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Nothing but Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash.
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Post subject: WAS FAQ - Clarification Starts Here
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The War at Sea Rules Clarification forum is here to help you. Before you post a question, please consult the resources below to see if it is already answered there. Of course, should further elabortation or explanation be required to settle your case, start a new thread and everyone here will be happy to help.
First, some resources.
You probably already have the rulebook, but in case you don't, it can be downloaded here by clicking on Download Advanced Rules:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/aam/WaratSea
A supplement to the rulebook has been released by Avalon Hill making sweeping changes in the game, including moving surface torpedoes into the surface attack phase, giving a penalty to strafing fighters, and adding rules for harassing submarines. It also clarifies some oft mis-understood rules. It is available here:
http://www.wizards.com/avalonhill/rules/War_at_Sea_Clarifications.pdf
The old (now defunct) Avalon Hill forum featured a section where WAS questions could be answered by an actual employee with the power to make rulings. Much of this information (though you can no longer post there) is still relevant and can be found here:
http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=19718
Additionally, the new Gleemax boards offers a place to post questions which can be answered 'officially' by a WotC representative, these can be found here:
http://forums.gleemax.com/forumdisplay.php?f=758
Numerous questions arose about the second set of WAS, Task Force. Enough confusion abounded that an FAQ was needed for that set alone, here it is:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/aam/ah20080724c
In response to a request for a sort of WAS FAQ, I have created this thread to post a few common questions and thier answers. If you have a suggestion for a commonly mis-understood rule, please post it here and I will add it to the FAQ, thanks. And with that, here we go. If you notice mistakes (especially concerning the rules) please notify me in a reply or by PM as well.
WAS FAQ
Gunnery and Bomb attacks:
These attacks must be rolled one at a time. Attacks from multiple units at the same target, or attacks by multiple gunnery values from the same ship (main, secondary, etc) are all rolled by themselves and are never added together.
Example: Rodney is attacking an enemy vessel at range 3. It may target that vessel with both its main and its secondary guns, but each attack is rolled seperately. Instead of one attack of 18 dice, Rodney gets one attack with 13 dice and one attack with 5 dice.
Note: The rules also state that torpedo attacks should be made seperately, and it is good practice to do so. This is despite the fact that rolling torpedos together gives no advantage to the attacker, unlike stacking gunnery attacks.
Capturing Objectives:
Objectives are captured at the end of each turn by a player who has a ship in an objective sector where no enemy ships are local or adjacent. Submarines are unit type submarine, not ship. Therefore, submarines do not keep a player from capturing an objective even if they are local or adjacent. Ships with the No Sea Control SA cannot capture objectives. However, because they are unit type ship, they do deny the capture of an objective which they are local or adjacent to.
Smoke Screens/Concealment:
Smoke screens come into effect immediately, despite the fact that action during a single phase is regarded as being simultaneous. All units within a smoke screen have concealment, including aircraft, which gain a concealment roll against any attack made against them. Concealment rolls, if successful, nullify one entire attack, whether it be gunnery, bombs, or a salvo of torpedos. Note that if multiple torpedo hits are scored in a single salvo, the concealment roll is for all of these hits.
Aborted Fighters
Fighters are aborted just as any other aircraft during the Air Defense phase. However, all attacks are considered to be resolved at the same time. Therefore, the SA's of the aborted fighter (such as Escort) remain in effect for the rest of the Air Defense phase. Additionally, the fighter may still attack enemy air targets during this Air Defense phase, so it is entirely possible for two fighters to abort each other during a single Air Defense phase.
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Last edited by swarbs on Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:11 am; edited 6 times in total |
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 Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:30 am |
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Nothing but Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash.
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ok, this is just to make a start of it, here's the top three questions I've seen pop up. Any further suggestions, please reply, any mistakes, please reply.
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| Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:32 am |
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Tora Tora Tora
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Do the air attacks one, does an aborted fighter get to attack in AA phase/does an aborted fighter still cover the bombers. Yes to both IIRC
edit by Swarbs - added this one to the list, thanks for the suggestion
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| Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:36 am |
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USS OKLAHOMA BB-37
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Thank you Swarbs as this will be a big help when question's arise.
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| Wed Mar 26, 2008 3:09 am |
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Resident U-Head
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Great work!
One question, though: are you sure about ships with No Sea Control? I was under the impression that such ships also could not contest objectives.
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| Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:45 am |
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Nothing but Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash.
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| EvilKobra wrote: | Great work!
