6 replies to this topic

[Ken Portner]

A few questions.

1. Formation 1 is 6,000 yds from Formation A and has acquired it. Formation 2 is 20,000 yds from Formation A and has not acquired it. In the Gunnery Phase Formation 1 illuminates Formation A with a star shell. In the next turn's Detection Phase does Formation 2 automatically acquire Formation A? (if so, this must mean the illumination carries over into the succeeding turn's Detetion Phase).

2. A Formation Flagship may attempt to Detect one Formation in each 60 degree arc. But is a Formation flagship able to acquire more than one Formation per 60 degree arc?

3. A vessel is not able to fire on a vessel is has not acquired. However, can a vessel fire a star shell at a vessel detected by radar? If so, would the vessel firing the star shell be able to fire its other batteries at the illuminated vessel in that same Gunnery Phase?

4. The rules say that vessels equipped with RFC can fire at targets beyond the limit of visibilty. But since a vessel cannot fire at a target that it hasn't acquired, and a target can only be acquired visually, how can a vessel ever shoot at a target that is beyond the range of vissibility?

Thank you.

[Darren Burnside]

1. Formation 1 is 6,000 yds from Formation A and has acquired it. Formation 2 is 20,000 yds from Formation A and has not acquired it. In the Gunnery Phase Formation 1 illuminates Formation A with a star shell. In the next turn's Detection Phase does Formation 2 automatically acquire Formation A? (if so, this must mean the illumination carries over into the succeeding turn's Detetion Phase).


what we do is if a ship that has visual fires star shells, or search lights,
other vessels gain visual that turn, and can target it, even if they
otherwise would be out of visual.
we often have screening DD's light up targets for the other vessels


4. The rules say that vessels equipped with RFC can fire at targets beyond the limit of visibilty. But since a vessel cannot fire at a target that it hasn't acquired, and a target can only be acquired visually, how can a vessel ever shoot at a target that is beyond the range of vissibility?


base rules allow you to use RFC to fire on a ship that you do not have visual on
IF you previously had visual and were targeting it.. such as it is now behind
a smoke screen, or moved far enough to now be out of visual range
the amendment 2.. as I understand it, this now only applies if
the firing ship has RFC+

[glenn_simpson]

The GQ 3.3 rules (1.1.1 and chart 8) say quite clearly that starshells are placed in the detection phase. That precedes the gunnery phase, but star shell are fired in the gunnery phase (1.12.5) and at a contact or acquired target. So does that mean that starshell fired in Turn 1 gunnery phase are placed in Turn 2 detection phase? If so, what happens if the target moves in the movement phase of Turn 2? Are the star shell placed where the target was at the time of firing or at its new location?

If on the other hand the starshell are placed when fired, on Turn 1 (as indicated in the answers above), what is placed in the Turn 2 detection phase? The target, while still acquired, has moved on and is no longer illuminated as the Turn 1 starshell ‘illuminates 500 yds for one game turn’ (1.12.5 para 1) and has burnt out. Or does the starshell continue to illuminate till next gunnery phase? But what if the target moves more than 500 yds?

And has any thought been given to the effect of surprise at night? For example, preventing a surprised enemy (as at Matapan) firing back until a random number of turns have elapsed (with a modifier perhaps depending on their being at action stations or crusing stations).

[Dave Franklin]

Glenn,

 

I think, WRT starshells in the RAW, the distinction is between firing and placing the starshells [i.e. the "starshell markers"] and the "yellow illumination post-it" markers.

 

That being said, I hadn't really explicitly thought about it before, but we use the "illumination markers" for ships 1) that either illuminate or are illuminated by searchlights, 2) ships that take 3+ EDRs, or 3) fire batteries without flashless powder.  That's all I can think of off the top of my head, and I would note we place the last two in the Gunnery Phase.

 

We don't put down an "illumination marker" on a ship that is marked on fire, as it it understood that a ship on fire is illuminated (and already has a marker on it), and we don't put down an "illumination marker" on a ship within 500 yards of a starshell marker, as again, there is already a marker in play.

 

As far as the surprise at night, I have certainly implemented scenario rules for surprise - and not just at night.  Also, The Solomons Campaign has rules to "account for the overall Allied fatigue, confusion, and surprise" for the Savo Island scenario.

 

Dave

[glenn_simpson]

Thanks. So a ship that fires starshell to illuminate a target in Game Turn 1 can also fire its other guns at the same target in GT 1?
And I’ not sure what RAW and WRT are abbreviations for.

[Dave Franklin]

Yes, a ship that fires starshell to illuminate a target in a Game Turn can also fire other batteries at the same target in that game turn.

 

RAW = Rules as Written

WRT = With Respect To

[glenn_simpson]

Thanks. Makes sense.