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All Guns Blazing — April 2008

Volume 2008 · Issue 4 (April) · Naval Wargames Society Monthly Newsletter

All Guns Blazing! Newsletter of the Naval Wargames Society No. 169 – April 2008 Editorial Another NWS subscription “year” has ended (this one lasting a bit more than the anticipated 12 months) and we are now entering the 21st century with the advent of e-subscriptions. So far the take-up of the new subscription format has been pretty good. Of the current resubscribers, a third have gone for the new e-sub, and of these about 40% are members from outside the UK. Since one of the main reasons for going to the e-sub was to make membership more accessible to non- UK residents it appears as though the plan is working! Yours aye, DM david.manley@btinternet.com NWS Game at Salute 2008 (April 19th, 2008, ExCel Centre, London) The Naval Wargames Society will be attending Salute 2008 this year, running a 1/350th scale participation game based on the x-craft midget sub attack on Tirpitz in the Norwegian fjords. The game is being organised by Simon Stokes. At present Simon has a few spare places in our allotted 8 free entries for anyone that wants to come along and help out with the game. Simon will allocate them on a first come first served basis (but remember, to get a free pass you do actually have to help out with the game as well as enjoying the rest of the show ☺). If you would like to help out and get a free “in” to this prestigious event please contact Simon direct at: simonjohnstokes@aol.com

John Curry Events The following message was received from John Curry: The latest article I have added is by Richard Brooks (the military historian) who kindly agreed to let me reproduce his article about Fred Jane (see http://www.johncurryevents.co.uk/navalrules/fredjane/articles.htm. The Fletcher Pratt game has attracted some comment and there are now 7 articles about it on my website (see http://www.johncurryevents.co.uk/navalrules/fletcherpratt/articles.htm). I am at the wargaming show Salute (19th April 2009, London, UK) putting on the Fletcher Pratt Naval Game on a tabletop (stand GL003, advertised as the Fred Jane Naval Wargame in the programme). Do say hello if you are in the area. I have obtained another rare naval wargame that I will produce in due course. The next Innovation in Wargames Conference (February 2009) is on HMS Belfast, a glorious place to play wargames on! (see http://www.johncurryevents.co.uk/conference/homepage.htm). The conference will include a wargaming show for the public on Saturday the 28th February 2009. I will take the opportunity to try out a few classic naval games. Best wishes. John www.johncurryevents.co.uk

NWS Display on board HMS Belfast Falklands Part 2 (the rules) By Simon Stokes The rules we used to run the game needed to be very simple and easy for participants to pick up, yet still had to preserve the essence of the difficulties faced by both sides during the San Carlos landings. To this end I took as a starting point David Manley’s Typhoon rule set (which he in turn had developed for a participation game at Salute a few years back) and ruthlessly modified it simplifying the air to air combat but expanding the areas covering air to ground and ground to air fire. All the first hand accounts of the Argentine air attacks at San Carlos speak of attacks being over before anyone observing them realised what was happening. This and the ground speed of the Argentine jet planes over the confined waters of Falkland Sound meant we needed a very short turn length, so one turn represented 20 seconds of real time. The ground scale needed to tie in with the playing area, ship scale (1/600th) and the turn length. We settled upon one centimetre representing 40 yards. Aircraft were deployed in squadron groups of 3 or 4 planes on clear plastic trays which were stacked in racks. Each level of the rack represented 500 feet of altitude. Planes on the bottom level were wave skimming at 0 feet. The record sheets for the squadrons are shown later. Each RN ship also had a record sheet and these are also shown below. With the exception of Fearless that was stationary, all the RN ships were allowed to move 1cm per knot of speed. British Forces Apart from their warships the British had the following forces: • Combat Air Patrol of pairs of Sea Harriers which turn up randomly from the seaward side of Falkland Sound (North) flying at 5000 feet and stick around for a maximum of 10 minutes. • At this stage of the landing the British had not yet been able to deploy their rapier surface to air missile systems but they did have Blow Pipe hand held surface to air missiles. Situated on the beach heads around San Carlos Water, one of these will fire upon any enemy aircraft passing near and at low altitude (6000 feet or less). Argentine Forces The Argentine air force, including some Argentine Naval aircraft, had already learnt that in order to defeat the British Radar they must approach at low altitude (2000 feet or less) from any direction except to seaward. The only exception to this is the squadron of Pucara ground attack aircraft which were based at Goose Green and can only enter from the South at an altitude of 500 feet. Any other approach for the Argentines meant that their aircraft were picked up too early by the British and intercepted by RN Sea Harriers (which the Argentines had soon dubbed “the grey death”) before they were over the target area. In line with this tactical doctrine the Argentines did not provide any fighter support for their combat missions against the British landings at San Carlos. Movement Squadrons are moved alternately. Squadrons end their first move on the edge of the playing area and subsequently are moved in ascending order of top speed i.e. slowest first. Fighters move last, again in ascending order of top speed. For a 20 second turn a plane's move distance (in yards) is equivalent to its top speed, in mph, multiplied by 10. This gives the following base movement distances: • Sea Harrier (736mph) = 7360 yards • Pucara (310mph) = 3100 yards • Dagger (825mph) = 8250 yards • Skyhawk (673mph) = 6730 yards

