5 replies to this topic

[W. Clark]

To abort or not to abort, this is a real question. But, only when it comes to aborting a mission voluntarily. Involuntary mission abortion (The enemy made me do it) is spelled out closely in the rules in 2.6.3 Engagement vs Contact. But what about those times when it just don't feel right (and for the USN that means at night). Can you voluntarily abort a mission before the enemy gives you no choice in the matter? I know you can, but the rules are generally silent upon any restrictions.

 

Here is when I believe you can (and should) voluntarily abort missions(s) and I expect Dave to chime in and say if I'm right/wrong or just deluded.

 

1. Prior to any contact die rolls, when upon reflection you have decided that sortieing that mission (like a USN sweep from Tarakan on turn 1) was a really bad idea to begin with.

 

2. After contact die rolls, but possibly before you've gotten stuck in the soup and have actually seen something to shoot at; but you don't like it at all. This would be a USN sortie when you realize, man oh man is it dark, the sun had set and without flash-less powder it is not going to go well for you.

 

3. Any time (if you are Allied) and the situation you see is not promising. Make smoke and run, letting those irreplaceable ships of yours live to fight another day in a situation when the Japanese should have run instead.

 

​OK, OK; what about the Japanese. What about them? The WAF ( Western Attack Force) should never (given average competence) face a situation in which it needs to abort. The EAF (Eastern Attack Force) is another story. The EAF has 16 convoy missions available to capture 13 objectives. Sounds like plenty and it is if the WAF transfers all its Takao class cruisers; the 4th, 6th and 8th destroyer divisions as well an AV and 10 transports to the EAF on game turn 1.

 

Never the less due to bad mission choices or just bad luck you are going to find yourself in situations where going banzai is just going to cost you your escort as well as your transports. So, in those situations, upon sober reflection, make smoke, have the escorts run and abandon the transports to their fate. But remember, you can only do this three times. Do it a fourth time and you lose. So like Elmer Fudd said; "Be very careful" in deciding to abort.

[Dave Franklin]

Bill,

 

I am not sure why you say "I know you can..." to the "Can you voluntarily abort a mission before the enemy gives you no choice in the matter?" question.   In fact (unless I am completely misremembering my intentions), you cannot "voluntarily abort a mission" you have sortied - without going to the table top (or at least resolving LBA) - because at some point you realize it was a bad idea, or that you're going to end up in a tactically disadvantageous situation.  The campaign rules don't say you can, so you can't.  To cover your list:

 

1. Prior to any contact die rolls, when upon reflection you have decided that sortieing that mission (like a USN sweep from Tarakan on turn 1) was a really bad idea to begin with.

- No.  If you sortie it, you have to see it through.

 

2. After contact die rolls, but possibly before you've gotten stuck in the soup and have actually seen something to shoot at; but you don't like it at all. This would be a USN sortie when you realize, man oh man is it dark, the sun had set and without flash-less powder it is not going to go well for you.

- Again, no.  You have to go to the table top.

 

3. Any time (if you are Allied) and the situation you see is not promising. Make smoke and run, letting those irreplaceable ships of yours live to fight another day in a situation when the Japanese should have run instead.

- This is a different story.  If you're on the table top, once you spot the enemy and can react, if you want to make smoke and run, OK.  Afterwards, apply 2.6.3 Engagement vs. Contact, as you referenced above.

 

