Molon Labe
12-30-2005, 08:23 PM
This is too big to clutter up the main page. Here are the excerpts from the rulebook as revised. This adds a layer or two of complexity, but it prevents mines from being worthless militarily and fills in the blanks of the port invasion process.
In Phase 3:
Landing Troops: (added 12/30)
LSDs can land troops at ports in two ways: docking or amphibious assault.
To dock at a port, the LSD enters the hex normally during the movement phase. In the orders/battle phase the LSD is ordered to dock. If the LSD survives the orders/battle phase, if the Naval Base facility is not damaged to 100%, and if there are no enemy marine divisions controlling the port, the LSD docks successfully and offloads its troops in the resolution phase. If enemy marines are present, or if the Naval Base facility has 100% damage, then the docking fails.
To launch an amphibious assault, the LSD deploys LCACs. LCACs carry half a marine division per sortie, and are capable or two sorties if launched from the port hex. The LCAC can also be disembarked from the LSD a hex away and then move into the port hex in the next turn. The LCAC only has a range of two hexes before running out of fuel, but can make a round trip (a single sortie) in one turn. Thus, an LSD with two functioning LCACs can land two full divisions in one turn from the port hex, or one full division per turn from a space away.
If a force of superior strength is landed, then the port and the defending marines are captured. If an inferior force is landed, then the attackers are captured. If equal forces are landed, each side loses ½ of its troop strength per turn (during the resolution phase) until one side surrenders, retreats, or until reinforcements tip the balance.
In Strategic Damage:
Mine Warfare: Submarines and aircraft can lay mines in harbors. Mines must be laid within 20nm of the Naval base entity and in 100m of water or less to be considered effective. Each mine layed will “attack” every ship entering or departing the naval base and shipyard or conducting an amphibious sortie. Each mine has a 5% chance to hit a merchant or warship and a 3% chance of hitting an LCAC (each way). These “attacks” will be resolved during the beginning of the orders/battle phase, in the following order: merchant departures, military departures, military arrivals, merchant arrivals. If there are multiple candidates, the unlucky ship will be chosen at random. A mine hit will destroy a merchant and will damage a military ship the same amount as it will in Dangerous Waters.
Mine Countermeasures: Any capable military ship performing a minesweep that has a “hit” scored against it will be ruled to have detected the mine instead of being hit. In addition to Minesweeping (in the battle/orders phase), military vessels can take action to reduce their exposure to mines. By traveling single file, the following ships are only “attacked” if the lead ship is hit. Military vessels on patrol in the port space can act as an escort for the merchant traffic, giving them the same protection as a single-file line. Finally, military authorities can designate a safe corridor for merchants to use. Any visible mine countermeasure activities performed may cause the public to suspect that the port has been mined.
An enemy force observing a port space will detect a designated safe corridor after two continuous turns of observation. Placing mines inside a “safe” corridor quadruples the hit percentage against vessels using it.
(Entire section redone 12/30)
From Platforms
Harper’s Ferry LSD:
Starting number: 2
Build Cost: 3,000 utils
Build Time: 2 turns
Movement: 1 space
Capacity: 2 Marine divisions, 2 LCACs
We’re looking for a few good ports. The LSD allows you to transport Marine divisions to take over neutral and hostile seaports. These AI ships will require the protection of your fleet to keep them safe from attack. Each LSD includes 2 LCACs that begin embarked aboard.
LSD Damage effects:
25% or greater: 2nd LCAC destroyed
50% or greater: Total troop strength reduced to 3/4th (rounded down to nearest half-unit)
75% or greater: 1st LCAC destroyed. Total troop strength reduced to ½ (rounded down to nearest half-unit).
(12/30 update in italics)
Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC)
Starting number: 4 (aboard LSDs)
Build cost: 500
Build time: 2 turns
Movement: The LCAC has fuel to move two hexes without refueling when carrying Marines and their equipment. See Landing Troops in the Orders Phase.
Capacity: ½ of a Marine division
The LCAC is used for amphibious assaults against occupied ports. Multiple sorties are required to land a full division, but a port that has a Marine garrison cannot be accessed from the docks. See Orders Phase: landing troops for more details (This section added 12/30).