If the modified score is 5 or more then the missile hits and causes 1D10 damage. Anti-Aircraft Fire Gun Fire To engage enemy aircraft with a ship’s anti-aircraft guns the target plane must be within the guns maximum range in yards from the ship and flying at or below the guns maximum altitude. Select a single target and roll the appropriate number of dice for each gun - a one indicates a hit and the target plane suffers 1 point of damage. British gun ranges, altitudes and gun dice are shown in the table below: Gun Type Range Altitude Gun Dice 20mm 3000 yards 2000 feet 4D6 40mm 3000 yards 2000 feet 5D6 4.5” Mk6 5000 yards 5000 feet 9D6 4.5” Mk8 5000 yards 5000 feet 10D6 Surface-to-Air Missile Fire In order to fire a surface-to-air missile the target plane must be within the missiles maximum launch range from the ship and flying at or below the missile’s maximum altitude. Royal Navy frigates and destroyers used in the South Atlantic had only two tracking radars and can thus carry out only two simultaneous engagements. To engage enemy aircraft with a ship’s surface-to-air missile system the target plane must be within the missile systems maximum range in yards and flying at or below the missiles maximum altitude but above the missiles minimum altitude. One limitation however for all the RN missile systems is that targets cannot be engaged if there is any land mass between target and firer. Once launched the missile is locked onto the target and a counter is placed at the launch point. The missile counter moves at the missile’s top speed directly towards the target and is treated as being highly manoeuvrable. Once the missile catches up with the target roll 1D10 and apply the following modifiers: • -1 if target has had time to deploy chaff (missile fired at over 1000 yards) • -1 if target is crossing i.e. not heading straight towards or away from the firer. • -1 if 2nd Generation missile system. • -2 if 1st Generation missile system. • +1 if target is flying straight and level e.g. on a bomb run If the modified score is 5 or more then the missile hits and causes the specified missile damage. British missile ranges, altitudes, speed, generation and damage class are shown below: Missile Range Altitude (min/max) Speed Generation Missile Damage Blowpipe 3,000yards - / 6,000 feet 1,000 mph 2 1D6 Sea Cat 6,500 yards - / 6,000 feet 700 mph 1 1D6 Sea Slug 58,000 yards 500 / 49,000 feet 700 mph 1 1D6 Sea Wolf 6,500 yards - / 6,000 feet 1,500 mph 3 2D6

