Shipwreck

Last Friday night, I was introduced to a new set of modern naval rules called "Shipwreck" (no doubt after the Soviet missle system). I'm somewhat familiar with the computer version of Harpoon and I used to own the paper version of the same game (but never got around to playing it) but this was a new system to me. It's meant to be a more simplified and fast-playing set of modern naval rules and I believe it's largely succeeded there.

Although Harpoon (the paper version) looks appealing, I have always been put off by the complexity and the steep learning curve. The computer version was fun but it's no longer in production and just didn't work on the more advanced PCs (although supposedly a more advanced version is in the works, it appears that it won't be happening anytime soon because the company folded- as far as I know...).

Anyway, one of the members of our gaming group put together a small scenario- NATO vs Soviets with me playing the overall commander and being in command of one Arleigh Burke and one Spruance Class destroyer. Out task force also had a British Type 42 Destroyer (the Sheffield which met it's demise during the Falklands War was one of this class) and an improved Spruance Class destroyer.

Opposing us were some pretty bad hombres- 1 Kirov Class Cruiser, 2 Sovremenny Class Destroyers, and 2 Udaloy Class Destroyers. As with all Soviet ships, they were packing a ton of ordinance and we would soon feel its effect. To round out the fun, we also had a US sub squaring off against a Soviet sub but this was pretty much all handled abstractly.

The game system was relatively easy to pick up on- the only bad part is the volume of die rolls needed for detection and spotting- more ships, more dice! This is one of the first miniatures rule sets that appears to have been thought out and one that you could immediately use "real world" tactics. Since nobody elese on the NATO side was really familiar with modern naval combat, I was more or less the guide in this area.

Once I figured out all the weapons stats and ranges, I arranged our task force in as optimal a formation as I got get. I also learned real quickly that the only ship with any anti-air range (AA) was the Type 42 and its rate of fire was pitiful (compared with what a missle volley would have). Supplementing this at medium range was the 2SMR2's on the Arleigh Burke (which has some pretty robust systems). The two Spruances only had short and very short-range anti-air systems. I don't recall the exact ranges in terms of nautical miles, but the bottom line is that you're not going to be able to fire in defense at incoming missles until they're almost on top of you. You'd better pray you roll well!

Detection was quick and both sides did it pretty quick. Soon each side was launching its missle volleys. The first volley came from one of the Sovremennys and it was some older sort of Soviet missle. It was pretty pathetic and they were easy to shoot down, although there were some tense moments.

We responded by firing every Harpoon and Tomahawk missle we could launch (the Tomahawk is basically a long-range Harpoon missle). We fired off 36 all together and aimed them all at the Kirov. My partners looked at me incredulously- "why are you putting so many on one ship?" My response "you'll thank me later after you see how many are going to get shot down!"

Sure enough, out of 36 missles, only two got through and actually hit the Kirov. One took out the hanger (big whoop!). The other scored a critical hit and the Kirov was soon dead in the water with all of its weapons system inoperable. However, not before the Kirozv fired off some 40 missles in return.

This time, we were not so fortunate and while we managed to trim the incoming flock of missles down to 15, 13 heading to the Arleigh Burke and 2 to the improved Spruance. The Spruance managed to down the last two missles but the Arleigh Burke wasn't so lucky- 5 missles hit after all the close in guns kicked in and missed and the final result was "sunk". Ironically, my chaff launcher managed to divert two missles- one to the Type 42 and one to the other Spruance. The other Spruance sustained minor damage and the Type 42 was instantly sunk.

At that point, the NATO forces retreated off the board in disarray. In looking at the ships, we really had no business going up against the Soviets without some air cover or something...the Type 42 was worthless and the Spruances' AA was mostly short and very short range- the Spruances were meant more as an anti-submarine platform than anything else and it showed. However, the Tomahawk missles were a welcome addition. The Arleigh Burke was the only combat unit that had a chance and even then its was greatly outnumbered. Those Soviet vessels just belch out seemingly unending streams of missles!

Anyway, this is a rules set that I'll be investing in and hopefully I'll get some more games in. Good stuff for a change!