From Platforms: Special Forces Team
Special forces teams assigned to a port that is captured are NOT captured by the invaders. (12/30 Update in italics)
In Phase 3:
Landing Troops: (added 12/30)
LSDs can land troops at ports in two ways: docking or amphibious assault.
To dock at a port, the LSD enters the hex normally during the movement phase. In the orders/battle phase the LSD is ordered to dock. If the LSD survives the orders/battle phase, if the Naval Base facility is not damaged to 100%, and if there are no enemy marine divisions controlling the port, the LSD docks successfully and offloads its troops in the resolution phase. If enemy marines are present, or if the Naval Base facility has 100% damage, then the docking fails.
To launch an amphibious assault, the LSD deploys LCACs. LCACs carry half a marine division per sortie, and are capable or two sorties if launched from the port hex. The LCAC can also be disembarked from the LSD a hex away and then move into the port hex in the next turn. The LCAC only has a range of two hexes before running out of fuel, but can make a round trip (a single sortie) in one turn. Thus, an LSD with two functioning LCACs can land two full divisions in one turn from the port hex, or one full division per turn from a space away.
If a force of superior strength is landed, then the port and the defending marines are captured. If an inferior force is landed, then the attackers are captured. If equal forces are landed, each side loses ½ of its troop strength per turn (during the resolution phase) until one side surrenders, retreats, or until reinforcements tip the balance.
In Strategic Damage:
Mine Warfare: Submarines and aircraft can lay mines in harbors. Mines must be laid within 20nm of the Naval base entity and in 100m of water or less to be considered effective. Each mine layed will “attack” every ship entering or departing the naval base and shipyard or conducting an amphibious sortie. Each mine has a 5% chance to hit a merchant or warship and a 3% chance of hitting an LCAC (each way). These “attacks” will be resolved during the beginning of the orders/battle phase, in the following order: merchant departures, military departures, military arrivals, merchant arrivals. If there are multiple candidates, the unlucky ship will be chosen at random. A mine hit will destroy a merchant and will damage a military ship the same amount as it will in Dangerous Waters.
Mine Countermeasures: Any capable military ship performing a minesweep that has a “hit” scored against it will be ruled to have detected the mine instead of being hit. In addition to Minesweeping (in the battle/orders phase), military vessels can take action to reduce their exposure to mines. By traveling single file, the following ships are only “attacked” if the lead ship is hit. Military vessels on patrol in the port space can act as an escort for the merchant traffic, giving them the same protection as a single-file line. Finally, military authorities can designate a safe corridor for merchants to use. Any visible mine countermeasure activities performed may cause the public to suspect that the port has been mined.
An enemy force observing a port space will detect a designated safe corridor after two continuous turns of observation. Placing mines inside a “safe” corridor quadruples the hit percentage against vessels using it.
(Entire section redone 12/30)
From Platforms
Harper’s Ferry LSD:
Starting number: 2
Build Cost: 3,000 utils
Build Time: 2 turns
Movement: 1 space
Capacity: 2 Marine divisions, 2 LCACs
We’re looking for a few good ports. The LSD allows you to transport Marine divisions to take over neutral and hostile seaports. These AI ships will require the protection of your fleet to keep them safe from attack. Each LSD includes 2 LCACs that begin embarked aboard.
LSD Damage effects:
25% or greater: 2nd LCAC destroyed
50% or greater: Total troop strength reduced to 3/4th (rounded down to nearest half-unit)
75% or greater: 1st LCAC destroyed. Total troop strength reduced to ½ (rounded down to nearest half-unit).
(12/30 update in italics)
Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC)
Starting number: 4 (aboard LSDs)
Build cost: 500
Build time: 2 turns
Movement: The LCAC has fuel to move two hexes without refueling when carrying Marines and their equipment. See Landing Troops in the Orders Phase.
Capacity: ½ of a Marine division
The LCAC is used for amphibious assaults against occupied ports. Multiple sorties are required to land a full division, but a port that has a Marine garrison cannot be accessed from the docks. See Orders Phase: landing troops for more details (This section added 12/30).
From Platforms: Special Forces Team
Special forces teams assigned to a port that is captured are NOT captured by the invaders. (12/30 Update in italics)