Prepared Strike

It doesn’t have the charm of many other BB or CA changes.

Did you read about Black Elk StB A0 D0 C5, defenseless and toothless in regular combat?
It seems to resolve partially on this issue.

What’s up YG!

I was hoping I might catch you in here.  :-D

Just quickly the thing Baron mentioned was a proposal for an SBR only Strategic Bomber unit.
It has no attack or defense value, and no hitpoints in regular combat, damage at 1d6 standard (no more bonus damage), and a cost of 5 ipcs.

This SBR only unit replaces the OOB strat bomber in the roster. Giving us back the sweet spot purchase at 5 ipcs!

To offset this change the Airbase movement bonus is increased from +1 standard to +2 standard. So that Fighters and Tacs can be better at fleet coverage and perform better in the escort role, at least when stationed at an AB. The goal there is also to simplify movement counting and to make island ABs more useful esp in the Pacific.

I will say that while I think it’s a really solid rule for SBR and the air vs fleets issue, it doesn’t actually do anything to make Battleships or Cruisers more attractive as a purchase. We’d need something more for that.

Ps. I started a thread for links to cool HRS for easy reference. If you have any good ones you might be able to hunt down that would be killer. I was going to add in all the cliffside bunker stuff at some point if I didn’t see you. But would be better to get it straight from the source, since you might have an easier time remembering the thread titles than I do, and would know which stuff is still current with your group.

Good to see you dude!

They are represented with the standard strategic bomber sculpts.

Basically it is intended as a replacement for the OOB unit, not as an addition to the roster.

Under this rule the Strategic Bomber unit has no role in regular combat, only in SBR (vs factory aaa fire, or intercept), so for practical purposes it is treated like much like the current transport unit
e.g. placed to the side of the battle board if it finds itself attacked on the ground. But for movement and the like, it is a physical unit represented on the gameboard by the sculpts that come in the box. Only it’s abilities and cost are altered.

Most of the discussion has been taking place in the redesign sticky, of you want to check out how it’s been developing.

Also just for clarity, I don’t see any conflicts between the Prepared Strike HR proposed above and the defensless bomber system. The only difference is that strat bombers wouldn’t be counted among the aircraft that can participate in a naval combat. I think that might have been what
Baron was getting at when he brought it up. But again, while the “SBR only” rule for StratBs does eliminate the threat that cruisers and battleships face from Strategic Bombers, it does nothing about the naval units themselves. So it could be compatible with the Prepared Strike HR if desired.

Always look forward to seeing those cards!

Hi YG

Maybe give the CA or BB a 1or2 AA shot instead of increased attack value ? Not quite as simple but with the big ships being at more of a disadvantage against planes, makes the increased attack seem odd to me.

Blazing at planes would be something they did do which isn’t represented.

@Young:

When it comes to Cruisers and Battleships being undervalued with tough attack and defense values (especially against overwhelming enemy aircraft), how about this…

PREPARED STRIKE When enemy aircraft are present, Cruisers attack and defend @4 for the first combat round only and than it drops to @3 for all remaining rounds. As well… when enemy aircraft are present, Battleships attack and defend @5 for the first combat round only and than it drops to @4 for all remaining rounds.

For simplicity, these combat values of Battleship and Cruiser may be rised up by +1 (A/D) as long as there is both enemy’s plane and naval units in combat.
That way, there is no need to a special AA roll but it increase the odds of a hit since there is both naval and air target.

Historically, this can be depicted as all batteries from these gunships are firing at their respective targets, either naval unit or aircraft unit.
For instance, 4 Fgs attacking 2 Cruisers: 4 A3 vs 2 D3, no change
4 DDs attacking 2 Cruisers: 4 A2 vs 2D3, no change
2 Fgs + 2 DDs attacking 2 Cruisers: 2A3+ 2A2 vs 2 D4
2 DDs + 2 CAs attacking 2 BBs+2 Fgs: 2A2**+ 2A4** vs 2D4+2D4

That way, when their is air-naval combat, a 12 IPCs Cruiser will be balanced against a 8 IPCs Destroyer.
Also, if CA and DD are together against a BB, it remains 50-50% odds of survival.
And adding planes on each side, still makes the battle between ships even: CA A4+ DD A2 vs BB D5, 2 hits

Wouldn’t it depend on the units involved ? 1 sub or ftr in either role would change things, unless i’m …

You could also target aircraft in the first round as well. First round the defender has the choice of taking aircraft as casualties from the attacker instead of subs or destroyers. That’s probably who they would be targeting first in a real battle anyway since the planes would reach them first.

@Young:

Here’s a question… is this increased value for Crusiers and Battleships during the first combat round too powerful?

Not for me. AAA gives 2 possible hits first round: Cruiser A3 + 1AA SHOT = 2 dice rolls.
Making it A4 is weaker also because it left owner’s select casualty.
(Any hit on undamaged CV or BB, Sub C6$ or DD C8$ far weaker than 10 IPCs Fg A3 D4 loss.)
Just a matter of not allocating.

Also, rising to A4 D4 for a C12 gives on AACalc:
4 Cruiser A16 D16 C48 vs 6 DDs A12 D12 C48
Overall %:A. survives: 40.0% D. survives: 55.1% No one survives: 4.9%
OOB A3 D3 : Overall %:A. survives: 21.9% D. survives: 75.4% No one survives: 2.7%

Which is far to be OP.
And we know how much DD were nickname Tin Can.
So making Cruiser A4 D4 C12, as I suggested (if both planes and warships can be hit)  or straight increase combat values is not a big revolution.
And about BB A5 D5, 2 hits, making a few approximate combats on AACalc., DDs comes ahead too:
around 39% vs 59%.

It is just a matter of perspective: either you lower cost to 10 and 18 or keeping OOB cost you increase combat values to A4 D4, 1 hit/ A5 D5, 2 hits

I’m still surprised how far this  Cruiser balance issue is still bringing up different ways to solve it.
Many times I thought that every avenues has been explored, and still someone like you here, brings a different approach.
Will be funny to collect all links about CA and BB House rules in Black Elk thread.