Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1991 16:37:00 GMT From: Subject: 2nd Fleet HI there, This is a review of 2nd Fleet. GAME FORMAT 2nd Fleet (second in the game series from VG) is a ship/squadron of ships and squadron/wing of aircraft scale simulator of modern naval combat in the area of the US 2nd Fleet, ie the North Atlantic, Norwegian sea, North Sea, and Barents Sea. Definitely set in the cold war, the game hypothesises that the USSR has started WW3 and is attacking Norway as part of its warplan. Interdiction of allied shipping is also considered. The two sides in the game are the USSR versus Nato (ie USA. UK, Norwegian, Dutch, and even a German unit) COMPONENTS 2 maps (21*27") which each cover 50% of the game area, and include the displays on which various task forces etc are mounted. Also a summary of turn sequence and combat tables are on the maps. They are orientated with Russia at the top end, and the GIUK gap at the other. Hex scale is 45miles/hex. Deep, shallow and Ice ridden water are all illustrated on the maps by different colours/ patterns on the map surface (deep trenches are dark blue on the map surface, shallow areas are a paler colour than the normal colour). Counters are split by Nationality, and by size. The smaller (1/2") size are function counters used to illustrate things like detection, or the strength of naval/paratroop land units. The larger (5/8" I think) counters are the ships, subs, and air units of the game. All Nato units have dark Green borders, while UK units have a medium blue center, US a Dark Green center, Germans a Maroon center, Norway, a yellow center, and the Dutch an insipid mustardy orange colour (like the Monopoly properties nearest Free Parking, after the Gaol). USSR units are Red. All counters have a similar format, with, for ships and subs, movement, defense rating at top right, SSM (anti-ship missile) strength and range at top right, AA (short and long range) at bottom right, with Gunfire rating (close combat) just above. Bottom left is occupied by the units asw rating. Air craft are broadly similar, with range top left, SSm top right, BOMBS instead of close combat values just above their Air to Air values, bottom right. ASW is once again bottom left. On both types of counter, a silhouette of the ship, sub or plane is shown in the center of the counter. UNIT TYPES Ships have three main types... 1) Carriers...USA has Three (Theodore Roosvelt, Coral Sea, Independance) with massive air wings (2 F14, 2 F18, 1 A6E, 1 AE6E, 1 S3C, 1 AEW). Coral Sea only has F18s and no S3s due to her smaller size. USSR has two Kiev class ships (Kiev and Novorissievsk) which are weak in airpower (1 piddly little Yak 38 forger each) but Very strong in missiles and anti air. The new USSR carrier is also shown (as a Hypothetical Tblisi class unit, with similar armament to Kiev, but 3 SU27s and a Hormone AEW helo too). The UK has two (Ivincible/Illustrious) small carriers with a single FRS1 Harrier, and a Sea King AEW helo on them. Allied Carriers tnd to only have point defense AAW, and good ASW ratings, while the USSR ships are well supplied with SSMs etc. 2) Cruisers...US cruisers are quite something, with excellent AA, SSM ratings, and good range on fuel, they are a good way of protecting the Carriers. AA ratings show up the different capabilities of double ended and VLS AAM systems. Soviet cruisers are generally weaker in SSMs, although the Slava and Kirov class ships are as good (AA) as the 1960s/70s US ships, and (SSMs) beat the hell outve ANY ship on the board. 3) Destroyers/Frigates...OK so they are different sizes...but they are all there to do 3 things, 1) protect Capital ships, 2) screen convoys, 3)Attack enemy units. Allied DDs are either AA or ASW related, with UK ships and the Charles F Adams class units mainly concerned with AA tasks. The most numerous classes are Spruance (excellent ASW platforms) and Shefield (adeqaute area anti air) class DDGs. Kidd and John Paul Jones clas units also make an appearance. The Soviets also get a raw dela here, with only Udaloys (asw)and Soveremny ( AA and SSM) being the equal/near equal of the Nato units. Allied Frigates (Eg US Knox and Oliver H Perry and UK Leander and Battleaxe class units) are almost as good as most Soviet cruisers (!!!) and are all ASW orientated, although US units have some area anti-air assets, and the Uk ships tend to have superb point defenses. Soviet Frigates are totally out classed, and few even have SSMs. Submarines...once more, 3 main types.. 1) SSNs...Allied (UK/US) ssns are great boats, quiet, well armed (ie high SSM and ASW ratings) but ar a bit slower than their USSR bretheren, which are slightly noisier, faster, better torpedoes, few have SSMs, and are generally less capable ASW platforms. Weak hulls (?) also let down many soviet boats. 2)SS..deisel subs also akean appearnce, they are quieter than their Nuclear bretheren, but are very slow, and are less well armed/protected too. 3)SSBNs..6 soviet ones are provided for use in certain scenarios...weakly armed they are tough, slow, and VERY quiet. Aircraft..a few types here... 1)INT..interceptors...High AA and sometimes good bomb/SSM ratings make these vital to the game. All the major types are here, ranging from F14s to Harriers to Tornados to Mig 23s, 25s, 31, and Su24s and 27s. Allied fighters are better at ATA usually, but sometime suffer range wise. Soviet fighters have a range problem, in that they can't operate from newly captured runways in Norway etc. 2)ATK...attack units range from Fighters being used as bombers, to mission specific aircraft like Bucaneers, A6s, and T16/T26 units. A single B1b and a single Blackjack bomber are provided in the game. All attack units are ineffec- tual in ATA, but either have excellent bombing or SSM ratings. Some, like the B1, F111, bucaneers, have both. Soviet units, being ex-strategic bombers have greater ranges than their nato oponents. 