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ON PATROLSolitaire Rules for SUBMARINE

by Robert Harmon

Many of this magazine's readers can testify to the difficulties of finding a lie o!!onent "" een in urban areas#In rural regions$ this can be a serious !roblem$ as I found %hen I moed a%ay from the San &rancisco Bay area

in ()*# Although liing near Mount Shasta does hae it's adantages$ ftf !lay is much more difficult %heno!!onents are t%enty or thirty miles a%ay +as the cro% flies#,

My first e-!eriences %ith SUBMARINE %ere in solitaire !lay# A !roblem %ith the SUBMARINE rules is that thefe% scenarios deised for solitaire only inole a sub against randomly moing cargo shi!s$ %hich areuncha!eroned# .he resulting game soon becomes reminiscent of %ooden duc/s under fire on a carnial mid%ay#I decided to !roduce something more challenging#

.he ne% rules !roided belo% should change that !roblem$ and add to Submarine's en0oyment for many!layers# In these rules$ the !layer assumes the role of sub commander but %ill face escorts that can shoot bac/as %ell as unarmed merchantmen# 1layers %ill find that the escorts %ill moe automatically "" and im!lacable#.he rules may a!!ear com!le- at first$ %ith added terminology to boot# the aim of the rules is to !roide forautomatic escorts that %ill gie the !layer something more than target !ractice# 2nce in o!eration$ !layers %ill

find that the system is fast"moing and !layable once the rules hae been mastered#

100.0 SOLITAIRE RULES.he solitaire !layer assumes the role o submarine commander$ and o!!oses the surface essels in any

conenient scenario# .he surface shi!s +escorts$ ca!ital shi!s$ and merchantmen, moe automatically accordingto the rules !roided belo%# .he solitaire !layer moes both submarine and surface units$ and maintains logentries for all of them# Surface units moe and attac/ as set forth in the se rules$ automatically rather than bychoice of the solitaire !layer# .he !layer should strie to moe these units as the rules dictate# .he result %ill be

a real fight against a faceless but actie enemy#

101. Applicable SUBMARINE Rules

3# All rules for SUBMARINE are in force$ unless amended or canceled by these rules#

3#4 1layers may select to !lay either the Basic 5ame$ the 2!tional Rules %ith the Basic 5ame$ or theAdanced 5ame +o!tional rules included,# 6hicheer of these three o!tions are selected$ they must be !layed inthe entirety %ith all rules inoled +as amended by the solitaire rules,# In other %ords$ each of the three !ossible

rules configurations must be used as a 7!ac/age#7

3#8 Any of the 79esign :our 2%n7 scenario rules may be used a the !layer's discretion$ e-ce!t those

s!ecifically deleted belo%#

102. SUBMARINE Rules Deletions

34# 9isregard rule 43#8#4# In any scenario %here escort !lacement is not dictated by the rules$ escorts are

!laced according to Rule 38#4 at start#

34#4 9isregard all rules in Section 4#3 +Submarine Hidden Moement, e-ce!t rules 4#4$ 4#;$ and 4#)# Rule

4#4 is amended to a!!ly to the submarine at all times< the bo% he- is to be noted each turn in the Submarine=og# Submarine isibility and 7hidden7 moement is discussed in Section 3> belo%#

34#8 9isregard Section >3#3 +.or!edo Hidden Moement, in its entirety# .or!edoes are !resumed isible under

Rule 4#; and %ill hae their counters on board throughout their moement#

34#> ?ancel Rule @3#3 +6eather, in its entirety# 1resume ?lear +i#e#$ calm, conditions unless a scenario

s!ecifically states other%ise#

34#@ 9elete Section ;#3 and ;4#3 +9e!th ?harge ?a!acity and .or!edo Aailability, entirely# Submarines starteach each solitaire game %ith all tubes loaded and the ma-imum reload allo%ed by the 9ata ?hart< choice of

