Victory at Sea: Order of Battle

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Order of

BattleCredits

Lead DeveloperErik Nicely

DevelopersRichard L. Bax, Agis Neugebauer, Erik Nicely

Wulf Corbett, David Manley

EditorNick Robinson

CoverChris Quilliams

Interior IllustrationsSherard Jackson, Danilo Moretti, Mike Mumah

Miniatures Gaming ManagerIan Barstow

Print ManagerEd Russell

Special ThanksAdam Gulwell, Peter Swarbrick of www.shipspictures.co.uk

and David Page of www.navyphotos.co.uk

ContentsIntroduction 2

New Rules 3

Motor Torpedo Boats 8Admirals 11

Advanced Aircraft Operations 15

Scenarios 22

Hunting the Beast 27

Expanded Fleet List 34

Royal Navy 35

Kriegsmarine 58

United States Navy 64

Japan 74

Italian 88

French 95

Soviet Union 100

Civilian Ships 110

Counters 112

Order of Battle(C) 2007 Mongoose Publishing. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this work by any meanswithout the written permission of the publisher is expressly forbidden. All significant art and text hereinare copyrighted by Mongoose Publishing. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form without

written permission. This material is copyrighted under the copyright laws of the UK. Printed in the UK.


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Introduction

IntroductionVictory at Seahad a humble beginning as a bare-bones set of free rules in Mongoose Publishings Signs and Portents online

magazine. That initial free rules set proved to be popular and led to the development of the core rulebook, which was animmediate success. A loyal international fan base developed as Victory at Sea quickly earned itself a place as one of the standardsof World War II naval wargaming. The rulebook covered the basics of naval warfare in all theatres, but only so much would fit

within its pages.

This supplement is an expansion for Victory at Sea. Changes for some of the rules and stat blocks from the original rulebookhave been made in an attempt to increase historical accuracy. Player concerns that have come up on Mongoose Publishingsonline forum have been addressed as well. New rules are introduced to cover many aspects of WWII naval combat that were notaddressed in the core rulebook and air combat has been expanded and, of course, there are new ships. With the expanded fleetlists, players have the resources to play any historical battle as well as the option to build better fleets for what if games.

This book was a collaborative effort that couldnt have been done without the input of the original Salty Seadogs playtest group.Many thanks to David Manley and Rich Bax, whose fleet lists form a large portion of this book. I would be remiss not to thank

Agis Neubauer as well for his excellent work on the German Z-Plan ships. The newer playtesters proved their worth; Dan Martz

and Darell Phillips gave many suggestions and often acted as my conscience when I wanted to blow through a rule in order toget to the next one, and I received good feedback from the other new guys. My personal gaming group at Game Towne in SanDiego deserves mention - thanks dudes. Thanks to Matthew Sprange for giving me the opportunity to work on this project, andto my wife Amber for putting up with my occasional loud rants while putting it all together.


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New RulesThis chapter details some changes to the main Victory at Sea rulebook, and adds many new options for budding admirals to tryin their games. These additional rules are by no means necessary to enjoy a good battle, but you will find they add a degree ofrealism and will provide you with many new tactical choices within a game.

Official Rules Changes for Victory at SeaThese are official changes to the Victory at Sea rulebook, adding a little more realism to the game and streamlining play.

Moving:A ship must move half of its current Speed (not maximum Speed) before it can execute a turn.

Flank Speed!: This Special Action increases a ships movement by 1. There is no modifier to Attack Dice on ships that haveexecuted a Flank Speed! Special Action.

Attacking: There is a +1 bonus to all Attack Dice for all turret and secondary weapons to any target within 10 unless the targetis obscured by smoke. Secondary Armaments ignore the -1 Attack Dice penalties when attacking vessels moving 7 or more.

Torpedo Belts: Torpedo Belts only give protection to side hits - hits to fore and aft score damage normally. For every hit aTorpedo scores on the side of a ship with the Torpedo Belt trait, roll one dice. On a 4 or more, the Belt itself has been hit andthe Attack Dice be re-rolled.

Weak:Weak weapons incur a -1 modifier to all Damage Dice rolls, and only inflict Critical Hits on targets with an Armour scoreof 3 or less. Critical effects remain the same, but only one extra point of Crew and/or Damage may be lost due to a Critical Hitfrom a Weak weapon.

Torpedo Attacks, Tubes and Reloads: No torpedo attacks may be made by a ship in the same turn that it executes an Evasive!Special Action.

Torpedo reloads for submarines in all navies are limited to one extra salvo (two shots total). Cruisers of the Imperial Japanese Navy with

Slow Loading torpedoes have reloads for two extra salvoes (three shots total) while Japanese destroyers with Slow Loading torpedoesare limited to one extra salvo (two shots). The Slow Loading Special trait as described in Victory at Sea remains unaffected.

Torpedo tubes will be treated as turrets when applying damage results due to being Crippled. They may never be fired throughsmoke.

In addition, all damage scored on civilian vessels by torpedoes is automatically doubled.

Observation Aircraft: Observation Aircraft are no longer represented on the tabletop during games, unless being used in an ASWcapacity, and do not affect combat or Initiative. The Aircraft Special Trait may not be eliminated when a ship becomes Crippled (itis assumed that the ship has its planes in the air at the start of the battle).

Observation Aircraft do not affect the launching/owning ships Attack Dice and

do not provide an Initiative bonus. They may be outfitted for Anti SubmarineWarfare as detailed on page 16. For further uses of Observation Aircraft see theHunting the Beast chapter, page 29.

Smoke: Ships may fire through Smoke created by friendly vessels with the following restrictions: the ships firing must have theRadar trait, normal range penalties apply to the friendly firing ships, no AD bonus is given to ships within 10, anti-aircraft firefrom friendly ships is subject to a -1 penalty to AAA Attack Dice, and torpedoes may not be fired through smoke. The rulesfor the automatic Command Check, placing and removing Smoke Counters, and enemy targeting through Smoke as stated inVictory at Sea remain the same.


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New Advanced RulesThe Victory at Sea rulebook presents the basic rules for playing the naval battles of World War II. The following offer anadded level of realism (and lethality) to games, and players should consider them to be Advanced Rules to be used after they arecomfortable with the basics.

Shorelines, Islands and Shallow WaterDry land on the Victory at Sea gaming table can be denoted by table edges, lines drawn on the table or artistically produced

terrain pieces. Dry land, however represented, will take the form of shorelines and islands. Whether land obstructs line of sightor not should be determined before play begins via common agreement or a scenario-specific rule.

No ship with a starting Damage score of 6 or more can come within 1 of Land without running aground. The exception to thisare any areas designated as being a harbour, where all ships are permitted to move.

Ships running aground may not fire any weapons or execute any Special Actions, launch or recover aircraft, and their Speed isreduced to 0 for the rest of the game. Attack Dice gain a +2 bonus against beached ships.

Shore BatteriesShore batteries in Victory at Sea represent artillery pieces employed against naval vessels. The size and number of shore batteriesused against ships varied greatly and the rules below will allow players to include them in scenarios.

Shore batteries are considered immobile ships for game purposes. They can vary greatly in their capabilities but all can beexpressed in game terms using the following guidelines:

Main Guns:All shore batteries are equipped with these. All have a range and AD based on size and number of guns, DD, andsome will have the Weak, AP, or Super AP traits.

Guns Range AD DD Traits

Less than 6 guns 12 1 per 4 barrels 1 Weak

6-8 guns 26 1 per 2 barrels 1

10 guns 22 1 per barrel 1

12 guns 26 1 per barrel 1

14 guns 28 1 per barrel 2 AP15 guns 30 1 per barrel 2 AP

16 guns 40 1 per barrel 2 Super AP

Target Score: As Shore Batteries are hard to detect and hit, they all have a Target value of 5+.

Armour: Open Gun: 4+, Shielded Gun: 5+, Hardened Gun (such as the Atlantic Wall batteries): 6+. The default armour forall shore batteries is 5+.

Damage: 5 per Gun AD. -1 if the guns are weak, +1 if they are AP or Super AP.

Priority Level:

Guns Priority Level

4 AD or Less Patrol

5-8 AD Skirmish

9-12 AD Raid

13+ AD Battle

Hardened Gun Raise Priority Level by one

10-12 Guns Raise Priority Level by one

14-15 Guns Raise Priority Level by two

16 Guns Raise Priority Level by three


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Crew: Coastal batteries have no Crew score.

Critical Hits:Critical Hits are determined normally but the results are determined on the following table;

D6 Damage Effect

1 +1 All guns suffer -1 penalty on Attack Dice

2 +3 One random Gun is destroyed

3 +3 Each Gun can only fire on a 4+4 +4 No weapons can fire for 1D3 turns

5 +4 Roll for each Gun, on a 4+ it is destroyed

6 - Damage score to zero, entire battery destroyed

Example Batteries

Open 6 Coastal Defence Battery PatrolArmour: 4+ Target: 5+ Damage: 20

Weapon Range AD DD Special

8x 6 Guns 26 4 1

Hardened 15 Coastal Battery with 4 Guns BattleArmour:6+ Target: 5+ Damage:24


Gun #1 (15) 30 1 2 AP

Gun #2 (15) 30 1 2 AP

Gun #3 (15) 30 1 2 AP

Gun #4 (15) 30 1 2 AP

Night FightingIn the battles for supremacy of the oceans in World War II, conflicts happened night and day. Some of those battles, such as the

Japanese attack on Savor Island, were an exercise in superior night fighting tactics. Whether a sneak attack or a brave defenceof coastal assets, night-time battles were an aspect of war at sea that tested the worth of many naval commanders. In games ofVictory at Sea target acquisition, whether by radar or other means, is the most important factor for engaging enemy ships.

Illuminated Targets: Ships that are Illuminated are automatically spotted by all ships within 20. Any fire at an Illuminatedship ignores Attack Dice modifiers for night; the target is treated as if it were being engaged in daylight. However, the maximumrange of 20 remains.

