This game deals with the series of fierce night actions fought in the vicinity of Gualdalcanal during 1942. Due to the number of ships which were lost in this stretch of water, it became known as Ironbottom Sound. Many battles were fought in this area, and some of the choicest (from a wargaming standpoint) are depicted in the game. In addition to the historical scenarios there are a number of what-if encounters introducing British, Dutch and even some German units. These are perfect for tournament competition, being balanced in a way that the "real-life" scenarios cannot be.

The sequence of play is as follows: All torpedo fire and movement is plotted. Ship movement amd torpedo firing is conducted simultaneously. All ships in gunnery range of the enemy may open fire. After all ships have fired, damage is added where neccessary, at which point the game proceeds to the next turn.

The mapboard is entirely blue, representing the sea around Savo Island. If a scenario calls for the island to be part of the playing area, then the cut-out representation of the island is placed on the map. Two points of reference, labeled x and y, appear on the island, and are matched up with designated hexed on the map according to the scenario instructions. This allows for the island, and ships, to be relocated if someone's vessel exits the map. Everything is shunted over the required number of hexes, and, hey presto, the fight goes on.

Each hex represents a distance of 600 yards, and each turn three minutes of real time.

Damage is recorded for each ship by marking off hull, gun, torpedo and other boxes. For example, when a ship accumulates nine destroyed hull boxes it sinks, giving victory points to the other side. A base-six system is used for most die rolls, primarily for gunnery, with one colored and one white die being provided. The colored one is always read first and the white one second, therefore, a colored '3' and a white '1' equals '31'. A ship's bow always points towards a hexside, as opposed to a corner. This is important to know, since movement, torpedo fire and gunnery all are effected by ship position.

One of the many pleasant surprises in playtesting this game was that we seldom had to consult the rule book, and when we did we found the rules to be clear in meaning and easy to follow. The game provided a number of player aid cards which act like flow-charts in the way that they speed up the game. These are kept separate from the rule book, and should be stapled together in the following sequence to provide rapid access to their information: Gunnery Hit Table, which provides the number of hits caused on one vessel by a salvo from another; Gunnery Hit Results Table, which decides the location of any obtained hits; Special Damage Table, which is consulted if the Gunnery Hit Results Table indicated this result; Armor Penetration Table, which determines whether or not a given hit has penetrated into its target; Torpedo Characteristics Table, which lists the speed and range, bv nationality. of each torpedo; Torpedo Hit Table, which provides the number of hits achieved by a torpedo attack; and Torpedo Hit Damage Table, which det ides the effect and damage caused by a torpedo attack.

These charts lead logically from one step to the next, leaving the player free to think about tactics instead of game mechanics. Ont e a familiarity with the rule book has been obtained, the charts almost put the running of the game onto automatic pilot. In fact I can't see any reason why two average gamers should not be able to sit down and start playing the Tulagi scenario within an hour and a half of opening the box. After one game they should have grasped just about everything except perhaps the finer nuances of tactics. Of course, they may have gained those as well!

MOVEMENT

Any game containing a simultaneous movement system is either going to be loved or hated. Some gamers can't stand having to write their orders, or put up with the increase in time that occurs when a simultaneous movement system is being used. There are valid arguments for and against this concept, and a player's acceptance or negative attitide usually depends upon his background.

My own wargaming experience started (officially) at age seven, using Airfix 1/72-scale soldiers and rules supplied by Donald Featherstone and Charles Grant. Until my early teens I had seldom used alternate turns, except in games of a more abstract nature such as Chess. I therefore feel completely at home using a simultaneous movement system, provided that it doesn't lead to the kind of distortions that have plagued some otherwise excellent games. The inability of an aircraft to come to grips with an opponent who is at a positional disadvantage is perhaps the most obvious example; the fight deteriorates into a guessing game, which is unsatisfactory at best. The unique way in which Ironbottom Sound approaches movement is a step forward in thinking game design, retaining the flexability of simultaneous movement while resolving the chase-me-round-themulberry-bush problems that have sometimes occured in the past.