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tor!edo ty!es is left u! to the !layer$ sub0ect to the aailability restrictions sho%n on the .or!edo 9ata ?harts#Escorts hae unlimitedde!th charge and A.6 ca!acity$ and all carry only the latest$ heaiest de!th chargeallo%ed by the 6ea!on Aailability ?hart +e#g#$ ;33l lb# de!th charge instead of 833 lb#,# A.6 are al%ays!resent %hen indicated by the Shi! 9ata and 6ea!on Aailability ?harts# +E? 2ne"ton$ MC de!th chargesare carried in addition to ;33 lb# de!th charges on British 99s$ %ith a limit of one M/ !er shi! under Rule

@#@#D,

10.0 Sta!tin" t#e Solitai!e Scena!io

38# ?onoy &ormations

38## &ormations must adhere to those sho%n on !age of the SUBMARINE ruleboo/ or on ?hart 38#+Ne% &ormations .able,# .he formation is automatically determined by the number of merchantmen aailable Submarine sighted +4@"foot de!th,# Escorts begin RA9IA= M2GEMEN.$ fulls!eed#

Sub Mar/er$ Sub?olor +surfaced,

@

Submarine on surface# Escorts begin 9IAME.ER M2GEMEN.$ full s!eed# Allsurface essels o!en fire %heneer =2S !ermits# Nearest escort to sub thisturn begins RA9IA= M2GEMEN.$ orients on bo% of sub +not target he-,$ and%ill RAM if sub hasn't submerged by then#

Sub Mar/er$ Inerted ; ?ontact lost# Begin 9IAME.ER M2GEMEN.$ Search S!eed#

)5AME EN9# Begin !rolonged attac/ !rocedure# Escorts are selected for this inorder of G1 alue$ as !ermitted by Rule 8>#)#

.%o Mar/ers 9oubleA second sub is sighted# .he nearest escorts +half of them$ rounded do%n,!roceed according to a!!ro!riate mode#

.hree Mar/ers .ri!leA third sub is sighted# .he nearest escorts +half of each force detailed to theother t%o subs, !roceed according to the a!!ro!riate mode#

N2.ESonar search is al%ays conducted by essels at Search S!eed$ each turn# Radar search is al%ays

conducted by essels haing that ca!ability$ each turn#

3>#4#4 .he Escort Action .able is also consulted at the beginning of the game$ !rior to moement# Unless thescenario actually states that contact has been made$ or if the initial de!th of the submarine is 4@ feet or less$

the escorts %ill begin !lay in Mode #

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3>#4#8 As detailed in the Escort Action .able$ escorts moe in one of three general %ays

a, In formation# Escorts moe in unison %ith the merchantmen or ca!ital shi!s$ maintaining their conoy

stations# Escorts%ill match conoy moement e-actly# .hey brea/ formation only %hen the Escort Action .able so dictates#b, Radial Moement +see 3@#3,#c, 9iameter Moement +see 3;#3,#

3>#4#> 6hen escorts a!!ear in a scenario alone +%ith no merchantmen or ca!ital shi!s,$ they moe accordingto the Escort Action .able# 6hen in Mode $ they moe according to the &leet Moement .able +?hart 3>#8#,

as &ast ?onoy S!eed#.he die roll for moement is done !rior to each turn's moement$ and is !erformed for

the escorts in unison +i#e#$ one die roll only$ %ith results a!!lying to all shi!s,#

3>#8 Merchant Moement

3>#8# Merchantmen +cargo and tan/er essels, moe according to the &leet Moement .able# 2ne die is rolledat the start of each ?onoy Moement 1hase and is !erformed regardless of the tactical situation#.his same dieroll %ill also a!!ly to escorts moing in formation +Mode on the Escort Action .able,$ but a!!lies to