One question, though: are you sure about ships with No Sea Control? I was under the impression that such ships also could not contest objectives. |
Yep, here is the quote from the clarifications document:
No Sea Control: Units with this special ability cannot claim objectives, but they do
prevent an opponent from claiming an objective by being in or adjacent to that objective.
I actually included this one as much for me as for anyone else, before the clarifications doc came out I adamantly attacked someone on the old boards for saying PT boats could contend objectives.
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| Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:32 pm |
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I AM the Mad Scot! None are my equal! Many are my betters!
Posts: 1617
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Post subject: THANK YOU!
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Thank you, this will definitely help out.
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The SCA: Just an excuse for getting dressed up in Medieval clothing and beat each other up with padded sticks! |
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| Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:00 pm |
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does the escort ability cover more than one flight?
i.e. if i park a wildcat in a square and 3 dive bombers do all the bombers benefit from the escort?
thank you
mike
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| Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:39 am |
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Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way -- G.S. Patton
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| rutilius wrote: | does the escort ability cover more than one flight?
i.e. if i park a wildcat in a square and 3 dive bombers do all the bombers benefit from the escort?
thank you
mike |
Yes one fighter escorts all bombers in the same sector.
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Aaron
"Focus on your own character and your reputation will take care of itself" |
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| Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:57 am |
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Nothing but Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash.
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| afilter wrote: | | rutilius wrote: | does the escort ability cover more than one flight?
i.e. if i park a wildcat in a square and 3 dive bombers do all the bombers benefit from the escort?
thank you
mike |
Yes one fighter escorts all bombers in the same sector. |
Yep, thanks for catching this one afilter, I haven't paid enough attention. All bombers in the same square recieve escort.
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| Tue Apr 01, 2008 5:01 pm |
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Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way -- G.S. Patton
Posts: 2527
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Post subject:
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Capturing Objectives:
Objectives are captured at the end of each phase by a player who has a ship in an objective sector where no enemy ships are local or adjacent. Submarines are unit type submarine, not ship. Therefore, submarines do not keep a player from capturing an objective even if they are local or adjacent. Ships with the No Sea Control SA cannot capture objectives. However, because they are unit type ship, they do deny the capture of an objective which they are local or adjacent to.
Should the word phase be replaced with Turn?
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Aaron
"Focus on your own character and your reputation will take care of itself" |
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| Tue Apr 01, 2008 5:06 pm |
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Nothing but Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash.
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Post subject:
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| afilter wrote: | Capturing Objectives:
Objectives are captured at the end of each phase by a player who has a ship in an objective sector where no enemy ships are local or adjacent. Submarines are unit type submarine, not ship. Therefore, submarines do not keep a player from capturing an objective even if they are local or adjacent. Ships with the No Sea Control SA cannot capture objectives. However, because they are unit type ship, they do deny the capture of an objective which they are local or adjacent to.
Should the word phase be replaced with Turn? |
Another big save. Thanks very much.
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| Tue Apr 01, 2008 5:09 pm |
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Nothing but Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash.
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Adding link to the old forum's question thread. Questions here were often answered by a WotC official rules arbiter (though since the forum has closed I haven't seen much of Y2UAsk on Gleemax).
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| Fri Apr 25, 2008 2:12 pm |
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Resident U-Head
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There's an interesting clarification over at Gleemax about how Zuikaku's SA works. Among other things, it defines the land airbase as a sector not adjacent to any other sea sectors. Here it is:
| WotC wrote: |
Defensive Armament applies against all fighter attacks, so it does apply against Airfield Strikes, BUT ...
Defensive Armament increases only the aircraft's armor, not its vital armor. Aborting a target aircraft during an Airfield Strike has no effect -- the aircraft is already sitting out the turn at the land airbase. The only result that matters in an Airfield Strike is destruction of the target by beating its Vital Armor, which isn't bumped by Defensive Armament.
For the Japanese, the optimal attack is Zekes, on turn 1, stiffened by Expert Dogfighter, hitting something with relatively low vital armor.
I'll go ahead and answer the obvious follow-up questions now. All of these have to do with the application of the word "sector" in regard to the Airfield Strike SA. Generally, the land airbase is treated the same as a sea sector when it comes under air attack.
1) Interceptor does kick in if the enemy has no fighters at the airbase and your fighter attacks a bomber.
2) Likewise, Escort kicks in if an enemy fighter attacks your bomber on your land airbase while you have an Escort fighter there, even if it's rearming.
3) Combat Air Patrol can't be used to shift a fighter into your opponent's land airbase, because the base isn't directly connected to any sea sectors (it's separated by that thick, black border). |
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| Fri Aug 08, 2008 7:16 am |
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Forum Administrator
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It sucks that a re-arming fighter can still provide escort. That doesn't make much sense.
