
Screening Units:
- British = light blue
- German = yellow
2.3 Unit Types
Ships are identified by class, which are abbreviated as follows:
Capital Ships:
- BB = Battleship
- BC = Battlecruiser
- B = Old Battleship (Pre-Dreadnought)
Screening Units:
- AC = Armored Cruiser
- CL = Light Cruiser
- DD = Destroyers
2.31 Sample Capital Ship (BB) Marker
(counter front)
The counter shows: Attack Strength 42; Range Allowance 13; Defense Strength 8; Movement Allowance 4; Ship Class and Number BB17. A Ship's Heading arrow is printed on the counter.
2.32 Sample Screening Unit (DD) Marker
(front) Five Destroyers. The marker shows Attack Strength 3 (x5 Destroyers), Range Allowance 4, Defense Strength 3, Movement Allowance 6, and Ship Class and Number DD4. The front is labelled "Torpedo Capability."
(back) Five Destroyers. The same figures are printed on the back, and the back is labelled No Torpedo Capability (torpedoes launched).
(Capital Ship (BB) Marker, back) Printed with the ship name "Queen Eliza Class" in a box.
2.4 Definition of Terms
Attack Strength is the attacking power of a ship's guns, quantified in terms of Attack Strength Points. This strength may be modified by range, and reduced by damage. This value is used to determine the number of Damage Points which the ship can achieve.
Defense Strength is a numerical expression of the ship's ability to resist shellfire. The number of Damage Points achieved against a ship is divided by its Defense Strength to determine the odds column on the Combat Results Table.
Range Allowance is the maximum distance in hexes at which a ship's guns can have a measurable effect upon enemy ships.
Movement Allowance is the maximum number of movement points that may be expended by a unit in the course of one movement turn. Movement points are expended in forward motion at the rate of one point per hex; radical turns require the expenditure of additional Movement Points. This value can be reduced by damage.
2.5 Charts and Tables
The Charts and Tables are located on page 12 of these rules.
2.6 Other Game Markers
Speed Heading Marker (speed four)
Damage Marker (one weapons hit; three speed hits)
The Damage Marker bears a "W" (one weapons hit) on one side and "3S" (three speed hits) on the other.
Other markers, shown on page 3: Battleship Main Batteries Marker (BB5), Armored Cruiser Main Batteries Marker (AC3), Battlecruiser Secondary Batteries Marker (SB 1:1, BC2), Destroyer Torpedo Attack Marker (2:1, DD5; the opposite side of the Main Batteries Marker), Smoke Marker, Wind Direction Marker, Mines Marker, and Ship Sunk Marker.
3.0 Turn Sequence
3.1 Game-Turn Sequence
Salvo II is played by scenario. During the course of a scenario, the actual combat and movement of ships take place in a pre-determined number of Game-Turns according to a rigid sequence of play. To record or indicate the passage of time, place the Turn marker in hex 0101 to indicate Turn One; Turn Two hex 0102 and so forth for subsequent Game-Turns. The Game-Turn sequence consists of eight phases and is as follows:
1. Visibility Determination Phase: Maximum visibility for the turn is established by either player.
2. First Target Designation Phase: The Disadvantaged Player designates desired target(s) for Gunfire.
3. Second Target Designation Phase: The Advantaged Player designates desired target(s) for Gunfire.
4. Gunfire Execution Phase: Both Players execute Gunfire in any order the players wish. Damage inflicted takes effect after both players have executed their Gunfire attacks.
5. Torpedo Combat Phase: Players mutually and simultaneously designate and execute Torpedo Attacks in any order the players wish. Like Gunfire, damage takes effect after both players have executed their attacks.
6. First Movement Phase: The Disadvantaged Player moves his ships at this time.
7. Second Movement Phase: The Advantaged Player moves his ships at this time.
8. Damage Control Phase: Both Players attempt to repair damage inflicted on their ships at this time.
3.2 Determining Player Advantage/Disadvantage
Player Advantage alternates each Turn. Player One is considered the Disadvantaged Player on odd-numbered Turns; on even-numbered Turns, Player Two. As stated in 3.1, the Disadvantaged Player begins target designation in Phase 2 and moves in the First Movement Phase (Phase 6).
4.0 Sighting
4.1 Visibility
No ships can fire at a ship which it cannot see. Scenario instructions will state the Base Visibility to be used throughout the scenario. During Phase One of each Game-Turn, this Base Visibility is modified by the roll of a single six-sided die. The result adjusts the Visibility for that turn, and that turn only. For example, a scenario states the Base Visibility as 10 hexes. On a given Game-Turn, a player rolls the die. The roll is a 2, which means that on that turn the maximum visibility is 12 hexes.
4.2 Line-of-Sight
Ships are permitted to fire over other ships, either friendly or enemy, to attack an enemy ship. However, when doing so, a (-1) modifier is imposed on the firing ship (stack smoke was particularly heavy during this period because of coal firing boilers, and often made visibility difficult). Line-of-Sight is determined by simply placing a straight edge through both the firing unit and target hexes, and aligning the straight edge with the center dot of each hex. If the straight edge intersects a hex containing a friendly or enemy unit, the firing unit is penalized due to stack smoke.
5.0 Gunfire Combat
5.1 Designating Targets
Designate targets for gunfire during Phases 2 and 3 by placing the firing unit's battery marker(s) on the desired target(s). A ship or unit may not fire upon enemy targets beyond its printed range, or in excess of the current visibility for the turn. No more than five target markers can be placed on a single target ship.
5.2 Resolution of Gunfire
Units of both sides fire during Phase 4 in any order the players wish. The results of fire do not take effect until all gunfire is completed. A ship must fire at the target designated for it in Phase 2 or 3; it may under no circumstance shift its fire to a different target during Phase 4.