merchantmen eery turn regardless of %hat he escorts do#

%LEET MO/EMENT TABLE

.his table is rolled u!on at the start of each ?onoy Moement 1hase and a!!lies

to all merchantmen$ ?a!ital shi!s$ and escorts moing in formation#

,on+o Tpe Die Roll

1 2 *

Slo% ?onoy +S!eed , = R = R

Slo% ?onoy +S!eed 4,J =4 R4 4 4 4= 4R

&ast ?onoy +S!eed 4, =4 R4 4 4 4= 4R

&ast ?onoy +S!eed 8,J =8 R8 8 8 8= 8R Emergency S!eed +S!eed M, =M RM M M M= MR

JAdanced 5ame

3>#8#4 Merchantmen moe and turn in unison# .hey maintain their relatie !ositions in formation unless sun/

or dead in the %ater#

3>#8#8 Merchantmen %ill notcollide %ith shi!s dead in the %ater# If an indiidual shi! is to !erform amoement directed by the &leet Moement .able that %ill result in collision$ the moing essel sto!s themoment it comes %ithin three he-es +inclusie, of a sto!!ed shi! +i#e#$ a t%o"he- ga!, and the shi!'s bo% is!ointed at the sto!!ed shi!# .he moing merchantmen halts moement at that !oint and remains sto!!ed untilthe &leet Moement .able dictates a moement that %on't bring the bo% closer to the sto!!ed shi!# Shi!s

sto!!ed by this rule %ill continue to ma/e all turns dictated by the &leet Moement .able +i#e#$ the bo% %ill face

the same direction as the remainder of the conoy#,

3>#> ?a!ital Shi! Moement

3>#># ?a!ital shi!s also moe according to the &leet Moement .able# Moement is made in unison %ith the

entire conoy$ as directed by the table#

3>#>#4 2nce tor!edoes hae been fired$ and as long as ?a!ital shi!s are not in conoy %ith merchantmen$?a!ital shi!s moe according to the Emergency column on the &leet Moement .able# 6hen moing inEmergency mode$ %hich begins the turn after tor!edoes are fired$ ?a!ital shi!s increase their s!eed by one he-

each turnuntil the ma-imum s!eed of that shi! is reached# .hat s!eed %ill continue in effect until the end of

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the scenario# 2ne die roll for the &leet Moement .able is made each turn$ and the results follo%ed in the

a!!ro!riate column$ for all ?a!ital shi!s#

3>#>#8 If ca!ital shi!s moe off the board in Emergency mode$ they may not return to !lay#

3>#>#> Sine ?a!ital shi! counters hae no I9 numbers$ the shi!'s !osition in a conoy is to be determined by%riting the shi!'s name across the s!aces in the conoy section of the =og normally used for merchantmen#+E-am!le if the Enter!riseis in Ro% $ ?olumn $ the %ord 7Enter!rise7 is %ritten across the fie bo-es in the

corres!onding location on the ?onoyEscort =og#, ?a!ital shi!s %ill continueto be sho%n in the escort grou!section in the =og< the name in the conoy section merely identifies %hich counter is %hich# Since ca!ital shi!sare set u! in conoy formation in solitaire !lay$ and since they may not deiate from it unless sun/ or dead in

the %ater$ this rule is necessary to distinguish ?a!ital shi!s des!ite their lac/ of I9 numbers#

3>#>#@ ?a!ital shi!s !erform easie action as described in 3>#8#8$ and %ill not collide %ith other surface shi!s

in any circumstance#

10.0 Raial Mo+e&ent

3@# Radial moementis the term a!!lied to the !rocedure used to moe escorts to%ard a submarine contact#

Radial moement also describes the !rocedure for escort attac/s under solitaire conditions#

3@## Radial moement !rocedures are automatic< and are instigated as dictated by the Escort Action .able#

.hese actions are mandatory in solitaire !lay#

3@##4 .he 7radials7 used for this moement are the si- straight"line he-es e-tending from each of the si- he-"

sides# .hese radials e-tend from a gien target he- in all directions to%ards the board"edges#

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3@##8 A 7target he-7 is one of t%o locations indicating a !oint of aim for the escort""either one he- ahead ofthe bo% of a submarine mar/er$ orthe !oint of launch of tor!edoes +he- 7B7 on the Submarine =og sheet in all

cases,# .he submarine mar/ers described in Rule 3>##8 are used to indicate the target he-#

