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Pz8 – 1939/41 Naval Wargame Rules

1. What You Need
1/2400, 1/3000, 1/4800, 1/6000 models or counters. A playing area divided into 8 zones, representing large sea areas. Each fleet can move only into the 4 zones of their side, i.e. ships can’t cross the central line. Suggested size for 1/3000’s is 100x70cm, divided into 8 zones 12,5 cm deep. You will also need one D6 die for each player; chits for T (turret) and H (hull) hits; black wool for Crippled ships; white cotton for smoke screens.

2. Sequence of play
Determine before each turn who is Side A and B, rolling one D6.

1. A moves
2. B fires
3. B moves
4. A fires
5. A and B repair damage

3. Movement
Ships can move one zone forward or backward. They can be freely placed within a zone, but they must clearly face the central line if moving forward; face their side of the table if moving backward; otherwise, stay parallel to the central line (“broadside”). Ships moving backward can place a smoke screen near them for that turn.

4. Fire
Tell the other player which ship fires and its target. Ships don’t block line of sight. Ships protected by a smoke screen can’t fire. Roll one D6 and look at the “to straddle” table.

5. Damage
If target is straddled, firer rolls D6 + Attack factor, target rolls D6 + Defence factor. If firer scores more, the difference is the nr. of damage inflicted (max 3 damages).

Roll a D6 for each hit to determine the damage:

In case of Critical damage, roll again:

D3 T and D3 H mean, that you roll a D6 and halve the result (rounded up) = nr. of T or H damages. When H damages are = to ½ Defence factor (rounded up), the ship can’t move from one zone to the other, until it repairs. It can still manouvre into broadside position.

When H damages are = to Defence factor, ship is Crippled. Can’t move, fire or be repaired. If it takes another one or more H damages, it sinks. When T damages are equal to = Attack factor, subsequent T damages are counted as H.

6. Repair
At the end of each turn, damaged ships roll one D6. With a result of 5,6 they repair one T or H damage (not both).

7. Ship Factors
Defence factor is calculated adding +1 for each 10.000 t (rounded up or down). Add a further +1 if max. armour > 350mm. To calculate the Attack factor, take the main battery caliber of the ship:

8. Air Raids
Aircraft carriers are supposed to be out of table (you can display the models if you want). They can have one air raid for every 10 airplanes. Air raids are launched during the fire phase (max 2 each turn). For each raid, place a counter or a small model near the target. Roll a D6: 1-3 = nr of damages, 4-6 = no effect. Torpedoes inflict H damages, Bombs inflict T damages. Land based planes follow same rules, but enter the table only with a D6 = 5,6.

9. Sample Ships and Scenarios

Denmark Strait – 1941 Cape Spartivento – 1940 Cape Matapan – 1941 Roll 2D6 = nr. of Daylight turns. Subsequent turns = Night. British ships have Radar.

10. Solo Rules
Take your fleet, the other is the Not Playing Opponent (NPO). At the start of each turn roll 1D6 for you and 1 D6 for the NPO, the higher is player A, as for normal rules. When the NPO moves, roll 1 D6:

Game ends when the NPO withdraws out table, or you have enough!

11. Acknowledgment
These ultra-simple wargaming rules are designed for encounters between Battleships and Heavy Cruisers, in the early years of WW2. Use them for a quick game, or a campaign, on a small table. The concept of “range bands” derives from Salvo! by Minden Games.

6 March 2010, Pz8