Air to Surface Attacks Strafing To strafe a ship the firing aircraft must pass over the target at 500 feet or lower and at less than 400 mph. The aircraft must also be flying straight and level on it’s approach. To determine damage caused by cannon fire roll 6D6 each one on the dice indicates a hit and the target ship suffers 1 point of damage. Bombing To bomb a ship the firing aircraft must pass over the target at less than 600 mph. The aircraft must also be flying straight and level on it’s approach. To determine if any bombs hit the ship roll one dice for each bomb, the type of dice determined by the planes altitude (see below). A one on the dice indicates a hit and the target ship suffers (for a 500lb bomb) 1D6 points of damage. Altitude Dice 0 – 500 feet D4 1,000 – 2,000 feet D6 2,500 – 5,000 feet D8 5,500 – 10,000 D10 The bombs from Argentine air force planes bombing at 0 – 500 feet had insufficient flight time to ensure that the bombs armed themselves. To reflect this treat all damage rolls of 1-3 as an unexploded bomb hit which does only 1 point of damage. To determine if the bomb hit starts a fire make sure that all bomb hit damage is rolled together and use a different coloured (red) D6 for every other bomb hit. If a red dice is rolled as a six then it starts a fire. Fires cause an extra 1 point of damage per turn until they are extinguished. To extinguish a fire roll a 4 on a D4. Ships loose one third their original speed and one third of their main weapon systems (determined randomly) when they reach two thirds of their original damage points. Once they reach one third of their original damage points they loose another third of their original speed and a third of their main weapon systems. A ship will founder if it reaches 0 damage points.

Antrim Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Max Speed 4.5” Mk 6 (5000yds, 5000’, 9D6) 1 2 2xSea Cat (6500yds, 6000’, 700mph, 1g, 1D6) 1 2 3 4 1xSea Slug (58000yds, 500’/49000’, 700mph, 1g, 1D6) 1 2 3 4 4xMM38 Exocet SSM 1 2 3 4 40 mm AA (3000yds, 2000’, 5D6) 1 2 30 kts 20 mm AA (3000yds, 2000’, 4D6) 1 2 Ardent Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Max Speed 4.5” Mk 8 (5000yds, 5000’, 10D6) 1 1xSea Cat (6500yds, 6000’, 700mph, 1g, 1D6) 1 2 3 4 4xMM38 Exocet SSM 1 2 3 4 40 mm AA (3000yds, 2000’, 5D6) 1 2 32 kts 20 mm AA (3000yds, 2000’, 4D6) 1 2 Broadsword Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Max Speed 2xSea Wolf (6500yds, 6000’, 1500mph, 3g, 2D6) 1 2 3 4 5 6 4xMM38 Exocet SSM 1 2 3 4 40 mm AA (3000yds, 2000’, 5D6) 1 2 32 kts 20 mm AA (3000yds, 2000’, 4D6) 1 2 Argonaut Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Max Speed 3xSea Cat (6500yds, 6000’, 700mph, 1g, 1D6) 1 2 3 4 4xMM38 Exocet SSM 1 2 3 4 40 mm AA (3000yds, 2000’, 5D6) 1 2 30 kts 20 mm AA (3000yds, 2000’, 4D6) 1 2 Yarmouth Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Max Speed 1xSea Cat (6500yds, 6000’, 700mph, 1g, 1D6) 1 2 3 4 4.5” Mk 6 (5000yds, 5000’, 9D6) 1 2 30 kts 20 mm AA (3000yds, 2000’, 4D6) 1 2 Fearless 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Max Speed Damage Points 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 40 mm AA (3000yds, 5000’, 5D6) 1 2 21 kts 4xSea Cat (6500yds, 6000’, 700mph, 1g, 1D6) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Plymouth Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Max Speed 1xSea Cat (6500yds, 6000’, 700mph, 1g, 1D6) 1 2 3 4 4.5” Mk 6 (5000yds, 5000’, 9D6) 1 2 30 kts 20 mm AA (3000yds, 2000’, 4D6) 1 2 Brilliant Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Max Speed 2xSea Wolf (6500yds, 6000’, 1500mph, 3g, 2D6) 1 2 3 4 5 6 4xMM38 Exocet SSM 1 2 3 4 40 mm AA (3000yds, 5000’, 5D6) 1 2 32 kts 20 mm AA (3000yds, 5000’, 4D6) 1 2