3@##> A radial ectoris the route to be follo%ed to enter a radial< the ector %ill bring the escort onto the !ath%ith only one turn necessary to follo% the radial to the target he- +see illustration,# Gectors are ;3 degrees off

the radial itself#

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3@##@ An assault zoneis the area centered on the target he- and e-tending t%o he-es in all directions +see

illustration,#

Assault Kones"" !riority target is mar/ed %ith crosshairs#2ther he-es are ran/ed in order of im!ortance#

.his chart is a good re!resentation of %here to dro! de!th charges %hile !laying solitaire or against real

o!!onents#

3@#4 A 76illiamson turn7 is a moement %hich %ill bring an escort around *3 degrees +the o!!osite facing,

and bac/ into the same ro% of he-es in %hich it began the maneuer +see illustration,#

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3@#8 Moement 1erformance

3@#8# Radial moement begins %hen directed by the Escort Action .able# .his determination is made at the

end of each turn#

3@#8#4 Radial moement !roceeds as follo%s

a, Each escort turns +in the general direction of the target he-, till it is on a ector to the nearestradial# Escorts

then moe along theector in a straight line until the radial is reached# .he escorts' turns and moement must com!ly %ith

SUBMARINErules +i#e# oneturn !er he-,#

b, .he escort$ on reaching the radial or if already on it$ heads directly to%ard the target he-# +If the !ro!er

ector has been follo%ed$only one ;3"degree change of facing %ill be necessary#,

c, .he escort !roceeds in a straight line to the assault zone$ aiming at the target he-#

3@#8#8 If the escort is already on a radial$ but cannot ma/e a legal turn onto the course to the target he- +i#e#$

facing a%ay from the target he-,$ the escort !erforms a 6illiamson turn on its initial course for the turn and

!roceeds thus until it is on the radial and on course for the target he-#

3@#8#> 6hen the target he- changes due to ne% sightings$ each escort %ill correct its moement by the same

method as described aboe +i#e#$ follo%ing a ne% ector and radial#,

3@#8#@ 6hen !erforming radial moement$ escorts s!eed u! to ma-imum s!eed +in the !rogression describedby Rules *#4# and 8#, unless the Escort Action .able states other%ise# Search S!eed$ %hen mentioned on

that table$ is al%ays threehe-es !er turn#

3@#> Escort Attac/

3@#># Escorts Attac/ automatically %hen they reach the assault zone$ as long as radial moement is in effect#All %ea!ons able to reach the assault zone +A.6$ de!th charges$ C"guns, do so$ u! to their ma-imum and in asmany he-es of the assault zone that can be reached# .his is done regardless of the escort's s!eed# Rememberthat the assault zone is the target he- and all he-es in a t%o"he- radius "" effectiely$ the range of moement of

a submerged submarine#

3@#>#4 An escort may$ in solitaire !lay$ steam across he-es undergoing Hedgehog attac/# Noescort may steam

across a he- undergoing de!th charge or C"gun attac/#

3@#>#8 A.6 does not ta/e effect immediately in solitaire !lay# A.6 attac/s are resoled along %ith the de!th

charges in the Anti"Submarine Attac/ Resolution 1hase#

3@#>#> 1riority of Attac/s 6here range and escort characteristics !ermit +see 3@#>#;,$ assault zone he-es are

to be attac/ed in the follo%ing !riority$ %ith at least one A.6$ de!th charge or C"gun each

a, the target he-

b, the he-es ad0acent to the target he-$ starting %ith the he- ahead of the target he- +i#e#$ t%o he-es ahead of

the sub mar/er's bo%,$then the t%o he-es ad0acent to that he- and the target he-# =ast in !riority of the inner circle of the assault

zone is the bo% he-of the sub mar/er +i#e#$ the he- behind the target he-#,

c, the he-es at a distance of t%o from the target he-$ starting %ith the he- directly in front of the sub mar/er$

then !roceeding aroundthe circle of he-es eenly in both directions from front to rear#

