4 replies to this topic

[Kenneth D. Hall]

Question for the ladies and gentlemen of the mess: For larger games of FAI, where the fleet action torpedo rules are in use, how do you go about representing destroyer and torpedo-boat flotillas in game? Do you use one model per actual ship in each flotilla or half-flotilla, or one or two ships per formation?

I ask because I've run a scenario for my group recently that had battle cruiser squadrons plus two battle squadrons from the Royal Navy and High Seas Fleet in action in the North Sea. I can't do full Jutland, but I could field at least one more battle squadron from each navy. I'd like to add destroyers to the scenario, and being a parsimonious fellow (read: miserable skinflint who makes Ebenezer Scrooge look like Jay-Z or Bernard Baruch, depending on one's generation ) I don't necessarily want to buy 40 destroyers even at Panzerschiffe prices, at least not right away.

Additionally, just managing the battle squadrons and a handful of scout cruisers (one detailed to each squadron) seems to be plenty of work for 4-6 players. I know I can do as I please, but I'm interested in gathering opinions (particularly drawn from experience, but I'm all ears).

[W. Clark]

I mount them two to a base and run them nose to tail. I allow divisions or half flotillas to break off for torpedo attacks. Otherwise I keep the flotillas together as my take on them was that tactically both side's use of their destroyers were pretty clumsy.

It might be more historically accurate to make torpedo attacks with single destroyers for the Germans as they seem to consider the torpedo a sort of early cruise missle but gamewise it slows the game down. The Brits on the other hand thought in terms of mass launchings at large ship formations with the idea being not so much to hit a particular ship; but rather to hit any ship in the formation. They called that kind of attack a "browning shot".

So, to speed the game up I try to launch entire divisions or half flotillas at once. I find that telegraphs the torpedo attack as it precludes any radical maneuver prior to launch and makes a successful torpedo attack more difficult (which I find historic). The Brits' idea seems to work better than the German's in practice and that bears out with what I've seen written on the subject.

[Kenneth D. Hall]

Thank you for those observations. Most helpful, and I think I'll give your ideas a try.

[Cpt M]

Question for the ladies and gentlemen of the mess: For larger games of FAI, where the fleet action torpedo rules are in use, how do you go about representing destroyer and torpedo-boat flotillas in game? Do you use one model per actual ship in each flotilla or half-flotilla, or one or two ships per formation?

Well, my group tends to use 1 model per TBD/DD (but then we use 1/6000s, which are (or were when they were bought) a whole lot cheaper than 1/2400s).

I ask because I've run a scenario for my group recently that had battle cruiser squadrons plus two battle squadrons from the Royal Navy and High Seas Fleet in action in the North Sea. I can't do full Jutland, but I could field at least one more battle squadron from each navy. I'd like to add destroyers to the scenario, and being a parsimonious fellow (read: miserable skinflint who makes Ebenezer Scrooge look like Jay-Z or Bernard Baruch, depending on one's generation ) I don't necessarily want to buy 40 destroyers even at Panzerschiffe prices, at least not right away.

You say that like its a bad thing! Face it, nobody needs (or should) to go broke buying a bunch of limited use ships.

Additionally, just managing the battle squadrons and a handful of scout cruisers (one detailed to each squadron) seems to be plenty of work for 4-6 players. I know I can do as I please, but I'm interested in gathering opinions (particularly drawn from experience, but I'm all ears).

The way we got around it when playing with the larger scales was to put one DD/TBD model at the head of a set of cardboard counters (each representing another DD/TBD) representing the rest of flotilla (or herd). Yeah, it looks pretty lame, but it beats shelling out money for another 40+ DDs/TBDs. (And anyone who complains is promptly asked to make a substantial donation to the 'DD Fund' !)

[simanton]

Started collecting and gaming 1/1200-1/1250 back in '69 when they were a lot less expensive! I have enough of them for most actions, but a WWI fleet action is something else again! Since most seem to be gaming 1/3000 or 1/6000, I would suggest finding an Avalon Hill Jutland game and using the flotilla counters.