From: Wendell Martin Subject: Battlewagon (Task Force Games) Errata BATTLEWAGON ERRATA Task Force Games reply to 4/86 letter: Q: In (D8) it's stated that each merchant ship "on a counter" in a hex is counted for stacking. In (K6) it's stated that more than two ships only count as two for stacking. Which is correct? A: (D8) Q: In (E4.1) a Crack crew is shown as getting a +2 modification, while the Gun Number of Hits Table shows a +1 mod. Also in (E4.1) should Good = +1 rather than +2? A: Good = +1 Q: Some torpedo tubes have L* or R* firing arcs - this gives you a choice of two hexes on the map. When using Torpedo Method 2 (F2.2), and recording the spread's course, must the first "move" be a sideslip to one of these hexes? A: Yes. Q: Do the modifiers on the (G6) radar table supersede those for radar on the Gun Number of Hits table? A: Yes. Q: In the Effect column for Pre-dawn Twilight in (G9), would not ships shooting at silhouetted targets get the +2 to hit, rather than the silhouetted ships themselves (like combat around burning tankers in (K6))? A: Yes, +2 to hit silhouetted target. Q: The Torpedo Number of Hits Table shows a modifier for an evading target. When and how does a target evade? A: Delete. Task Force Games reply to 10/86 letter Q: In (E4.4) it's stated that in the first impulse in which guns fire, they have a -4 modifier. However, in (E2) step 2 it is stated that if the target is outside the gun's maximum range, the shot is a miss. This has led to players declaring that they're firing when the nearest enemy is outside gun range and applying the modifier. Then, when the target is in range, they say that since they've already ranged their guns, the modifier isn't needed. Is this legal? A: No. Q: (G5.32) states that any ship may produce stack smoke, however, no wind direction is given in WW II scenarios. How is wind direction determined (with a die roll?)? A: In WW II stack smoke was not a pervasive problem - ignored in WW II. Q: Every time I've seen a Japanese fleet played, it has been destroyed by fires. In fact, using (J8) Damage Control, all an Allied played has to do is set the ships aflame, then move away and let them burn up. Isn't the Damage Control Table too harsh to "Other" fleets with its +2 modifier? A: Why do you think the Japs lost the WAR? Damage Control was not up to power. Q: I happened to check Battlewagon data for Germany's "Koenig" against the actual ship and found errors with "B" and "C" turrets (listed as "RS" and "LS" but actually "FX" and "BS"). Since checking every ship is rather tedious, are there any other errors you have come across? A: UK - BB Lion PV = 781 - Please send information on "Koenig". [Check Lyon's Encyclopedia/World's Warships or Jane's WW I: B=FX, C=BS] Q: In (M5.2) First Guadalcanal, should not Guadalcanal Island coast hex "0516" be "0515"? A: Yes. Photocopied sheet attached to reply to 10/86 letter (D2) SPEED DETERMINATION - Case 2, Acceleration. Add to rule that a light cruiser may accelerate at the same rate as a heavy cruiser or battlecruiser. Merchant ships (including tankers) may only accelerate one movement point per turn. (E4) ADVANCED GUNFIRE MODIFIERS (Optional) - Note that this section is optional, and that the tables list information needed to play the game *without* these options. For instance, the Gun Range And Penetration (AP Shells) Chart lists penetration values for smaller caliber guns which, if players use the optional shell types rule (E5), would not have AP shells available. Ignore the values given for penetration when using the (E5) shell type option. Commentary: Note that even the more detailed shell type rule (E5) is a simplification. Smaller caliber guns would not normally have true AP shells, but would often have semi-armor piercing shells, providing limited penetration capability. In practice, however, the targets smaller caliber guns could be effective against would be better dealt with using HE shells. (E4.1) GUNNER SKILL - Misprint: Modifier for "Good" should have been +1. (E5.2) HIGH-EXPLOSIVE SHELLS (HE) - The rule is correct as written. A large-caliber HE shell would have a much larger explosive charge and would do much more damage. This is reflected in the rules by rolling an additional number of times for the larger caliber of shells on the HE column of the Gunfire Damage Allocation Table. (J8) DAMAGE CONTROL - Addition: Any system can be repaired by damage control parties except main or secondary gun turrets and torpedo tubes. Note: Players may assign more than one damage control party to a specific damaged system, but each damage control party is rolled for separately (the modifier for assigning damage control parties is not cumulative). This gives a player a better chance to repair the damaged system - not a better chance to repair it in a single roll. (K6) MERCHANT SHIPS - Some further explanation is necessary. The normal spacing for merchant ships in a convoy could place up to four ships in a hex (2000 yards x 2000 yards). Thus the maximum stacking limit of four should not be exceeded. A merchant ship playing piece is used to represent up to four ships in the same hex. For stacking purposes, the playing piece is considered to be four individual ships. Merchant ships are always considered to be unarmored targets (BL = 0, DK = 0, etc.) and always have unprotected gun mounts (TT = 0, TF = 0). A fast merchant ship could achieve 18 knots (movement rate "3"), but in convoy all the merchant ships were relegated to the movement rate of the slowest ship (which was seldom over 12 knots or a movement rate of "2"). Merchant ships are attacked individually in the same manner as warships. (L3.2) BRITISH ROYAL NAVY, SHIP DATA (WORLD WAR II) - BB Lion should have a Point Value of "781" rather than "404." GUNFIRE DAMAGE ALLOCATION TABLE - No armor is listed for HE shell hits to affect. HE shells should affect BL for "Point" and "Close" ranges and DK for "Medium" or greater ranges. This is a simplification: HE shells are required to effectively penetrate the average armor of a ship as represented by BL and DK armor factors. This will properly make HE shells ineffective against all targets with any real degree of armor protection. Any system designated as hit by a penetrating HE shell is considered to be destroyed. TORPEDO DAMAGE TABLE - The modifier listed for Torpedo type K should actually be for torpedo type M. Handwritten notes on photocopied sheet: (M5.1) Haguro in 2217-E (J2) HOT TO SCORE GUNFIRE HITS - A hit score[d] on a non-existent system is a miss. (G6) RADAR - Only gives relative size of target - small or capital. (D9) FORMATIONS - Break formation allowed for any ship not able to keep up speed. (G5.3) STACK SMOKE - Stack smoke could block line of sight for any shots thru the hex but more often reduce effective visiability [sic] of both parties and [thus?] also reduce accuracy, stack smoke = Visibility -2 levels, -2 to hit. Wendell wendell.martin@the-matrix.com 73737.1237@compuserve.com http://www.bham.net/users/wendell