Submarine Combat
This form of combat is always performed separately from normal naval combat. During the active players phase, submarines can make attacks on naval units and/or economic attacks on an enemy’s convoy box. When used against naval units they can be moved or simply activated from an enemy occupied sea zone and select a target of their choosing roll and hitting on a two or less. This shot is targeted by the submarine and is preemptive so all hits are removed before the defender has a chance to roll for surviving naval units. Exceptions: the preemptive targeted submarine shot is negated by the presence of at least one Cruiser or Destroyer unit. Secondly, each Cruiser or Destroyer unit can “screen out†one ship of their choosing at a 1/1 basis so that the targeted submarine hit goes against these or other unscreened units instead. Only when the “screening†ship(s) are sunk can the “protected†ship be targeted. Otherwise if any ships remain then a search roll may then be performed. Hits on ships that are performing this duty cannot assign their hits to other units in order to make loses “cheaperâ€.
Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)
The presence of defending Cruisers and/or Destroyers negates attacking submarines’ 1st shot preemptive attack. They are also possessing special capabilities of attacking submarines with ASW warfare and tactics.
First each defending Cruiser or Destroyer unit is then assigned one roll to perform a search of enemy submarine that are attacking with success on any roll of two or less. If they fail to locate the submarine(s), then the sub can then end combat and remain in the sea zone, or it can conduct another round of combat. If it tries to make a second attack the defending ships receive a new search roll each round until they successfully locate the submarine. Once submarines have been located Cruisers, Destroyers and now Battleships can all defend with a new roll of two or less against the submarine(s). This is known as Anti- Submarine Warfare (ASW). No other types of ships can perform ASW rolls. Note: the ASW search roll is always separate from the roll that represents the ability to attack submarines in ASW.
After specific turns advancements in naval radar and sonar technology USA and UK can modify the ability for ASW as follows:
- When Aerial ASW technology #2 is achieved then USA and UK Land or Carrier based planes can be involved in attacking submarines.
- When naval sonar technology is achieved the USA and UK player can modify a successful location roll and or hit to any roll of three or less.
- When you have Aerial tech #1 Planes from USA and UK can begin to participate in Naval search for submarines.
Each roll is now done separately until the submarine is sighted. Once the submarines are sighted each Cruiser, Destroyer and now Battleships can then each receive one new roll against attacking the submarines hitting on a two or less. If the submarine is not sighted then another round of combat occurs until either all ships are sunk or either side withdraws from further combat (subs can remain in the sea zone (submerge) while either side can also retreat to another sea zones).
Movement thru zones occupied by enemy submarines:
When the active player moves naval units into a sea zone and an enemy submarine decides not to attack, then those units can continue to move into other zones. No combat occurs in this case. If the enemy submarine is placed “on station†it can attempt to engage those surface ships in combat. In this case movement must stop and those ships will now be engaged by the passive player’s submarine(s). In this case your ships can continue to move into other sea zones (up to their full movement allowance) providing naval combat does not take more than one round.
When as the active player you decide you want to attack enemy submarines with ASW warfare, each Cruiser or Destroyer can each participate in a similar manner to above under ASW rules. If these units fail to find the submarine, the enemy submarine and your ships simply remain in the sea zone till the following turn.
Summary of Submarine Combat:
- Your submarines move into positions occupied by enemy surface ships or they can declare they are “on station†when enemy warships pass thru sea zones occupied by your submarines leading to combat.
- The owner of the surface ships now allocates any Cruisers or Destroyers to screen out any other ships of his fleet.
- You allocate your subs to groups in ships paired under item #2
- You rolls for each submarine hitting on a two or less ( if you have two or more subs you gain a +1 combat modifier)
- If the sub is attacking any ship(s) that does not contain a Cruiser or Destroyer your sub hits are preemptive and losses are taken on the targeted ship.
- If the targeted ship contains a “screening†Cruiser or Destroyer any hits are applied to them instead and are not preemptive.
- Any remaining surface ships now roll for search with a successful location detected of all submarines occurring on a roll of two or less. Each Cruiser and Destroyer (and Latter UK / USA planes) gets one roll.
- If success is received each aforementioned ship (and now including Battleships) can now receive one roll hitting the submarine on a roll of two or less.
- All loses are allocated and either player can retreat partially or in full. Submarines have a further option of submerging and remaining in the sea zone.
Summary of ASW Naval Combat:
- You’re Cruisers and Destroyers (and latter UK and USA planes) each move into sea zones containing enemy submarines with the intention of attacking them.
- Each receives one ASW rolls searching/hitting on a two or less (modified to three for UK/USA on turn 13).
- If you fail to locate the enemy submarine those participating units end their turn.
- If you succeed and locate the submarine each of the aforementioned ships (and now Battleships) gets a second roll again hitting on a two or less (or three on turn 13).
- Enemy subs can defend but the roll is not preemptive.
- All loses are allocated and either player can retreat partially or in full. Submarines have a further option of submerging and remaining in the sea zone.
Shore Bombardment and Infantry Support
During Ground Combat, for amphibious assaults, all surface warships with a primary combat value of two or higher have one preemptive “shore bombardment†attack. In order to support landings you must land four Land units to receive one shore bombardment shot. Defenders losses do not fire back. In addition, each warship (whether supporting or not) improves one attacking infantry unit with an attack die roll modifier of +1 on the first round only. So if you only land 3 Infantry, you still get each of them with a +1 modifier provided you have at least three warships with an attack value of two. Warships that participate in Naval Combat may not shore bombard or provide infantry support for amphibious assaults.
Defending Artillery fire in Amphibious Assault
Following shore bombardment attacks, any defending artillery units present then receive one round of preemptive fire upon invading enemy units. Hits are taken first (chosen by the attacker) and removed from play. Land combat then follows in the normal manner starting with section #2.
First Round land combat restrictions
The attacker’s first land combat phase is restricted to Infantry only (including Airborne).
So to summarize invasions:
4) Shore bombardment (preemptive).
5) Defender artillery fire support (preemptive).
6) Tactical Air Command missions against defending air units/ land units (preemptive if only land units are defending).
7) Attacking Infantry can attack on round one; all other land units can attack on round two or latter.
8) Defender rolls for all land units (except Artillery which fired).
9) Continue combat rounds until one side is destroyed or retreats from battle.