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3@#>#@ 2rder of Attac/s .he nearest escort to the target he- +distance counted from the escort's bo%, moesfirst in the Escort Moement 1hase# .he other escorts moe in order of !ro-imity# 6here t%o escorts are eFually

near$ the escort %hose bo% !oints the closest to the target he- moes first#

3@#>#; .he Attac/ each escort moes on a straight line through the assault zone$ firing all !ossible A.6$ C"guns and de!th charges in such a manner as to !ut at least one such %ea!on in all reachable assault zonehe-es# 6hen sufficient he-es cannot be reached to allo% one"attac/"!er"he-$ %ea!ons %ill be fired as eenly as

!ossible +e#g#$ %hen si- de!th charges can only reach three assault zone he-es$ the escort dro!s t%o in each of

the aailable he-es,# In all cases$ the escort %ill adhere as closely as !ossible to the !riorities of Rule 3@#>#8#

3@#>#) All moement and attac/ by escorts is final< no die rolls may be made again nor moement retraced#

3@#>#* Escorts may not moe through he-es containing !reiously"moed escorts or de!th charges dro!!ed bysame# Escorts may deiate from Rule 3@#>#; but %ill$ in all casesmoe !arallel to its radial and as close to the

target he- as !ossible#

3@#>#( Escorts moe through the assault zone and leae it on the same course they entered it# 6hen the sternof the escort is outside the assault zone$ the escort e-ecutes a 6illiamson turn and launches a ne% attac/#

Escorts %ill attac/ re!eatedly$ so long as Radial moement is in effect#

3@#>#3 If an escort cannot reach enough assault zone he-es to s!read its attac/s eenly$ +es!ecially if C"gunsare inoled, and no acant assault zone he-es can be reached$ C"guns and A.6 may be fired into he-es

already containing other attac/ mar/ers#

3@#># Escorts may only attac/ assault zone he-es$ only %hen Radial moement is under%ay$ and mustfire all%ea!ons able to reach the assault zone +see Escort Action .able for surface gunfire$ %hich is not used in Radialmoement and not defined herein as 7%ea!onry7,# Escorts may not be moed so as to collide %ith other escorts$

or in iolation of Rule 3@#>#*# Escorts may not fire A.6 into he-es occu!ied by other surface essels#

3@#>#4 Attac/s are resoled as !rescribed by the SUBMARINErules$ e-ce!t that the Submarine 9e!th ?ombat.able is rolled firstfor all de!th charge and C"gun attac/s +including SFuid,# .his re!resents the enemy's guess

as to your de!th#

SUBMARINE DEPT3 ,OMBAT TABLE.his table is rolled on for each de!th charge or sFuidattac/ launched# .his must be done !rior to resolutionof attac/ and re!laces the announcing of de!th by

Escort 1layer# Attac/s are then resoled normally$ orare not rolled for in the eent of a 7Miss7 at all#

Dice Roll Dept# ,#a!"e Detonation

@>";; Same de!th as submarine

>"@8 6ithin 4@ feet of submarine

4>"8; 6ithin @3 feet of submarine

"48 Miss# No attac/#

10.0 Dia&ete! Mo+e&ent

3;# 9iameter moementis a maneuer used %hen escorts moe around a target he- rather than to%ards it#.his is used es!ecially %hen firing on a surfaced submarine and$ in any eent$ is im!lemented by the Escort

Action .able#

3;## A 7diameter7$ for the !ur!oses of this game$ is a circle of he-es that is an eFual distance at all !oints

from the target he-# A diameter of si-$ for e-am!le$ is that circle of he-es that is si- he-es from the target he-

in all directions +the circle forming a large he-agon,#

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3;##4 9iameter moement is e-ecuted by follo%ing the diameter and neer haing the bo% he- leaing the!ath +the bo% he- must al%ays remain at the same distance as dictated,# .his means a ;3"degree turn at each

radial +as a glance at the illustration %ill sho%,#

3;#4 Moement 1rocedure

3;#4# 9iameter moement is directed by the Escort Action .able$ and continues as long as the .able directs#