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| Fri Aug 08, 2008 1:26 pm |
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Nothing but Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash.
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Post subject:
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With rulings like this about specific unit SA's, should we add some units to the FAQ section or are links to the WotC clarifications and forum good enough? It seems good to have some up in our own document, but I'm not convinced people read this before posting questions anyway, and if it is just a huge amount of material it would be even more imposing to wade through all of it.
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| Tue Aug 12, 2008 5:50 pm |
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Posts: 9148
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| swarbs wrote: | | With rulings like this about specific unit SA's, should we add some units to the FAQ section or are links to the WotC clarifications and forum good enough? It seems good to have some up in our own document, but I'm not convinced people read this before posting questions anyway, and if it is just a huge amount of material it would be even more imposing to wade through all of it. |
swarbs, what I've suggested just now to the other admins is to compile a FAQ document with WoTC's answers and send it to R.B. together with the rest of the feedback. Then I guess he may get someone in WoTC to edit it and make the official Clarifications document just like last year for Set I. Unless we get such an official document I don't expect to see any errata. Not even for the U-66.
It would be fantastic if someone could prepare this document.
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My new blog, specialised in the military equipment of Greece (1821-today). |
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| Tue Aug 12, 2008 5:59 pm |
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I AM the Mad Scot! None are my equal! Many are my betters!
Posts: 1617
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Post subject:
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Question: can a fighter make an AA attack against a fighter in the same sector that they are escorting a bomber/torpedo etc, and the bomber still benefit from the "Escort" ability from the fighter's SA?
IE: US has a stand of Daunts attacking a IJN BB in a sector and are escorted by a stand of Hellcats. the IJN player places a stand of zekes in the same sector to attack the bombers. The SA for the Hell cats indicates Escort and Advanced Tactical fighter.
Can the Daunts benefit from the Hellcats SA of "Escort" if the Hellcats attack the Zekes in the players AA step and still use the Advanced Tactical fighter SA in an effort to destroy the enemy fighters?
I'm thinking yes. The Escort SA is a passive type of SA that does not benefit the fighter, and since the Fighters mission in this case is to "escort" the bombers to their target and keep the enemy fighters off of them. They should be able to use their active SA that benefits them directly against the enemy fighters. Then if they make a direct attack against the enemy fighters in the aa step and destroys or aborts them then they are doing their prescribed mission. Escorting the Bombers etc to the targets.
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The SCA: Just an excuse for getting dressed up in Medieval clothing and beat each other up with padded sticks! |
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| Mon May 11, 2009 11:26 pm |
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I AM the Mad Scot! None are my equal! Many are my betters!
Posts: 1617
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| cealigh the MadScot wrote: | Question: can a fighter make an AA attack against a fighter in the same sector that they are escorting a bomber/torpedo etc, and the bomber still benefit from the "Escort" ability from the fighter's SA?
IE: US has a stand of Daunts attacking a IJN BB in a sector and are escorted by a stand of Hellcats. the IJN player places a stand of zekes in the same sector to attack the bombers. The SA for the Hell cats indicates Escort and Advanced Tactical fighter.
Can the Daunts benefit from the Hellcats SA of "Escort" if the Hellcats attack the Zekes in the players AA step and still use the Advanced Tactical fighter SA in an effort to destroy the enemy fighters?
I'm thinking yes. The Escort SA is a passive type of SA that does not benefit the fighter, and since the Fighters mission in this case is to "escort" the bombers to their target and keep the enemy fighters off of them. They should be able to use their active SA that benefits them directly against the enemy fighters. Then if they make a direct attack against the enemy fighters in the aa step and destroys or aborts them then they are doing their prescribed mission. Escorting the Bombers etc to the targets. |
and to follow up that question,
That the Fighter stand cannot both attack an enemy fighter and attack an enemy bomber that are in the same sector and have the fighter benefit or it's escorts benefit from the Escort ablility, since the fighter has to choose a single target for it's AA.
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The SCA: Just an excuse for getting dressed up in Medieval clothing and beat each other up with padded sticks! |
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| Mon May 11, 2009 11:29 pm |
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Nothing but Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash.
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Escort only requires that it be in the same sector as the bomber for that bomber to get the bonus. So yes, it doesn't really matter what the fighter does in the air attack phase, it can attack a fighter a bomber whatever, and still the escort works.
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| Mon May 11, 2009 11:36 pm |
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