Secondary Armament: Secondary Armament fired during night battles Illuminates the firing vessel. All ships within 10 of aship firing Secondary Armament at night will automatically detect it.

Searchlights: Any ship may Illuminate one enemy ship within 10. Ships actively using searchlights are also considered to beIlluminated and become legal targets for enemy fire. Searchlights are used at the start of the Attack Phase, before any shootingtakes place. The player who lost the Initiative declares all of his searchlights first, followed by his opponent.

Starshells: Starshells are fired by guns from the ships Secondary Armament, using 1AD (so ships with only 1 AD of SecondaryArmament must choose between starshell use and a normal attack).

Starshells can be fired to any point within range of the ships secondary armament (place an Starshell marker at the desiredlocation) with no Attack Dice rolls needed. All ships within 3 of a starshell marker are Illuminated. Starshell markers areremoved in the End Phase.


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Radar (1943 or earlier): Ships with radar firing at night must shoot at the largest enemy ship within range (the ship with thegreatest number of starting Damage) . If two vessels with the same starting Damage are present, the nearest will be attacked.

Fire control systems had advanced after 1943 to allow more effective direction of fire, so there are no limitations on radar in nightgames set in that year or later.

MinefieldsThe use of mines against ocean going vessels was an effective means of hemming in enemy ships or denying them passage. Besidesbeing able to cripple or sink ships (both civilian and military), valuable naval assets could be tied up for long periods of time inminesweeping operations.

Placement and DensityMinefields are placed before play begins, paid for using the table below.

Minefield Density Fleet Allocation Point Cost

10 1 Patrol point

11 2 Patrol points

12 1 Skirmish point

13 2 Skirmish points

14 1 Raid point

The player deploying the minefields must then divide the playing area into 12x12 squares. The player using mines must thenrecord which squares contain mines.

Before play begins, the opposing player rolls 1 dice for each square. On a 4 or more, the minelaying player must declare whetherhe has placed mines in that square or not.

Navigating a MinefieldAny ship in a square designated as a Minefield must roll one dice at the beginning of its movement. On a 5 or 6 the shipencounters a mine. Roll another dice, this time adding the ships Crew Quality and Target score. If this equals or exceeds theMinefield Density, it avoids the mine and may move normally. If the roll is lower than the Minefield Density, a mine has struck,and the ship suffers a 3DD AP hit that is treated as a torpedo for damage purposes however, Torpedo Belts are ineffective

against mines.

MinesweepingMine squares may be cleared by minesweeping vessels. To do so, a minesweeper must begin its movement within the square. ACommand Check with a target number of 8+ must be made and, if successful, the Minefield Density in that square is reducedby one (to a minimum Minefield Density of 10). This change to Minefield Density is immediate and any ships moving after theminesweeper in the same Movement Phase benefit from the reduction.

If the Command Check is failed, the minesweeper immediately encountersa mine and must immediately try to avoid it as detailed above.

Any friendly ship within 6 behind a minesweeper gains a +1 bonus when

trying to avoid a mine.

No Special Actions may be used by a minesweeper while it is engaged inminesweeping, and any ship following the minesweeper loses its +1 bonusto avoid mines if it does so.


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Generic Minesweeper Patrol

Speed: 4 Armour: 2+ Special Traits:Agile, MinesweeperTurning: 3 Damage: 3/1 In Service: 1939Target: 6+ Crew: 4/2


AA 5 1

Length: 150 ft. Displacement: 750 tons Speed: 20 kts. Crew: 100

Suicide AttacksThe suicide attacks of Japanese Special Attack Units (called tokubetsu kgeki tai) became known as kamikaze (divine wind) dueto inaccurate translation by the Allies. Japanese kamikaze attacks sunk 81 American ships and damaged another 195. Thousandsof Japanese pilots died doing this.

Suicide attacks may be attempted only by four specific aircraft and one submersible of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Additionallythey are restricted to games set in 1944 and later.

If a battle is not specified as being set in any particular year kamikaze use will follow scenario guidelines for submersibles andaircraft. The one-way missions of the Imperial Japanese Navys surface vessels (such as Yamatoslast engagement) made as Alliedfleets came closer and closer to the Japanese home islands are outside the scope of these rules.

The four aircraft useable with these rules are the Yokosuka D4Y -Judy dive bombers, the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, the NakajimaKi-115 Tsurgi, and the Yokosuka MXY7 Okha. There was one kamikaze submersible used in the war, the Kaiten mannedtorpedo.

Aircraft listed as kamikaze on the Aircraft roster count as being suicide attackers as soon as the force using them is deployed.Aircraft performing suicide attacks may only defend in a dogfight and may never initiate one.

Zero and Judy flights used for kamikaze attacks must be designated and declared as such before the Initiative Phase of the firstturn of the game. Kamikaze pilots gave up their lives by the thousands; no Command check is required for suicide attacks butthe plane or submersible may not make the attack unless it is declared in the Movement Phase.

MovementFlights designated as Kamikaze move as normal. The Kaiten submersible moves up to 7 in the turn it was launched but maymake no Special Actions until the Movement Phase in the turn after it was launched.

AttackingCraft making suicide attacks must move into base contact with their targets. The suicideattack is resolved before other attacks but after all AA fire, subjecting aircraft to intensedefensive firing. The defending ship gains a +1 bonus to AA Attack Dice when firing ataircraft making suicide attacks.

The Kaiten resolves its first attack in the End Phase in which it was launched or as normalfor suicide attacks in consecutive turns.

Craft listed as Kamikaze may use their AD and DD in suicide attacks only - the Ki-115, Okha, and Kaiten have no other meansof attacking besides suicide attacks. A Zero or Judy flight making a suicide attack is treated as having a 3 AD, 2 DD, Weakattack.

If any suicide attack by an aircraft successfully causes damage, roll one dice. On a 4 or more, a fire will be started.

Once a suicide attack is made, the flight is destroyed whether it was successful in damaging the target or not. The Kaiten willnot be automatically destroyed by a suicide attack if it misses its target.


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otorTorpedoBoats

Motor Torpedo BoatsOne of the most romantic, dashing and potentially hazardous duties in the navies of the Second World War was to serve in withinthe Coastal Forces (abbreviated here to CF). Many navies showed a passing interest in motor torpedo boats during the 1930s,

with designs offered by Britain and Germany being exported to several European countries and further afield. The US developeda later interest, eventually settling on standard designs from indigenous design houses and from the UK.

When war broke out the utility of small craft to take the fight to the enemy in the narrow seas was quickly realised; Germanybuilt up considerable numbers of their famous Lurrsen-designed Schnellboote, or S-Boats (although these were often known tothe Allies as E-Boats, or Enemy Boats. After a few false starts, the Royal Navy built hundreds of Motor Torpedo Boats (MTBs)and Motor Gun Boats (MGBs), with the most prevalent designs coming from Vospers, Camper & Nicholson and Fairmile.The US standard PT Boats were to become a familiar sight in the Mediterranean and the Pacific, while the Italians built manyfast, light and successful MAS craft. The main fighting units were supported by a myriad of gunboats, defence launches, motorminesweepers, minelayers and coastal transports.

Coastal Forces actions tended to be fought at night so as to avoid enemy aircraft (to which they were horribly vulnerable), againstenemy convoys. Flotillas or squadrons would lie silently in wait (lying doggo as the British would have it) or creep up quietly in

the darkness before unleashing their torpedoes at the closest possible point, then opening up the throttles to tear through or awayfrom the enemy. Duels would be fought between the coastal boats and convoy escorts, often consisting of converted trawlers anddestroyer escorts. Coastal boats also fought several battles against enemy fleet units and other heavies. Notable successes (andfailures) include British MTBs attacking the German raider Stier (the raider escaped but two of her destroyer escorts were sunk),US PT Boats at the battle of Leyte Gulf, and Italian MAS boats operating against British convoys in the Mediterranean, during

which MAS boats hit and crippled HMS Manchester (she was later scuttled).

These boats were heavily armed with rapid firing guns, from light machine guns up to 40mm cannon. Some even carriedautomatic 6pdr and 4.5 guns. This array of weaponry could put out devastating weights of firepower which posed a real threat toother CF craft and to smaller escorts. Their armament was not much of a threat to larger vessels as they were more concerned bythe heavy torpedo armament that was often embarked; torpedo boats packed two, sometimes four heavyweight fish. Later in the

war, more unusual weapons began to be fitted, with German and US boats in particular sporting various rocket-based weaponry.The Royal Navy did not use these, favouring the development of high explosive shells fired from automatic guns.

CF boats were also not lacking in technical development. Small radar sets were developed for use in boats of the US Navy andRoyal Navy which proved to be extremely useful in visualising and controlling night-time battles. In the early days of the CF useof radar, it was common for a radar-equipped boat or escort to accompany a force of radar-blind vessels in order to vector themin for a successful attack, and then to guide them out to safety. German use of radar was limited to a few S-Boats; other naviesdid not deploy radar on their small craft until after the war.

CF Vessels in Victory at SeaCoastal forces vessels are represented in Victory at Sea in a similar manner toaircraft. A CF counter represents a section of two boats. They manoeuvre likeaircraft, so have no Turn score (unless indicated). A flotilla or squadron willcomprise 2-4 stands of boats. The exceptions are larger coastal vessels such as

armed trawlers (and the German equivalent, the VP Boat) and large landingcraft. These are represented individually, and are identified in the data tablesas having numerical Armour scores rather than the entry Sp. They also havea Target score of 6.

Coastal Forces craft can only be engaged by a ships Secondary Armament and AA weapons. Larger guns cannot train effectivelyon these small targets. Attacking CF vessels follows the same basic principles as firing at other targets, with the followingexceptions.


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Armour and Target ScoresThese are combined in the following special rule. A hit representseffective fire hitting within the formation rather than hits on thevessels themselves. The effect of this fire may be to damage the boats,force them to break off an engagement, or both. For each hit scored,roll a dice and consult the table below.

