"Sub hunting rules" Topic

I'm looking for a set, or even to write a set, of simple sub hunting rules.

I'm not interested in complicated 'Harpoon' style nuts and bolts type rules. I want something where correct tactics will work, even if resolution is 'black boxed' into a simple d6.

Thanks in advance.

Try Mal Wright's Tactical Convoy rules; or General Quarters III.

Last Hussar wrote:

I want something where correct tactics will work, even if resolution is 'black boxed' into a simple d6.

What "correct tactics" do you have in mind?

I'd suggest that the main problem any A/S rules need to deal with is the problem of search. I haven't yet ordered a set of Mal Wright's rules, so I don't know if he has succeeded where every other set I have seen has failed.

While I am generally opposed to the idea of computer assistance for miniatures games, it might make sense to write a simple search program to generate contacts to feed to the players -- which would also have the virtue of neither side knowing what forces the other side had until they have put some effort into developing the contact.

All the best,

John.

U-boat by Avalon Hill was a very simple game but it may be what you are looking for.

I second U-boat. Sonar revealed where the subs were but when you made your depth charge run the subs selected the location and depth they ran to and wrote it down. The sub chaser could usually only cover two of the six possible locations and would drop one or two charges per location, calling out the depth they were set for.

If you picked the right location, right depth the sub was sunk. If you were 100 feet off, the sub was damaged and had to come to the surface. The game was so simple that my buddy's sister played it.

You might think about building one of these for sub rules.
link

Submarine by AH isn't too terribly difficult either, and covers the main types of subs and surface craft for most nations.

Yea, Submarine is pretty good too.

If you want to do convoy actions with subs though, Mal's rules are by far the best for giving that a go.

Mals rules are the way to go IMHO.

For my money, U-boat is no better than a guessing game, and less sophisticated than "Battleships".

Submarine, an AH reprint of a Battleline original, shares all the defects of a typical Battleline game (way too many factors, and way too many charts, tryig to conceal a failure to get to grips with the essentials of the situation) together with an extraordinary interpretation of plane geometry that says some pairs of points on the plane cannot be joined by a straight line.

SPI's "Up Scope" and 3W's "Run Silent, Run Deep" don't really work, either.

Given that the essence of A/S tactics is search, Mobius' suggestion of making a naval Feldmachink (Zeemachink? Feldmachink-zur-See?) seems quite sensible.

But don't forget, Wolfpacks attacked on the surface, at night.

All the best,

John.

I also agree that Mal's rules are the place to start for simple yet realistic sub hunting rules. Mal's rules include a table that provides for detection probability as a function of range and depth added to the Search Value of the escort sonar as modified by a few adjustments, then roll a D10 for detection success.

Avalon Hill's U-Boat, the first wargame I ever owned and played way back in 1960, is an excellent game, as is Submarine. SPI's Up Scope from 1977 is also an excellent game.

Mal's game is the best and I highly recommend it.

Jan

Is there a link to Mal Wright's Tactical Convoy rules?

Mal's original rules per his "Rising Storm" game are available for download purchase directly from Mal. The Clash of Arms version of Mal's rules is available in the "Convoy: Deadly Waters" game from CoA. Many aspects of Mal's rules are included in the Files section on the Yahoo WW2 Convoy group website, including free downloads of literally hundreds of ship log forms that include many of the detailed ship characteristics to play the game along with ship drawings in full camouflage schemes.