"90% of success is just showing up."

--Woody Allen

One somewhat reassuring aspect of a bi-monthly magazine is that it presents an editor with the opportunity to address any problems from prior issues within a reasonably short time.

In the next two pages we will set some things straight from the previous issue of the Europa magazine.

Issue #17's Supermarina naval module contained a number of blemishes as a result of its short gestation period. Supermarina's rules and charts will receive a complete overhaul in an upcoming issue of the magazine, either issue #19 or #20. This revision will incorporate changes resulting from the many playtest reports being received and will benefit from some additional editing, as well.

Meanwhile, here are some of the more important corrections and clarifications to tide you over in the interim.

General Clarification:

When determining percentage results from the various Supermarina tables, round results .5 or greater up to the next higher number, and round results less than .5 down to the next lower number. Example: 5.64 rounds to 6, while 5.22 rounds to 5.

Rule 3C: [Correction and Clarification]

The escape die roll is made using a 1D6 die, not 1D10. All naval units escape on a roll of 1-4, NTPs are destroyed on a roll of 5 and captured on a roll of 6, and warships are destroyed on a roll of 5 or 6.

Rule 9C3a: [Correction]

The text should read: "For example, 63 to 32 would be 1.81. The 1D10 roll is a 6 for a result of 28/54. The first number (28) is the percentage of air units killed in terms of defense strength of the owner's choice. This example would require 8.96 or 9 defense points killed. If this number is 1/2 or less the defense strength of the weakest unit being fired upon, no losses are taken."

Rule 9C3c: [Correction]

In the example, the total attack strength of the interceptors is 12, not 13.

Air-to-air combat and antiaircraft fire special case:

Whenever the screen, interceptors, or mission force consists of only one air unit, the lone air unit is eliminated on a kill percentage greater than 25% (rather than the usual 50%). This is necessary to adjust for an anomaly in the table which would otherwise make the single air unit nearly invincible.

Antiaircraft Table: [Correction]

The third result in the "T' column should be 05/21 rather than 05/52. Also, the number to the right of the slash on the chart is the percentage of bombing factors RETURNED. These factors do not carry out their assigned bombing mission.

Italian Navy, Initial Deployment: [Clarification]

These units may be deployed in any Axiscontrolled port.

Port Statistics Chart: [Clarification]

Use the port information given on the charts or maps of the game being played in addition to the port information listed on the SM port chart. For example, there are indeed ports in Yugoslavia and many additional minor ports in Greece as shown on the Balkan Front maps, and these may be used as appropriate.

Minefield Encounter Table: [Clarification]

The directions on the table are at odds with the rules. Use the instructions on the table.

General Clarification:

There is a section of the rules entitled "Use These Rules Suggestions." One should use these rules advisedly, as some of them contradict the basic rules and thus create confusion.

Rule 9D: [Correction]

In the example, the 11 AA factors should fire on the 9 column, not the 15 column.

Rule 9E: [Deletion]

Delete the sentence, "No vessel may be bombed more than once per naval action segment." (The Tactical Bombing Table allows multiple bombing attacks against the same ship.) Also delete the sentence "D and SB type units are +1 to hit."

Rule 10C: [Correction]

In the second paragraph, third sentence, the text should read "The firing player rolls 1D10; if the number rolled is equal to or greater than the hit number, the target has taken one hit of damage."

General Comment:

There is no tactical movement rating mentioned for NTPs. I recommend that you use a tactical movement rating of 4 until further notice.

Rule 12C: [Clarification]

In the example the repairs would actually be going on simultaneously, and the text should read, I ... while the other will be repaired in 8+2=10 turns, or two turns after the first hit is repaired.]"

General Clarification for Rule 12D and elsewhere:

When reference is made to "torpedo factors, " "torpedo attacks" or "torpedo rating," in each case this refers to the number of rolls one gets to make on the Torpedo Attack Success Table. If a torpedo strikes its target, roll again on the Torpedo Damage Table to assess damage.

Submarine Attack Table: [Correction]

The fourth sentence in the second section should read, "Each DD equals one A S W strength point."

ASW Clarification:

What all this boils down to is that each Italian destroyer present has an ASW strength of 1/2, while British destroyers have an ASW strength of 1 each.

Rule 15A: [Correction]

Italy begins the module with 437 NTPs, not 347.

Rule 15B: [Clarification]

The British always have 10 NTPs. If any NTPs are lost, they are considered immediately replaced. However, the British may never have more than 10 NTPs.

General Note:

There were only two countersheets included with the magazine, one white sheet with British naval units and markers, and one gray sheet with Italian naval units and markers. Some counters, such as the air units, did not have a separate countersheet, and appear only in the pages of the magazine.

General Note on Air Combat:

When air-to-air combat involves both full-sized Europa air groups and one-third sized Supermarina squadrons, for now triple the attack and defense strengths of the air groups prior to combat. Details on how squadrons work will appear in the next revision.

I hope the above proves helpful to your continued testing of the Europa naval module.