Notes on naval element profiles

Currently I don't really have any specified rules for naval elements, so I am pondering on how to make these. In my test games, I've used ships as static features, more akin to terrain with hard-points acting like individual static elements with the bridge acting as a command element (though without any movement orders to the hard points there really isn't much call for a command element if the vessel isn't moving).

There is a lot of scope for games with naval elements, especially with aircraft, and I have built multiple smaller naval elements, and two semi-large models; a mine layer and a destroyer (see here). These are all built of book binders card and are designed to disposable (and eco-friendly) once they have served their purpose because I really don't have the storage space for a 1/150 scale fleet of ships. Originally these models were all built for a game that was going to be played at Christmas 2018, but that game never happened, so I'm thinking perhaps, we'll get around to playing it at Christmas this year? One can hope.

My smaller naval models could probably be reused in later games, and they don't take up as much storage space. Also, they don't take up as much space on a table top (or floor) and I need to work out some kind of rules to allow them to move and fight. It would be nice to have a game with enough space to allow the bigger models to move too, but thats not looking to likely any time soon.

As much as possible, I'd like naval element profiles to resemble vehicle, infantry and aircraft profiles, but there are some obvious differences that have to be addressed. Even a small naval element is considerably bigger and more complex than a tank or a fighter plane. Due to it's size, a naval element may not carry any armour at all and yet it may still be able to take a great deal of punishment from the sorts of weaponry involved in a skirmish battle. You can probably shoot a machinegun at a corvette all day long and do very little actual damage to the vessel's integrity.

Below are my two current examples, of a smaller vessel and a large vessel.  

Stealth and Perception remain much the same. I'd say its impossible to stealth any kind of a ship that uses a steam engine to move, and I'm pretty sure that perception would be good given how often naval elements rely on observors.  

Shot At deals with the bridge structure and doubling this will not defeat the ship, but will defeat the ship's command and communications. To sink the ship one must use an appropriate weapon (heavy gun, torpedo, mine, etc) and roll against the Hull modifier. See also Notes on torpedo attack rules.

Individual hard points on a ship have their own armour modifier, expressed along side the hard point's location in the weapon's description. So any aircraft or smaller vessel targetting an individual hard point - with an appropriate weapon - rolls against that hard point's individual armour modifier.

If a moving naval element loses its command and communications then its crew can probably still stop the ship or avoid collisions. Most dedicated war ships are generally built to accomidate damage and ship steering mechanisms are often controlled from within the hull. Smaller vessels, like fast patrol, and MTBs may not have this option and this should preferably be specified in the naval element profile. (I may have to break down naval into sub catagories of figure for this purpose).

ABC remains much the same as with other elements.

Hull is the ship's integrity, and it remains to be worked out as to what sor tof numbers this will involve. Currently, I have worked with +6 for an unarmoured mine layer's hull.

Good, Rough and Difficult all deal with the state of the sea, with Good being calm seas, Rough being regular waves etc, and Difficult being stormy weather.

RIVER PATROL BOAT SAN MIRANDA

Top speed: 12 knots (22.2 kmh). Range: 800km. Crew: 16. Length: 26,4m. Beam: 6.4m. Disp: 120t. Powerplant: 900hp. Steam. Armour: n/a. Radar: n/a. Sonar: n/a. Entered service: 1919. Venezuela.
STEALTH	PERC’	SHOT AT	PHYSICAL	ABC	HULL	GOOD	ROUGH	DIFF’
-2	0	5
40mm Bofors gun (forward deck +3) 144 LOS. Single target. +7. (AP -3) No ammunition restrictions
.50 Vickers machine gun (rear deck +3) 48 LOS. Multiple targets. +8. (AP -1). No Ammunition restrictions.
Naval (O)

FLOWER CLASS CORVETTE

Top speed: 16 knots (29.6 km/h). Range: 6,482 km. Complement: 85 . Length: 62.5m. Beam: 10m. Disp:940t. Powerplant: 2,750 ihp. double acting triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine.  Armour: 0. Radar: SW1C radar. Sonar: Type 123A sonar. Entered service: 1939. UK
STEALTH	PERC’	SHOT AT	PHYSICAL	ABC	HULL	GOOD	ROUGH	DIFF’
-2	+2				+6
4 inch BL Mk.IX gun (forward turret +6)
.50 Vickers machine gun (Bridge, right +4) 48 LOS. Multiple targets. +8. (AP -1). No Ammunition restrictions.
.50 Vickers machine gun (Bridge, left +4) 48 LOS. Multiple targets. +8. (AP -1). No Ammunition restrictions.
40mm Bofors gun (rear turret +4) 144 LOS. Single target. +7. (AP -3) No ammunition restrictions
.303 inch Lewis twin MG (rear, right +4) 36 LOS. Multiple targets. +7+1. No Ammunition restrictions.
.303 inch Lewis twin MG (rear, left +4) 36 LOS. Multiple targets. +7+1. No Ammunition restrictions.
Mk.II depth charge throwers (rear flank, right +4)
Mk.II depth charge throwers (rear flank, left +4)
Depth charge rails with 40 depth charges (rear, right +4)
Depth charge rails with 40 depth charges (rear, left +4)
Naval (O)