5.3 Procedure
The following four-step procedure is used to resolve gunfire for each firing ship:
- Choose one of the targets marked for Gunfire. Next, determine the Attack Strength of the firing ship (taking any "W" damage into account). Then modify this Attack Strength according to the range between the firing ship and targeted enemy ship (see 5.51 Range Effects Table). Now refer to the Damage Point Table (5.31) and roll two dice, cross referencing the result with the modified Attack Strength. This will specify the number of Damage Points the firing ship or unit achieved.
- The number of Damage Points is then divided by the Defense Strength of the targeted ship to produce a ratio or odds, which is rounded down to the nearest whole number (20 to 8 is rounded down to two-to-one, 10 to 3 equals three-to-one, etc.).
- Now refer to the Combat Results Table (5.32) and roll two dice, cross-referencing the result with the appropriate odds column to produce the actual damage inflicted on the targeted ship.
- Finally, markers representing this damage are then placed to the side or directly adjacent to, the targeted ship. When all attacks in the Execution Phase (Phase 4) have been completed, the markers are then placed underneath the targeted ship, signifying that the damage now applies to the ship. This procedure is repeated for each ship with a target marker placed on it.
5.4 Damage Point Table Modifiers
Historically, a number of factors affected the accuracy and strength of Gunfire combat. These factors, which are explained below, are cumulative for each attack and are added to produce a single modifier for the Damage Point Table (DPT) die roll (see 5.3, step 1).
5.41 Concentrated Fire. Up to five ships may fire on a single target ship. However, if more than one ship fires on the same target then each firing ship is penalized (-1) from the DPT die roll (the additional shell splashes confuse spotters). The secondary batteries of Capital ships are not penalized under this rule, but still affect the main batteries of firing ships, if firing on the same screening unit. Note: this rule does not apply to a single ship firing both its main and secondary batteries at the same screening unit.
5.42 Effect of Fire on Ship's Fire. One of the psychological aspects of warfare is that it is easier to shoot at something if you are not also being shot at; therefore, if a ship is being fired upon in the Gunfire Phase, the DPT die roll result for that ship is reduced by two (-2).
5.43 Effect of Facing on Combat. Refer to the Sectors of Fire Diagram. No penalty is imposed on ships firing on a target that lies in either the port or starboard broadside sector. However, if the target is in the bow or stern sector, a (-1) modifier is imposed on the DPT die roll.
5.44 Effect of Target Speed. When a ship that is fired upon is moving at a speed of either one or zero, add two (+2) to the DPT die roll.
5.45 Other. Other factors which cause DPT modifiers are the position of the sun, crew or ammunition quality, stack smoke, and the firing ship having recently turned. All these are covered by optional rules (see section 11).
5.5 Range Effects
A ship's Attack Strength is based on its effectiveness at 5 to 13 hexes (nautical miles). When firing at other ranges, refer to the Range Effects Table (5.51); see charts and tables. Calculate firing range by counting the shortest path from the firing ship (exclusive) to the target ship (inclusive).
5.6 Capital Ship Secondary Batteries
In addition to using its printed Attack Strength, each Capital ship may also attack one screening unit each turn within a range of (5) hexes at automatic 1:1 odds on the CRT. Such secondary battery fire is not penalized under the Concentrated Fire Rule (5.41). (Secondary batteries cannot fire at Capital ships, as in reality such fire would be ineffective.)
5.7 Damage
Several things can happen to a ship when it suffers damage. It can lose one-third, two-thirds or all of its Attack Strength; it can lose one-third, two-thirds or all of its Movement Allowance; or, it can blow-up, thus sinking the ship.
5.71 Explanation of Damage Results
| Damage | Result |
|---|---|
| 1W | Ship's Attack Strength is reduced by 1/3. |
| 2W | Ship's Attack Strength is reduced by 2/3. |
| 3W | Ship's Attack Strength is reduced to zero (it can fire neither guns or torpedoes). |
| 1S | Ship's Movement Allowance is reduced by 1/3 (round fractions to the nearest whole number). |
| 2S | Ship's Movement Allowance is reduced by 2/3 (round fractions to the nearest whole number). |
| 3S | Ship cannot move. |
| X | BC, B, AC, CL and DD ship units explode and sink. If the target is a BB, roll one die again; a result of 6 means the BB explodes and sinks; otherwise it suffers 2W, 2S damage. Treat German BCs as BBs for purposes of this rule. |
Transcriber's note: the printed X entry reads "otherwise if suffers 2W, 2S damage"; the word "if" is read as a typo for "it".
5.72 Cumulative and Progressive Damage
Damage is cumulative. If a ship already has an existing 1W condition and suffers another 1W damage result, its condition progresses to 2W. Damage beyond 3W or 3S is superfluous and is ignored (except for explosions). W- and S-type damages are unique to one another and are not convertible. Innumerable W damages have no effect on the ship's S condition, nor vice versa.
5.73 How a Ship is Sunk
All ship units are considered sunk when damage reaches the 3W, 3S condition. Additionally, all units, except Battleships (BB), explode and sink immediately on an X result on the CRT. Battleships explode and sink if a six is rolled immediately after an X result.
6.0 Torpedo Combat
Destroyer (DD) Screening Units are the only ships capable of attacking with torpedoes. All Destroyer counters have a black torpedo symbol located on the lower right-hand corner. If a Destroyer unit fires its torpedoes during the course of the game, flip the counter over to the opposite side to indicate that it has expended its torpedoes (there is no torpedo symbol on the opposite side).
6.1 Procedure
During Phase Five, Destroyers capable of launching torpedoes may do so. To indicate that a Destroyer Flotilla is launching torpedoes, simply flip the Destroyer's target marker to the side indicating torpedo combat. Now place the torpedo combat marker in the hex you wish to attack. Next, determine target speed and range to target hex and consult the Torpedo Conversion Table (6.11). Roll two dice; if the result is less than the cross-referenced result, then the torpedo spread is considered to have intersected with the target. If the torpedoes intersect, determine damage by rolling two dice on the appropriate CRT column (printed on the Destroyer's Torpedo/Battery target marker) for each ship in the target hex.
