Kurskgunner's Scenario Series, Pt 2

Kurskgunner · **Kurskgunner**

War at Sea
Second Phase Scenarios
By: Kurskgunner

Introduction: Using the alternate history background, several opening scenarios had small forces attacking fortifications around ports, or attempting to break a blockade of ports. Open sea combat has to be the next step. Rather than choosing a force from a couple of hundred points, here is an alternative method to put together the ‘scratch force’ one will be commanding.

Choosing your Force:
Opponents first agree which nations ships they will choose from, then agree on how many times to roll on the following chart. Four rolls will net a player four ships, or group of ships, for example. Variations on this method will yield many ways to fight the same scenario, because the forces will always be different. Play balance is not meant to be a factor. However, if one side is unlucky enough to roll only destroyers against cruisers and battleships, simply set aside that result and roll off another force. The bad news is that the second force structure is one a player is stuck with. Can’t waste the day trying to roll the ‘perfect’ scratch force. The greatest glory goes to the victor with the smaller force, and what a shallow victory for the bigger force commander of a lop-sided victory!
Next, lay out a map to both player’s satisfaction. Leave enough open space that you don’t trap your own fleet. Roll a die to choose which side of the map will be ‘home’. Place all ships within home territory within 2 squares of the short map edge, facing the enemy home waters. Battle continues until one side is destroyed, or has fled off the map.

Roll 2D6: Add the result. Record the resulting ship and roll on the next charts for the ship size.
Dice Total = Ship Type
2 = 2 Destroyers 3 = Carrier with 1 bomber and 1 fighter
4 = 1 Cruiser 5 = 1 Destroyer
6 = 1 Land Bomber 7 = 1 Cruiser
8 = 1 Battleship 9 = 1 Light carrier with 1 Torpedo Bomber
10 = 1 Cruiser 11 = 1 Battleship
12 = 3 Destroyers

Note: The above chart is meant for smaller fleet actions of 3 to 5 ships to a side. Torpedo Boats and others not on the list are because of the type of battle this chart is supposed to generate. Players are to choose the actual ship from the charts below, still using the nationality agreed on at the start. Roll a single D6: Main gun strength at range zero ( 0 ) is used for reference. Any ship card with the strength listed, or less, that matches the dice roll number is acceptable.

Battleships Cruisers Destroyers
Dice Roll = Gun Strength Dice roll = Gun Strength Dice Roll = Gun Strength
1 or 2 = 14 or less 1 = 6 1 = 2
3 or 4 = 15 or less 2 or 3 = 8 or less 2 or 3 = 3
5 = 17 or less 4 or 5 = 10 or less 4 = 4
6 = 18 or less 6 = 12 or less 5 or 6 = 5

The term “or less” means: A player may choose to use a smaller gun value, then the number rolled. For example, a player rolls a 2 and 3, but chooses two strength 14 ships, instead of a strength 14 and 15 ship, as rolled. Roll a 6, and a player can have any ship he/she owns within that category.
At any time a model is unavailable for the result rolled, take a ship from the next lower category. No more 15 strength ships available, then use a 14 strength ship instead, for example. The same for Cruisers and Destroyers.
Three battles for each player, generated from this chart, will be needed to decide the winner of this game phase. Standard victory points are recorded for each player. Running totals will be made public at each weekend gathering. All players will move to the next stage, regardless of the point totals won to date.
Other War at Sea game groups will find the random force generated here useful for games where advance preparation was overlooked. The sheer randomness was designed for our group to quickly put together a battle, with often hair-raising results.

Good Gaming!

By: Kurskgunner

Aquarius · **Aquarius**

This sounds like fun!
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I have to make a new sig because my old one is too wide for this new look...

Kurskgunner · **Kurskgunner**

Thanks Aquarious,
Our group here has had some wild games, off this generator. We all know going in there is no attempt at play 'balance'. How well we hold up when we're the underdog is a large part of the fun. Hope you find it so, as well.

Kurskgunner

Mad Ghost/0331 · **Mad Ghost/0331**

We played this thing 2 games last night. I ended up rolling myself into a couple of up-hill battles. I wrote down the actual force strenghts, but I forgot them. Will post later. I loved it though. It builds the fleets quickly and some custom units made it out! The rules you posted don't say (or we missunderstood) what to do for countries that don't have carriers. My opponent chose Germany for the first game and rolled a CVL and a torpedo bomber, so he used a stuka and my custom build Grafin Von Behren, which was cool since she hasn't seen action yet. I managed to kill her with a Kate and boxcars. He rolled a Tirpitz and 3 destroyers in addition to the Graffin, that I faced with Yamashiro, Yahagi and two shoho's and 2 Kates. Yamashiro held out for awhile, but I didn't have enough aircraft to kill enough destroyers fast enough but Yamashiro and Tirpitz were trading hull points for a couple of turns.
The second game was a little worse for me, since I was Germany and he was italy. I rolled a BB and was hoping that Tirpitz might show up... but I rolled a little one so Scharnhorst, Karlsruhe, 2 KGs and 1 Hans with a Kondor, faced off against Litorio, VV, Bolzano, Aquila and the italian stuka. My Kondor hit Litorio with the stand off, but there is no way Scharnhorst was going to beat down those two.

At any rate, I loved it. It makes set up so much easier and lends it's self to quick games, and might actually makes a good solitare generator.
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An appeal to fear never finds an echo in German hearts.
Otto von Bismarck

http://riversidegaming.myfastforum.org/forum3.php

Kurskgunner · **Kurskgunner**

Wonderful!
Thanks for a very detailed after-action report! I did not want to post any of the games we had, since it would seem skewed toward propaganda, rather than actual games. I was hoping others would find my little set up useful, as we did.
About ships to use, the storyline of the Alternate History was meant to open the door for just what you did - namely use what you have, even though the 'sources' might not match. Good going!
With such a glowing post, I hope more folks will give the system a shot, further expanding enjoyment of the game.
Frankly, I only considered the solo aspect in passing - so thanks for pointing this out.
Again, thanks much!

Kurskgunner