Greg Smith
Mongoose
US
Baltimore heavy cruiser 200
Oregon City Heavy Cruiser 200
Cleveland cruiser 100
Brooklyn cruiser 100
4 Gridley-class Destroyers 4 x 50
Vs
Japanese
Mogami 200
Myoko 200
Furutaka 100
Sendai 100
2 Shiratsyu destroyers 2 x50
2 Fubuki destroyers 2 x 50
We weren’t playing a particular scenario, just set up 36” apart and fought.
Fan Salvo
The Japanese had 54 dice of Type 93 torpedoes, so rolled 13 dice and score 3d 6s. The Oregon City, Baltimore and Brooklyn were hit. The Oregon City suffered 16 damage and 3 criticals, a weapons 6 was enough to cause the biggest explosion at since the Hood. The Baltimore and Brooklyn got off comparatively lightly with 10 and 11 points respectively.
Battle
I, as US player, began the game a cruiser down. The Japanese had spent 8 out of 54 torpedo tubes. My opponent usually tries to close range as quickly as possible, so I try to cross his T. This leads to him having less guns to bear but means he hits more easily. In this case his torpedoes outranged my cruisers guns and long range shot could prove fatal, so turned my bows to him. Unfortunately this meant I could only get closer, particularly as the Baltimore was using its speed to make it less of target.
On turn one and two we traded fire at range, he concentrating on the Baltimore, I concentrating on one of his cruisers he had manoeuvred to side on, waiting for long range shot. His destroyers’ superior guns succeeded in crippling one of my destroyers, but its torpedos remained undamaged.
On turn three my destroyers got amongst his fleet. Two manoeuvred alongside the Myoko at point blank range. Two came along side the Sendai. The Myoko fired first and a torpedo strike sank one destroyer and its light guns sank the other. The third American destroyer sank the Sendai. Both American destroyers were then sunk by the enemy cruisers’ light guns.
A torpedo strike from a destroyer sank the Baltimore, despite its speed.
On turn 4 the Japanese could easily outmanoeuvre the two surviving cruisers and both were quickly destroyed by torpedo strikes.
Conclusion.
Type 93 torpedoes are horrible. They out-ranged the American’s guns. They can’t be evaded.
The Long Lance rule reflects reality, and in fact offers a lower hit probability than in actuality. But is a massively powerful special rule and streets ahead of anything that other fleets get.
It isn’t difficult for most fleets to get destroyers into torpedo range. While Torpedoes stand a good chance of destroying a cruiser, the destroyer flotilla isn’t likely to survive the attack and even if they do, they won’t be able to reuse their tubes. The Japanese can keep their destroyers at a safe range, and angle a long range side-on attack and even if they miss they can try again two turns later.
Suggestions
If the Americans and Brits have to pay for VT shells, maybe the Japanese should pay for long lance shots. If VT fuses are 5 points per AD, then Long lance shots should be at least 25 points per AD.
The potential for an all torpedo, all long-lance, all slow-loading Japanese fleet is game breaking. As they currently stand any ship with type 93s needs to be hugely expensive in points.
Suggestions on another thread include allowing Wakeless torpedoes a +1 to hit on the evasive reroll and reducing the range, allowing the fan salvo to represent long range.
Baltimore heavy cruiser 200
Oregon City Heavy Cruiser 200
Cleveland cruiser 100
Brooklyn cruiser 100
4 Gridley-class Destroyers 4 x 50
Vs
Japanese
Mogami 200
Myoko 200
Furutaka 100
Sendai 100
2 Shiratsyu destroyers 2 x50
2 Fubuki destroyers 2 x 50
We weren’t playing a particular scenario, just set up 36” apart and fought.
Fan Salvo
The Japanese had 54 dice of Type 93 torpedoes, so rolled 13 dice and score 3d 6s. The Oregon City, Baltimore and Brooklyn were hit. The Oregon City suffered 16 damage and 3 criticals, a weapons 6 was enough to cause the biggest explosion at since the Hood. The Baltimore and Brooklyn got off comparatively lightly with 10 and 11 points respectively.
Battle
I, as US player, began the game a cruiser down. The Japanese had spent 8 out of 54 torpedo tubes. My opponent usually tries to close range as quickly as possible, so I try to cross his T. This leads to him having less guns to bear but means he hits more easily. In this case his torpedoes outranged my cruisers guns and long range shot could prove fatal, so turned my bows to him. Unfortunately this meant I could only get closer, particularly as the Baltimore was using its speed to make it less of target.
On turn one and two we traded fire at range, he concentrating on the Baltimore, I concentrating on one of his cruisers he had manoeuvred to side on, waiting for long range shot. His destroyers’ superior guns succeeded in crippling one of my destroyers, but its torpedos remained undamaged.
On turn three my destroyers got amongst his fleet. Two manoeuvred alongside the Myoko at point blank range. Two came along side the Sendai. The Myoko fired first and a torpedo strike sank one destroyer and its light guns sank the other. The third American destroyer sank the Sendai. Both American destroyers were then sunk by the enemy cruisers’ light guns.
A torpedo strike from a destroyer sank the Baltimore, despite its speed.
On turn 4 the Japanese could easily outmanoeuvre the two surviving cruisers and both were quickly destroyed by torpedo strikes.
Conclusion.
Type 93 torpedoes are horrible. They out-ranged the American’s guns. They can’t be evaded.
The Long Lance rule reflects reality, and in fact offers a lower hit probability than in actuality. But is a massively powerful special rule and streets ahead of anything that other fleets get.
It isn’t difficult for most fleets to get destroyers into torpedo range. While Torpedoes stand a good chance of destroying a cruiser, the destroyer flotilla isn’t likely to survive the attack and even if they do, they won’t be able to reuse their tubes. The Japanese can keep their destroyers at a safe range, and angle a long range side-on attack and even if they miss they can try again two turns later.
Suggestions
If the Americans and Brits have to pay for VT shells, maybe the Japanese should pay for long lance shots. If VT fuses are 5 points per AD, then Long lance shots should be at least 25 points per AD.
The potential for an all torpedo, all long-lance, all slow-loading Japanese fleet is game breaking. As they currently stand any ship with type 93s needs to be hugely expensive in points.
Suggestions on another thread include allowing Wakeless torpedoes a +1 to hit on the evasive reroll and reducing the range, allowing the fan salvo to represent long range.
