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Coal Smoke


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#1 Richard Cornwell

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Posted 06 June 2008 - 10:33 AM

Not 100% clear about the effects of coal smoke.Are you only affected by your own smoke or by any smoke your LOF would go through (including the target's smoke if applicable)? If the latter is it up a level for any smoke or up one level for each smoke passed through?Been playing the first option but thought I'd confirm. All the best

#2 Cpt M

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Posted 14 June 2008 - 07:43 AM

Are you only affected by your own smoke or by any smoke your LOF would go through (including the target's smoke if applicable)?

The way we play this is only the smoke of from the firing ship and any ship directly forward or aft of the firing ship (as in a line ahead formation) would cause the shift (only one shift, BTW). The idea is that the firing ship can be potentially fouled by the smoke from the ships ahead and astern as well as its own. Any smoke from the target would not foul the LOF and cause the shift.

#3 Keith Plymale

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Posted 18 June 2008 - 03:30 AM

The targets smoke should have an effect if it is blowing towards the fire-er. If the wind is coming over the bow of the target then the next ship ahead should cause fouling of LOS. Coal smoke had a HUGE effect on Jutland.

#4 Cpt M

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Posted 19 June 2008 - 05:45 PM

The targets smoke should have an effect if it is blowing towards the fire-er. If the wind is coming over the bow of the target then the next ship ahead should cause fouling of LOS. Coal smoke had a HUGE effect on Jutland.

True enough that the amount black smoke coming from the 60 capital ships (and the 100+ DDs and CLs) played a major role in the visibility conditions at Jutland (coupled with the North Sea's aready fickle conditions). But this is already taken account by the first part of rule '7.10.1 Coal Smoke' under 'Visibility':' Visibility The thick black smoke from more than ten coalfiredships steaming within a 10ooo yd diameter reducesthe maximum visibility in the entire tactical area by 1oooyds every fifth Game Turn. Reduces 2ooo yds in Force 2.'This effect would reduce overall visibility (and of course, gunnery, since you can't hit what you can't see, even if you could see it last turn). Now let's look at the 'Gunrery' effect:'Gunnery A firing ship must shift UP one row on herGUNFIRE CRT when her LoF passes through any part ofthe smoke interference zone downwind of a high speedcoal fired ship. This is equivalent to the Coal Smoke areaon the reverse of the Ship Turn Indicator and Gyro Anglearea at its base. Locate the Downwind arrow at the sternof a 1:2400 miniature [rear of a 1:6000 miniature base] andalign the Coal Smoke side downwind. Coal fired shipsalso adjust UP one row when firing through their ownfunnel smoke. Interference extends an additional CoalSmoke side downwind in Force 2 light wind conditions.'Now, by my interpretation, this represents the effect of smoke drifting directly in front of and close by (or worse, directly over) the firing ship's gunnery control positions, interposing a thick cloud within feet of your gunnery spotters. This effect would be much more significant than that of a target ship being obscured by the same kind of conditions. And keep in mind, the target ship is not going to completely covered since the funnel smoke tended to rise, thereby covering only part of the upper works (where, BTW, the fire control positions were generally located) of the target while leaving the lower hull fairly clear (at the ranges typical in WWI). A rough analogy can be had with an overly smoky backyard barbeque grill. Stand behind it and try to look through the smoke across the yard; its nearly impossible to see anything clearly. Then stand across the yard and look back at the grill; most of the grill and anything near it at the same level can be seen clearly.Anyway, that's my take.




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