Here's some rationale...  First, one thing the campaign admittedly does not explicitly address, because I couldn't come up with any satisfactory (i.e. simple, clear, reasonable, etc.) rules for, is the reality of some of the political pressures.  The campaign does address Admiral Hart being relieved by Admiral Helfrich, and there is the likely ABDA Theater Event that Admiral Helfrich orders “YOU MUST CONTINUE ATTACKS UNTIL THE ENEMY IS DESTROYED.” which translates to ABDA Force Morale is “Veteran” for Sweep CDs that turn.  However, there was constant infighting, bickering and politicking about who should be in overall command of ABDAFLOAT and in command of the actual ABDA strike force(s).  Admirals were very sensitive to the idea they might be saddled with labels like "timid" or "cautious" or even "coward".  Second, there is the need to address the issue of "the 10,000 foot tall general" (or admiral in this case), and "20-20 hindsight".  The ABDA leaders did not know of the superiority of the IJN at night, the ineffectiveness of the newer U.S. torpedoes, or the impact of the lack of U.S. flashless powder (OK, they might have realized the latter, but what could they really do about it).  Third, I mentioned LBA above.  Since most of the time they were level bombing, the IJN LBA wasn't as effective as it might have been, but it was an ever present threat.  So if you sortie an ABDA mission, IJN LBA is going to have a chance of contacting and attacking it.  So back to the statement I made before, if you - ABDA or IJN - sortie a mission, you have to see it through until you're given a reason to abort (like taking damage from LBA) or you put the ships on the table and spot the enemy (and then, if you're adept enough, perhaps you can disengage).

 

I recall an email discussion about your item #2.  I'm pretty sure what I said then was consistent with what I have responded with above, but that if you wanted to run the campaign with a "house rule" the U.S. can abort after the "Watch" die roll and it is determined the engagement is going to be at night, that's your prerogative.  I would also recommend the use of campaign optional rule 3.4.3 U.S. Asiatic Fleet Night Training, where they (excepting USS Boise, USS Pensacola or USS Phoenix) use the ROYAL NETHERLANDS NAVY DARK ACQUISITION table for visual spotting.

 

Dave

[W. Clark]

What about the ship reliability rule where a bad die roll either precludes a ship sortieing or operating at a reduced speed. Are you compelled to continue a mission to the table top when you find out immediately after sortieing that your force is reduced?

[Dave Franklin]

I assume you're referring to campaign rule 2.6.8 Ship Availability, the second paragraph of which reads "If the result is “Sortie”, the ship operates normally. When the result is “Breakdown”, the ship is unavailable this campaign turn. If the result is “Eng Damage”, the ship may sortie, but with Engineering damage that cannot be repaired until returned to port. This will limit that ship’s speed [per GQ 3.3 section 1.7.2], and the speed of the mission to which the ship is assigned. Failure to sortie a ship does NOT automatically cause the mission to abort, even if it causes the number of ships to fall below the minimum for the mission. This is an exception to the normal requirement; the player has the option to continue."

 

The purpose of this rule is to allow a "Balikpapan" situation, since most missions require at least one cruiser - in particular an Allied/ABDA Sweep (though the rule does apply to both sides).  The last sentence says you have the option to continue, so that implies you have the option not to.  In game terms you don't actually sortie.  In keeping with the "Balikpapan" paradigm, I suppose there could have been another die roll so determine if the breakdown occurs before leaving port, or on the way, but it didn't seem worth the extra complexity.

[W. Clark]

So, the player could voluntarily abort the mission if they want as they might very well due to lessened amout of force they would be sortieing with.

[Dave Franklin]

Well, let's define a few terms.  In my mind, to "abort" means that a mission has actually sortied.  A further definition: "voluntarily abort" means to abort a mission [that has sortied], prior to/without any enemy cause (e.g. actual damage, and/or confirmation of [typically superior] enemy forces).

 

My position/ruling is you cannot "voluntarily abort".  The campaign rules don't say you can, so you can't.  Would it have been better if it had been explicitly stated?  Yes.  Do I hope the position/ruling that if the campaign rules don't say you can, so you can't, doesn't come back to bite me later?  Also yes.

 

In game terms, when a ship susceptible to breakdown does so, you have the option to continue the mission, or "scrub" - i.e. not to sortie.  So that is not a "voluntarily abort".

 

For the verbiage below, I'm talking surface forces...

If you get to the table top, and determine you're in a tactically disadvantageous situation, whether it be due to the time of day and/or the forces arrayed against you, or whatever, you can attempt to "break contact" [per GQ 3.3 section 1.12.8] once you actually "detect" (i.e. via radar) or visually "acquire" the enemy.

I suppose that also means, per campaign rule 2.6.3 Engagement vs. Contact, that if you don't satisfy the requirements to call it an "engagement", the mission is not "aborted", nor can it be "voluntarily aborted".