1-3 The stand is driven off. It cannot fire torpedoes this turn andmust make its next move at maximum speed directly away from theattacker.4 As above, plus the stand takes 1 point of Damage5-6 The stand takes 1 point of Damage, but it may still firetorpedoes (coolness under fire!)

Stands are removed from play once their Damage is reduced to 0. For simplicity, stands do not have thresholds or Crew to worryabout.

Depth Charge AttacksBritish Coastal Forces developed a tactic whereby they dropped depth charges close to enemy vessels in the hope the underwater

explosions would damage the ship.

To conduct a Depth Charge attack, the stand must be moved into contact with the target vessel. It may then conduct an attack in theAttack Phase - roll a dice. On a 4 or more the attack is successful. Treat the target as if it has been hit by a 6DD, AP attack.

Smoke ScreensAll British MTBs and MGBs, US PT Boats, German S Boats and R Boats carried smoke dischargers or smoke floats. These allowa stand to deploy a smoke screen using the standard smoke rules. Each section can do this only once per game.

Coastal Forces Data TablesThe following table summarises the statistics for costal forces vessels and other ships that fought in the Narrow Seas. All use thespecial Armour and Target rules above unless there is a value in the Armour column, in which case they use the normal rules.

Torpedoes:AD/DD/X/Y : X = A if AP, otherwise -, Y = R if 1 reload, O if One-Shot

Example: 2/4/A/R = 2 Attack Dice, 4 Damage Dice, AP trait, 1 Reload

Sec X: Secondary Armament, range X. All Secondary Armament is 1 AD, 1 DD, WeakRoc X: Rocket Armament instead of torpedoes may be carried. Range X, 1 AD, 2 DD, One-ShotDC: Carried Depth Charges. Range 0. All are One-Shot

Priority Level: The Fleet Allocation Point cost shows how many stands are available for each Patrol point. For example Patrol/2means one Patrol point will buy two stands.

MTB TableType Speed Turn Target Armour Damage Traits Torps AA Other FAP cost

USA

PT Boat 8 AA 5+ Sp 3 4/4/A/O 5/1 Roc 6 Patrol/2

Elco MGB 8 AA 5+ Sp 3 5/2 Patrol/3

LCP/LCVP 3 AA 5+ Sp 2 Patrol/4

LCM 3 AA 5+ Sp 2 Patrol/4

SC-1 4 AA 5+ Sp 3 5/1 Sec 8 Patrol/2

SC-497 (fast) 5 AA 5+ Sp 3 5/1 Roc 6 Patrol/2

SC-497 (slow) 3 AA 5+ Sp 3 5/1 Roc 6 Patrol/2


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otorTorpedoBoats

Type Speed Turn Target Armour Damage Traits Torps AA Other FAP cost

UK

Vosper 72 MTB 8 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 2/4/A/O 5/1 DC Patrol/2

Vosper 61 MTB 8 AA 5+ Sp 2 -- 2/3/-/O 5/1 Patrol/2

Vosper 73 MGB 8 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- -- 5/1 Sec 6 Patrol/3

Vosper 73 MTB 8 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 4/3/-/O 5/1 Patrol/2

Elco MTB 8 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 2/4/A/O 5/1 Patrol/2

Fairmile A ML 5 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- -- 5/1 Patrol/3

Fairmile B ML 4 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- -- 5/1 Patrol/3

Fairmile C MGB 4 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- -- 5/2 Sec 4 Patrol/3

Fairmile D MTB 8 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 2/4/A/O 5/1 Sec 4 Patrol/2

Denny SGB 7 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 2/4/A/O 5/1 Sec 6 Patrol/2

70 MGB 8 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- -- 5/1 Sec 4 Patrol/3

70 MA/SB 7 AA 5+ Sp 2 -- -- 5/1 DC Patrol/3

BPB MTB 8 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 2/3/-/O 5/1 DC Patrol/2

C & N MTB 7 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 4/3/-/O 5/1 DC Patrol/2

Thorneycroft MTB 8 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 2/3/-/O 5/1 DC Patrol/2

White 72 MTB 8 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 2/3/-/O 5/1 DC Patrol/2

Landing Craft Gun 3 2 5+ 4+ 2 -- -- 5/2 Sec 10 Patrol/3

Armed Trawler 3 2 4+ 4+ 2 -- -- 5/1 Sec 6 Patrol/3

Germany

S-Boat (S1-S25) 7 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 2/4/A/O 5/1 Patrol/2

S-Boat (S26+) 8 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 2/4/A/R 5/1 Roc 4** Patrol/1

R1 4 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- -- 5/1 DC Patrol/3

R17/R25/R41 4 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- -- 5/1 DC Patrol/3

VP Boat 3 2 4+ 4+ 2 -- -- 5/1 Sec 6, DC Patrol/3

Italy

MAS boat 9 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 2/3/-/O 5/1 Patrol/2

MAS 438 7 AA 5+ Sp 2 -- 2/3/-/O 5/1 Sec 8 Patrol/2

MAS 427 6 AA 5+ Sp 2 -- 2/3/-/O 5/1 Sec 8 Patrol/2

MS boat 8 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 2/4/A/R 5/1 DC Patrol/1Japan

PT1 8 AA 5+ Sp 2 -- 2/3/-/O 5/1 Patrol/2

PT10 6 AA 5+ Sp 2 -- 2/3/-/O 5/1 Patrol/2

PT101 8 AA 5+ Sp 2 -- 2/3/-/O 5/1 Patrol/2

T35 7 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 2/3/-/O 5/1 Patrol/2

Hayabusa 7 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 5/1 Patrol/3

Daihatsu 3 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 5/1 Patrol/4

France

VTB 8 8 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 2/3/-/O 5/1 DC Patrol/2

CH.1 4 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- -- 5/1 Sec 8 Patrol/3

CH.5 3 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- -- 5/1 Sec 8 Patrol/3

Soviet UnionD3 8 AA 5+ Sp 2 -- 2/3/-/O 4/1 Patrol/2

G5 8 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- 2/4/A/O 5/1 Roc 4, DC ** Patrol/1

MO-4 5 AA 5+ Sp 3 -- -- 5/2 Sec 6 Patrol/3

Notes** S Boats may carry rockets in scenarios set in 1945 only.** G5 can only carry Depth Charges if torpedoes are removed.


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AdmiralsThroughout the history of naval warfare, individuals given command have distinguished themselves in combat. Every fleet needsa commanding officer and many have risen above and beyond the call of duty to sail into victory. World War II was no exception,and battles at sea were driven by men that will go down in history as heroes of their respective nations.

In Victory at Sea, Admirals are defined as officers commanding a groupof vessels whether they held the rank of admiral or not. Players may eitheruse one of the profiles of the selected historic commanders below or createtheir own for campaigns and one-off battles. Only one Admiral per fleet isallowed, even in campaigns.

Admirals may be purchased for any fleet of five or more Fleet AllocationPoints, and will be assigned to one vessel. They raise the Priority Level ofthis flagship by one. A Raid level ship with an Admiral on board thereforebecomes a Battle level ship, for example. All Admirals provide +2 bonus toall Initiative rolls for their fleet, until the flagships Crew score is reduced

zero or it is destroyed.

The flagships listed for the historic Admirals are guidelines only and playersmay place them on different ships if they wish, though they may only servein their native fleets.

Admiral TraitsThree traits from the following list may be given to an Admiral and are chosen before play begins. The effects of the Admiraltraits remain in play until the flagship is destroyed or reduced to zero Crew.

Night Fighter:This Admiral has drilled and fought extensively using specialised night fighting tactics. In night battles any shipin this Admirals fleet attempting to spot enemy vessels gains a +2 bonus.

Fearless:There is a rare breed of men that seize the moment and effectively turn overwhelming odds into a fighting chance forvictory. A Fearless Admiral grants a +1 bonus to the Attack Dice of all ships in his fleet if the opposing fleet is larger by 3 or moreFleet Allocation Points. The Fleet Allocation Point difference is calculated at the beginning of a battle and may not be gaineddue to losses in combat.

Torpedo School Graduate:Well-trained in the use of torpedoes, this Admiral can use them with deadly efficiency. Any ship ina fleet with a Torpedo School graduate will never re-roll successful torpedo hits.

Hunter of the Deep:This Admiral is a seasoned veteran of submarine warfare, venerated by his compatriots and feared by hisenemies. Once a game, the Admiral may declare a combined attack at the start of a turn throughout this turn, all submarinesin his fleet may re-roll any Attack Dice that fail to cause damage.

Tactical Genius:Endowed with superior training, combat experience, and an uncanny ability to guess an opponents next move,the Tactical Genius bestows a +3 to Initiative instead of the normal +2.

Defensive Tactician:An Admiral that knows when to avoid a battle to win a war can be a blessing to the navy of any nation.Special missions may be given to skilled commanders as well. All ships in a Defensive Tacticians fleet may use the Evasive! Special

Action, not counting it towards the one Special Action per turn limit, once per battle.


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Admirals

Carrier Commander:This Admiral knows the value of the aircraft under his command and realises that they will change the faceof naval warfare. Friendly ships with the Carrier trait may launch or recover four flights per turn rather than the normal two.

Strike Commander:A skilled fleet Admiral that can exploit stealth, surprise, and knowledge of ground defenses may go down inhistory as a butcher or a hero. Once a game, the Admiral may declare a combined attack at the start of a turn throughout thisturn, all aircraft in his fleet may re-roll any Attack Dice that fail to cause damage.

Invulnerable:Having trained the men under his command to keep their ships afloat atall costs, the invulnerable Admiral can fight on when he should by all rights be at thebottom of the ocean. All ships in this Admirals fleet receive a +1 bonus to all Commandchecks for Damage Control and Firefighting.

Master of the High Seas: Born to wind and water, this Admirals orders result inmaneuvering that can leave enemy captains exposed and outmaneuvered. All ships inthe fleet may use Come About or Flank Speed Special Actions, not counting themtoward the one Special Action per turn limit, once per battle.

