48 replies to this topic

[Coastal]

It might be easier to look at cost of turns from the point of view of the WHOLE the turn rather than increments of the turn.Example 1:My ship, the USS Bumfuzzle, is doing 40kts.  I decide in the next turn to make a 90 degree (which is 5 ticks around the turn gauge) turn.  I first proceed straight for 500yd (the advance into the turn) using 5kts.I then proceed the 5 ticks around the turn gauge to my final point.  Since this is a turn OVER 30 degrees, the cost will be 10kts (2kts for each tick on the turn gauge) for the turn.I then proceed on my way using my remaining 25kts.Example 2:Now this time I want the Bumfuzzle to make a small change of course of 18 degrees (only 1 tick around the gauge).I still proceed straight for 500yds (it still takes that long for the rudder to respond) using 5kts.I then proceed 1 tick around the turn gauge to my final point.  Since this is a turn UNDER 30 degrees, the cost will only be 1kt (1kt for the single tick on the turn gauge) for the turn.I then proceed on my merry way using my remaining 34kts.Example 3:Now, I want the USS Bumfuzzle to make a 2 tick (36 degree) turn (still doing 40kts).  I first proceed straight for 500yd, using 5kts.I then proceed the 2 ticks around the turn gauge to my final point.  Since this is a turn OVER 30 degrees, the cost will be 4kts (2kts for each tick on the turn gauge) for the turn.Once again, I then proceed on my way using my remaining 31kts.The key thing to remeber is the cost per tick depends on the size of ENTIRE turn.  If the turn is OVER 30 degrees, then each tick will cost 2kts.  If UNDER 30 degrees, the cost is 1kt per tick.I hope this clarifies things...

[William Owen]

Yes, it's clear. I guess the rules are just unclear (1.2.3 ...Each mark on the Ship Turn Indicator is equivalent to two knots....  maybe should have said each mark after the 1st is equivalent to 2 knots.)Thanks for clarification. If I can't figure it out, I will ask Greg to upload the Ruler/Turn art for the 3 scales: 1 cm=100 yards, 1 cm = 200 yards & 1 cm = 250 yards.

[Coastal]

billowen wrote:

Quote

Yes, it's clear. I guess the rules are just unclear (1.2.3 ...Each mark on the Ship Turn Indicator is equivalent to two knots....  maybe should have said each mark after the 1st is equivalent to 2 knots.)

A little more clarification....Each tick mark INCLUDING the first one is equivalent to 2kts IF the TOTAL turn EXCEEDS 30 degrees.  ONLY if the TOTAL turn is LESS than 30 degrees does the first tick mark equal 1kt.  The key element is the ENTIRE turn; this determines the total cost.

[William Owen]

I have PDF's of the combined ruler/turn indicator at my website:www.g-design.us/shipsThere are 3 scales (each = 100 yards: 1 cm, .5 cm & .4 cm) & 2 background colors (blue and teal). There are multiple copies on each page--depending on scale 3 to 10. The largest (1 cm = 100 yards) requires longer paper than most printers will print on (12x18") but I figure you ar resourceful! For examle, you could go to Kinkos.These are larger files (about 1 MB each) and I have not figured out to upload the 6 of them to the ODGW file section yet so Greg K is going to help with this. They are vector image pdf's (not bitmaps) so they should print clearly.I hope they are helpful!

[Lonnie Gill]

Thanks Bill,These are a nice playing aid.  Greg will get together with you on the upload to ODGW.  I/T is out of my league, but right up Greg's alley.LONNIE

[Bob Benge]

These look very nice. I bet they'd look even better in laser etched blue or teal acrylic with white lettering... Litko or Gale Force Nine?Just a thought... :)

[William Owen]

Thanks guys for the kudos. I'd talked to Litko re their etching them on acrylic; it's technically possible but their norm is to make "generic" aids. Because there's copyrighted material must be worked out between Lonnie or ODGW and them. If you contact me directly, I can forward the name of the relevant person at Litko.

[William Owen]

I mentioned that the 1 cm/100 yards ruler I made would be too long for most printers that may print a maximum of 14-17" (the ruler is just over 17" so would need hard to find 18" long paper). Well, I found an option where you could print out 3 of these rulers for only $7.80 and that includes color printing, foam core mounting and lamination!My local Staples store has a 40% off deal which brings there normal price down to $7.80 from about $13. I assume that all their stores have the same deal... but it's probably a limited time sale.PS the smaller scales (.5 cm or .4 cm per 100 yards) would easily print on almost any home printer.--- In GenQuarters@yahoogroups.com, "GBOWWII" <william.owen@insightbb.com> wrote:> I made a combination ruler and turn indicator in 2 background colors (dark blue & teal) > and 3 scales:> 1) 1 cm = 100 yards (about 17" long)> 2) .5 cm = 100 yards (about 8.5" long)> 3) .4 cm = 100 yards (about 7" long)> > It has reminders of various movement rules on it also. You can see it at:> www.g-design.us/ships

[Dave Franklin]

You can get a 1 cm/100 yards "ruler", AKA a tape measure with metric measurements, for $0.25 from Warweb right now.