6.2 Restrictions
Maximum range for Torpedo Combat is two hexes, and they must be fired at targets within the port or starboard arcs of fire. Whenever torpedoes strike a target, the torpedo marker is removed from the map. If torpedoes are fired at a target in a hex adjacent to the firing ship, and miss, the marker must move a further hex across the map—after which it is removed. Should there be another naval unit in the second hex entered, whether friendly or unfriendly, resolve convergence and attack in the usual way (If, according to the Torpedo Track Chart, there is a choice of which hex to enter after a failure to converge with a target in the first hex entered, determine which hex is entered by means of a die roll.). Each DD unit can fire torpedoes only once per scenario. If a torpedo hits a ship so that the facing of the ship and the direction of the torpedo spread are either the same or directly opposite, the die roll in the resulting attack is reduced by three (-3) on the CRT (Historically, it was much harder to hit "end-on" targets.). A Destroyer Flotilla with a damage state of 3W may not launch torpedoes, but may do so if damage is repaired to a level of W or 2W.
7.0 Movement
The movement of ships for both sides is executed in the sixth and seventh phases of each Game-Turn. Each ship has a printed maximum movement allowance, which is the maximum number of movement points that may be expended each Game-Turn. Ships expend movement points at the rate of one point per hex entered. Movement points are also expended by making radical turns (turning two or three hex sides in the same hex).
7.1 Procedures
Each ship may expend all, some, or none of its movement allowance each turn (with the restriction of 7.3). A ship expends one movement point for each hex it enters. A ship must always face toward one of the six hex sides of the hex it occupies. A ship may freely alter course by one hex side before moving ahead one hex. A ship may also turn two hex sides in the same hex, but this costs two movement points. Turning three hex sides within the same hex costs three movement points. Turning in the last hex of movement is not permitted, unless the ship has a maximum movement allowance of three and is turning three hex sides within the same hex. Ships may not save movement factors and use them on subsequent turns, nor transfer them to other ships. After each ship completes movement, place the appropriate colored Speed Marker on top of, or to the side of the ship with the arrow facing in the same direction as the owning ship.
7.2 Stacking
Up to four single ship units (BB, BC, B, and AC) may stack and move together, provided they are each moving at the same speed and are facing in the same direction. CL ship units represent 2 ships, and therefore count as 2 ships for stacking purposes. For example, one CL unit can stack with a BB and an AC for a total of four ships. Destroyer Flotillas may under no circumstances stack with another DD or ship. Stacking with enemy ships is not permitted, but friendly ships may freely move through a hex occupied by an enemy ship.
7.3 Acceleration and Deceleration During Movement
No ship may accelerate by more than 100% of its initial speed during a Game-Turn. For example, a ship with an initial speed of 2 may only accelerate to a maximum speed of 4. A ship may not decelerate by more than 50% (rounding fractions up) of its initial speed. For example, a ship moving at a speed of 6 on Game-Turn One must move no less than a speed of 3 on Game-Turn Two. On Game-Turn Three it could decelerate to a speed of 1 and on Game-Turn Four could go to a speed of 0 (dead-in-the-water). This rule also applies to ships which have lost all capacity to move i.e., 3S hits (although they have lost all power, they do not come to a sudden stop, instead they lose way gradually before stopping). Ships with a speed of 0 may accelerate to maximum speed of 2 on the first turn of movement.
8.0 Damage Control
8.1 Procedure
During the Damage Control Phase (Phase 8), each player attempts to repair damage inflicted on his ships according to the DC table (8.11). Players roll a die once for W damage and once again for S damage, referring to the Damage Control Table. If the result is "Yes," one step of damage may be repaired.
8.2 Limitations
A ship's Defense Strength also serves as a numerical limit of the number of damage states that can be repaired in the course of one scenario. Once a ship reaches its Damage Control limit, it may no longer attempt to repair damage. This process requires keeping a record on scratch paper for each unit that repairs damage. All ship units may perform Damage Control.
9.0 Victory and Game Set-Up
9.1 Victory Determination and the Value of Ships
Victory in most scenarios is determined by Victory Points. A player is awarded Victory Points for damaging or sinking enemy ships. Victory can also be awarded to the player who achieves certain specified objectives. Every ship unit in the game has a value in Victory Points. This value is determined by totalling its Attack Strength, Defense Strength, and Movement Allowance. Thus the HMS Invincible has a Victory Point value of 28 points (21+2+5).
Whenever a ship reduces damage by one step, the enemy player is awarded one Victory Point. If at the end of a scenario, a ship is still in a damaged state, and is unable to repair this damage (see 8.2), the enemy player receives Victory Points according to the following schedule:
| Damage State | Ship Value |
|---|---|
| 1 | 16.6% (1/6) |
| 2 | 33.3% (1/3) |
| 3 | 50% (1/2) |
| 4 | 66.6% (2/3) |
| 5 | 83.3% (5/6) |
When a friendly ship sinks, the enemy player receives 100% of the ship's value in Victory Points; any Victory Points for damage states already awarded for damage repaired to the sunk ship are lost; it is never possible to receive more than 100% of a ship's value in Victory Points. When a scenario ends, each player is assumed to have an indefinite time to repair damage to ships which retain the capacity for repair (i.e., which have not already reached their damage control limit), and the enemy player is awarded one Victory Point for each damage state so removed. For example, a certain scenario ends with the Seydlitz in a 1W damage state. In prior play, during the scenario, it had removed five damage states. Since its Defense Strength is 8, it can repair up to 3 more damage states before exceeding its limit. Thus the Seydlitz removes the final 1W state and the enemy player would gain a total of six Victory Points for the damage inflicted on the Seydlitz.
