Command the fleet

[Ryder]

Thanks Colonel, that'll make a great introduction for people just wondering what this game is.

 

[Kelly]

hey ryder, this is for the website or game rules doc or whatever. A header.

 

[Ryder]

VERY COOL!
I'll get that hosted by tomorrow.

 

[the Colonel]

Hi Ryder,

Thanks for putting my compilation up front. You didn't have to use my term "Command Points", thus my comment " [I thought this was a more "gaming" sounding name ]." --which is a comment I didn't mean for you to include! "Command Points" was just a suggestion.

Thanks,

the Colonel

 

[the Colonel]

Ryder,

Are all German ships going to start in port, or are some to be pre-placed? I ask because of the dreaded escape into the Atlantic by German ships is risky at best. Are we going to have to make a run for it and hope we don't get intercepted by a big fleet and a ton of planes? 'Cause I'm thinking the Bismark is going to be one big, fat juicy target for the best of the British fleet. I expect that, but I don't want to get sunk in the first couple turns trying to break out into the Atlantic. What's your take on this?

Thanks,

CK

 

[Ryder]

Good question, unfortunately the answer is yes, you will have to break out from Hamburg port (or Kiel).
There are a couple of things that might cheer you up however.
-You can choose when to break out, operate in the baltic for a bit if you like and let the PCs get bored/thrown-off.
-Take the long, long way over Iceland, or go shorter between Iceland and England, or do a channel dash (probably the toughest way, though therefore unexpected). With three ways to go the allies can't pool too much to stop you (they have other jobs and things to protect too).
-Take heart, with France occupied there will be deep-water ports made operational on the west coast very quickly, you may only have to make that break-out once!
-The Bismarck is one BIG ship, not much is gonna out-right sink her. You might take a beating breaking-out but it is unlikely you'll be put out. Her and the Tirpitz are tied for the most hit points in the game. Just repair in France after breaking out, unlike real history, you won't loose your rudder permanently.

 

[the Colonel]

-The Bismarck is one BIG ship, not much is gonna out-right sink her. You might take a beating breaking-out but it is unlikely you'll be put out. Her and the Tirpitz are tied for the most hit points in the game. Just repair in France after breaking out, unlike real history, you won't loose your rudder permanently.

Well, that is good news. I suspected we'd be able to make repairs in France. How about Brazil too?

--the Colonel

 

[Ryder]

Well, that is good news. I suspected we'd be able to make repairs in France. How about Brazil too?

--the Colonel

Unlikely, Brazil, while having her moments, is basically pro-allies. While Argentina is in your court, she can't handle repairs on the bigger ships too well... at least for starters.

 

[Erwin]

You guys can attach those banners to the Photo Gallery here and link directly off them.

If this game becomes big, I'm happy to host it here at CF, and give you guys your own subforum, with that logo at the top.

 

[Ryder]

Thanks for the support Erwin!

Well, with half an hour left on my promise, I've got good news and bad news.
The good news is I'll be able to more or less keep my promise, the ship and weapon lists are up!
The bad news is that I did not have any time to rosy up the site or get the armament logs (what's on which ship) up like I wanted too. Btw, those armament logs are done, and the prices for the ships include the cost of pre-installed weapons already.

Well, in all it's temporary shambles!

http://www.calvin.edu/~cms3/

 

[Religious Crisis]

Does anyone have the "Duke of York"? If not would it be possible for me to switch ships?

 

[the Colonel]

Ryder,

How many command points does each player start with?

 

[Ryder]

RC, no prob, consider it reserved for you.

The Colonel, about 90,000 is what I'm thinking. That leaves the Bismarck/Tirpitz players just enough for a generic destroyer escort if they forego changing anything from default.

This week, as I get time, I'll be fixing up the site with all the proper information and if I have any more time I'll try and make it look a little nicer, so far I've just been dumping information off my spreadsheets... could ya tell?

A couple of notes before you plan your 90,000,

Vanguard isn't complete yet and cannot be bought. Only her keel has been laid at the start of this game, it'll be a year or more under construction.

Default armaments (what they start with) will be added to the site soon!

