Vorstoß der Wölfe - An Idea

[derstosstrupp]

Here’s an idea for a game system using Wolfpack I call “Vorstoß der Wölfe” (Advance of the Wolves). Americans will recognize the rule mechanics as being very similar to a popular pastime.

Please let me know thoughts on this, if this seems interesting, perhaps I could set up a thread on here and test this out with interested crews.

Background:
FKpt Vosen and FKpt Gempeler are Crewkameraden, members of the same graduating class, who have always competed with each other since their academy days at Mürwik. Now, as Flotillenchefs, they are competing for their boss Dönitz’s favor and for the chance of being mentioned in the Wehrmachtsbericht.

How It Works:
Each flotilla has at least 4 crews. They run Wolfpack missions, one boat at a time, trying to advance their boats in the tonnage war against England. This “advancing” is abstracted by moving boats through 4 generic “areas” based on the results of each “current boat” (the boat currently running a mission). Each boat to make it through all areas scores a “breakthrough” for its flotilla. Only one boat may occupy an area at a time, so a boat moving into an area already containing a boat will “push” (advance) that boat forward.

Phases:
Play moves in phases. A phase ends once both flotillas receive three setbacks apiece. At the end of the phase, each flotilla tallies up the “breakthroughs” it scored (in other words how many boats it advanced completely through the areas) and determines average torpedoes fired per mission for the phase. The number of phases to be played will be determined at the start of the competition.

Advances (must be undetected):
The boat whose turn it is (the “current boat”) will reach the following areas and advance other boats of its flotilla based on the results of its given mission as follows:

Reach Area 1 = tonnage goal

Reach Area 1, all boats in play advance 2 areas = tonnage goal + 10,000 tons

Reach Area 2 = tonnage goal + 20,000 tons

Reach Area 2, all boats in play advance 3 areas = tonnage goal + 30,000 tons

Reach Area 3 = tonnage goal + 40,000 tons

Reach Area 4 (i.e. current boat scores for itself and all area boats) = tonnage goal + 40,000 tons + 1 warship

Wolfpacks:
If boats are already in areas, the current boat can choose to play multi-boat with those boats to try for a better result. Not all boats in areas must participate. The current boat treats the combined tonnage of the pack as his tonnage for his mission. Setback and bloodletting rules apply. Max times apply. Each participant must sink a ship, otherwise the mission is scored as if single-boat using the current boat’s results only.

Setbacks:
The following events cause “setbacks”. Boats to which setbacks apply are removed from play until it is their turn to be the current boat again. If a flotilla gets 3 setbacks, the current phase ends for that flotilla.

Current boat….
1. Got detected (boat in play with lowest tonnage this phase gets a setback, in-area boats advance based on how current boat did)

2. Met 50% or less of tonnage goal (current boat gets setback, no in-play boats advance)

3. Met 51-74% of tonnage goal (in-play boat in furthest area gets setback, current boat advances to Area 1)

4. Met 75-99% of tonnage goal (current boat gets setback, in-play boats advance 1 area)

5. Ran over max time (current boat gets setback, if tonnage goal met and undetected then in-play boats advance 1 area)

Bloodletting:
Any tonnage scored in a mission where the current boat itself gets a setback is not wasted. It’s tracked as “bloodletting tonnage” and the boat can use it to advance to Area 1 the next time it is the current boat and the tonnage goal is less than its accumulated “bloodletting” tonnage. For example, a boat scored 34,000 tons but got a setback because it got detected and it happened to have the lowest phase tonnage of the boats in play (in areas). When it becomes the current boat again it happens to generate a medium engagement with a 30,000 ton goal. It may advance to Area 1. Its accumulated tonnage goes to 4,000. This accumulated “bloodletting” tonnage carries over between phases.

Sneaks:
After both flotillas have finished (received 3 setbacks apiece) and the phase is over, each flotilla’s average torpedoes fired per mission is determined. The flotilla with the lower average goes into the next phase with 1 sneak opportunity. If a flotilla’s average is twice as low, it has 2 sneak opportunities and so forth. To use an opportunity, the boat in play intending to sneak must have the next area free (no boat there) and declares it is sneaking there at any time. It is obviously a collective decision by the team when, strategically, to sneak.

Multiple Setbacks:
1. A boat getting sunk causes a setback to occur for each boat currently in an area (up to 3 setbacks).

2. A boat ending the mission early when tonnage requirement not yet met causes a setback to occur for each boat currently in an area (up to 3 setbacks).

3. Any possible combination of 2 in the Setbacks section results in 2 setbacks occurring. If no other boats are in areas, only 1 setback occurs, applying to the current boat.

Deck Gun Use:
Since detection is a criteria for a setback, boats need to be smart about deck gun use. They are free to use it but should only do so to advance other boats. They should avoid multiple setback opportunities as well. In other words, it should be used on engagements with low tonnage goals to avoid the risk of the tonnage goal not being met. The biggest potential advantage of deck gun use is the beneficial impact on average torpedoes per mission.

Time Limits:
Missions are classified into three categories that do not necessarily correspond to the in-game mission difficulty. Other factors like weather and year are factored in.

I - easiest, 2-hr time limit
II - middle, 3-hr time limit
III - hardest, 4-hr time limit

Ending the Mission:
Boats/packs which complete the tonnage goal are allowed to end the mission anytime or push for more tonnage, but they must always stay within the time limits. Boats which have not yet met the goal must stay in for the entire time limit. A boat/pack which ends the mission before meeting the goal results in setbacks as described previously.

The current boat finishing its mission must post the mission results.

Game Settings:
Bots are permitted. The only requirements are that quick encounter be turned off, the settings for the current mission be followed to the letter, and all torpedo settings be checked (in other words full torpedo realism). The mission criteria given to the current boat will include the necessary mix of impact and magnetic detonators as well as TI and TII. The current boat can decide how it wants to load these.

The current boat beginning its mission must post the mission settings prior to starting.

[derstosstrupp]

[Pisces]

Post a link to this in the discord suggestions channel. Maybe people notice it there more.

But I guess the majority just wants their eyes on the interior. It's coming. I've seen it as a tester.