FAS No 1 Squadron Aircraft Make & Model Top Speed Man Weapons Damage Points 1 2 3 4 Flares 1 2 3 4 1. Aeromacchi MB339 (Navy) 560mph M Cannon 6x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 Flares 1 2 3 4 2. Aeromacchi MB339 (Navy) 560mph M Cannon 6x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 Flares 1 2 3 4 3. Aeromacchi MB339 (Navy) 560mph M Cannon 6x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 FAS No 2 Squadron Aircraft Make & Model Top Speed Man Weapons Damage Points 1 2 3 4 Flares 1 2 3 4 4. Aeromacchi MB339 (Navy) 560mph M Cannon 6x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 Flares 1 2 3 4 5. Aeromacchi MB339 (Navy) 560mph M Cannon 6x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 Flares 1 2 3 4 6. Aeromacchi MB339 (Navy) 560mph M Cannon 6x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 FAS No 3 Squadron Aircraft Make & Model Top Speed Man Weapons Damage Points 1 2 3 4 Flares 1 2 3 4 7. IA58 Pucara 310mph M Cannon 4x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 Flares 1 2 3 4 8. IA58 Pucara 310mph M Cannon 4x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 Flares 1 2 3 4 9. IA58 Pucara 310mph M Cannon 4x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 Flares 1 2 3 4 10. IA58 Pucara 310mph M Cannon 4x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 FAS No 4 Squadron Aircraft Make & Model Top Speed Man Weapons Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 11. A-4Q Skyhawk (Navy) 673mph M Cannon 4x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 12. A-4Q Skyhawk (Navy) 673mph M Cannon 4x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 13. A-4Q Skyhawk (Navy) 673mph M Cannon 4x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 14. A-4Q Skyhawk (Navy) 673mph M Cannon 4x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2

FAS No 5 Squadron Aircraft Make & Model Top Speed Man Weapons Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 15. A-4C Skyhawk 673mph M Cannon 3x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 16. A-4C Skyhawk 673mph M Cannon 3x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 17. A-4C Skyhawk 673mph M Cannon 3x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 18. A-4C Skyhawk 673mph M Cannon 3x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 FAS No 6 Squadron Aircraft Make & Model Top Speed Man Weapons Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 19. A-4C Skyhawk 673mph M Cannon 3x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 20. A-4C Skyhawk 673mph M Cannon 3x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 21. A-4C Skyhawk 673mph M Cannon 3x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 22. A-4C Skyhawk 673mph M Cannon 3x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 FAS No 7 Squadron Aircraft Make & Model Top Speed Man Weapons Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 Flares 1 2 3 4 23. Dagger 825mph M Cannon 2x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 Flares 1 2 3 4 24. Dagger 825mph M Cannon 2x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 Flares 1 2 3 4 25. Dagger 825mph M Cannon 2x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 Flares 1 2 3 4 26. Dagger 825mph M Cannon 2x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 FAS No 8 Squadron Aircraft Make & Model Top Speed Man Weapons Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 Flares 1 2 3 4 27. Dagger 825mph M Cannon 2x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 Flares 1 2 3 4 28. Dagger 825mph M Cannon 2x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 Flares 1 2 3 4 29. Dagger 825mph M Cannon 2x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 6 Flares 1 2 3 4 30. Dagger 825mph M Cannon 2x500lb bombs Chaff 1 2

Page 10 FAA No 1 CAP Aircraft Make & Model Top Speed Man Weapons Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 1. Sea Harrier FRS1 736mph H Cannon 2xAIM9L Sidewinder Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 2. Sea Harrier FRS1 736mph H Cannon 2xAIM9L Sidewinder Chaff 1 2 FAA No 2 CAP Aircraft Make & Model Top Speed Man Weapons Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 3. Sea Harrier FRS1 736mph H Cannon 2xAIM9L Sidewinder Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 4. Sea Harrier FRS1 736mph H Cannon 2xAIM9L Sidewinder Chaff 1 2 FAA No 3 CAP Aircraft Make & Model Top Speed Man Weapons Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 5. Sea Harrier FRS1 736mph H Cannon 2xAIM9L Sidewinder Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 6. Sea Harrier FRS1 736mph H Cannon 2xAIM9L Sidewinder Chaff 1 2 FAA No 4 CAP Aircraft Make & Model Top Speed Man Weapons Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 7. Sea Harrier FRS1 736mph H Cannon 2xAIM9L Sidewinder Chaff 1 2 Damage Points 1 2 3 4 5 Flares 1 2 3 4 8. Sea Harrier FRS1 736mph H Cannon 2xAIM9L Sidewinder Chaff 1 2

