NWS: Naval Warfare Series FAQs

[Warship NWS]

This thread is for our upcoming official FAQs covering our Naval Warfare series of board games/miniatures rules.

[William Miller]

Question 1: The Range (RNG) value is not explained in the rules, or at least I cannot find it. I am assuming this is the operational radius of the aircraft.
Answer: Aircraft Range value is explained on page 25 in the NW-WWI rules manual, and on page 24 of the NW-WWII manual. And yes, it is a radius.

Question 2:It appears that in the Strategic Scale Combat Rules/Basic Game Turn Sequence the Search Matrix is not used. If that is the case, does the range value of aircraft matter, or are all aircraft assumed to be able to search/attack at Long Range?
Answer: The search matrix may be used in either the basic or advanced strategic game. The default rule is that any aircraft may search up to any range band in the basic game. As an alternative for basic game use, each aircraft may only search out to its range limit, and each range band has an actual range associated with it for this purpose only: For WWII era: Short = 6+ hexes, Medium = 10+ hexes, Long= 20+ hexes. For the WWI era: Short = 3+ hexes, Medium = 5+ hexes, Long= 9+ hexes. So a WW2-era aircraft would have to have a Range ability of at least "20" in order to search at Long Range, etc... See the answer to Question 4 below for use in the advanced game.

Question 3: In the Search Matrix, do the three rows, starting at the bottom of the page (directly above the Division/Base squares), correspond to Short, Medium, and Long range? I'm looking toward using the Search Matrix in the Basic Game....
Answer: Yes; but see the answer to Question 2 above...

Question 4:In the Level of Intelligence and Spotting Chance section, when using the Search Matrix, do the "hexes" values under each row of squares correspond to the range limit of the aircraft? For instance, a UK DH.2 has a range of 4; does that mean it can only search only the bottom (Short range) row? Can Airship "North Sea" (range 10) search all three rows?
Answer: The listed "Hexes" values under each set of search boxes are how far out each type of unit may search in each single 1 hour strategic turn, up to the Range Rating for the aircraft in question. In effect each set of "hex" values gives the search speed for each aircraft type, since they determine how far out each aircraft type may search in each hour. For example, say you have a squadron of Short Type 74 scout aircraft conducting a search. The first hour (first strategic turn) the aircraft may search in the first range band, which is from 0 to 4 hexes from the launch point for all "Scout" type aircraft. The second hour of the search they then enter the second range band, which is from 5 to 8 hexes out -- however the Short Type 74's range is only 5 hexes, so it can only search out to 5 hexes before it must begin the return portion of its search. The third turn it thus searches back into the first range band (0-3 hexes), then on the fourth turn it lands back at its launch point.

Question 5: If you have only 1 mission in a battleset, can you assign 70% to the mission, or are you still limited to 50% ?
And, when only 70% of your total forces can be assigned to the missions and 50% to a single mission, is that 70% of your total number of ships or 70% of your total number of Point Values in your available ships? In other words, I have 10 ships totalling 80 points. Is my total 7 ships, or is it 56 points?
Answer: If you have only 1 mission you are limited to 50% of your ships point value for that mission. The percentages indicated are percentage of the total PV of ships in your roster. In your example you would be limited to 80 x 0.7= 56 pts of ships set aside for the Mission Set, and no more than 80 x 0.5= 40 pts of those ships could be allocated for a single battle. You only count ships that are not sunk and are not currently under repair to determine your sides total points available -- although if you wished to use a damaged ship in a battle you could do so by simply not repairing it and including it in the battle (and you would count its full point value towards points allocated for the battle, no matter its damage level).
However, note that the ships you allocate for an individual battle can be modified by the Battle Set Location roll: any Battle Points you receive from the Battle Set Location roll can be used to either swap or add additional ships to the battle, while if you have negative Battle Points listed you will have to remove ships from the battle equal to that many points. This is different from the additional Battle Points received at the end of each Battle Set which you can use to repair damaged ships or purchase new ships. The Battle Points modifier for each individual battle is intended to modify the size/composition of each sides' fleet due to the location/circumstance of each battle.
An example: Say you allocated 40 points of ships for a battle, and the Battle Set location gives your side a modifier of "+10" Battle Points for that battle -- you would use those 10 pts to swap or add ships to the battle from your existing pool of ships. If the Battle Point modifier was "-5" then you would have to remove at least 5 pts worth of ships from your roster for the battle.

Question 6: When do you roll for environment for the missions? We have 2 battle sets in the 1915 Baltic, and 3 missions for the first battle set. We determine each mission, and do we determine the environment before we assign our ships to the mission or after we assign them and at the start of each mission?
Answer: It is more realistic for both sides to first assign ships to the mission & then to determine the environmental conditions. If you wished to switch (or add) ships for the mission you could do so after finding out the environmental conditions, but at the usual Battle Point cost for doing so.

Question 7: 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?
Answer: 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.

Question 8: 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.
Answer: 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. I have posted a diagram in the Download thread that clearly shows the side firing arcs.

Question 9: The rules state a ship can turn 1 or 2 hexsides per hex entered. At the beginning of a turn, does the ship have to enter a new hex before turning, or can it turn immediately?
Answer: As stated in the rules, ships may turn before they move into a new hex. (They may turn after they move if they wish, but are still limited to the # of hexsides listed)


Question 10: I play it so a ship can target one ship with its MB and a second ship with it SB. For instance, a BC has an enemy DD at short range and an enemy BB at long range. Can the BC fire its MB at the BB and SB at the DD?
Answer: The Main and Secondary batteries may fire at the same or different targets, certainly. The great majority of ships had separate directors for the main and secondary batteries and thus each battery could fire at different targets if desired.