Has anyone here tried the mini rules Shipwreck. They are a "highly" abstracted set of modern naval rules.

Haven't heard of them, do tell please

I've heard the name, but have never tried them.

They can be found at www.strangecargogames.com. I picked them up the other day, read through them. They have a fairly responsive yahoo group. it is a D10 based rules set. Like I mentioned it is highly abstracted, but seems to be quite fun when you want to set up and play a scenario in a relative short period of time.

 

I'll let you know how it plays once I get a chance to give them a run through.

OK, here is a recap of the first small scenario that I ran through using the rule set named “Shipwreck”. For a description of these rules, see the strangecargogames website. The distances given are all the outermost limit of each respective “range band”

 

The situation has a radiating, pre-VLS, Ticonderoga Class CG being passively detected by a Tu-95 Bear at a range of approximately 150nm (very long range band). At this range, the Tico cannot detect the Bear.

 

The Bear reports the detection and a request for air support is made (rolled for). Two AS-20 Kayak equipped Tu-22M Backfires are tasked to attack the CG.

 

When the Backfires are approximately 85nm out (long range band), they are flying at Low Altitude and begin radiating to get a lock on the target. While the Backfires successfully detect the cruiser, two blips also appear on the radar scope within the CG’s CIC.

 

Combat Turns are declared and the Backfires unleash their barrage of twelve AS-20 Kayak anti-ship missiles. The CG detects 11 of the vampires, but cannot intercept at this range with their SM2MR SAMs.

 

While the Backfires break off to return to base, the missiles move to about 25nm (medium range band). The CG detects the twelfth vampire, and launches one SM2MR from both the forward and aft launchers – downing two of the vampires.

 

The ten vampires are now approximately 12nm (short range band) from the CG. Two more SM2MR’s are launched and down to more vampires. The CG fires off a chaff cloud and causes one vampire to crash into the sea while seducing a second missile off target.

 

Six vampires now drop to a sea skimming altitude, and are now in the Very Short Range Band 0-4nm. The forward Mk45 5” gun fires and misses. The aft Mk45 5” gun fires and destroys one vampire. The Mk15 Phalanx fires and misses its mark. Since the missile launchers fired in the previous range band, there is not enough time for them to fire again. The CG attempts one final defensive maneuver by firing off one last chaff cloud, again causing one to crash into the sea, and seducing another off target. In the end, three AS-20’s reach the CG.

 

The AS-20 is rated a “heavy missile”. The CG displaces 9,470 tons. These attributes are cross referenced on the “ship damage chart” and rolls are made for each missile strike. Extremely favorable D10 rolls of 8,9,9 are made and three “light” damage results ensue. The third “light” is bumped up to “heavy” damage.

 

Specific damage rolls result in both SM2MR launchers and the P/S Quad Harpoon Launchers are permanently damaged. General damage is that the ship glides to a sizzling, smoking halt. All of its sensors are non-operational, but may possibly be repaired. It cannot attack targets beyond short range. And finally, aircraft cannot be launched or recovered.

 

On the subsequent maneuver turn, a D10 result of 3 in the damage repair phase provided weapons and sensor reactivation, and the ability to gain ½ speed. The CG limps away toward safer waters.

 

All in all, this was an enjoyable, straight forward exercise taking between 1-1.5 hours, from start to finish.