The odd (not too many) British ship may be unavailable if it's in the med or the pacific fleet (effectively out of our game) at the start, they might change theaters eventually. Some ships, quite a few in-fact, aren't even drawn up on the site because I plan to dismiss them entirely as the 'pacific fleet'.

Generic destroyers are plentiful, but not un-exhaustible. The British have more.

Submarines are plentiful, but also not un-exhaustible. The Germans have way more.

All other 'named' ships are singular entries.

The American quad 16" gun is under development and not available yet. Besides which, the US has not entered the war yet.
The German triple 19" gun is under development as well and not available yet. These guns are fictitious, but plausible. The Americans had the best triple 16" guns in WW2 and the quad is no large stretch. The Germans ally Japan developed a triple 18.8" gun (Yamato and Musashi) and shared research/tactics with Germany, and some Germans were very 'big gun surface ships' minded anyways.

Speed, this is one of those deals I'm still tweeking. I can say a few things though,
A difference of only a couple of knots won't really matter.
Maintaining a range in combat against someone who's trying to close the distance with you will require a minimum number of knots faster than the guy closing, like definitely more than one knot faster. This is to prevent battleships from keeping everything at bay and pounding away at long range where only other battleships can return fire from. It's also realistic, as top speed would only be achieved by turning your stern to the enemy, yet ships must turn to deliver a broadside salvo.
In other words, speed is important, but don't worry about a couple of knots either way.

Work with your teammates (especially axis) to ensure that everybody gets a decent fleet going with regards to picking what's available.

While destroyers are great torpedo boats (they close fast) and good ASUB ships, don't be too preoccupied with submarine defense. Submarines can close distance and fire with impunity until they are discovered (which is virtually automatic when they start shooting). But their slow speed ensures the defender can leave the fight at their leisure once the submarine is found out. So subs can't harass or prolong a battle much at all really, probably they'll only get one shot per encounter, unless the defender sticks around. ASUB weapons have to get the chance to find the submarine before they work too, so it isn't quit as easy to kill subs as it may appear (not overly hard either, look at their HP).

Aircraft are lethal, what you wanna do regarding them is dependant on what/where you do/go. *Shrugs* Most planes have few hitpoints, but they have varying 'dodges' that automatically reduce their chances of being hit by around 30% or more. So don't think your AA will always work a that nice 75% they're listed as. Planes info will go up soon. As for carrier players, the Royal Navy will provide you with a decent free supply of 'em. But if you wanna micromanage what kind they send you, it'll cost extra.

I hope this helps, sorry again for the haphazard manual/site thus far! ACK! my links are melding into my background!

 

[the Colonel]

RC, no prob, consider it reserved for you.

The Colonel, about 90,000 is what I'm thinking. That leaves the Bismarck/Tirpitz players just enough for a generic destroyer escort if they forego changing anything from default.

Well, if I start with 90,000 points and Bismark costs 80,819 I'm thinking I won't be buying anything else at first. I'm definitely going to do the hook up thing to get out to sea.

 

[Religious Crisis]

I won't matter what you do when my fleet gets in range.

 

[the Colonel]

I won't matter what you do when my fleet gets in range.

Oh, you mean those puny Swordfish mosquito wanna be planes?

Mm, hmm. That's what I thought.

--the Colonel

 

[Noddingdog]

Mind you, I suppose it'd be quite difficult for your crew to see them in the sky from under ALL THAT WATER...

 

[marmaladePRO]

ohh this is GREAT , i get back from being away this weekend, and the trash-talk is in full effect... we'll done chaps we'll done....
tally ho then, lol
/practicing my british, so i can intercept and confuse their communications... lol, those dastardly allies... er, i mean axis...

 

[Noddingdog]

Practising British eh, old bean? The recruitment office is open any time you want! Bonjour.. I mean, Auf Wiedersehen!

Ryder, would it be possible to knock together a contestant/ship list for reference's sake? That'd be quite handy to track progress/player names.

 

[Kelly]

I may take the Formidable now that RC has given it up for the Duke of York. (I'll make new banners but I'm waiting until the weekend).