Important Note: In scenarios where Victory Points are awarded for exiting ships off the map, the owning player receives 100% of the ships' value for so exiting, while the enemy player receives nothing including points normally received for repaired damage states.
9.2 The Map
The map is used in the play of all scenarios in the game. A grid of numbered hexes has been superimposed on the mapsheet as a means of regulating the movement and positioning of ships and other playing pieces. The numbers printed in the hexes on the mapsheet are used to specify where certain types of units are to be placed at the beginning of a scenario. Line-of-Sight dots in the middle of each hex are used to determine Line-of-Sight. The map also has a set of six letters arranged in a circle in the lower right-hand corner. These letters are used in scenarios to show initial heading (direction of movement) for all ships. Ships may not leave the map, unless permitted to do so by a particular scenario. However, there will be instances where ships will generally move in the same direction, and this will soon carry them off the map. If this occurs, players may simply move all playing pieces the same number of hexes toward the unoccupied portion of the map. (Note that mined hexes will have to "move" in the same way; see 11.8).
10.0 The Scenarios
Each scenario gives both players an exact order of battle and deployment on the map, including facing and initial speed. The base visibility is also given, along with special visibility conditions, if any, and wind direction. Scenario length is stated, in addition to special rules to be used. Each scenario is a game in itself.
10.1 Stop the Goeben!
4 August 1914 (Hypothetical)
After bombarding the French occupied ports of Phillippeville and Bone, the German battlecruiser Goeben and light cruiser Breslau, heading east, passed within 8,000 yards of the British battlecruisers Indomitable and Indefatigable. Both ships were dispatched to find the Germans. Unfortunately for the British, they were unable to open fire on the Germans until the ultimatum with Germany expired. With 12 hours still remaining before the ultimatum ran out, the British were left with no choice but to shadow the Germans. Boiler problems on the British battlecruisers prevented them from keeping up with their quarry. This scenario assumes the ultimatum expired before contact was made.
Order of Battle and Deployment (Hex / Facing / Speed)
Player 1: British
- Indomitable (BC1), Indefatigable (BC4): 4414/E/5
Player 2: German
- Goeben (BC2): 3920/B/5
- (CL1): 4020/B/5
Base Visibility: 9 hexes Game Length: 12 Turns
Special Rules
- Wind is blowing from direction "E," per Optional Rule.
- Per Optional Rule, the British have Poor AP shells.
Victory Conditions
- German: To win, German player must sink both British ships, or break visibility for at least two turns with no permanent damage to Goeben.
- British: British player must sink both German ships to win.
- Any other result is a draw.
10.2 Corfu Island
7 August 1914 (Hypothetical)
Shortly after the Goeben and Breslau departed Messina for coaling, the British light cruiser Gloucester spotted and began to shadow the German force as they headed east. Unfortunately for the British, the only ships available to intercept them in that region were those of Admiral Troubridge's 1st Cruiser Squadron, consisting of four armored cruisers and a flotilla of destroyers. Realizing his ships were inferior in both speed and gun range, Troubridge decided to engage at dawn from the west to use the first light of sunrise to his advantage. It was a good plan, but he was unable to make contact with the Germans before daylight, and decided to call off the attack. Troubridge was court-martialled for his apparent cowardice, but was acquitted. This scenario assumes Troubridge made contact before dawn.
Order of Battle and Deployment (Hex / Facing / Speed)
Player 1: German
- Goeben (BC2): 4215/C/4
- (CL1): 4115/C/4
Player 2: British
- Defence (AC1), Warrior (AC2): 3518/B/4
- Black Prince (AC3), Duke of Edinburgh (AC4): 3519/B/4
- (DD1): 3621/B/4
- (DD2): 3417/B/4
Game Length: 15 Turns Base Visibility: 6 hexes (Turns 1-3), 10 hexes (Turns 4-15)
Special Rules
- Per Optional Rule, the sun is rising in the east (directions B, C). This condition is in effect for Turns 1-3.
- The wind is blowing from direction "F," per Optional Rule.
Victory Conditions
- British: To win, the British player must inflict permanent damage on Goeben or sink her.
- German: To win, the German player must avoid British Victory Conditions.
10.3 Falkland Islands
8 Dec 1914 (Hypothetical)
After their stunning victory over the British at Coronel, Count Von Spee's Asiatic Cruiser Squadron decided to raid the British facilities at the Falkland Islands before heading back to Germany. It was a decision Spee would regret, because a powerful British squadron had assembled there the day before. After the Gneisenau sighted the tripod masts of two British dreadnoughts, the Germans ran, hoping they might find refuge in one of the storms that so often visited the region. Admiral Spee decided to engage the British battlecruisers with his armored cruisers, in an effort to allow his light cruisers to escape. His plan didn't work. The British commander, Admiral Sturdee, wisely used the superior speed and gun-range of his two battlecruisers to engage the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau at a distance, and sink them. At the same time, his armored cruisers were ordered to run down and destroy the light cruisers. Only the light cruiser Dresden managed to escape the carnage.
Order of Battle and Deployment (Hex / Facing / Speed)
Player 1: German
- Scharnhorst (AC2), Gneisenau (AC3): 1311/C/4
- (CL4), (CL5): 1211/C/4
Player 2: British
- Invincible (BC1), Inflexible (BC2): 1301/C/5
- Kent (AC1), Cornwall (AC2), Carnarvon (AC3): 1201/C/4
- (CL1): 1801/D/5
Game Length: 20 Turns Base Visibility: 9 hexes
Special Rules
- Per Optional Rule, wind is blowing from direction "D."
- German ships have Crack crews, British ships Poor crews, per Optional Rule.
