Sealed mission orders

['Warspite']

In line with my earlier posting about the old UK naval/air game 'Seastrike' and its use of mission scenarios and budgets I have so far come up with some missions.

Rules:
Obtain some identical small envelopes and place one mission written on a folded piece of paper in each. The envelopes are shuffled and each side then choses one envelope. This is his/her sealed orders and cannot be exchanged for another.
Conceal the nature of your orders unless instructed. Conceal your vessel/aircraft choices until you lay out.
You may choose to conceal land-based aircraft in a box until these are deployed on table.
You MUST reveal your orders and all vessel/aircraft choices when you claim the mission. You must also reveal your budget 'shopping list' for post-game scrutiny. If you excede this budget you forfeit the game.

Each mission is unique but to create some extra interest a few could be duplicated.
For example as many as three 'Sea superiority', two coastal bombardment, two night action and two claim moral victory scenarios could be included in the overall selection.


MISSIONS FOR WAR AT SEA:

1) Sea superiority
Budget 125 points.
Free choice of any ships, subs or aircraft up to this total.
Mission: Destroy all enemy ships and submarines on the table. Leave nothing afloat. Mission is only achieved when the last vessel is sunk. Claim mission at that point.

2) Convoy escort
Tell the enemy this is a convoy escort game when you deploy on table.
Budget 100 points + 4 uncosted merchant ships [or counters] of any type.
Free choice of any ships, subs or aircraft up to this total.
Mission. A convoy must be moved from one side to the other side of your half of the board. This convoy must survive for SIX moves and at least two of the merchant ships must still be afloat on the start of move seven to claim the mission. Lose three before then and the mission is lost and the other side wins. Claim mission at start of move seven if you still have two merchant ships afloat.

3) Subs and aircraft
Budget 80 points.
Free choice of submarines and land-based aircraft only.
Place two islands at least three squares inside enemy half. These mean nothing but will confuse him. [see 7, 11 &12]
Your submarines may start up to 5 squares from your base edge. 10 squares if the other side has drawn 'Convoy escort' or 'Night action'.
Kill two largest ships in other fleet to claim mission OR if other side are playing convoy escort prevent other side's mission success to claim your mission.

4) Holding action
Budget 90 points.
Free choice of any ships, subs or aircraft up to this total.
Place two islands at least three squares inside enemy half. These mean nothing but will confuse him. [see 7, 11 &12]
This is a minor front for you. Tie down the enemy forces here for eight moves and you will win in another theatre. If any of your surface vessels or submarines survive on move nine reveal and claim this mission.
If other side is playing 'convoy escort' start your submarines up to 10 squares from your base edge, other ships up to 5 squares.

5) Claim moral victory
Budget 80 points.
Free choice of any ships, subs or aircraft up to this total.
Place two islands at least three squares inside enemy half. These mean nothing but will confuse him. [see 7, 11 &12]
Sink two ships of destroyer size or larger and immediately claim mission. You need only a moral victory to convince world opinion of the plucky nature of your resistance to the enemy. If other side is playing 'convoy escort' start your submarines up to 10 squares from your base edge, other ships up to 5 squares.

6) Night action
Budget 60 points.
You are limited to MTBs, PTs, DEs, Destroyers and Cruisers. Graf Spee is not a cruiser.
All enemy aircraft on land or sea are grounded and are out of the game. Enemy submarines may move two squares a move on surface until they come within visibilty range when they dive and revert to one square per move until out of visibilty range again.
Visibility is 0 to three squares only. No ships may fire further than that. Rolls of '4' do not hit in square three.
Your forces in this theatre lack air cover and you are too weak to fight in daylight. Your mission is to sink three enemy ships and immediately claim victory before daybreak. Dawn rises at the start of the tenth move. If mission not achieved by end of move nine you automatically lose.
If other side is playing 'convoy escort' start your vessels 8 squares from your base edge.

7) Coastal bombardment.
Budget 90 points.
You must choose at least two cruisers or larger. Free choice in other areas.
Place two islands at least three squares inside the other player's half. Either one of these is your target.
Your mission is to assist your land forces fighting on these islands. To win you must get your two cruisers into range. Both must bombard one island for one move to claim victory. If one cruiser is sunk, the other must bombard for two moves to claim victory. Claim mission at end of the applicable firing phase.

8) Destroy enemy submarines
Budget 80 points.
Free choice of any ships, subs or aircraft up to this total.
Place two islands at least three squares inside enemy half. These mean nothing but will confuse him. [see 7, 11 &12]
You have the same budget at 5) ['Claim moral victory'] but your mission is now to sink every enemy submarine on the table and claim that you have 'cleared the sea lanes for the merchant ships of the free world'.
You claim the mission the moment the last submarine is sunk. Ignore surface vessels and aircraft.
*******
If other side has no submarines this mission reverts to 5): Claim moral victory. Sink two ships of destroyer size or larger and immediately claim mission. You only need a moral victory to convince world opinion of the plucky nature of your resistance to the enemy. If other side is playing 'convoy escort' start your submarines up to 10 squares from your base edge, other ships up to 5 squares.