[Jim O'Neil]

Not to be picky or anything, but that 1 CM = 100 Meters/yards game ruler could be limted to 36 knots without any pain. There are very, very few ships that could exceed 36 knots with any regularity, and tactically , not a lot of reason to use such speed very often. For those ocassions, I wouldn't mind the minor inconvenience of having to tack on 4 CM.

[William Owen]

Ho ho! And if you buy 8 of the tape measures @$.25 with $6 shipping charge, you'll match the price that the dollar store sells them for.Of course, I made it primarily for the smaller scales of .5cm and .4cm which otherwise require MATH in the midst of the game... and the utility of having several tools in one piece. For example: "Hmm, I'm moving 27 knots times .4cm and that's Hmmmmmm  Hmmmmmmmmmm 10 cms and 8mm!!! Now, lets stop the game and rest for a while."I went ahead and made a 1-cm/100 yards version for people who'd appreciate also having the rules reminders and turn indicator all 3 together ...or afraid of dangerous "snapback" injuries during tape measure retrieval manoeuvres (in British games) or maneuvers (in American games).

[William Owen]

Yes, I see your point. But to have anticipated that would have meant that I either had experience to see this (I don't) or spent hours pouring over the ship charts to ascertain a pattern of what's likely useful 95% of the time (I didn't).Thanks for the suggestion... unfortunately it would take a few hours to compact the artwork down and after already spending too many hours on making them, I probably won't get around to it but who knows?!PS my next thing will be to make some range sticks using square dowels... and there'll I'll probably make them using your approach of working with smaller than maximum amounts. Namely because 36"* is a commonly available size and anything longer would like to Put Someone's Eye Out in actual combat conditions.I appreciate input from anyone who knows what they're doing (I don't).*or 9, x000 yards in .5cm scale or 11,000 yards in .4cm scale.

[William Owen]

Gregory gave me some feedback that the combo Turn/Move Indicator that I made is sometimes a bit unwieldy in close action. So I made up Turn Gauges in all 4 scales* and in the same matching 2 colors (Dark Blue and Teal) as the longer Turn/Move Indicators. It’s at the same website: www.g-design.us/shipsYou can download them and print them out.*.4 cm/100 yards, .5 cm/100 yards, 1 cm/100 yards and the whopping 1"/100 yards!

[CinC]

Greetings!Some of our shipmates have been very busy lately, and have shared with us the fruits of their labors.  Jeffrey Grossman has contributed Gunnery Charts scaled for 1cm=200yds.  Bill Owen's fine turn gauges and rulers in three scales and two colors are now available.  And Len Heinz has added Ship Logs for an historical battle in the Bay of Biscay.  All either are or will be in the Player Uploads section of the General Quarters Registered Users area.Many thanks for lending a hand to all your GQ 'mates!Cheers,CinC

[CinC]

General Quarters WWI rules set sail this summer!This much-requested version is on the ways, and about ready to launch.  Highlights include:[ul][li]A stand-alone game, with completely rewritten surface combat rules for the Great War.  Included are references to changes from the General Quarters WWII rules[/li][li]Color ship charts, from pre-dreadnoughts to the "super-dreadnought" battleship[/li][li]Revised Acquisition tables for visual sighting in the WWI era[/li][li]Fleet-level gunnery rules for small ships simplifies their combat and allows realistic concentration on the action between battlelines[/li][li]Engine types: coal-fired versus oil-burning[/li][li]Fleet-level torpedo rules will both enhance realism and speed play[/li][li]New turn indicators use nautical compass points for increased authenticity[/li][li]Signal & communications rules for this tactically important area[/li][li]Zeppelins!!![/li][/ul]Keep a weather eye turned here for the latest Flagship signals!!!CinC

[CinC]

Greetings shipmates,The new GQ Turn Indicator based upon compass points has just been uploaded to the General Quarters Bonus Documents folder for all Registered Users.  It is now the standard for both WWI and WWII.Thanks to Bill Owen for all his work on this one.  Enjoy, and we hope you swabbies appreciate all the details!Cheers,CinC

[Arron Monroe]

Hi, I just checked th eBonus Files section of GQ III and did not see the new chart.  Am I looking in the correct area?Thanks,

[Coastal]

The new gauge is under the 'Bonus Documents' folder.  Just scroll down to the file 'General Quarters Compass Point Turn Indicator' and click on the title.  On the right side of the page is the download icon.  Right click on it and you're on your way.  The complete path is below:'Main Repository Page' to 'Registered Users' to 'Private Access Libraries' to 'General Quarters 3rd Edition' to 'Bonus Documents' to 'General Quarters Compass Point Turn Indicator'.

[Arron Monroe]

Doh!  I didn't scroll down far enough.  Thanks!!So I chan check the proper scaling when printing the templates out, what is the width of the template or distance between tick marks?Thanks again!

[Coastal]

The 'Advance' part is 500yds (or 5cm) long, so each 'tick' would be 1cm.  When printing, make sure the options are full size ('none' on my printer) and not 'Fit to Page' (which reduced to to 94%).