- British have Poor AP shells per Optional Rule.
Victory Conditions
- British: The British win if they sink both Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and score more Victory Points than the German player.
- German: The German player wins by avoiding British Victory Conditions.
10.4 North Sea
16 December 1914 (Hypothetical)
In late October of 1914, Admiral Ingenohl, Commander of the German High Seas Fleet, devised a simple yet potentially devastating plan, to trap an isolated portion of the British Grand Fleet. To lure the British out, Ingenohl ordered his elite battlecruiser squadron under Admiral Hipper to conduct a series of battlecruiser raids on the English East Coast. The first raid, conducted on November 3rd, was planned to test British reaction. The second raid, planned for December 16th, was apparently similar, but was to be supported by the entire High Seas Fleet. Unknown to the Germans, the British were able to decipher German Radio traffic and knew of the raid. However, they had no precise details of the plan, and did not know that the High Seas Fleet was to support the operation. The British therefore unwittingly gave the Germans exactly what they were hoping for. The British force, consisting of 6 battleships and 4 battlecruisers, made contact with Ingenohl at 0515 in darkness and heavy seas. A short but spirited clash between destroyers ensued. Both sides misinterpreted the situation. Ingenohl thought he had encountered light forces of the entire Grand Fleet, and turned-tail and ran for home. The British, thinking they had engaged only light forces, set-off after them in the hope of bagging a prize. It was an opportunity the Germans would never have again, because at 0900, the British force was informed that Hipper was in the process of carrying out his bombardment, and the British immediately turned about to trap Hipper. This scenario assumes Ingenohl stayed true to his plan and engaged the British.
Order of Battle and Deployment (Hex / Facing / Speed)
Player 1: British
- King George V (BB14), Ajax (BB15), Centurion (BB16): 4316/C/4
- Monarch (BB11), Orion (BB12), Conqueror (BB13): 4216/C/4
- Lion (BC5), Queen Mary (BC7), Tiger (BC8), New Zealand (BC4): 4218/C/4
- Antrim (AC1), Devonshire (AC2), Roxburgh (AC3), Argyll (AC4): 4415/C/4
- (CL1): 4618/C/4
- (CL2): 4319/C/4
- (CL3): 4514/C/4
- (DD1): 4517/C/4
- (DD2): 4414/C/4
Player 2: German
- Grosser Kurfurst (BB13), Kaiser (BB9), Friedrich Der Grosse (BB10), Prinzregent Luitpold (BB11): 5518/F/3
- Konig Albert (BB19), Kaiserin (BB12), Helgoland (BB5), Thuringen (BB6): 5619/F/3
- Ostfriesland (BB7), Oldenburg (BB8), Posen (BB3), Rheinland (BB4): 5719/F/3
- Nassau (BB2), Westfalen (BB1), Deutschland (B1), Pommern (B2): 5820/F/3
- Schlesien (B3), Hannover (B4), Schleswig Holstein (B5): 5920/F/3
- Pruessen (B6), Hessen (B7), Lothringen (B8): 6021/F/3
- Roon (AC2): 5118/F/3
- Prinz Heinrich (AC3): 5315/F/3
- (CL1): 5016/F/3
- (CL2): 6019/F/3
- (DD1): 5116/F/3
- (DD2): 6119/F/3
- (DD3): 5319/F/3
Game Length: 12 Turns Base Visibility: 5 hexes
Special Rules
- Wind is blowing from direction "F," per Optional Rule.
- The Optional Formation Rule should be used in this scenario.
Victory Conditions
- German: To win, the German player must score at least twice as many Victory Points as the British player.
- British: The British player wins by avoiding German Victory Conditions.
10.5 Scarborough
16 December 1914 (Hypothetical)
After Hipper's battlecruisers completed their deadly bombardment of the English towns of Scarborough, Hartlepool, and Whitby, a British force, commanded by Admiral Warrender, raced-off to intercept the withdrawing Germans. Hipper, thinking he still had the High Seas Fleet in support, felt he had no cause for concern. His mission was simply to lure a portion of the British Fleet out, to be crushed between his own powerful units and those of Ingenohl. It was Hipper's good fortune that he dispatched part of his screen to scout 50 miles ahead of him. Shortly afterwards, this screen made contact with the scouting elements of Warrender's force, now intent of destroying him. Fortunately for the Germans, stormy seas, the unnavigable Dogger Bank, minefields, and a critical signaling error, all combined to foil the British attempt to trap Hipper. This scenario assumes successful interception.
Order of Battle and Deployment (Hex / Facing / Speed)
Player 1: German
- Derfflinger (BC4), Seydlitz (BC3), Moltke (BC2): 2217/B/4
- Von Der Tann (BC1), Blucher (AC1): 2117/B/4
- (CL1): 2615/B/4
- (DD1): 2219/B/4
- (DD2): 2215/B/4
Player 2: British
- King George V (BB14), Ajax (BB15), Centurion (BB16): 3415/F/4
- Monarch (BB11), Orion (BB12), Conqueror (BB13): 3515/F/4
- Lion (BC5), Queen Mary (BC7), Tiger (BC8), New Zealand (BC4): 3517/F/4
- Antrim (AC1), Devonshire (AC2), Roxburgh (AC3), Argyll (AC4): 3513/F/4
- (CL1): 3013/F/4
- (CL2): 3116/F/4
- (CL3): 3512/F/4
- (DD1): 3113/F/4
- (DD2): 3613/F/4
Game Length: 16 Turns Base Visibility: 5 hexes
Special Rules
- Wind is blowing from direction "A," per Optional Rule.
- The Optional Formation Rule should be used in this scenario.
- Per Optional Rule, the British have Poor AP shells.
Victory Conditions
- British: To win, the British player must sink at least two battlecruisers, and have more Victory Points than the German player.
- German: The German player wins by avoiding British Victory Conditions.