3;#4#4 Escorts follo%$ in order$ their res!ectie ectors andor radials to%ard the target he- as in Radialmoement +Rule 3@#8#4,# Ho%eer$ u!on reaching the assigned diameter distance$ each escort %ill turn and

follo% the diameter he-es in a counter"cloc/%isedirection#

3;#4#8 In the diameter !attern$ all essels moe at either Search S!eed or$ %hen the Escort Action .able is

calling for 7&ull S!eed$7 at the ma-imum s!eed of the slo%estshi! in the diameter#

3;#4#> .he diameter to be follo%ed is a distance of 4 he-es from the target he-# If a essel commences

9iameter moement already %ithin that distance$ it moes to and follo%s a diameter of si- he-es#

10'.0 Ni"#t Illu&ination

3)# Section 3)#3 a!!lies %heneer Section 4@#3 of the original SUBMARINErules is to be follo%ed$ and only

in night scenarios#

3)## Starshells are fired %heneer tor!edoes or a submarine is detected# .his is automatic and is s!elled out

in detail on the Escort Action .able#

3)##4 Starshells are fired by the escort furthestfrom the target he-#

3)##8 Starshells are fired in the target he- and three he-es ahead of it +in the direction of the sub mar/er ortor!edo,# =ine of sight considerations do not a!!ly %hen firing starshells< they may be fired oer one or more

surface shi!s#

3)#4 .an/ers and ?argo Shi!s

3)#4# Gisibility of submarines at night is described in Rule 3>##8#

3)#4#4 9aylight conditions !reail for a seen"he- radius around any tan/er tor!edoed on any !reious turn

+regardless of %hether still afloat,< cargo shi!s so illuminate an area only under the !roisions of 3>##8#

3)#4#8 9aylight isibility !reails %ithin 43 he-es of any tan/er tor!edoed %hile containing aiation fuel# .heseconditions %ill !reail until the turn after the shi! sin/s$ ending %ith the Star Shell 1hase# Mar/ the location until

then %ith a starshell counter in both he-es of the tan/er#

10(.0 E+asi+e Action an Sea!c#es

3*# Shi!s

3*## Escorts may not moe into any he- that a merchantmen might enter on its moe that turn$ asdetermined by the &leet Moement .able# In this case$ Escorts may deiate from radials and ectors but must

!arallel them as close as !ossible#

3*##4 Escorts may not moe into any he- that a merchantmen's stern might !iot into""that is to say$ the he-

on either side of the shi! ad0oining both bo% and stern#

3*##8 Escorts may not moe into any he- that a ?a!ital shi! might enter on its moe that turn$ as indicated by

the &leet Moement table$ nor any he- that a ?a!ital shi!'s stern might !iot into +as in Rule 3*##4,#

3*##> ?a!ital shi!s and merchantmen moe in unison in the solitaire game$ so no collision is !ossible#

Aoidance of essels dead in the %ater is discussed in Rules 3>#8#4 and 3>#8#8#

3*##@ Surfaced submarines may be rammed by merchantmen and ?a!ital shi!s if the &leet Moement .ableha!!ens to dictate such# Ramming of surfaced subs by escorts is not only !ossible$ but mandatory under the

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Escort Action .able# Ho%eer$ only one escort may ram an indiidual submarine#

3*#4 .or!edoes

3*#4# No escort may intentionally steam oer a tor!edo$ nor end its moe directly ahead of one$ %hen!erforming Radial or 9iameter moement# EScorts %ill instead aoid such an eent by leaing its ector$ radialor diameter and !aralleling its former !ath as close as !ossible$ or by slo%ing to the !oint that it %ill not be in

the !ath#

3*#4#4 ?a!ital shi!s and merchantmen moe according to the &leet Moement .able regardless of %here

tor!edoes may be# .he first firing of tor!edoes in a scenario %ill trigger Emergencymoement for ?a!ital shi!s