Commerce Raider:Though viewed as a heartless killer by his targets, the CommerceRaider is an effective component in a nations war machine. Once a game, the Admiralmay declare a combined attack at the start of a turn throughout this turn, all ships

of 5 points of Damage or less in his fleet may re-roll any Attack Dice that fail to causedamage.

Historic Admirals

Commander Ernest EvansUnited States Navy

Commander Evans was a full-blooded Cherokee Indian whoentered service with the US Navy in 1931. He commanded boththe Clemson-class destroyerAlden(earning the Bronze Star whilecommanding) and the Fletcher-class Johnston. At the Battle offSamar (Leyte Gulf) as a part of the unit Taffy 3, Evans heroicallycharged an oncoming Japanese fleet in an attempted diversion sothe valuable carriers in his group could escape. His tiny destroyercrippled the Japanese cruisers Kumanoand Suzuyaand then foughton after his ship took heavy fire, inspiring the other commandersin Taffy 3. His actions led in part to the successful withdrawalof the aircraft carriers in his force. Though not an admiral, heinspired the ships in his group to fight against impossible odds.Commander Evans paid the ultimate price at Leyte, and his body

was never recovered. He was posthumously awarded the Medal ofHonor and shared in the Presidential Unit Citation awarded to

Taffy 3.

Traits: Fearless, Tactical Genius, InvulnerableFlagship: Fletcher-class destroyerJohnston


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Rear Admiral Sir Henry HarwoodRoyal Navy

Entering the Royal Navy in 1903, Sir Henry had a long and distinguished career.The HMS Warwick was his first command. He served as captain of two othervessels before having a flag command on HMS Ajax. While commanding ForceG, Harwood fought at the Battle of the River Plate. Brilliant tactics executed by

Admiral Harwood and his fellow captains led to the pursuit and eventual scuttlingof the pocket battleshipAdmiral Graf Spee. Harwood was knighted and appointedCommander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Station in 1942. His decorations included theOrder of the British Empire and Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.

Admiral Harwood retired in 1945.

Traits: Tactical Genius, Master of the High Seas, Defensive TacticianFlagship: Leander class cruiser HMSAjax

Vice Admiral Otto CiliaxKriegsmarine

Otto Ciliax was one of the more capable (and unsung) commanders in the Kriegsmarine who, like many other officers, began hiscareer in the First World War. He rose through the ranks as a torpedo boat commandant and later was the commanding officerof both theAdmiral Scheerand Scharnhorst. Ciliaxs most notable naval action was Operation Cerberus, in which he was thecommanding officer. Admiral Ciliaxs fleet successfully made the Channel Dash across the English Channel (escaping detectionfor twelve hours) to repair and resupply in Germany. Ciliax later became commander in Chief of the Supreme Naval CommandNorway.

Traits: Commerce Raider, Master of the High Seas, Defensive TacticianFlagship: Scharnhorst-class battlecruiser Scharnhorst

Vice Admiral Gunichi MikawaImperial Japanese Navy

Admiral Mikama served on many different vessels of the Imperial Japanese Navyand was an instructor at the Naval Torpedo School. He later commanded thecruisers Aoba and Chokai as well as the battlecruiser Kirishima. Mikawa wasconsidered to be the victor of Savo Island where aboard his flagship (the Chokai)he led a makeshift fleet in a surprise attack on Allied forces. Several Allied cruisers

were sunk and over a thousand Allied servicemen were killed. Admiral Mikawafought with distinction in the battles at Guadalcanal and later served as flagcommander for the 2nd Southern Expeditionary Fleet in the Philippines, theSouthwestern Area Fleet, and 13th Air Fleet before being assigned to shore duties

where he would remain until the end of the war.

Traits: Night Fighter, Torpedo School Graduate, Strike Commander

Flagship: Takao-class cruiser Chokai


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Advanced Aircraft

OperationsAircraft in World War II changed naval warfare forever. As the aircraft carrier evolved into an asset that rivaled battleships inimportance, the tactics and deployment of combat aircraft changed significantly. Aircraft became much more than the eyes of amilitary force, and dogfights changed from honorable duels into ruthless airborne battles. Massed aircraft attacking enemy fleetsor ground targets cost thousands of personnel their lives. Combat aircraft became an admirals valued asset or his worst fear.

The main rulebook remains the basis of using aircraft in games of Victory at Sea. The rules presented here are intended to add anew level of realism and combat effectiveness to aircraft .

Dogfighting and DefenceTo better reflect the capabilities of fighters and bombers, the following changes are used for dogfighting. Only fighters may

initiate a dogfight, while other aircraft types may only defend, using their Dogfight score. The resolution of dogfights remainsthe same except for that aircraft Damage scores are no longer used .

Instead, to reflect the toughness of some aircraft a Defence score has been added to some flights. Any time an aircraft flight takesa hit from any source, it may use its Defence score, rolling the indicated number or higher on one dice to avoid all damage. Thismust be rolled separately for each hit or failed dogfight. Aircraft with no Defence score are destroyed immediately upon takinga hit.

AmmunitionAs fighters fought for supremacy of the skies, millions of rounds of ammunition were expended. To reflect finite supplies offighter ammunition,all aircraft carry enough ammunition to last for two turns of dogfighting.

This can be easily recorded by flipping an aircraft counter or rotating a miniatures base after the first turn of ammo is expended.After ammunition has been expended, a flight may still use its Dogfight score, but if it succeeds in beating its enemy, it will onlysurvive it will not destroy its enemy.

AA Fire, Dual-Purpose Secondaries, and Attacking BombersAA fire now uses a new method for resolving attacks from ships targeting aircraft. Only AA guns (and Dual-purpose Secondary

Armament, which is explained below) may fire at aircraft. In addition the +1 Attack Dice bonus for AA fire targeting torpedo-anddive-bombers no longer applies.

Halfway through the war, new aerial tactics were used against naval targets and new weapons were employed to deal with them.Dual-purpose secondary weapons and proximity fuses became an effective means of air defence. Whether a ships Secondary

Armament will be used against aircraft or ships must be declared by the firing player when it fires during the Attack Phase - it

may not split its Secondary Armament between aircraft and surface vessels, and the range for anti-aircraft attacks made by dual-purpose Secondary Armament is the same as the ships AA guns.

The following ships are equipped with Dual-purpose guns: All British and US cruisers and aircraft carriers, all US battleships,Fletcher-class destroyers, and the Queen Elizabeth, Renown, and King George V-class ships.


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AdvancedAircraftOperations

Fighter EscortsIn addition to air superiority duties, fighters had another vital purpose - escorting bombers to their targets. To simulate this inVictory at Sea, any fighter flight may be designated as an Escort at the beginning of its movement. In order to Escort, the flightmust move to within 1 of any type of bomber flight and must be kept within 1 on subsequent turns to maintain its Escortingstatus. Fighter counters or miniatures may never overlap or be stacked.

Any time an enemy flight moves to within 2 of the Escorting fighter, the Escort may immediately move to intercept it,

interrupting and ending the opposing aircrafts movement. The Escort must initiate a dogfight in the Attack Phase. Treat theflight that has been intercepted by the Escort as being locked in a dogfight.

Carrier OperationsCarriers revolutionised warfare but required specific military doctrine and deployment. Aircraft carriers, while being a platformthat extends a fleets striking range greatly, have strengths and weaknesses that are unique to them alone. These rules define thecarriers roles of rearming and resupply as well as simulating the effects of damage on the effectiveness of carrier operations.

Reload and RefuelBombers of all types expend their bomb loads and need resupply before their next mission. Fighters expend their ammunitionand need to be rearmed, while all planes require fuel. The process of rearming and refueling requires a flight spends two full turnson a carrier (after the turn in which it lands), and replaces all bombs, fighter ammunition, and fuel used in combat.

Outfit for Anti-Ship OperationsA fighter flight may be equipped with bombs to drop on enemy surface ships. This is done either during Reload and Refuel orbefore play begins (in which case fighter flights carrying bombs are designated as such before the first turn). Fighters carryingbombs have their Dogfight scores reduced by -2 and their Speed reduced by 4. These modifiers remain in effect throughoutthe mission, until it lands and reloads/refuels on board a carrier. The Attack Dice, Damage Dice, and traits of the bombs ortorpedoes are listed in the entry for each individual aircraft type later in this chapter. Only bombs ortorpedoes may be carried,never both.

Night OperationsNo carrier may launch or recover aircraft at night, except for Royal Navy Albacore and Swordfish flights in games set in 1942 orlater, or Hellcat flights off the Independence-class light carriers in games set in 1944 or later..

Carrier Operations in Bad WeatherLaunching and recovering aircraft in bad weather was a risky proposition. In games with Bad Weather conditions, a dice must berolled for every flight that is launched or recovered. On the roll of a 1, that flight is destroyed.

FireShipboard fires are a carrier captains nightmare. No carrier may launch or recover any planes while fires are burning. In addition,if three or more fires are burning after attempts to extinguish them in the End Phase fail, an additional 1D6 points of Damageare inflicted upon the burning carrier. In addition, one flight of planes still onboard (determined randomly) will be destroyedautomatically.

Anti-Submarine WarfareSome aircraft could detect and attack submarines with aerial depth charges. Aircraft listed as ASW under Type (see page 19) areconsidered to be long-range maritime patrol craft. Their Bomb scores are treated as depth charges.

An ASW aircraft can be moved into contact with a submerged enemy submersible and attempt detection in preparation toattack.

If attempting to detect a submarine that has fired torpedoes this turn, the detection roll is 4+. If the submarine has not firedtorpedoes yet the detection roll is 6+. Submarines that have surfaced will be automatically detected as normal. Attacking aircraftcan make a single attack using the Attack Dice and Damage Dice listed below.


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17

Aircraft AD DD

Observation 1 3

Non-ASW 2 3

Aerial depth charges are expendable munitions and One Shot. Airplanes from the aircraft rosters list (see page 19) may use theirlisted Depth Charge Attack Dice as an ammunition score, with each Attack Dice used being subtracted from the total Depth

Charge Attack Dice listed.