At the heart of the movement system is a three-turn cycle to which all ships are tied, no matter when they enter the game. Every vessel is given three movement factors, used consecutively throughout the cycle. For example, the Fletcher is rated at 6-6-6, the Craven at 6-6- 5, and the Helena at 6-5-5. On the first turn of the cycle each of these vessels could move up to six hexes, all other considerations aside. On the second turn of the cycle the Fletcher and the Craven could move a maximum of six hexes, while the Helena would be limited to five. On the third turn of the cycle, only the Fletcher could move up to six hexes. Starting in game-turn four a new cycle would begin, with all three ships steaming at a six-hex movement rate. Should the Helena enter play on turn five, she would move using the second factor since all ships would be in the second turn of the three-turn cycle.

Effects

There are a number of effects which occur because of this approach to movement, the most important being the wav damage slows down a ship. If a vessel sustains a hit which causes her to lose a speed point, it will come off the rightmost, highest value, position. In the case of the Fletcher this causes a movement rating reduction to 6-6-5. Another hit would bring this down to 6-5-5. and so on

This means that a maximum of two turns can elapse before damage takes effect, which is much more realistic than having a ship's speed drop off immediately. Obviously much thought about dumage and damage control went into the creation of this particular rule, which happens to be crucial to the smooth flow of the game.

The mechanics of movement are straightforward, but require that players pay strict attention to their ships logs, and to the current position of the three-turn cycle marker. A number of things should be indicated at this point: Each hex entered by a ship costs one movement factor. Ships may increase speed by a maximum of two factors per turn. Ships may decrease speed by six factors per turn.

If a vessel is losing speed due to outside interference, such as a collision, it may be forced to stop dead in the water. The first hex entered in a move must always be the one towards which to bow is pointing. A 60-degree turn (one hexside) costs no movement factors (written as a 'P' or an 'S'). A 120-degree turn (2 hexsides) costs one movement factor (written as a 'PP' or an 'SS'). Ships may make a 60- degree turn for free after all movement factors have been expended.

Log-sheets for each action are provided, but order sheets are not. A good design for these would include a column for previous turn's speed, plus movement, torpedo firing and gunnery orders. If we take the example form the rule book, the ship has been ordered to move (1 P 2 SS 2). This translates into one hex forward, a 60-degree turn to port without leaving the hex, two hexes forward on her new course, a 120degree turn to starboard without leaving the hex, and finally two hexes forward to complete the move. Only the second starboard turn would cost anything, the other turn is free.

Torpedoes are now plotted, and then the orders for movement and torpedoes are revealed. When ships are near each other, or in the vicinity of torpedoes, movement is executed one hex at a time. There is always the possiblitity of a collision or a torpedo finding its mark, and this is the only way to ensure that there are no mistakes. Ships are assigned a category for collisions, I, II or III, with I being more advantageous than II and so on. Thus a battleship (I) will feel a lot better about a collision than a destroyer (III).

The collision proceedure works in this way: If two ships, or a ship and a wreck, occupy the same hex then roll one die. On a '5' or a '6' a collision has occured. On the Torpedo Hit Damage Table, locate the ship's flotation value and roll two dice. Deduct '3' from the dice sum and read the damage from the chart. If a ship from category I collides with a ship from category 11, the I subtracts '4' from its damage roll, while the II subtracts '2'. If a ship from category I collides with a ship from category III, the I subtracts '5' from its damage roll, while the III subtracts '1'. Ships involved in a collision finish their movement as plotted, but begin the next turn dead in the water with no movement factors. The rules do not state what modifiers are used if a category II vessel collides with a III. My assumption is that the II should subtract '4' while the III subtracts 2 . I hope that Mr. Greene will clarify this point for us. Even though collisions are unlikely occurances, they do happen (witness the disaster that befell two of Jack Tyler's cruisers in our playtest), and this rule is unclear.

