Coastal Command WWII

Rules

by Jerry Lane

SMALL VESSEL NAVAL COMBAT FOR WWII

Another rule set by the prolific Rudy Scott Nelson (Ashland, Alabama, 1989. 28 pages, 81/2'x5l/2", $6.50), this booklet is a set of operational campaign rules with accompanying tactical rules. Players represent commanders of torpedo boat squadrons. One player frorn each side is also placed in charge of Coastal Command HQ. This player will allocate replacement crew and equipment and assign missions. Priority missions, involving the full range of missions undertaken by MTBs, are chosen randomly. These missions represent the orders from a higher level headquarters outside of the players' influence. Extra resources for these missions are provided and then leave after the mission is over. Other squadrons run patrols looking for the enemy. The rules also allow for air support to be supplied randomly. Logistics are also covered by a random process outside the control of the Coastal Command HQ.

The vessell statistics provided allow the coastal activities of all the combatants to be covered. Options range from the Japanese vs the U.S. in the South Pacific to the Italians vs the Russians in the Black Sea. Vessels are broadly divided by size between ships and boats.

The campaign rules can be used with the tactical rules that are included or with your own favorite setof rules. The tactical rules are simple and fast playing. Vessels are divided up into sections based on equipment and hits will affect one section, damaging equipment, crew or both. Crews can be shifted around to reman working weapons.

Torpedoes are treated well by these rules. Damage is checked for only if a ship crosses the torpedo track. Boats are considered too shallow draft to be hit by a torpedo. Other rules that allow MTBs to be torpedoes turn into combat over who launches first. These rules, correctly, place the emphasis on gunnery and maneuver.

The rules do have some problems. One problem is a sometimes quirky organization. This is easily overcome by careful reading. The other imperfections are due to omissions. The discussions of sighting, vessel range, and victory points leave out needed answers; such as when do boats see each other on a moonlit night.

This booklet does a good job of bringing out the flavor of WWIl coastal combat. Players will have to cope with demands from superiors that must be met with insufficient reserves of men and materiel. On the whole the rules are very interesting and would be easy to integrate with any other MTB rules already in use.

Reviewing Stand

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