Example: A flight of French Latecoere 298 aircraft detect a German U-boat threatening an allied task force. It dives to attack, using twoof its four attack dice to target the submarine. Having scored a hit and sinking the vessel the flight continues its anot-submarine duties, nowhaving just two attack dice left to target any new enemy submersibles.

Ships with the Aircraft trait may assign their observation aircraft to ASW duties before the first turn, and will have one depthcharge-equipped plane to use against submersibles. Small aircraft include all US Navy and Royal Navy carrier-borne flights thatare capable of carrying bombs and torpedoes (though not fighters that Outfit for Anti-Ship Operations). Small aircraft may bedesignated as having ASW loads only before play begins.

Variant Air Groups

The fleet lists include recommended aircraft types for each carrier, generally using a typical 1942 air group or one deployed inthe year the carrier was commissioned. However, aircraft that made up carrier air groups varied considerably, especially as the warprogressed. The following is a list of common aircraft types in use on board carriers during World War II. This list can be usedto amend carrier air groups in subsequent years and are intended to be used with the In Service dates and chosen year of eachVictory at Sea battle.

To use the list, track down the columns for each type to see the aircraft available. Refer to the original air group for the carrierto determine the number of flights carried of each type, and then select a new aircraft of the same type for the year in question.The quantity of aircraft types as they are listed for each specific carrier must remain the same.

For example, if a carrier is listed as having three fighter flights, three torpedo-bomber flights, and four dive bomber flights in itsfleet list entry, a player may not change the complement to five torpedo-bomber flights and five fighter flights, though the classof aircraft may be changed (swapping three Seafire flights to three Corsair flights, for instance).

As a general rule, Variant Air Groups should be used in any game set in a specific year when In Service Dates are being used.

Royal Navy Air GroupsYear Fighter Torpedo-Bomber Dive-Bomber

1939 Skua, Sea Gladiator Swordfish Skua

1940 Fulmar Swordfish Swordfish, Skua

1941 Fulmar Swordfish, Albacore Swordfish, Albacore

1942 Martlet, Fulmar, Seafire, Sea Hurricane Swordfish, Albacore Swordfish, Albacore

1943 Martlet, Seafire, Sea Hurricane Avenger, Barracuda Avenger, Barracuda

1944 Corsair, Firefly, Seafire, Hellcat Avenger, Barracuda Avenger, Barracuda

1945 Corsair, Firefly, Seafire, Hellcat Avenger, Barracuda Avenger, Barracuda


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United States Navy Air GroupsYear Fighter Torpedo-Bomber Dive-Bomber

1940 Wildcat Devastator, Vindicator Dauntless



1943 Wildcat, Hellcat Avenger Dauntless, Helldiver

1944 Wildcat, Hellcat, Corsair Avenger Dauntless, Helldiver

1945 Wildcat, Hellcat, Corsair Avenger Helldiver

Imperial Japanese Navy Air GroupsYear Fighter Torpedo-Bomber Dive-Bomber

1939 Claude Kate Val

1940 Zero Kate Val

1941 Zero Kate Val

1942 Zero Kate Val

1943 Zero Kate Val, Paul

1944 Zero Jill Val, Paul, Judy

1945 Zero Jill Val, Paul, Judy

Revised AircraftTo accommodate these new rules, the following list of aircraft combines the aircraft found in the Victory at Sea main rulebook

with new aircraft types found in Order of Battle. All changes to aircraft are official, replacing previously published material.

Pl/Flights indicates how many flights are available for one Fleet Allocation Point of the indicated Priority Level.

ItalicizedBomb or Torpedo scores denote optional loadouts. Full penalties listed for fighters on page 16 will apply to aircraftwith optional loadouts, Attack aircraft craft may switch to optional loadouts with no penalty to their performance.

ItalicizedIn Service dates denote a projected year for deployment.

Defence scores are explained on page 15.

Planes listed as ASW represent a single plane, not an entire flight, and are further explained on page 16.

Planes listed as Kamikaze are explained on page 7.


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Royal Navy Master Aircraft Roster

Aircraft PL/FlightsInService Type Speed Target Dodge Defence Dogfight

BombAD

BombDD

BombTraits

Torp.AD

Torp.DD

Torp.Traits

BlackburnRoc

Patrol/4 1938 Fighter 15 4+ 4+ +0

Blackburn SeaSkua

Patrol/2 1938 DiveBomber

15 4+ 4+ 6+ +1 3 3 AP

BristolBeaufighterTFX

Patrol/2 1940 Attack 21 5+ 3+ 5+ +2 3 3 AP

FaireyAlbacore

Patrol/2 1936 Attack 11 5+ 2+ +0 9 2

FaireyBarracuda

Patrol/2 1942 Attack 17 4+ 4+ 6+ +1 4 3 AP 3 4 AP

Fairey FireflyV

Skirmish/3 1944 Fighter 26 5+ 3+ 6+ +4 3 4 AP

Fairey Fulmar Patrol/4 1940 Fighter 19 4+ 4+ +2 3 2

FaireySwordfish

Patrol/3 1936 Attack 10 5+ 2+ +0 6 2 3 4 AP

Gloster

Gladiator

Patrol/3 1937 Fighter 17 6+ 2+ +1

GrummanF4F Martlet

Patrol/2 1940 Fighter 21 5+ 3+ +3 3 2

HawkerHurricane I

Patrol/2 1937 Fighter 21 5+ 3+ +2 3 2

HawkerTyphoon


ShortSunderland V

Patrol/3 1937 Patrol,ASW

14 3+ 5+ 4+ +1 1 3 AP

SupermarineSeafire LFMkIII

Skirmish/3 1938 Fighter 25 5+ 3+ +4 1 3 AP

Vought

Corsair

Patrol/2 1943 Fighter 26 5+ 3+ 6+ +3 3 4 AP

Kriegsmarine Master Aircraft Roster


BombAD

BombDD

BombTraits

Torp.AD

Torp.DD

Torp.Traits

Focke-WulfFw-190

Patrol/2 1941 Fighter 27 5+ 3+ +3 1 4 AP

FW-200Condor


15 3+ 5+ 4+ +1 2 3 AP

He 177 Skirmish/2 1936 LevelBomber

20 3+ 5+ 4+ +1 12 4 AP

HE-111 H2 Skirmish/4 1936 LevelBomber

17 3+ 5+ 5+ +0 6 3 AP 6 3 AP

Junkers Ju-87 Patrol/2 1938 DiveBomber

12 4+ 4+ 6+ +1 3 4 SAP

MesserschmittMe-109 G


MesserschmittMe-110

Patrol/3 1937 Fighter 23 4+ 4+ 6+ +2 1 3 AP


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US Navy Master Aircraft Roster


BombAD

BombDD

BombTraits

Torp.AD

Torp.DD

Torp.Traits

Boeing B-17 Skirmish/2 1938 LevelBomber

20 3+ 5+ 4+ +1 12 4 AP

DouglasDevastator

Patrol/2 1937 LevelBomber

14 4+ 4+ +0 2 4 AP 3 4 AP

F4-U1A Corsair Patrol/2 1943 Fighter 26 5+ 3+ 6+ +3 3 4 AP Grumman F4F

WildcatPatrol/2 1940 Fighter 21 5+ 3+ +3 3 2

Grumman F6FHellcat


GrummanTBM3 Avenger

Skirmish/3 1942 Attack 18 4+ 4+ 6+ +1 3 4 AP 3 4 AP

LockheedHudson

Skirmish/4 1939 LevelBomber

17 3+ 5+ 4+ +1 6 3 AP 6 3 AP

P39 Aircobra Patrol/2 1942 Fighter 26 5+ 3+ +2 3 3 AP

P40N Warhawk Patrol/2 1941 Fighter 24 5+ 3+ +3 2 3 AP

P51D Mustang Patrol/2 1941 Fighter 26 6+ 2+ +4 3 4 AP

PBY5 Catalina Patrol/3 1936 Patrol,

ASW

12 3+ 5+ 5+ +1 1 3 AP 1 4 AP

SB2C Helldiver Skirmish/3 1942 DiveBomber

19 4+ 4+ 6+ +1 3 4 SAP 3 4 SAP

SBD5Dauntless

Skirmish/3 1940 DiveBomber

17 4+ 4+ +1 3 4 SAP

VoughtVindicator


17 4+ 4+ +0 2 4 SAP

Imperial Japanese Navy Master Aircraft Roster


BombAD

BombDD

BombTraits

Torp.AD

Torp.DD

Torp.Traits

Aichi D3AVal

Skirmish/3 1939 Attack 16 5+ 3+ +1 3 4 SAP

Aichi E16APaul

Patrol/2 1943 Attack 15 5+ 3+ +1 3 2

KawanishiH82K Emily


19 3+ 5+ 4+ +1 1 3 AP 1 3 AP

KawanishiN1K1-JGeorge


Ki-115 Tsurgi Patrol/ 2 1945 Kamikaze 21 3+ 3+ +0 1 7 SAP

MitsubishiA5M4Claude

Patrol/3 1935 Fighter 18 6+ 2+ +1 3 1

MitsubishiA6M Zero

Patrol/2 1940 Fighter 23 6+ 2+ +3 1 2

MitsubishiG4M1 Betty

Skirmish/3 1941 LevelBomber

19 3+ 5+ 6+ +0 6 3 AP 3 3 AP

MXY Ohka Skirmish/2 1945 Kamikaze 43 4+ 4+ +0 1 7 SAP

NakajimaB5N2 Kate

Patrol/2 1935 Attack 16 5+ 3+ 6+ +1 4 3 AP 3 3 AP

NakajimaB6N Jill

Skirmish/3 1944 Attack 19 5+ 3+ +1 3 2 3 3 AP

YokosukaB4Y1 Jean

Patrol/2 1936 Attack 11 5+ 3+ +1 3 2 3 3 AP

YokosukaD4Y2 Judy

Skirmish/3 1944 DiveBomber

23 5+ 3+ +1 2 3 SAP


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Italian Navy Master Aircraft Roster


BombAD

BombDD

BombTraits

Torp.AD

Torp.DD

Torp.Traits

Breda Ba201

Patrol/2 1943 Attack 14 5+ 3+ +1 3 3 AP

Fiat G50Freccia

Patrol/3 1939 Fighter 19 5+ 3+ +2

Junkers JU87


12 4+ 5+ 6+ +1 3 4 SAP

Macchi MC202 Folgore

Patrol/3 1941 Fighter 24 5+ 3+ +2 3 3

ReggianeRe 2001Falco II


SparvieroSM.79

Skirmish/3 1936 Attack 18 3+ 5+ 5+ 0 6 3 AP 3 3 AP

French Navy Master Aircraft Roster


BombAD

BombDD

BombTraits

Torp.AD

Torp.DD

Torp.Traits

DewtoineD520

Patrol/3 1939 Fighter 22 5+ 3+ +2

Latecoere298

Patrol/3 1938 Attack,ASW

11 5+ 3+ +1 4 3 AP 3 3 AP

LoireNieuportLN 401


16 5+ 3+ +1 1 4 SAP

MS 406 Patrol/3 1938 Fighter 20 5+ 3+ +2

Potez 63.11 Patrol/2 1937 Attack 17 4+ 4+ +0 3 2

Russian Navy Master Aircraft Roster

Aircraft PL/Flights

In

Service Type Speed Target Dodge Defence Dogfight

Bomb

AD

Bomb

DD

Bomb

Traits

Torp.

