New Convoy Raiding System

[gsh34]

Larry is proposing a new mechanism to do convoy raiding damage.  Here is the low down straight from the horses mouth.

New things and new procedures always seem to meet with resistance - It’s human nature. With that said, here’s something for you to resist - testing this very theory.

Speculate all you want but be sure to actually try this out in one of your up coming Global games.
Thanks.

Convoy Disruption is conducted by the player whose turn it is. It is conducted during Phase 3: Conduct Combat. This action is taken after Strategic & Tactical Bombing Raid, and before Amphibious Assaults.

A player can use his or her submarines, surface warships, and aircraft from a carrier, that is in the raided sea zone, to conduct convoy raids.

Certain conditions must exist before this operation can occur,
1. The sea zone must have a “Convoy Symbol” image.
2. The sea zone must be adjacent to one or more of an enemy’s islands or territories.
3. At least one of your warships or aircraft from a carrier must be in the sea zone.
4. The sea zone must be friendly.

As usual, surface warships, unlike subs, cannot move into a hostile sea zone without initiating combat. Surface warships cannot conduct both a convoy raid and a sea battle. A submarine, however, may conduct a convoy raid in a sea zone that contains enemy ships, avoiding the sea battle, through the use of its Treat Hostile Sea Zones as Friendly ability, but only if none of the enemy ships are destroyers.

When submarines or surface warships are moved into a hostile sea zone that’s free of enemy destroyers during the combat move phase, that contains a convoy symbol, the player announces that the submarine is either conducting a convoy raid or participating with the other warships in the sea battle.

Both a player’s surface warships and submarines can conduct convoy raids if the sea zone has a convoy symbol and has no enemy surface warships in it. Carrier planes can participate in convoy raids, but only if their carrier is in the attacked sea zone. In such a case, air units may scrambled into the sea zone or kamikaze may be used to defend the convoy. If this occurs, any surface warships and air units must forego the convoy raid and fight a normal battle instead. However, the scrambled aircraft and/or kamikaze will have no effect on the convoy raiding submarine(s),

When conducting a convoy raid, the player declares which specific territory’s convoys are being disrupted and by which unit(s). More than one territory may be attacked but each unit can only attack a specific targeted territory.

With convoy disruption considered to be an attack on a nation’s ability to manufacture war material, damage markers, resulting from the convoy raid, are placed under the IC of the targeted territory. If the targeted territory does not have an IC the attacked player’s closest IC receives the damage markers. The distance is measured from the convoy symbol (sea zone) to the territory containing the IC. If the two or more ICs are equally distanced from the convoy sea zone, the attacked player selects which IC to place the damage markers under. The maximum damage limit to each IC still applies, but the defending player can’t apply damage to a maxed out IC if one that isn’t is available.

All attacking surface ships and carrier based aircraft (originating from a carrier located in the convoy symbol’s sea zone) score hits if they roll their normal combat value or less. With each hit a damage marker is placed. No targeted territory can receive more damage than its total IPC value.

Submarines are considered “On Station.” They are the perfect weapon for convoy raiding. Submarines attack in the following way. They score a hit with 3 or less. For each hit scored one damage marker is placed. After each hit the sub may roll again and continue to do so until either it misses (rolls 4 or higher), or the targeted territory’s IPC value is exceeded.

As with bombing raid damage, the IC’s controlling player must pay 1 IPC to remove each damage marker. Damage markers, as with bombing raids, reduce the number of items an IC can produce per turn.

An example of a Convoy Disruption attack.: US, with 3 subs, 1 destroyer and 1 Cruiser, wants to conducts convoy raids in sea zone 97. There are no enemy ships in the sea zone. Italy controls: Northern and Southern Italy, Yugoslavia, Albania and Greece, all of these territories border sea zone 97 and one or more of them can be selected as targets.

Southern Italy happens to have an airbase and 2 fighters. They can and will be scramble against the attacking ships. This stops the attacking surface warships from participating in their planned convoy raid. The 3 submarines can, however, continue the convoy raid. The defender has no destroyer present. If there had been a destroyer present all the attacking warships (including the submarines) would have had to engage it in a sea battle and there would have been no convoy raid in the first place.

The attacking player declares that he is targeting both Northern Italy’s and Southern Italy’s coastlines. He assigns one sub to Southern Italy, and, the other two against Northern Italy’s coastline. The assignment of ships and aircraft to certain targets can be conducted in any allotments.

The attack on Northern Italy is conducted first (attacking player’s choice). Rolling for each sub separately the player rolls a die. He rolls a 2 which scores a hit. A damage marker is placed under the Northern Italy’s IC. The same sub rolls again… it’s a 5. That subs attack is over. The second sub then is rolled for. It rolls a 1 scoring a hit. It then rolls a 3 for anohter hit and then rolls a 4 which ends its convoy raid. Two more damage markers are placed under the Northern Italy’s IC.

Southern Italy is rolled against. Scoring all hits, one after the other, the attacking sub got to roll 3 times. It cannot roll again because it would exceed Southern Italy’s IPC value. Three damage markers are placed under its IC. The sea battle between the scrambled aircraft and the surface warships is conducted during General Combat .

Another example: A German submarine and cruiser are moved into sea zone 89. There are no enemy units present. The convoy raid is directed at two targets. The West Indies is targeted by the submarine and the cruiser targets Central America. The cruiser needs a 3 or less. It rolls a 3 and scores a hit. The closest IC is located in Central United States. A damage marker is placed there. The submarine, targeting West Indies, rolls a 2 for a hit. Normally it could roll again but does not. To do so would only exceed the targeted territory’s IPC value. The damage marker must be placed under the closest US industrial complex. The ICs in Central United States and Eastern United States are the same distance away from the attacked convoy symbol. Normally the US player can decide which IC takes the hit. There is a problem; however, the Central United States’ IC is maxed out (imagine that) with damage already. The attacked player must place the damage marker on the Eastern United States.

[JimmyHat]

WOW!  Another set of big changes.  At least we are dealing with convoy zones, something particular to this gameset rather than aa guns which have been around since classic.

These new rules might be great!  Can’t wait to try them.

[knp7765]

This sounds very interesting to me.  So instead of simply deducting IPCs for convoy raiding, we would now be directly damaging ICs like with an SBR but without having to worry about AA fire or interceptors.  As for the one being attacked, the convoy raiding could theoretically NOT cost them if they choose not to repair the IC damage.  For example, if Germany convoy raided Great Britain and got 2 hits for 2 damage markers on GB’s Major IC, since that IC would still be capable of producing 8 units, the British player may choose not to repair the damage so the convoy raid really didn’t cost them.

So, say Germany gets a sub into SZ 109 and targets Great Britain.  Let’s also say the dice are good and that sub keeps getting 3 or less.  That single German sub could cost Britain 6 damage points on their IC, correct?  And 2 German subs could “possibly” cost 12 damage points?  Or would both subs have to stop at 6 since the territory of Great Britain is worth 6 IPCs?
Also, A German sub in SZ 119 targeting Scotland would also affect the Great Britain IC (for up to 2 damage points), correct?
Another example:  A German sub gets into SZ 101 and targets the Eastern United States (20 IPCS).  Say the Dice Gods are smiling on Germany this round and this single sub just keeps getting 3 or less.  Could that 1 sub roll 20 times and cost USA 20 damage points to the EUS Major IC (theoretically)?

If this is so, it sounds like it might be much easier to convoy raid.

[crusaderiv]

I’m not impress.
I have done my own convoy rules with real cargo.
Much significant for Allies build if you lost too much cargo.