10.6 Dogger Bank
24 January 1915
The first clash between dreadnoughts took place off the North Sea shallows of the Dogger Bank. Foiled in their attempt to trap Hipper on December 16th, the British were this time able to intercept and surprise him. Realizing he was badly outnumbered, Hipper ordered his squadron to reverse course and run for home. The German armored cruiser Blucher, unable to keep up with the faster battlecruisers, soon fell behind, and was later sunk. The battlecruiser Seydlitz received severe damage during the chase, but was able to get away with her consorts—HMS Lion also sustained heavy damage, from 14 large caliber shell hits. Unfortunately for the British, the damage to Lion also took Admiral Beatty out of the fight. Another critical signaling error, like that of December 16th, cost the British a complete victory. Historically, this battle was a minor, but badly needed, victory for the Royal Navy.
Order of Battle and Deployment (Hex / Facing / Speed)
Player 1: German
- Seydlitz (BC3), Moltke (BC2), Derfflinger (BC4), Blucher (AC1): 2508/C/4
- (CL1): 2511/C/4
- (DD1): 2512/C/4
- (DD2): 2505/C/4
- (DD3): 2612/C/4
Player 2: British
- Lion (BC5), Tiger (BC8), Princess Royal (BC6): 1509/C/5
- New Zealand (BC4), Indomitable (BC1): 1508/C/5
- (CL1), (CL2): 1505/C/5
- (CL3): 1407/C/5
- (DD1): 1513/C/5
- (DD2): 1104/C/5
- (DD3): 1004/C/5
- (DD4): 1005/C/5
- (DD5): 1008/C/5
- (DD6): 1009/C/5
Game Length: 16 Turns Base Visibility: 9 hexes
Special Rules
- Per Optional Rule, wind is blowing from direction "F."
- Per Optional Rule, the British have Poor AP shells.
Victory Conditions
- The player with more Victory Points wins the game.
10.7 Jutland: Battlecruiser Action
31 May 1916
Sixteen months after the Battle of Dogger Bank, Hipper and Beatty met again in this prelude to the Battle of Jutland—the largest naval battle of the war. The enemy battlecruiser squadrons, scouting ahead of their respective fleets, were brought together by pure chance by a Danish freighter. After their screening forces had exchanged fire, both squadrons turned toward the sound of gunfire. The opposing battlecruisers sighted each other at 1515, with the Germans opening fire at 1548, shortly after they turned south. The battle quickly developed into a murderous shooting match. The British lost two battlecruisers, Indefatigable and Queen Mary, to magazine explosions. But Beatty, reinforced by four fast battleships of the powerful Queen Elizabeth class, were able to inflict considerable damage on Hipper's heavily armored ships. This scenario begins as Hipper turned south to lure Beatty into the guns of the High Seas Fleet. This action, historically, was a major victory for the Germans, in this overture to the main fleet action of Jutland.
Order of Battle and Deployment (Hex / Facing / Speed)
Player 1: British
- Lion (BC5), Princess Royal (BC6), Queen Mary (BC7): 3511/C/5
- New Zealand (BC4), Tiger (BC8), Indefatigable (BC12): 3412/C/5
- Barham (BB17), Malaya (BB18), Valiant (BB19), Warspite (BB20): 3006/B/5
- (CL1): 3813/C/5
- (CL2): 3703/C/5
- (DD1): 3206/B/5
- (DD2): 3210/C/5
- (DD3): 3513/C/5
Player 2: German
- Lutzow (BC5), Derfflinger (BC4), Seydlitz (BC3): 4307/D/5
- Moltke (BC2), Von Der Tann (BC1): 4306/D/5
- (CL1): 4102/D/5
- (CL2): 4503/D/5
- (DD1): 4407/D/5
- (DD2): 4304/D/5
Game Length: 4 Turns (10 Turns Optional) Base Visibility: 8 hexes
Special Rules
- Per Optional Rule, wind is blowing from direction "F."
- Per Optional Rule, the British have Poor AP Shells.
- The Optional Sun Position Rule should be used in this scenario. The sun is setting in the West (directions E and F).
- The Germans have Crack crews, per the Optional Rule.
- The Germans must maintain a southerly course for the duration of the scenario (directions C, D, and F).
Victory Conditions
- The player with more Victory Points wins.
10.8 Jutland: Fleet Action
31 May 1916
Beatty, after being decoyed south into the jaws of the German Fleet, was barely able to escape certain destruction. It was now Beatty's turn to lure the Germans north into the guns of the British Grand Fleet. Poor visibility caused by the weather, cordite and stack smoke, and the encroaching darkness, all combined to make this phase very frustrating for the British, who were anxious to destroy the German Fleet. Only intermittent firing took place before Admiral Scheer, the commander of the German Fleet, executed his battle turn away. Scheer was able to accomplish this difficult task not once, but twice before escaping into the darkness. Losses were heavy on both sides, with each side losing a battlecruiser. This scenario begins at the beginning of the third phase of the battle, as the British crossed the "T" of the German Fleet. After it was all over, the Germans would be able to claim a tactical victory, based solely on the number of ships sunk. The British, however, still controlled the seas and could thus be said to have gained a strategic victory.