AD

Torp.

DD

Torp.

TraitsIlyshuin Il-4 Skirmish/2 1942 Level

Bomber17 3+ 5+ 6+ 0 10 3 3 3 AP

Ilyshuin Il-10 Skirmish/3 1943 Attack 22 5+ 3+ 5+ +2 3 3 AP

PolikaporovI-16

Patrol/2 1937 Fighter 19 6+ 2+ +2 3 1

Sukhoi Su-2Ivanov

Patrol/2 1937 Attack 17 5+ 3+ +2 3 3 AP 3 3 AP

Tupolev SB 2 Skirmish/2 1936 LevelBomber

17 3+ 5+ 6+ +0 9 4

Yak 9 Patrol/3 1937 Fighter 24 4+ 4+ +3


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Scenarios

ScenariosThe following pages introduce a range of new scenarios, both historical and otherwise, designed to challenge the tactical abilitiesof Victory at Sea players.

BaitJune, 1942.As the combined fleets of Admiral Yamamoto prepared to attack the Midway Atoll another Japanese fleet was sent to the NorthPacific, a force that was perceived to be little more than a feint. A diversion, meant to draw attention and American naval assetsfrom Midway. The actual mission of the Northern Area Force was sent to the Aleutian Islands under the command of Vice

Admiral Boshiro Hosogaya to establish an anchor for a Japanese defensive perimeter; the anchor was to be the Aleutian Islands.

It was perceived as bait by the United States Navy, the ships of the Northern Area Force was never engaged by American ships atthe time of the Battle of Midway, more due to weather than anything else. Unknown to the Japanese admiralty the United States

was aware of enemy fleet movements in the North Pacific. Rear Admiral Robert Theobold sent elements from his under-strengthfleet to look for the Japanese fleet on June 5, 1942. He took the Bait. Visual contact was made by U.S. aircraft but the warshipson both sides did not engage each other, The Northern Area Force was lost in the fog.

But what if things had been different

Bait is a scenario for Victory at Sea that features a hypothetical battle between elements of Imperial Japans Northern Area Forceand part of Admiral Theobolds Task Force 8. Events in this scenario diverge from actual history on June 4, 1942. The Americanadmiral sends his fleet to look for the Japanese ships a day earlier. While steaming south at night the fog lifts and contact is made

with the Northern Force 800 miles from Dutch Harbor. Both sides engage as blasts from shipboard guns light up the night

Fleets: The Japanese force consists of two cruisers (Kitikami-class cruisers Kitikamiand Oi), Destroyer Division 24 (the Shiratsuyu-class destroyers Umikaze, Yamakaze, Kawakaze, Suzukaze), and the battleship Fuso. Problems with the unfamiliar radar systemsand heavy fog have cut these ships off from their fleet. The United States player has the Portland-class CruiserIndianapolis, theNorthampton-class cruiser Louisville, the Brooklyn-class cruisers Honolulu, Nashville,and St. Louis. U.S destroyers are theMahan-class ship Case(treat as a Fletcher-class) and the Clemson-class ships Sands, Kane,and Humphreys.

Pre-Battle Preparation: The opposing fleets are positioned as shown on the diagram below. The 4x6 area is broken down into2x2 squares, with both players placing the ships designated on the deployment chart anywhere within their assigned squares.

Scenario Rules: Full Night Battles rules are in effect.

Game Length: The battle lasts until one side is victorious.

Victory and Defeat: Send all enemy ships to the bottom or force surrender. Neither side can claim victory until the opposing

fleet is completely destroyed or concedes.


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Scenarios

BombardmentDuring World War II the guns of naval vessels were sometimes called upon to bombard well-defended land targets, often inconjunction with landing operations. Mines and fortified positions could make this a formidable and deadly undertaking.

Bombardment allows players to use the Minefield, Terrain, and Shore Batteries rules included in this supplement.

The Fleets: The Attacker gets 5 Fleet Allocation Points for his fleet. The Defender also receives 5 FAP with at least 1 point beingspent on Shore Batteries and 1 point on Minefields.

Aircraft: The attacker is restricted to flights aboard his carriers (if any), the defender may purchase land-based aircraft.

Pre-Battle Preparation: The Attacker begins play in the Attacker Deployment Area. The defender chooses an appropriate markerfor his shore batteries. This is placed at the table edge inside the Defender Deployment Area with the entire edge representing theshoreline with its shallows extending 1 from the table edge. Minefields are placed as per the Minefield rules anywhere outsideof the Attacker Deployment Area. Defending ships are placed within the Defender Deployment Area. Determine first turninitiative normally.

Game Length: Twelve turns or when victory conditions are met.

Victory and Defeat: The attacker wins when all shore batteries are destroyed. The defender is victorious when 75% of theattackers ships (round down) are destroyed or the attacker is driven off.


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Flat TopAs naval warfare changed from one of opposing battleships to one of carrier-based warfare tactics and objectives changed as a newway of waging war was born. Carrier groups traversed the oceans trying to avoid detection to get close enough to land targets orenemy fleets to unleash their aircraft. Flat top is a scenario that depicts the detection of a carrier group by an opposing fleet thatis determined to take the enemy carriers out of the war permanently.

Fleets: The attacking player (seeking out the enemy carriers) has 5 Fleet Allocation Points but must spend at least one full pointon aircraft. These could be considered to land-based or carrier based but there are no restrictions on the type or quantity of aircrafttaken. No aircraft carriers may be included in the attacking force. The defending player Gets 5 Fleet Allocation Points but must haveat least two aircraft carriers included in his force, with no additional ground-based aircraft (just the planes from the carriers).

Pre-Battle Preparation: The attacker divides his fleet into 2 groups; one consisting of all of his aircraft, one consisting of allsurface ships. The defender divides his fleet as follows; one group of one half of his carriers aircraft (players choice as to whichplanes are aloft though carriers will have their standard compliment of planes), one group for all ships that are not carriers (theescort group), one group of all of that fleets carriers. The attacker begins with his aircraft in the Attacker Deployment Area. Thedefender has none of his force on the table at the beginning of turn one.

Scenario Rules:The game takes place during the daytime in perfect weather. The attacking planes may move normally in the firstturn. At the beginning of turn two the attacker places his ships in the Attacker Deployment Area. At the beginning of turn two(before Initiative) the defender places his group of aircraft in the Defender Deployment Area, but only those that were designatedas being aloft. At the beginning of each successive turn the defender rolls a die, on a 5+ he places his escort group in the DefenderDeployment Area. The die roll is modified by +2 for each turn after the third. The turn after the escorts are deployed the defendingcarriers are placed in the Defender Deployment Area and only then may the remainder of their aircraft be launched.

Game Length: 12 turns or when victory conditions are met.

Victory and Defeat:The Attacking player wins when two carriers are destroyed. The defender achieves victory if two carriers remainin play at the end of turn twelve. If neither side meets its victory condition calculate Victory Points to determine the winner.


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Scenarios

For the Motherland!In the later years of WWII portions of the navy of the Soviet Union were rendered useless as they sat in port, not able to pushthrough the axis navies that controlled the seas in northwestern Russia. Wave after wave of air Luftwaffe attacks pounded Leningrad.

Joseph Stalin did not commit his navy to what would have been a costly battle to break out into the Gulf of Finland.

What if Stalin HAD committed his ships to battle?

For the Motherland! is a scenario that simulates what could have happened if Stalin had ordered his ships that were trapped in theGulf of Finland to break through the Axis line. The Russian leader comes to the conclusion that it would be better for his warshipsto be confined in a neutral port so that they may survive to protect the Motherland after the fascist invaders are defeated and drivenfrom Mother Russia. The Germans learn of Stalins plans and have a task force waiting to intercept the Soviet vessels.

The Fleets: The Soviet fleet consists of the Sovietski-Soyuz-class battleship Sovietski Ukrania, the Sevestapol (Gangut-classbattleship), the cruiserMaxim Gorky(Maxim Gorky-class), the Novik-class destroyers Lenin, Desna, Zinoviev, and Korfu. Theaircraft in the land-based Soviet air group are 8 flights of Yak-9 fighters, 8 flights of Su-2 Ivanov attack planes with full bombloads, and 3 flights of Il 10 attack planes.

The Kriegsmarine fleet is comprised of the battleship Tirpitz (Bismarck-class), the heavy cruisersAdmiral Hipperand Prinz Eugen(Admiral Hipper-class), the pocket battleshipAdmiral Scheer(Deutschland-class), the light cruiser Emden (Emden-class), the K-class light cruisers KolnandNurnberg, the destroyersZ 24, Z25, Z31, Z32(Zerstorer 1936-class) and the Type 93 torpedo boatsT 22, T 23, T 27, and T 28. The German air patrol consists of 4 flights of Me-109s and 6 flights of Ju-87 dive bombers.

