Monday 22 May 2017

WW2 Naval Campaign for 6x6 Challenge

Planning for my next 6x6 challenge has progressed and is ready to start. I am using the WW2 Naval rules by Panzer8 which I originally downloaded a while back. The site has sadly since disappeared, but the rules can still be found in an archive here. The rules come with a solo mechanism which I intend to try out.

The campaign is loosely based upon the destruction the German battlecruiser Scharnhorst. In the campaign we have Blue force trying to protect the convoy lanes from surface attacks by Grey force's battlecruiser supported by three destroyers.

Grey Force 1 - battlecruiser
Grey Force 2 - light cruiser and two destroyers
The campaign is set up for solo play with the raiding (Grey) force's movement being determined by dice. The aim is for the player of blue force (me) to stop any raids on the convoy lanes and sink the raiding force.

The weather will play a significant part in the campaign and any engagements that occur on the tabletop.

Grey force ships move towards convoy lines. Roll dice on a 1,2 move left diagonally, 3,4 straight ahead, and 5,6 right diagonally. Once they reach the top of the map they start their return journey towards the coast using the same approach with dice rolling, instead just going in the opposite direction.

Grey force moves as one until stormy weather, then they roll separately for their moves. When the weather is not stormy the destroyers will move to rejoin their battlecruiser if in an adjacent square. If not adjacent, they continue to roll separately for movement.

If grey disengage after an engagement, they roll for movement as before, but the direction they head is towards the coast. If they are not reengaged, then they will continue to move back towards the  convoy lanes.

If there is a sea battle in the air cover zones near the coast. Grey forces get the benefit of 3 air plane sorties from the coast.

Blue Force 3 - battleship and cruiser
Blue Force 4 - destroyer and two corvettes
Blue Force 1 - cruiser and light cruiser
Blue Force 2 - destroyer and two corvettes

Blue ships movement is controlled by the player. However, there are two constraints on Blue's movement.

  1. When the weather is stormy, Blue force's ships must roll a dice to move. On a 5 or 6 they may move, otherwise they remain in position searching for a target.
  2. When any Grey ships of any kind are in the convoy lanes, Blue ships must move towards and engage the closest Grey ships.

Steps for a campaign move:

  1. Roll for weather. 1=Clear Conditions, 2,3,4=Poor Conditions, and 5,6=Stormy Conditions
  2. Blue force movement
  3. Grey force movement
  4. If opposing forces are in the same square they do battle

Campaign starting positions
Determining victory - Grey gets 1 point for each force they get to the top of the map and Blue gets 1 point for each of the Grey forces they eliminate.

2 comments:

  1. Some good ideas there. For more initial fog of war You would it work if on the first few campaign moves, you do say 3 - 4 moves all at once for yourself and then do likewise for grey, so that as you close, you really are in patrol positions that you took without any regard for the enemy position or course or is the grid area too small to allow that?

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    Replies
    1. That's a very nice idea which would work for the opening moves on the map. All units move just one square per move, so your idea would almost bring them into contact (assuming all units move towards the enemy baseline). Thanks.

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