Shipwreck - First Outing - Updated

So Peter and I, (after many false starts), finally got to have a first go at 'Shipwreck' from Vandering publishing, a set of Modern Naval Rules. I had painted up a Soviet era fleet from Navwar, with helicopters from TSS Seawulf, and for our first run, we kept it simple, I took two Udaloy I and a couple of Sovremenny class. Peter had French - two stealth destroyers and a couple of supporting frigates. So the rules we needed were basically manoeuvre, detection, helicopters, missiles and the core combat rules.


Soviet Ka27 spot the French - and in return are detected.

French Missile Launch

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NB - the apparent French launch had to be aborted as he realised the Exocets were out of range.  Lots of markers are very handy, - (active radar, detected, missile, etc) as is a careful study of the turn sequence. We used Litko, and I am going to order some more, as I noticed we were running short.

The rules are a bit scattered and not always consistent. So for example, under the detection rules it basically states that unless otherwise specified all modern stuff has Data Link as a capability allowing detection and reaction (missile launch etc.) in the same Manoeuvre turn. But in the appendix for helicopters - it only has one chopper listed as having Data Link.

The Soviets make a missile launch - SS-N-22 and SS-N-14 - French in the distance.

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At this point we realised that the SS-N-14 were also actually out of range.. the markers (Litko) went back in the bag, and the 22's headed off at sea level..



Soviet SS-N-22 about to impact

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As the Soviet Fleet Commander, at this stage I had detected and targeted all the French vessels and he had only detected two of mine. Lessons learned - get your helicopters in the air, get them in the air ealry, and get as many of them in the air as you can. I forgot a couple of my ships had more than one helicopter. (I also couldn't find any rules to allow my helicopters to drop torpedos ;-)

16 SS-N-22 came screaming in, 4 per target, at this stage, the French ships had failed to detect the missiles, so had the French helicopters, so the French ships couldn;t go to Emergency active radar, and so could only respond at very short range, and with only one system per target. (This is an area we need clearing up..  i.e how many dice per system, and how the whole targeting of missiles by point defence is done.)

Despite half the missiles being destroyed by effective point defence of guns and AMM, the central French frigates were hit 2 and 3 times each, with the heavy SS-N-22 missiles immediately sinking both of them. On the other hand, the French stealth ships were unscratched. Their Electronic Warfare (EW) score (4) is deducted from the missile attack role, and the Soviet missiles missed by miles. Rolling on a D10 with a 7 required to hit, takes it down to a 3..  which is a massive difference (by contrast the Soviet ships EW is a measly 2.)

As the ships got closer, the French shot down a Ka27, and launched a wave of Exocets, crippling one of the Soviet Udaloys, while the SS-N-14 were virtually useless. With the French EW, they were now at 1 to hit on a D10. - no joy and all the Soviet missiles had been fired.  The remaining Exocets crippled a Sovremenny, but the Soviet commander pressed the attack. With no missiles left on either side, he wanted to get into gunnery range..   The French, being outclassed in guns, wisely decided to retire the scene. And so the game drew to a close.

Despite the apparent Soviet missile advantage, the EW scores made a huge difference. A much more even contest than it might at first appear.

Overall, we managed to muddle our way through the game pretty well. Lots of flicking back and forward as is always the case with a new set of rules. But both of us have decided they are well worth another try. We have some questions that Peter will ask in the appropriate forums.



Too many charts, it shows it is first time around

Looking forward to the next run.