COMBAT

All scenarios in Ironbottom Sound take place at night, and so it follows that visibility is poor. For this reason there are restrictions placed on gunnery ranges which would not exist in a daylight action. Technically speaking, range is unlimited, except for 3" and 4" guns which are limited to 15 and 20 hexes respectively.

In the Savo Island scenario, visibility is restricted to 12 hexes, which effectively forced us to close the range where possible to commence firing. This meant that 7,200 yards was the maximum distance at which combat could occur; a reasonable restriction given the nature of the battle and the visibility on the night of August 9, 1942.

The principal involved in launching a broadside with torpedoes is that there are four possible patterns than can be used. Unless a ship carries reloads, it may only fire torpedoes once. The number of slashes marked on the ship's log, inside the torpedo mounting, indicate how many factors are available. All factors, or any part thereof, may be fired during a turn. If a ship's torpedo tubes are to be reloaded, the turn on which they will become available for use must be noted in the log. The number of turns varies, destroyers taking three turns to reload while all other ships take four. In addition to this, battleships, battlecruisers and light battlecruisers may not fire torpedoes if their current speed is four movement factors or more. Like ships, torpedoes are given three speeds, except for non-Japanese torpedoes which have two factors if set in a 'Fast' mode.

The procedure for firing torpedoes is this: The hexrow down which the attack will be launched must be selected. Each side of a vessel has four choices, A, B, X or Y. Note the hex from which the attack is launched, the hex-row of the attack, and the side from which it was launched. Consult the Torpedo Characteristics chart and select the speed (Fast, Medium or Slow) and note it in the log. A good example is the aptly named Japanese 24" Long Lance. Depending on the chosen setting, its movement rating (8-7-6) lasts for either 36, 58 or 71 hexes.

Torpedo Comparison

A comparison between Allied and Japanese torpedoes reveals that the designer has thoroughly researched the differences between each nation's ordinance. Compared to the Long Lance, all the rest are rather puny, a fact which became obvious in the playtest of the Savo scenario. Torpedoes have a better chance of striking a ship which is beam-on to the salvo than one which has its bow or stern pointing towards them. If a hit is scored, a torpedo hit marker is place on the ship and play proceeds to the gunnery phase. When gunnery is concluded, the results of the torpedo attack are computed, and any damage is applied.

For example, let us say that the Helena receives one hit from the dreaded Long Lance. The ship is a type 'C', and therefore rolls two dice, adding one because of the type of torpedo used. A roll of seven becomes an eight, which gives five hull boxes destroyed. The speed of the Helena, which was a 6-5-5, is reduced to 3-3-3. At which point she should be easy meat for somebody.

My one gripe regarding torpedo fire is that there are blind hexes, in the area off either side of a ship starting at four hexes out, which cannot be reached with a torpedo. A torpedo can't be allowed to change its course at whim, but some provision should have been made to allow this area to come under fire. I appreciate that most torpedo attacks are made at less than 2,400 yards, but the fact remains that the option to launch torpedoes at a target located on a ship's beam does not exist, unless it is moving from the blind spot into the line of fire.

Perhaps a system such as is used in the IJN/Kriegsmarine/Torpedo trilogy might have been more suitable. This procedure involves aiming for a specific board-edge hex. I am interested in the reasons why the method used was adoped, and whether or not other systems were considered when the game was designed.

Guns

There are two types of guns in Ironbottom Sound, Primary and secondary. Primary guns may engage two separate targets. However, this results in a deterioration in fire-control which is penalised by a +6 Gunnery Hit Table modification for each attack. All secondary armament on one side of a ship must engage the same target, no separation of secondary fire being allowed.

Please note that a ship's secondaries are not required to fire at the primaries' target. Three targets, then, are the maximum number that a vessel may fire at in any one turn. Both sides must plot all gunfire before any is resolved. Primary gunfire against a ship always comes before secondary fire.

