Are we using torpedoes wrong?

[TheMackster]

I keep noticing comments about torpedoes here that I can't seem to find in the rulebook.

When we launch torpedoes, either ship, sub, or air launched we place the marker on the ship and then at end of turn roll to hit that ship's target number, +1 if beam on.

When we roll torpedo damage, we roll against the target ship's armor value +1 for AP of the torpedoes.

WE miss DD's a lot due to their high target values, blow CA's out of the water usually, and either lightly damage or bounce off most BB's due to their high armor.

Are we using torps wrong and if so can you direct me to page# and paragraph # to point out to the gang?

Thanks!

 

[Court Jester]

Nope, not wrong at all.

Battleships just laugh at Torps, Cruisers get sunk by them and Destroyers evade them or get sunk by a single hit.

 

[juggler69uk]

Nope, not wrong at all.

Agreed assuming the correct number of DD are rolled per hit

And Not forgetting the -1 to AD if firing ship is at flank speed, plus the re-roll need if the target is on evasive, plus the smoke and other things not on page 7 e.g. Night and Bad Weather

Also dont forget the reroll of one dice allowed on torp crit hits

 

[TheMackster]

Nope, not wrong at all.

Agreed assuming the correct number of DD are rolled per hit

And Not forgetting the -1 to AD if firing ship is at flank speed, plus the re-roll need if the target is on evasive, plus the smoke and other things not on page 7 e.g. Night and Bad Weather

Also dont forget the reroll of one dice allowed on torp crit hits

Don't torps ignore the flank speed modifier and only use beam/no beam?

And yeah, if you're dumb enough to waste torps on an evading target they've already earned their rerolls.

 

[Court Jester]

If the ship that fired the torpedos was moving at flank speed then it gets a -1 on all of its attack rolls. This modifier is still applied to torpedo attack rolls.

 

[juggler69uk]

And yeah, if you're dumb enough to waste torps on an evading target they've already earned their rerolls.

But if you are firing a long lance from 20" you dont know if the ship will be evasive when you fire it, as it does not roll to hit until the end of the next turn, allowing the target to attempt evasive before they hit.

And as to not firing, Assuming the standard command rating of 4, then you need a 4 or better to pass, so going evasive is only a 50/50 chance, so I would take Kagero's and fire every other turn until they are destroyed

 

[TheMackster]

And yeah, if you're dumb enough to waste torps on an evading target they've already earned their rerolls.

But if you are firing a long lance from 20" you dont know if the ship will be evasive when you fire it, as it does not roll to hit until the end of the next turn, allowing the target to attempt evasive before they hit

Very true, never considered that. And a double volley is priceless with some of the IJN ships. Launch port torpedoes about range 12", then turn around while closing and launch the stbd side from within 10" and nail them with both sets together at the end of turn.

 

[juggler69uk]

Mack re read my previous post I edited it

 

[steveburt]

Nope, not wrong at all.

Battleships just laugh at Torps, Cruisers get sunk by them and Destroyers evade them or get sunk by a single hit.

The effect on cruisers & destroyers is right.

Battleships, however, certainly didn't laugh at torpedoes historically - it is how most of them were sunk.

David Manley's house rules improve torpedoes a lot.

 

[Thunder]

Our experience with Torpedos was similar to the original posters.

Last night in a game, I had a few Japanese Cruisers and 4 Destroyers. My opponent had 4 US heavy cruisers. We had some islands on the table for some variety that the destroyers were able to hide behind. The cruisers got off a couple of shots before the Destroyers got into range. Three of the Cruisers fired at 3 Cruisers and with the AP...all three Cruisers were sunk. They did'nt stand a chance. Seemed weird.

I did have a question though...the Torpedos are listed as "One-Shot", and on the stat card the Port torpedo is listed seperately from the Starboard torpedo.

Does this mean that the Destroyer gets One-Shot from the Port side, and One-Shot from the Starboard side...or One-Shot total from the whole ship?

Peace

 

[Thunder]

Just to expand on my question above:

The Fubuki Class Destroyer (Pg 78) lists its Port and Starboard torpedos on the same line on its Stat sheet...and they are One-Shot torpedos.

The Nagara Class Cruiser (Pg 80) lists its Port and Starboard torpedos on different lines on its stat sheet...and they are One-Shot torpedos.

I am pretty sure this means the Fubuki only gets one Torpedo shot per game to either Port or Starboard, not both.

Does the Nagara get One shot with its Port torpedo AND One shot with its Starboard torpedo per game?

Peace

 

[resQscooter]

Yes Thunder, that is correct; Fubuki gets only one shot to either port or starboard while Nagara gets one shot to port and one shot to starboard.

 

[Thunder]

Thanks for clearing that up.

My opponent and I did have some concerns about the strength of the Torpedos. In our game the other night, 3 Japanese destroyers took out 3 American Cruisers. Because of the Super AP the minimum damage the Destroyers can do, with an average Attack dice roll, is 10. Those are some very powerful torpedos.

Peace

 

[steveburt]

Of course, the cruisers could go evasive (or try to), or lay smoke if at risk of being torpedoed, but I would expect a salvo of torpedoes to sink a cruiser, and severely damage a battleship.
That's what your own destroyer screen is for - to keep enemy destroyers out of torpedo range, so that you can sink them with gunfire.

 

[Court Jester]

However a torpedo salvo will bounce off a BB in VaS.

 

[Soulmage]

Maybe not after Order of Battle comes out. I think the torpedo belt rule is getting a re-working.

It ought to just be something like "torpedoes get -1 to their critical confirmation rolls" or something.

 

[Wishbone]

Of course, the cruisers could go evasive (or try to), or lay smoke if at risk of being torpedoed, but I would expect a salvo of torpedoes to sink a cruiser, and severely damage a battleship.
That's what your own destroyer screen is for - to keep enemy destroyers out of torpedo range, so that you can sink them with gunfire.

That's a bit difficult to do if your opponent is a fast moving target. 7+ is a difficult number to reach on a D6 without some house rules!

 

[steveburt]

It occurs to me that ships moving at 7+ probably shouldn't be allowed to launch torpedoes at all; destroyers took a *lot* of water on when going fast. I'm sure they didn't launch torpedoes at full speed.