9) Write down enemy air assets
Tell the enemy this is 'Convoy escort' when you deploy on table but conceal true nature until mission is achieved. Reveal mission orders then.
Budget 100 points + 4 uncosted merchant ships.
Free choice of any ships, subs or aircraft up to this total.
This appears the same as mission 2) [Convoy escort] but your mission is really to draw out and destroy all enemy bombers, torpedo bombers, dive bombers and patrol bombers. Maximise your anti-air assets to assist this end. Enemy fighters do not count towards mission success. Your merchant ships are sailing in ballast and are just bait for your cunning trap. The real convoy sails tomorrow and you want that to pass through this area unmolested from the air.
Your mission is to clear the skies of enemy anti-shipping aircraft. The moment his last applicable aircraft is shot down claim this mission. Disregard remaining enemy fighters.
Move the merchant ships from one side of your table half to the other and appear to be taking great care about their protection from loss. Well, you would, wouldn't you?
If other side draws 'Night action' he has no aircraft. Your mission is then to survive his night attack and frustrate him from achieving his mission. When his mission fails you win.
If other side has no anti-shipping aircraft your mission is then to prevent his mission. When his mission fails you win.

10) Enemy unsure of your intentions
Budget 90 points.
Free choice of any ships, subs or aircraft up to this total.
Place two islands at least three squares inside enemy half of the table. These mean nothing but will confuse him. [see 7, 11 &12]
Enemy intelligence in this area is poor. You may exploit this by fielding at least two cruisers and appear to be attempting a coastal bombardment. In reality you are seeking a moral victory. Sink three vessels of destroyer size or larger and immediately claim the mission.

11) Commando raid
Budget 90 points.
Free choice of any ships, subs or aircraft.
Place two islands at least three squares inside enemy half. One of these is your target.
Nominate one named ship [in writing] to be carrying a commando landing team. This ship must be destroyer sized or larger. Your mission is to get this ship in contact with an island for one clear move during which that ship is not sunk. At end of that move declare mission objective and claim the win.

12) Spy or sabotage mission.
Budget 80 points.
Free choice of any ships, subs or aircraft.
Place two islands at least three squares inside enemy half. One of these is your target.
Nominate one named submarine [in writing] to be carrying a spy or saboteur. Your mission is to get this sub in contact with an island for one clear move during which that sub is not sunk. At end of that move declare mission objective and claim the win.

I recommend the 'official' rule tweaks on subs and fighters [see thread].
If you are playing US versus Japanese I also recommend that the Japanese player receives a 10% bonus. So a Japanese player with an 80 point budget actually receives 88pts, etc.

These are just a rough draft and are thrown up for player comments.

Nothing is set in stone.

[RoyalSovereign]

Interesting series of missions to select from. I like them.

[Jameson]

Very nice Warspite! I will try these out soon with the girlfriend and get back to you.

[SSGShadow]

Sweet...very interesting and some added fun to the game! One question, on #10, after your 90 point build you indicate "You may exploit this by fielding at least two cruisers and appear to be attempting a coastal bombardment." Does this mean you get an additional 2 cruisers?

Thanks

[RoyalSovereign]

If I understand it correctly...No.

It appears that you must have 2 or more cruisers in your build.

Friendly Regards,
Michael Taylor

Originally Posted by SSGShadow

Sweet...very interesting and some added fun to the game! One question, on #10, after your 90 point build you indicate "You may exploit this by fielding at least two cruisers and appear to be attempting a coastal bombardment." Does this mean you get an additional 2 cruisers?

Thanks

[uberdag]

That is How to do quick scenerio games!!!!

I will be trying this out this weekend....

How do you handle it though if you take a heavy air build and your opponant get night fight

[Torps]

Outstanding mission generator!
I'll try it out and let you know how our local players like it.

[aquarius]

Great Scenarios!!!
Claim moral victory seems a bit easy, though. Just 2 ships?!?!? (Do subs count as "counting ships"?)

[DCal12]

I'll be trying it out dude. Looks very interesting.

["Sink the Bismark"]

Looks fun, I will try it out
Heres another scenario idea-

Hunt the capital ships-

Budget 80 points.
You are allowed ships up to this total, no planes or subs
Mission is to destroy any enemy ships with a flagship bonus. If he has no ship with a flagship bonus you must sink his 3 ships that have the highest cost. If his capital ships survive for 6 turns it is considered that they have escaped and your opponent automatically wins. This rule does not apply if you are only trying to sink his 3 highest costing ships.