Page 11 Sea Slug 700mph 1 st Gen 1D6 Sea Slug 700mph 1 st Gen 1D6 Sea Cat 700mph 1 st Gen 1D6 Sea Cat 700mph 1 st Gen 1D6 Sea Cat 700mph 1 st Gen 1D6 Sea Cat 700mph 1 st Gen 1D6 Sea Cat 700mph 1 st Gen 1D6 Sea Cat 700mph 1 st Gen 1D6 Sea Cat 700mph 1 st Gen 1D6 Sea Cat 700mph 1 st Gen 1D6 Sea Cat 700mph 1 st Gen 1D6 Sea Cat 700mph 1 st Gen 1D6 Sea Cat 700mph 1 st Gen 1D6 Sea Cat 700mph 1 st Gen 1D6 Sea Cat 700mph 1 st Gen 1D6 Sea Cat 700mph 1 st Gen 1D6 Sea Wolf 1500mph 3 rd Gen 2D6 Sea Wolf 1500mph 3 rd Gen 2D6 Sea Wolf 1500mph 3 rd Gen 2D6 Sea Wolf 1500mph 3 rd Gen 2D6 Sea Wolf 1500mph 3 rd Gen 2D6 Sea Wolf 1500mph 3 rd Gen 2D6 Sea Wolf 1500mph 3 rd Gen 2D6 Sea Wolf 1500mph 3 rd Gen 2D6 AIM9L 1925mph 3 rd Gen 1D10 AIM9L 1925mph 3 rd Gen 1D10 AIM9L 1925mph 3 rd Gen 1D10 AIM9L 1925mph 3 rd Gen 1D10 AIM9L 1925mph 3 rd Gen 1D10 AIM9L 1925mph 3 rd Gen 1D10 AIM9L 1925mph 3 rd Gen 1D10 AIM9L 1925mph 3 rd Gen 1D10 Blowpipe 1000mph 2 nd Gen 1D6 Blowpipe 1000mph 2 nd Gen 1D6 Blowpipe 1000mph 2 nd Gen 1D6 Blowpipe 1000mph 2 nd Gen 1D6 Blowpipe 1000mph 2 nd Gen 1D6 Blowpipe 1000mph 2 nd Gen 1D6 Blowpipe 1000mph 2 nd Gen 1D6 Blowpipe 1000mph 2 nd Gen 1D6 NWS Events and Regional Contacts, 2008 NWS Northern Fleet – Falkirk East Central Scotland Kenny Thomson, 1 Excise Lane, Kincardine, Fife, FK10 4LW, Tel: 01259 731091 e-mail: kenny.thomson@homecall.co.uk - Website: http://falkirkwargamesclub.org.uk/ Falkirk Wargames Club meets each Monday night at 7pm with a variety of games running each evening. Naval games are popular with 2 or 3 run each month. Campaign games sometimes feature in our monthly weekend sessions. Games tend to be organised week to week making a 3-month forecast here a waste of time. Please get in touch if you’d like to come along. • Popular periods – Modern (Shipwreck), WW1 and 2 (GQ), WW2 Coastal (Action Stations), and Pre- dreadnought (P Dunn’s rules) NWS North Hants [Every 3rd Sunday] Jeff Crane 31 Park Gardens, Black Dam, Basingstoke, Hants, 01256 427906 e-mail: gf.crane@ntlworld.com NWS Wessex [Bi-Monthly Meetings] The Wessex Group has gone into (hopefully) temporary abeyance for the moment. If anyone living in the Bath / Bristol / Gloucester area (or further afield) would like to take on managing the group please contact myself or any of the other NWS officials.

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