Pre-Battle Preparation: Deploy both forces as desired inside their deployment zones. The German aircraft are not placed on theboard in the initial set up.

Scenario Rules: To determine when the German air patrol enters the battle roll one die at the beginning of turn 3. The aircraftdeploy 1 from the long table edge on the German side of the table on a roll of 6. Each following turn add 2 to the die roll untilthe aircraft become available. The goal of the Soviet navy is to break through the German line.

Victory and Defeat: Thescenario has duration of 12turns or until all Soviet shipsare destroyed or escape. TheKriegsmarine player gains fullvictory points for Soviet shipsthat are destroyed, crippled,or reduced to a skeleton crew.Each Soviet flight of aircraftdestroyed earns the Germanplayer 1 victory point. TheSoviet player only receives one-

half the normal victory pointsbut will receive victory pointsequal to one-half the value ofeach of his ships (not aircraft)that are able to move off theKriegsmarine end of the table.Full victory points value will beawarded to Sovietski Ukraniaand Sevestapol if they are ableto escape via the opposing tableedge.


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Hunting the BeastOperations with the Tirpitz in the North Atlantic, November 1941The campaign rules in Victory at Sea are necessarily simplified and allow several opposing fleets to engage in long term warfare.

The aim of this campaign is to present a set of rules that give more detail in a specific operation.

The setting for this campaign is the projected breakout of the German battleship Tirpitz andheavy cruiserScheerinto the NorthAtlantic in November 1941, although they could be easily adapted to other periods. At this stage of the war the United Stateswas still officially neutral, although US battleships were actively patrolling in the Denmark Straits, and several American shipshad already been sunk by German U-boats, most notably the destroyer Reuben James.

The problem with most naval campaigns of this sort is reconciling hidden movement with the need to perform detection attempts.Without an umpire to help out this is problematical when there are only two players involved. The system suggested below worksbecause some particular circumstances are in play. First, the weather in the North Atlantic in November is particularly bad. Thiscould, easily mean that ships of opposing sides could be in close proximity yet not see each other. Radar was also in its infancyand could not be counted upon to make a detection. Both sides made extensive use of ELINT (electronic intelligence), which

was quite effective at revealing the location (or at least the presence) of searching aircraft, or of communications between shipsor with land based operation centres. This is the rationale behind the rules requiring disclosure of searching units.

Whilst these conditions are fairly specific to this campaign similar circumstances exist in other periods that would allow a similarmethod to be used (an easy example would be the Bismarck chase, but obvious parallels exist in modern naval campaigns wheredisclosure of searching units would imply the use of active sensors)

BackgroundNovember 1941 Tensions between the USA and Germany are running high. In Germany, Hitler publicly warns: Let there be nomistake - whoever believes that he can help Britain must realize one thing above all: Every ship, with or without convoy, that comes

within range of our torpedo tubes, will be torpedoed. Privately, the Fuehrer says to Admiral Raeder, I will never call a submarinecommander to account if he torpedoes an American ship by mistake. After the Eastern campaign I reserve the right to take severe

action against the USA... In September 1941 Roosevelt issues orders to shoot on sight any ship interfering with American shipping.

Having recovered from the Bismarck debacle earlier in the year, the German high command decided that, once more, itsbattleships should strike in the North Atlantic. This time the Tirpitzwas to sortie, accompanied initially by the AdmiralScheer(which may be detached to sortie independently). At least two Allied convoys are believed to be at sea, and information ontheir progress should be available via shadowing U-boats. The British patrols in the Denmark Straits are being supplementedby so-called neutrality patrols conducted by the US Navy These are believed to be anything but neutral - the US Navy has beenescorting merchant ships, including those of any nationality which may join, between Iceland and America. The US Navy hasalso developed a base at Hvalfjord to support these tasks. The British and American naval fleets can be split into smaller taskforces, improving their chances of finding the German raiders but weakening their ability to destroy the raiders once they havebeen found.

Note this scenario is based on actual German plans for November 1941. In the event the operation was cancelled due to

mechanical failure, but the possibility of a clash between German and US battleships in the wastes of the North Atlantic is toogood an opportunity to pass up!

Scales

Each campaign Turn is 6 hours long. Each hex on the campaign map is 100 miles across


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Axis ForcesStart at Trondheim (G35)Tirpitz,AdmiralScheer, Uckermark

Allied Naval Forces and ConvoysUS Task Group 1.3 (RAdm Giffen) Starts at Reykjavik (F22) RN Home Fleet (Admiral Tovey) Starts at Scapa Flow (K30)

Idaho(BB) New Mexico-class King George V (BB) King George V-classMississippi(BB) New Mexico-class Victorious(CV) Illustrious-class

Tuscaloosa(CA) New Orleans-class Norfolk(CA) Norfolk-class

Wichita(CA) Portland-class Berwick(CA) Kent-class

Gwin (DD) Fletcher-class Nigeria(CL) Fiji-class

Meredith(DD) Fletcher-class Sheffield(CL) Southampton-class

Monssen(DD) Fletcher-class Cossack(DD) Tribal-class

Zulu(DD) Tribal-class

Sikh(DD) Tribal-class

Piorun(DD) Tribal-class

Allied ConvoysConvoy HX 158 Starts at hex V2 Convoy SC53 Starts at hex R8

40 transports 35 transports

Escort Group EG 4.14.4 (RCN) Escort Group TU 4.1.8 (USN)

Ottawa(DD)JKN-class Greer(DD) Fletcher-class

Dauphin(DE) Flower-class Ludlow(DD) Clemson-class

Arvida(DE) Flower-class McCormick(DD) Clemson-class

Algoma(DE) Flower-class Buck(DD) Clemson-class

Support Group (RN) Woolsey(DD) Clemson-class

Burnham(DD)JKN-class Wilkes(DD) Clemson-class

Chambley(DE) Flower-class

Matapedia(DD)JKN-class

Napanee(DE) Flower-class

Objectives The German player must attempt to sink as many transports as possible. The allied player must try to get the convoys to Liverpool (O30)

Turn sequence1. Determine formation.2. Roll for weather3. Move convoys4. Roll for convoy location if successful declare locations to German player5. Initiate refuelling

6. Roll for at sea refuelling location - if successful reveal location to Allied player7. Check shadowing vessels

a. Check for evasion or engagement of shadowing vesselsb. Shadowed and shadowing vessels move togetherc. Shadowing player informed of location of shadowed vessels

8. Move other vessels9. Announce and resolve searches10. Announce vessels in enemys Land Based Air (LBA) areas11. Execute air strikes if in range or if in enemy LBA area, and if weather/daylight permits12. Surface actions roll for encounter, surprise etc.13. Check vessel endurance.


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FormationsAt the start of each turn players must decide what formation their ships are cruising in. If they are encountered by the enemy thenthis formation determines their starting positions (unless they have achieved surprise, in which case they may set up as desired).

WeatherEach turn the Allied player rolls to determine the weather conditions. On a roll of 1-4 the weather is Good, otherwise the weatheris Bad. If on the previous turn the weather was Bad add 1 to the die roll.

Movement and EnduranceThe table below gives movement rates per turn in hexes depending on the speed of the fastest ship in the group. Convoys areassumed to have a speed of 8 knots (VAS speed = 2).

Ship Speed 8 or less 9-17 18-27 28+

VaS Speed 1 2-3 4-5 6+

Movement 1 hex on odd turns 1 hex per turn 1 hex on odd turns, 2 hexes on even turns 2 hexes per turn

Fuel Points Used 1 2 3 4

All ships (except the convoy and the German auxiliary Uckermark, which ignore these Endurance rules) have a fuel capacity of 60units. Each turn that a ship moves it uses the number of fuel points listed above. When a ship expends all of its fuel units it mayonly move at a maximum speed of 10 knots (but expends no fuel) it may not conduct searches and it must head for the nearestfriendly port to refuel. German ships may refuel from the Uckermark. Refuelling at a base takes 24 hours (4 turns). Refuellingat sea takes 1 turn to complete, during which the auxiliary and the fuelled ship(s) may not move. There is a chance that ULTRAintercepts may reveal the location of the refuelling. Roll a d6 on the turn that refuelling takes place, and each turn thereafter untila successful roll is made. On a roll of 1-2 the location of the refuelling point is revealed (note: the allied player may learn of thismany hours after the event!)

Detection

ConvoysThe convoys are being observed by U boats and Condor aircraft. Every turn roll a d6 for each convoy. The allied player mustreveal the location of the convoy on a score of 4+. If the weather is bad subtract 1 from the die roll.

Warship SearchesEach player now declares whether they are searching. Surface ships can search the hex they are in. Ships with operable observationaircraft can search as many adjacent hexes as they have observation aircraft. Carrier aircraft can search 6 additional hexes per flightcommitted to the search and can search up to two hexes away. Players must declare which hexes they are searching in (but neednot declare what is searching). Thus searching reveals some information on the likely locations of enemy forces. The ability touse aircraft depends on the time of day and weather:

Type Carrier Aircraft Seaplane

Daylight Yes (out to 2 hexes) Yes (out to 1 hex)

Twilight Yes (out to 1 hex) No

Night, Bad Weather No No

Finally, roll a single d6 for each observation aircraft used for searching. On a roll of a 1, the aircraft has been lost (either due to acrash, mechanical failure or simply disappearing) and is unavailable for the remainder of the operation.

Search ResultsIf a search is declared in a hex occupied by an enemy surface force roll a d6. The force is located on a roll of 3+ in daylight, 4+in twilight or 5+ at night or in bad weather. Convoys are always detected, regardless of weather and daylight. The roll is made bythe player who owns the surface force (this should be a hidden roll and should be made whether or not there are any ships there).If a successful roll is made those ships present are declared, as is the scouting unit that conducted the search.


