11 replies to this topic

[JAHinson]

Game Turn 0 is in the books.  Elsewhere you find Jeff's play by play.   A couple of questions:

 

1) Convoy requirements.  For Game turn 1 the need for convoy requirements came. 

Here's the rule: Convoy escorts needed. Roll a D3-1 for the Allied WESGROUP; the result is the number of that must be provided escort this turn. For each convoy, a cruiser (CA or CL) and two DDs are removed from the WESGROUP’s OB for this turn (if available).

 

The die roll on the D3 was '1' subtracting 1 yields a '0'.  Does this mean that there are no requirements this turn?  Or is there a minimum expectation somewhere that I didn't see?

 

2) HMS Repulse survived.  She needs repairs.  She must be withdrawn the turn Singapore will fall (1.5.1).  May she be voluntarily withdrawn prior to that?  Does it take a CD to transfer her to Ceylon and thus out of the campaign?  IJN ships have this rule: IJN ships may be voluntarily withdrawn at the beginning of any turn, with VP ramifications based on their current damage level (which could be no VP impact).

 

Many thanks for comments and clarifications.

VR,

Jere

 

 

[Dave Franklin]

Jere,

 

For #1, if you rolled a 1 on the D3-1 roll, resulting in 0 WRT the number of convoys, you dodged a bullet.

 

For #2, I don't remember off the top of my head (it was 9 years ago...).  I'll have to re-familiarize myself and get back to you.

 

Dave

[jwsleser]

Thank you Dave

 

RE: Jere's #1. Convoys were the bane of Allied/ABDA strike force operations throughout the campaign. They happened continually throughout the campaign. Both Houston and Perth were escorting convoys just days before Java Sea. Convoys were being sent to Java even after the Japanese invaded. A D3-1 means that there is a 33% chance of no convoy in a campaign turn, an event that never historically happened. Am I miss-understanding the D3-1? This is magnified by the availability of additional Allied ships, most of which were tied to convoy escort. Is this a play balance decision and/or compensating for the two-week game turns?

 

Thanks!

 

v/r  Jeff

[Dave Franklin]

Jere,

For #2, IIRC, it was not my intention HMS Repulse (or HMS PoW) could be voluntarily withdrawn (i.e. not unless crippled).  I suppose you could, as if she were crippled, by assigning her an escort of at least one non-crippled DD - if both sides agree.  Note this means losing the DD as well.  Otherwise, she's withdrawn at the beginning of the turn that Singapore will fall.  Note this withdrawal does not require any escort (at least as far as the game is concerned).

 

Dave

P.S. Obviously I can post on the DTMB forum now.  Wonder what changed...

[Dave Franklin]

Jeff,

Answers to your questions:

Am I miss-understanding the D3-1? - No.

Is this a play balance decision and/or compensating for the two-week game turns? - Yes; another possibility is the use of ships not included in the campaign for escorts, e.g. armed merchants and/or gunboats, minesweepers, corvettes, etc.

 

Dave

[JAHinson]

Thank yuo

 

Jere,

For #2, IIRC, it was not my intention HMS Repulse (or HMS PoW) could be voluntarily withdrawn (i.e. not unless crippled).  I suppose you could, as if she were crippled, by assigning her an escort of at least one non-crippled DD - if both sides agree.  Note this means losing the DD as well.  Otherwise, she's withdrawn at the beginning of the turn that Singapore will fall.  Note this withdrawal does not require any escort (at least as far as the game is concerned).

 

Dave

P.S. Obviously I can post on the DTMB forum now.  Wonder what changed..

Thank you, Dave!  Appreciate the ability to interact with the designer.  I gambled and lost HMS PoW wrecking some cruisers along the way but was pondering the fact that two IJN BCs remain in play with HMS Repulse in play.  After she's fixed, I'll gamble again no doubt.

[jwsleser]

Thank you David. Makes sense. 

[W. Clark]

Dave, I understand your stated intent as far withdrawing either RN capital ships go. But Rule 2.6.9 (Ship Damage & Repair) under the Ships Disabled category states; "That ships that sustain more than 1 hull or MB damage must be repaired or withdrawn". That seems to give the owning player the option per the RAW to withdraw rather than repair. If that is not what you want, then a clarification on the forum IMHO is needed. I don't know what damage Repulse has in this particular case but a clarification seems appropriate regardless.

 

WMC

[Dave Franklin]

Bill,

Perhaps I misunderstood.  I suppose I thought "May she be voluntarily withdrawn..." meant she wasn't Disabled.  Thus my statement was intended to address that - i.e. basically no, according the RAW, but if players want to/agree, that's up to them.

 

Re-reading Jere's initial post, he did say "HMS Repulse survived.  She needs repairs."  He didn't say she was Disabled.  As you stated, we're not privy to HMS Repulse's exact damage, but if "She needs repairs" means she was Disabled, then the Disabled paragraph under 2.6.9 Ship Damage, Repair and Replenishment applies, and she can be withdrawn.

 

Dave

[jwsleser]

I will see Jere this morning and discuss. I believe Repulse doesn't meet the requirement for disabled. 

[JAHinson]

First of all, let me say, Thank you, for the discussion and clarifications.  It's really awesome to have folks supporting miniature gaming like this.

 

HMS Repulse suffered two hull hits from a single torpedo in Land Based Air vs. Allied Sweep phase.  She was therefore disabled and detached with HMAS Vampire to escort.  (Adm Phillips pressed on to his doom with PoW and the other two DDs because why not?   See Jeff's excellent write up elsewhere)  HMS Repulse and HMAS Vampire eluded further detection in the LBA vs Disabled/Crippled phase and returned to Singapore.

 

I saw this in the rules but wasn't clear how it applied to the Allies:

 

"IJN ships may be voluntarily withdrawn at the beginning

of any turn, with VP ramifications based on their current damage

level (which could be no VP impact).

 

Disabled: Ships that sustain more than one hull and/or more than

one main armament damage are disabled and must be repaired, or

withdrawn."

 

So, if I'm reading the above correctly, and the discussion, I could withdraw Repulse or repair her.  If I withdraw her is there a Victory Point cost?  I'm going to go with "no" as in the crippled ship section later it says:

 

"Crippled ships count toward victory conditions, but disabled ships do not."

 

(I was thinking of withdrawing her because the IJN get the two BCs if she's still in play)

[Dave Franklin]

"IJN ships may be voluntarily withdrawn at the beginning of any turn, with VP ramifications based on their current damage level (which could be no VP impact). - says "IJN ships", does not apply to the Allies.

 

"HMS Repulse suffered two hull hits from a single torpedo in Land Based Air vs. Allied Sweep phase.  She was therefore disabled..."  If I withdraw her is there a Victory Point cost? - No, as per the section you referenced and 1.6.1 Victory Points.

 

"I was thinking of withdrawing her because the IJN get the two BCs if she's still in play" - good idea.  And before there's another comment/question about it, yes, it's for play balance as much as anything.

 

Dave