3)Recon, AEW..recon units may be used to find enemy subs, surface units, provide DRMs via co-ordination of attacks, and, if they are ASW capable, even attack enemy Subs. Allied recon counters have no flip (damaged)side so they are VERY valuable. RULES 1) Phasing....each turn has 3 phases per player (air, surface, submarine) turn which are decided by odd/even die roles on the games generic D10 di. There are 3 turns (AM, PM, NIGHT) per day. At the end of the day, VP, supply states, and replcements (every third day) are dished out. A player can opt out of taking a phase within a turn if he so wishes. 2)Detection....the map is split into zones, which in turn are represented on strategic displays. Air units can be placed on these displays, and , assuming the are not shot down by opposing INT units, may be used for several different missions... 1)surface search..any unit may atempt to tatle tale a task force/surface ship 2)sub search..if a unit has an ASW rating of 3 (2 weaker units may combine to meet this) or more may attempt to role against the Sub detection table on any ONE sub in the same zone as that air unit. 3) Tactical co-ordination...basicaly give a plus 1 DRM in combat once per turn. 4)MINES..OPTIONAL rule...the plane can mine any port i n that zone, thus any sip that enters the port until the mines are swept has a 1:2 chance of taking a hit. This is STRATEGIC detection.....if a unit is Strat detected, it does not loose its tattle tale ALL day. Local detection is when a surface unit closes within 4 hexes of its foe...thus detecting it via radar, or when it roles against the sub detection table if the sub is adjacent. Local detect depend on adjacency...ie if a unit moves away, it is no longer "visible". Only detected units may be attacked. COMBAT ASW take they asw values of a ship, sub plane, role against that calue on the table, if the damage is 50%to 99% the target is damaged, if it is 100% of the targets defense rating or more, it is sunk. SSM/BOMBING area AA, plus the close AA values of the target, and the ship BELOW it in the stack may be totalled and used to defend against the attack. Total the attacking factor, and subtract the AA value from it. Complete as fo ASW ATA Ratio ATA ratings, and role against the table, air units may be detroyed, damaged, or returned to base. Breakthrough ATA is when escorts/Strat air type Int units are removed, and the Mission force is Attacked. Odds are moved 1 in favour if the attacker. DRMS Single ships have a -4 on their own die roles. Groups (2-3 ships) have no modifier, while Task forces (4+ ships) have a +2 modifier in their favour at all times. Electronic warfare units knock one point OFF all area AA in the target hex (pretty spineless if that hex has 40 points from 5 ships....), adds +1 to friendly ATA die roles (-1 to enemy) and the presence of F14/AEW units in a CAP over the fleet gives a -1 to the attacker IF the attack is by SSMs. Combat Air Patrols (CAP) Int, AEW, AW units may fly this mission. AEW units increase effectiveness of sea based CAP (the farther away the target, the weaker the CAP if that CAP is sea based). EW units give a DRM. Only one of Each type may be used. CAP extend 4 hexes from the base of that CAP. Land based Cap has NO negative combat effects. Scenarios The rules book has a spread of scenarios to introduce the new player to the system. They aren't always balanced, but they do illustrate the game well. They range from the 3 ships and 1 sub type, right up to 50-60 counters per side GIUK gap encounters. Land units don't fight...all they do is decide possesion. To gain possession , all a land unit must do is maintain 2:1 major- ity over the enemies units. They are ONLY found in the Advanced scenario... which also has optional supply rules (ie you check of boxes for fuel, ssms, aams, asw etc during the turn, and units can only replenish at sea in good weather, or in ports.) which even up the game a bit. Norway also has restric- tions on the total NO. of allied air unit deploiyable there in this scenario, which uses ALL units provided in the game. The allies MAY recieve BB Iowa instead of the CV Independance, but even so, the Allies usually win. OPINION NOT REALISTIC....the USSR is weak, puny, and ill-prepared if the game is to be accepted as is, with its ships lacking range, replenishment units, its airforce lacking Reinforcements, and the Subs lacking even sheer numbers (they only out- number Nato subs 1.5:1) to even up the game. I always find that VG games go along the lines of 1) Soviet Blitz for 4 turns, 2)Soviets run out of supply/ meet a US carrier and stalemate ensues, 3) NATO pummels Soviet sub assets and go after the Soviet SSBNs, 4) NATO releives the North of Norway with US/UK Marine assets, and missile/bombing attacks finish of Soviet sea power, 5) NATO attack Kola peninsula and peace ensues with a major NATO victory. I can recommend either reinforcing 2nd fleet with units from 7th fleet of vice versa....more on this when I look at 7th Fleet, but till then, go buy GDW's Harpoon and play a more realistic game. Play balance is the Gripe, the cure .... I hope you found this interesting....I'm not sure if ALL the rules are correct, and I will mention Cruise Missiles in a later posting (on 7th Fleet) so look out for that one. Any comments will be welcomed. This is one of the few war game I have played against face to face opposition, and we have always moaned about the play balance, so I thought I'd continue that tradition here!! JOHN