RULES CLARIFICATIONS NEEDED

[kirkoa]

We are about to begin the Baltic 1915 campaign by email. Before that, we started a small scenario and two questions have come up.

1) We are using the advanced combat results from the webpage. On it, the firing results are listed for short, medium, and long ranges. In the modifiers, the optional -1 for firing outside the side arcs is not listed. Is this because it is optional? Also, the +1 for short range and -2 for long range modifiers in the rule book are not listed on the sheet. Do you still use the -2 modifier for firing long range, or is that incorporated into the results on the sheet?

2) Side Arcs defined...In specific, we are on the tactical map 1 (the open sea map). His division is in hex L 03 facing direction 4. My division is in G 09 facing 3. Is my division in G 09 in the side arc of his division in L 03? The way I read the rules, the side are for his division in L 03 would extend to hexes K03 and K04, then J02, 03, 04, then I02, 03, 04, 05, etc so I would say no. The way he is reading the rules is the arc goes along the hexsides between K04/L04, then J05/K06, then I07/J07, then H08/I09, then G10/H10 so my division is in the side arc. Basically his side arc covers everything except for the front 30% or so of the division, while mine is alot more restricted.

[William Miller]

Hello kirkoa,

Welcome to the forums. Answers to your questions are below:

1) The "-1 firing outside side arcs" still applies if you/your players wish to use it, but since it is an optional rule it was not listed on the Advanced Combat table. As for myself, I always use that rule. The Combat Results Table (CRT) on the Advanced Combat Chart encapsulates the combat modifiers for range into the 3 Range-based columns presented, so you do not apply the range modifiers when using that table.

2) Your interpretation is correct, you are not in his side arc -- the "side arc" rule is intended to simulate the fact that fore and aft turrets could only bear an average of ~ 120 degrees to port and 120 degrees to starboard in the direction they faced. In your example, if you actually measure the bearing to the target he is bearing approx 38 degrees off your Starboard bow, this would be well outside the bearing of the aft main battery mounts (which could only fire at a target bearing >= 60 degrees off your bow). While some mounts could bear as far as 130-135 degrees off the bow/stern the 120 degree bearing is a good average limit considering other factors such as possible damage to own ship structure near maximum firing arc, etc.

[kirkoa]

Hello kirkoa,

Welcome to the forums. Answers to your questions are below:

1) The "-1 firing outside side arcs" still applies if you/your players wish to use it, but since it is an optional rule it was not listed on the Advanced Combat table. As for myself, I always use that rule. The Combat Results Table (CRT) on the Advanced Combat Chart encapsulates the combat modifiers for range into the 3 Range-based columns presented, so you do not apply the range modifiers when using that table.

2) Your interpretation is correct, you are not in his side arc -- the "side arc" rule is intended to simulate the fact that fore and aft turrets could only bear an average of ~ 120 degrees to port and 120 degrees to starboard in the direction they faced. In your example, if you actually measure the bearing to the target he is bearing approx 38 degrees off your Starboard bow, this would be well outside the bearing of the aft main battery mounts (which could only fire at a target bearing >= 60 degrees off your bow). While some mounts could bear as far as 130-135 degrees off the bow/stern the 120 degree bearing is a good average limit considering other factors such as possible damage to own ship structure near maximum firing arc, etc.


Thanks for the quick response...so the side arcs go into the hexes I cited then?

[William Miller]

Thanks for the quick response...so the side arcs go into the hexes I cited then?

Hello,

Yes they do. See the attached diagram for this...I will also add this to the Naval Warfare downloads thread to make certain this is clear.
The shaded hexes on the below diagram are the Side Arc hexes of the ship.

[kirkoa]

sums it up well, thank you sir