"Map Movement In Naval Games" Topic

Can anyone suggest or recommend a system for strategic naval movement on a map?

My idea is to have the opposing fleets and reconnaissance aircraft manoeuvre on a map with a hex grid, carrying out searches, etc. leading to any battles being fought on the tabletop with 1/1250 scale models.

In the pipeline I'm thinking of a game with the Germans trying to run a couple of cruisers with destroyer escort, up the North Sea to Norway, with the British trying to intercept them. Any help will be very much appreciated.

I would see if I could find a boardgame that covers the geographic area you are looking for and that has movement and search rules. I've run a couple of club ww2 SOPAC naval games where I (as Game Master) have taken two maps from Avalon Hill's old "Flat Top" game, set the opposing forces up in different rooms and had double blind movement and searches using only slightly modified "Flat Top" rules. When the forces encountered each other, we moved to the tabletop and used GQ3 rules to resolve (our preferred ruleset). It was a million times easier than trying to come up with my own maps and rules for the strategic movement portion of the game.

Avalanche press has a large number of Naval strategy games. Their Bismarck game would give you a good map and their rules cover searches and so on. Not cheap though!

Another vote for Avalanche Press.

If I may take the question further, anyone know of a good set of Solo campaign map movement rules? I've found a few (including AP's own solo rules on their website), but they are a little too simplistic, and generally don't cover air searches or sub patrol searches that well.

Probably need 3 copies…..one for Allied side, one for Axis and one for ref/ump.

Avalon Hill's "Jutland" has just what you want but for WW1…

Another one for Jutland…the North Sea over to the Skagerrak and including portions of the Norwegian coastline is on the map (along with the Danish, English and Dutch/German coasts), hexes are basic sighting distances wide (with a presumption of scouting screens of destroyers). You might want to have something on a smaller scale or a die roll to adjust for missing one another in bad weather, fog, etc. Sounds to me like it might fit the bill…

Avalon Hill's Bismarck has what you want. Subs and air searches included along with weather (including tracked weather fronts if you want to get that complex).

1/1250 is a very large size model for a table top game unless you used the basic hex combat system in the above mentioned game. The Advanced combat rules form the game are like a miniatures game and were developed form their Jutland game.

Having this game would save you an awful lot of bother. One day I shall buy the CinC 1/4800 ships for the advanced game.

Thanks for all the advice lads.

I'd been thinking of Jutland, indeed I've got an old and battered copy knocking about. The trouble is it's been years – decades even – since I've played the game, the rules are missing and I can't remember how the search worked. I seem to recall drawing out the moves on the North Sea pads (which I still have), but how the fleets actually found other is a mystery. I must dig it out and have another look at it.

"Bismarck" sounds even more appropriate, with air searches and a system designed for WW2. I don't own that game, but it shouldn't be too difficult to get a copy through Noble Knight Games, who I've bought games from previously and can't recommend highly enough… an excellent company!

I've never heard of Avalanche Press, are their games good?

So far I've used Fletch Pratt's rules for wargaming in 1/1250 scale, as reproduced in the book by John Curry. Maybe we've been lucky so far, but to date all our games have worked fine on the table.

It's been many a year but, if I recall correctly, you spotted anything in your hex, or adjacent. I think the Germans have a Zeppelin or two and perhaps some Uboats.

However I too suggest the Avalanche Press games or an area movement system. While I have used hexes I now think it's too much work and no more accurate.

Another vote for AH's Bismark. We game in 1/1200 and use my driveway (a 'fair weather system' -but it works).

Cuchulainn, I believe I have a copy of the Jutland rules at home, if you'd like I could scan them for you?

The Rules for Jutland can be found on boardgamegeek.com in the downloads section of the Jutland game.
link

there's also some variant North Sea maps with additional rows/columns and one with the English Channel.

As an aside there are also a few different north sea scenarios that can be used with the maps like doggerbank, return of the Goeben etc.

Finally for those wanting to do Tsushima with the Jutland combat rules, there is a download for the ships (top down view) and their hit record sheets in the General Forum section for the game.

If you go towards the Avalanche Press games, I highly recommend the maps. Color and high quality paper and printing on those maps. However the Artic Convoy maps (North sea and artic area north of Norway to Murmansk) do not align with the Bismark maps (North sea and Iceland areas). The Artic Convoy is a different scale map and was one of the big complaints of those who have collected all the AP GWAS and SWWAS games.

Consider Old Dominion's Solomons Campaign for a creative approach to operations-level naval gaming. Possibly can adapt it to your the time frame and location you are gaming.