Order of Battle and Deployment (Hex / Facing / Speed)
Player 1: British
- Lion (BC5), New Zealand (BC4), Tiger (BC8), Princess Royal (BC6): 4508/C/4
- Invincible (BC1), Inflexible (BC2), Indomitable (BC3): 4709/C/4
- King George V (BB14), Ajax (BB15), Centurion (BB16), Erin (BB23): 4507/C/4
- Orion (BB10), Monarch (BB11), Conqueror (BB12), Thunderer (BB13): 4407/C/4
- Iron Duke (BB26), Superb (BB2), Royal Oak (BB21), Canada (BB25): 4306/C/4
- Bellapheron (BB1), Benbow (BB5), Temaraire (BB3), Vanguard (BB4): 4206/C/4
- Colossus (BB8), Collingwood (BB5), Neptune (BB7), St. Vincent (BB6): 4105/B/4
- Marlborough (BB28), Revenge (BB22), Agincourt (BB24), Hercules (BB9): 4006/B/4
- Barham (BB17), Valiant (BB18), Malaya (BB19): 3807/B/4
- Warspite [3S] (BB20): 3611/B/0
- (AC1), (AC2), (AC3): 4903/C/4
- (AC4): 3610/A/4
- (CL1): 4708/C/4
- (CL2): 4608/C/4
- (CL3), (CL4): 3804/B/4
- (CL5), (CL6): 3705/B/4
- (DD1): 4504/C/4
- (DD2): 4505/C/4
Player 2: German
- Lutzow [1W] (BC4), Derfflinger (BC5), Seydlitz (BC3): 4313/C/4
- Moltke (BC2), Von Der Tann [2W] (BC1): 4213/C/4
- Konig (BB13), Grosser Kurfurst (BB14), Markgraf (BB15), Kaiser Wilhelm (BB16): 4113/B/4
- Kaiser (BB9), Friedrich Der Grosse (BB10), Prinz Luitpold (BB11), Kaiserin (BB12): 4014/B/4
- Ostfriesland (BB5), Helgoland (BB6), Thuringen (BB7), Oldenburg (BB8): 3914/B/4
- Posen (BB1), Rheinland (BB2), Nassau (BB3), Westfalen (BB4): 3815/B/4
- Deutschland (B1), Pommern (B2), Schlesien (B3): 3616/B/3
- Hannover (B4), Schleswig Holstein (B5), Hessen (B6): 3515/B/3
- (CL1): 4217/E/5
- (CL2): 4218/E/5
- (CL3): 3417/B/5
- (CL4): 3317/B/5
- (DD1): 4110/D/4
- (DD2): 4212/B/4
- (DD3): 4513/D/4
- (DD4): 3717/B/4
- (DD5): 3818/B/4
Game Length: 12 Turns Base Visibility: 6 hexes
Special Rules
- German BCs have Crack crews, per Optional Rule.
- British have Poor AP shells, per Optional Rule.
- Wind is blowing from direction "E."
- Formation Rule must be used for this scenario (see 11.7).
- British battleships in formation may not make 180 degree turns.
- British battlecruisers, Invincible, Inflexible, and Indomitable have Crack Gun Crews.
Victory Conditions Victory is determined strictly by Victory Points.
Note: German player already has 66 points for sinking two British BCs. Also note that three ships begin the scenario with damage.
10.9 Second Helgoland
17 November 1917
British radio intercepts revealed the presence of German minesweepers, escorted by light cruisers and destroyers, near Helgoland Island. The British, intent on repeating the success of the First Battle of Helgoland earlier in the war, assembled a large force of three battlecruisers, six battleships, and a number of escorting cruisers and destroyers. Immediately upon sighting the British, and sensing a trap, the Germans ran for the protection of four German dreadnoughts which were providing distant support for the operation. The British battlecruisers, after a brief gunnery duel with the German dreadnoughts, turned northwest, hoping to lure the Germans toward the British dreadnoughts lying in wait over the horizon. But the Germans wisely refused to take the bait and withdrew. Only light damage was inflicted on both sides, with poor visibility hampering any efforts for a decisive action. This scenario begins as the British battlecruisers sighted the German battleships just before they turned northwest.
Order of Battle and Deployment (Hex / Facing / Speed)
Player 1: British
- Repulse (BC9): 4512/C/5
- Courageous (BC10), Glorious (BC11): 4314/C/5
- King George V (BB14), Ajax (BB15), Centurion (BB16): 2610/C/4
- Orion (BB11), Monarch (BB12), Thunderer (BB13): 2509/C/4
- (CL1): 4720/C/5
- (CL2): 4719/C/5
- (CL3): 4815/C/5
- (DD1): 2810/C/5
- (DD2): 2812/C/5
- (DD3): 4214/C/5
Player 2: German
- Hindenburg (BC4), Moltke (BC2): 6228/F/5
- Kaiser (BB9), Kaiserin (BB10): 5528/F/4
- (CL1): 5218/C/5
- (CL2): 5220/C/5
- (DD1): 5321/C/5
- (DD2): 5317/C/5
Game Length: 12 Turns Base Visibility: 5 hexes
Special Rules
- Per Optional Rule, Germans have Crack crews.
- The German player may lay mines in any five hexes on the map, but cannot be placed within two hexes of any British unit.
- The Wind is blowing from direction "F," per Optional Rule.
Victory Conditions Victory is based strictly by Victory Points.
11.0 Optional Rules
Players may use any or all of these optional rules, to add greater realism at the cost of slightly greater complexity.
11.1 Crew Quality
There are basically three levels of crew quality, Crack, Average, and Poor. Crack is the highest, Poor the lowest. Ships with Crack crews add one (+1) to the DPT die roll, and subtract one (-1) on the Torpedo Convergence Table die roll. There are no modifiers for Average Crews. Poor Crews subtract (-1) from the DPT die roll, and add one (+1) to the Torpedo Convergence Table die roll. Unless specified otherwise, crew quality for all units is considered Average.
11.2 Optional Gunnery Modifier
Firing ships when turning, historically, had a difficult time in maintaining the accuracy of their guns. Therefore, whenever a firing ship has executed a turn (either 60, 120, or 180 degrees) on the previous turn, subtract (-1) from the DPT die roll.