The sequence for gunfire is as follows: If any ship lies between the firing and target ships, and is within two hexes of either one, the fire is considered to be masked. Roll one die, and if a '6' occurs then the blocking ship has been hit instead of the target. Please note that wrecks never mask a salvo. Damage is not entered into the logs until all firing is finished, allowing a ship to return fire even though its guns might be destroyed.

This is one of the true advantages of a simultaneous system, since neither player can be hurt by being 'second'. Adjustments are made for the target's position relative to the firing vessel, whether or not it is on fire, the status of the main battery director of the firing vessel and its radar (if any). The adjusted number is then compared to the Gunnery Hit Table to assess the number of hits on the victom. Two dice are rolled again, adjustments being made for gun calibre and nationality, and the class of the target.

The nationality part is really nice, because all guns are not identical, even if they are rated at the same calibre. Results include damage to guns, torpedo mounts, battery directors, the hull, and the summoning of the infamous special damage table (fanfare please! ). This can result in the destruction of a magazine or an aircraft (causing a fire) or even kill off the bridge party, causing a loss of command control for a few turns during which the ship will misbehave.

Some results require that a shell penetrate the target's armor to do any damage. To do this, the gun size of the firing ship is cross-indexed with the distance to the target, and the thickness of armor needed to stop the shell is read off the chart. Nationality is once again an important factor in deciding what has happened. The result is compared to the thickness of armor at the point of impact, and if the target's armor will keep out the shell all is well and good. Otherwise the target will suffer damage in the usual fashion.

For example, the Aoba elects to unload 15 primary factors in a broadside at the trusty Helena (this ship comes in for a lot of punishment! ). The target is nine hexes away, is not being fired at by any other ship, and is travelling at a speed of four movement factors. This gives the to-hit roll by the Aoba a modification of -6. A '26' is rolled, which become a x'6' (remember, we are using base six ). The 15 primary factors are cross-indexed with the roll of x'6' to produce two hits on the Helena. Had the Helena been bow or stern on to the Aoba, the modification would have been a -12, due to the fact that the target area would have been longer and therefore more exposed to fire. These hits are now compared to the Gunnery Hits Results Table and cause the destruction of a secondary gun and one hull box.

CONCLUSION

There are some interesting optional rules provided for Ironbottom Sound, all of which the serious student of naval warfare should consider for use when indulging in this feast. Without going into great detail these include radar, starshell, searchlights, silhouettes caused by fires, hidden-movement torpedoes, malfunctioning guns (a really good one! ) and hidden damage. There are also rules for multi-player games, which require that the players use flashing-ligh-type written messages of ten words maximum, with a limited amount per turn, or discuss their plans by "radio" in front of their opponents.

To top it all off, the game comes with a workable play- by-mail system, so there's no reason for anyone to say that they don't have access to an opponent. I have not yet tried the system, but I am a veteran PBMer and these look like they will do the job. The mapboard is unmounted, but whether that matters or not is entirely up to the individual's taste. The counters are a dream, being laminated, in bright colors, easy to read, and featuring accurate silhouettes of the vessels being represented. The rules book looks like a PBM fanzine, which is somewhat disappointing, but it is at least legible and free from contradictions. big companies please take note.

To wrap this up I wish to draw special attention to the wealth of detail that has gone into the production of this game. It is obviously a labor of love by someone who really understands the type of action being documented by Ironbottom Sound.

I nosed around in a lot of reference books (some were readily available, some were not) and I have to tip my hat to Messrs. Greene, Okun and Smith for accuracy and thoroughness. Their research is of a standard that few people manage to attain, at a level which should be regarded as the "norm" for our hobby, rather than the exception. There are flaws in the game, but I hope that these will be corrected in the future releases from Quarterdeck Games. I have no qualms in recommending it to anyone, and do so whenever I have the opportunity, for it is seldom that a game comes along that is almost everything that could be asked for in its genre. Perhaps the finest testamonial that I give is to tell you that in my immediate gaming circle this jewel is called "THE GAME".

Ironbottom Sound Designer Notes

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