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Land Based Air Searches and AttacksBoth sides are assumed to have regular air patrols in sea areas along their coast. If enemy shipping appears in these hexes theyare automatically detected (whether during the day or night, or in bad weather) and their presence is immediately declared. Ifthe ships are detected during either daylight or twilight and the weather is good they may be attacked by land based aircraft.This is the only condition in which land based air strikes take part in the game. Allied air attacks take place anywhere within theperimeter of hexes marked B, I or U on the map (flying from Britain, Iceland or the USA respectively). Luftwaffe attackstake place anywhere within the perimeter marked G. Both Allied and German aircraft can attack in hexes marked BG.

To determine the number of flights in land based air strikes roll a d6:

Die Roll Allied (B Hexes) Allied (I Hexes) Allied (U Hexes) German

1 Beaufighter x 3 Beaufighter x 2 B17 x 3 He111x2, Ju87 x 2

2 Beaufighter x 2 Beaufighter x 2 B17 x 3 Ju87 x 3

3 Swordfish x 2 Hudson x 2 Hudson x 3 Ju87 x 3

4 Swordfish x 3 Hudson x 3 Hudson x 3 Ju88 x 3

5 Albacore x 3 Hudson x 3 B17 x 3 He111 x 3

6* Albacore x 3 Hudson x 3 Hudson x 4 He111 x 3

Carrier Air StrikesIf a player has a carrier in range of an enemy ship (within 2 hexes) they may launch an air strike. This is resolved immediately.Note that the Victorioushas enough ordnance to allow each Swordfish flight to make 2 torpedo attacks, and all aircraft to make4 bombing attacks.

Surface ActionsIf a surface force detects another in the same hex the two forces may fight a surface action (unless both opt to withdraw). Runthrough the following procedure to determine whether an action ensues, and whether one side achieves surprise over the other.

Has one side achieved Surprise?Each player rolls a d6, adding 2 if they have active radar, +2 if they have radar, and+2 if they have observation or carrier borneaircraft in the hex. If one sides score exceeds the enemy score by 6 or more then they have achieved surprise.

If one side has achieved surprise they have the option of withdrawing (hiding in the gloom and avoiding detection by the enemy)or shadowing (remaining in contact to report the enemys position). If they take this option they remain in the hex, but they stayfar enough away to stay out of contact (it is assumed that they make optimum use of poor visibility to remain undetected whilstkeeping their opponents under observation). If they achieve surprise but decide not to withdraw or shadow they may attack theenemy. They set up in any desired formation at the extreme limit of visibility (or greater if using radar) - the opposition must bein fleet formation - and the surprising side gets one free round of gunnery before the opposition can return fire.

Desire for Action?Determine if either side wants an action. If neither does, both forces remain in the same hex but no combat occurs. If both sides

wish to engage, set up in their respective formations at the limit of visibility at the longest maximum range of any ship in eitherforce, or extreme radar range (whichever is longer). If the action is in bad weather or at night set up at the maximum spotting andengagement distances as in the rules (30 in bad weather, 20 at night). If one side wishes to disengage it may do so automatically

if its speed exceeds that of the fastest enemy vessel. It may begin shadowing if desired.

Fighting the ActionThe surface action is played out using whatever scenario is decided upon. Ships may be declared as disengaged if they remain outof contact with the enemy for more thanthree turns.


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Turn RecordDate 00:00-06:00 (Night) 06:00-12:00 (Twilight) 12:00 18:00 18:00 24:00 (Night)

1stNovember

2ndNovember

3rd November

4th November

5th November

6th November

7th November

8th November

9th November

10th November

11th November

12th November

13th November

14th November

15th November

16th November

17th November18th November

19th November

20th November


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Hunting the Beast Campaign Map


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xpandedFleetLists

Expanded Fleet ListsThe following chapters detail many new ships for use in Victory at Sea. All are considered to be official and with the expandedfleet lists players will be able to recreate many historical battles. Also included are lists of errata for ships presented in the Victoryat Seamain rulebook. Again, threes changes should be considered official.

Mixing Ships from Different FleetsWhen building fleets, players must choose one fleet list to choose their ships from. Adding ships from other fleet lists is notpermissable unless outlined in a specific historical scenario. Having the Sharnhorstfight in a game alongside Hoodor havingPensacolain the same squadron as Chokai, for example,simply will not do. Historically, Allied or Axis nations did fight alongsideone another but mixing of ships, even from friendly nations, will be restricted to specific historical scenarios and not allowedfor build-your-own fleets.

In Service DatesMany players already adhere to In Service Dates in their games, but with the addition of Kamikaze units, Z-Plan ships, and AirGroup Variants, the year in which a battle takes place becomes very important. In Service Dates must be observed in each battle,

and players should agree in what year of the war each battle or campaign will take place, before beginning fleet selection.

Splitting Fleet Allocation PointsThousands of ships sailed the worlds oceans in World War II. The combination of ships deployed together in a nations fleets

were varied and many. From a squadron of escorts in the North Atlantic to the deadly carrier force that attacked Pearl Harbour,Victory at Sea uses Priority Levels and Fleet Allocation Points to simulate the composition of those forces. With the addition ofnew vessels to the game, players will now have greater flexibility in building their fleets.

Players wishing to break down Fleet Allocation Points beyond the values and ship quantities in the Fleet Allocation table may doso. The following guidelines must be observed when splitting Fleet Allocation Points to maintain the balance of the game. This

will allow players to use a single Fleet Allocation Point to buy ships of different levels rather than of one Priority Level only.

A Fleet Allocation Point may be split to buy two ships of the next lowest Priority level just as stated in the main rules. However,one of those picks at the next lowest level (one-half of a Fleet Allocation Point) may be used to buy two ships of the lower levelafter that. A point may only be split downwards two priority levels. Only one-half of the point may be split, so using one Battlepoint to buy four Skirmish level ships is not allowed.

For example;

One Battle Fleet Allocation Point = one Raid-level ship and two Skirmish-level ships

Or

One Raid Fleet Allocation Point = one Skirmish-level ship and two Patrol-level ships

To summarise, a Fleet Allocation Point can be split in half, then split again. This system may be used on War, Battle, and Raid-level points - the split on Skirmish and Patrol points is limited to that shown on the standard Fleet Allocation table. The numberof aircraft flights in a wing will remain the same, as will number of boats in an MTB group.


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The Royal NavyThe Royal Navy was one of the key developers of naval radar in World War II, transferring many advances and technologies tothe US where they were developed and then fed back into Royal Navy designs. Practically every Royal Navy warship towards theend of the war was fitted with some form of radar.

The entries here represent the state of ships as they were either in 1942 or at the time of their sinking if this took place in 1941or earlier. For scenarios set in 1943 or later it can be assumed that all ships except aircraft carriers carry radar, including ships that

were historically sunk by that time but which have been resurrected for what if games or tournaments.

ErrataThe following official changes should be made to ships in the Victory at Sea main rulebook.

Queen Elizabeth-class battleship: Target score should be 5+, add the Radar trait

Illustrious-class carrier: Priority Level should be Raid not Skirmish

J/K/N-class destroyer: Secondary Armament AD should be 1, add the Radar trait

Hood-class battlecruiser:Add the Radar trait, Priority Level should be Battle not War

Nelson-class battleship: Priority Level should be Battle not War, Armour score should be 6+ not 5+, add the Radar trait

Renown-class battlecruiser:Add the Radar trait

Edinburgh-class cruiser: Priority Level should be Skirmish not Raid

Fiji-class cruiser: Priority Level should be Skirmish not Raid

Gloucester-class cruiser:Add the Radar trait, Priority Level should be Skirmish not Raid

Leander-class cruiser:Add the Radar trait

Tribal-class destroyer:Add the Radar trait

The Royal Navy Expanded Fleet ListThe following forms the expanded fleet list for the Royal Navy.

Priority Level: PatrolActivity-class aircraft carrier Archer-class escort carrier Audacity-class aircraft carrierCoventry-class cruiser Curacoa-class cruiser Delhi-class AA cruiser

Hunt-class destroyer escort J, K and N-class destroyer Loch-class frigateMerchant aircraft carrier S-class submersible U class submersibleTribal-class destroyer Vindex-class aircraft carrier


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Priority Level: SkirmishAmeer-class aircraft carrier Arethusa-class cruiser Argus-class aircraft carrierAttacker-class aircraft carrier Avenger-class aircraft carrier Bellona-class cruiserC class cruiser Campania-class aircraft carrier Danae-class cruiserDido-class cruiser (1st, 2nd, and 3rdgroup) Edinburgh-class cruiser Effingham-class cruiserEmerald-class cruiser Erebus-class monitor Fiji-class cruiserFiji/Ceylon (mod) class cruiser Gloucester-class cruiser Hawkins-class cruiser

Hermes-class aircraft carrier Kent-class cruiser (excluding HMS Kent) Leander-class cruiserLondon-class cruiser Perth-class cruiser Pretoria castle-class aircraft carrierRoberts-class monitor Swiftsure-class cruiser T-class submersibleTiger-class cruiser York-class cruiser

Priority Level: RaidArk Royal-class aircraft carrier Colossus-class aircraft carrier Courageous-class aircraft carrierEagle-class aircraft carrier Furious-class aircraft carrier HMS Kent (not the Kent-class)Illustrious-class aircraft carrier Indomitable-class aircraft carrier Norfolk-class cruiserSouthampton-class cruiser Surrey-class cruiser Swiftsure-class cruiserUnicorn-class aircraft carrier Yorkshire-class cruiser

Priority Level: Battle

Audacious-class fleet aircraft carrier G3 class battlecruiser Hood-class battlecruiserHood-class battlecruiser (refit) Implacable-class aircraft carrier Nelson-class battleshipQueen Elizabeth-class battleship Queen Elizabeth/Barham-class battleship Renown-class battlecruiserRenown-class battlecruiser (refit) Resolution-class battleship Vanguard-class battlecruise

Victory at Sea: Order of Battle

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