11.3 Flagships
Flagships are simply vessels on which the Admiral in-charge of the Fleet is embarked. If using this rule, each player will secretly assign one ship as the Fleet Flagship. Flagships maintain a crew efficiency as explained below. If your Flagship is sunk during the course of a scenario, all ships in that respective fleet suffer the loss of one level in crew efficiency (see 11.1). For example, suppose your fleet begins a given scenario with Crack Crews and your Flagship sinks, the quality of your crews will then drop to the level of Average for the duration of the scenario. In the above example, if the crew quality was Average, the quality or efficiency would drop to Poor.
During the course of a scenario it may be to your advantage to "transfer the flag" to another ship. To do this, simply position the two ships involved so that they occupy the same hex for a total of three turns, with neither ship moving at a speed of more than one. Stacking limitations (7.2) must be observed during transfers.
11.4 Sun Position
Arising or setting sun can silhouette some ships, while concealing others. Sun position, if used is specified in the scenario instructions. Whenever a ship is firing away from the rising or setting sun, the DPT die roll is reduced (-1)—it has difficulty ranging into the gloom. If a ship is firing toward the rising or setting sun, the add one (+1) to the DPT die roll. Line of Sight dots are used to help determine the application of this rule.
11.5 Wind and Stack Smoke
As stated in section (4.2), coal-fired boilers historically created large quantities of smoke, which often hampered visibility during naval engagements. Consequently, a (-1) modifier is imposed on ships when firing through a hex adjacent to a ship in the direction opposite that from which the wind is blowing. (Wind direction is specified by scenario.) Line of Sight dots are used identically as stated in (4.2). This rule, if used, supersedes the smoke rule as contained in (4.2).
11.6 Ammunition Quality
World War I British armor-piercing shells for the period 1914-1916 were inferior, and tended to shatter on impact without penetrating or exploding. Therefore, when using this rule subtract one (-1) from the DPT die roll.
11.7 Moving in Formation
Battleships and battlecruisers are required to move in formation, if specified by the scenario instructions. The two most common formations are the "line ahead" and "line abreast." Ships in line ahead formations are "following the leader"—that is, each ship in the formation is lined up, one behind the other, and all are moving in the same direction. Ships in line abreast "mirror" the movement of the leading ship; that is, they move on parallel courses. Ships are considered to be in formation if they form a continuous line, with each ship following the one ahead of it with no more than one hex separating the ships in a formation. Ships with "S" hits which are no longer capable of moving at the same speed as the leading ship may be detached from the formation to operate independently. Ships in formation are free to change formation from line ahead to line abreast and visa versa.
11.8 Mines
Like the torpedo, mines were an extremely potent weapon during this period. Mines may be laid if permitted by the scenario. Minefields can be laid in any allowable hex. If a ship(s) enters a mined hex, each ship(s) will suffer an immediate 2:1 attack on the CRT. Damage takes effect immediately, but the ship may still continue its move in the current turn (if it is not sunk). Mines are secretly noted on a piece of scratch paper indicating the affected hex number(s) on the map. Mines attack both enemy and friendly ships.
Charts and Tables
The charts below are printed on page 12 of the rules. Their values are transcribed from the printed page.
(5.31) Damage Point Table
Attack Strength across the top; die roll (two dice) down the sides.
| Die Roll | 0-5 | 6-10 | 11-15 | 16-19 | 20-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55-69 | 70-79 | 80+ | Die Roll |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Note: Modifiers if Rule 11.1 is in use: Crack Crews +1, Poor Crews -1.
5.32 Combat Results Table
Combat ratio (Damage Points vs Defense Strength) across the top; die roll (two dice) down the sides.
| Die Roll | 1:2 | 1:1 | 2:1 | 3:1 | 4:1 | 5:1 | Die Roll |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 3 | - | - | - | - | - | 1W | 3 |
| 4 | - | - | - | - | 1W | 1W, 1S | 4 |
Key: #W = number of weapons hits, #S = number of speed hits; - = no effect; X = explosion/ship sunk.
(5.4) Damage Point Table Modifiers
| Modifier | DPT Die Roll |
|---|---|
| Target DIW or speed 1 | +2 |
| Firing Into the Sun* | +1 |
| Crack Crews* | +1 |
| Concentrated Fire | -1 |
| Poor Crews* | -1 |
| Firing Out of Bow/Stern Arc | -1 |
| Firing Through Stack Smoke* | -1 |
| Firing Ship Turned Last Game Turn* | -1 |
| Poor British Ammunition* | -1 |
| Firing Into the Gloom* | -1 |
| Ship Fired At This Turn | -2 |
*Optional Rules
(5.51) Range Effects Table
| Distance in Hexes | Attack Strength |
|---|---|
| 1 or 2 | tripled |
| 3 or 4 | doubled |
| 5 to 13 | unchanged |
(6.11) Torpedo Convergence Table
| Range (in Hexes) | Target Speed 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 |
| 2 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 |
Note: Modifiers if Rule 11.1 is in use: Crack Crews -1, Poor Crew +1.
(5.7) Speed Damage Effects Chart
| Movement Allowance | 1S | 2S | 3S |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
The speed Damage Effects Chart illustrates the relationship between maximum speed and speed damage.
(8.11) Damage Control Table
Roll one die for W damage and one die for S damage. A result of YES means one step of that damage may be repaired.
| Die Roll | Remove One Step of W Damage | Remove One Step of S Damage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | YES | YES |
| 2 | YES | YES |
| 3 | YES | NO |
| 4 | NO | NO |
| 5 | NO | NO |
| 6 | NO | NO |
Sectors of Fire Chart and Torpedo Track Chart
The Sectors of Fire Chart is a diagram of a battleship counter (BB17) on the hex grid. It shows the Stern, Bow, Port Broadside and Starboard Broadside sectors (see 5.43).
The Torpedo Track Chart is a diagram of a destroyer counter (DD4) on the hex grid with the torpedo spread arrows; use the same pattern for the port broadside (see 6.2).