Smokescreens and Mines

[William Sheil]

A couple more clarifications needed as I work my way through the rulebook…

Smokescreens. In the second para (on p33) the smoke screen is originally placed at the end of the first movement, has a randomly rolled “circumference” (assume diameter was meant) and either remains stationary (pot/float) or moves with the vessel (device). The smoke effect “screens the rear of the vessel – making it obscured” but here are no explicit rules referencing obscuration when line of fire/sight passes through an area of smoke.

So questions –

Is smoke an area effect; as is implied by giving it an area and a position?

Or is it a marker for the vessel that laid it which specifically (and only) affects rear shots as explicitly written at the end of the section?

The rules seem inconsistent on this.

I may assume that there are two separate rules for two separate mechanisms here; the static area blocking smokescreen for smoke pots and the rear obscuring smoke marker for smoke devices attached to boats.

Either that or the reference to smoke obscuring shots to the rear of a vessel is more descriptive than rule setting and the smoke screens are always circles that either follow the vessel or remain static and actually obscure shots with line of sight that intersect regardless of the aspect?

Minefields. As pointed out elsewhere the referenced “Mine Hit Chart” is missing. As is the “point cost” of the minefield mentioned later.

Again there seems to be inconsistent descriptions of the way mines work. Area minefields are defined with hits allocated by the missing hit chart. It looks as if this mechanism applies only to Contact Mines as Magnetic Mines and Pressure Mines are defined as having point locations rather than area locations – with 8cm AoE around as specific point. This seems more consistent with the “Battleships” secret placement mentioned in the sidebar or double side counters (mine/decoy) could also be used to mark these discrete mines.

Is this distinction between Contact (area) Minefield and Magnetic/Pressure (discrete) Mines correct?

Also It is stated on p35 that a magnetic mine is actuated on a D10 roll of 1. Then in the next paragraph that small and tiny ships set it off on a D10 roll of 1 (as well). Then, later in the degaussing section, it is stated that a ship with degaussing gear will “only” set of a magnetic mine on a D10 roll of 1 (as well as well…).

[Zloy Krolik]

Yet another example of the poor proof reading in these rules.

I asked about the missing mine chart, still haven’t gotten an answer to that.

[invisible officer]

To expect an answer in mid of x-mas business is optimistic. The X-mas gremlins even infected the ticket section that year. The staff do the best they can but are burried under heaps of digital questions.

(No, I’m no paid Warlord employee)

The proof reading is “poor” because it is done by peoples that know and understand the rules.
They will not notice any wording that might cause a ??? with others.

As an author I kow how hard proof reading is. Typos? You read what you think you typed.

The best proof reader is someone that is not interested in the topic. If he understands most will.
But try to get your …… into it without risking a divorce. 😉

[John Stallard]

well Zloy , I have answered you.. again sorry we missed it out, we are human, mostly…..john s

[John Stallard]

well Zloy , I have answered you.. again sorry we missed it out, we are human, mostly…..john s

[William Sheil]

Hi John. There are two questions from my first post that haven’t been directly addressed by the Errata (probably submitted too late, I know).

1) Now that Minefields have now been properly costed and defined is it correct to assume that the minefield rules specifically apply to Contact Mines, whereas Magnetic and Pressure Mines, which have their own hit chance and (8cm) area of effect, are intended to be defined (in some manner) at discrete individual mines rather than in area minefields?

2) Are smokescreens intended to obscure lines of fire that pass through the 3D6 diameter (not circumference) area rather than (as is actually written) representing the fact that shots to the rear of the emitting vessel are obscured regardless of the position of the smoke?

[William Sheil]

A couple more questions to avoid starting a new thread…

3) Tiny Boats – in the Damage paragraph on p49 it is stated that these vessels have 12 Hull Points. In the Ship Rosters tables on p94+ All the Tiny Boats are listed as having 5 Hull Points.

4) The 3 pounder is mentions in the charts on p10 & p11 but missing in the chart on p28 and p103.

5) Plumes (more curiosity). On p26 it is stated that Plumes are added on misses from guns of 37mm/40mm (or 3pdr I assume) or larger. In the official playthrough video, however, Plumes were being liberally scattered around on misses from 20mm guns as well. Was this a mistake or playtesting revision?

My feeling is that with not many guns of that size on the table the mechanism is rarely going to be relevant at least in the current smallboat meta unless 20mm shots are included.

6) Still cannot find any night visibility rules to accompany the star-shell/searchlight rules.

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