Decisive Victory
Naval Warfare Rules by CaulynDarr
Version 0.8
1.0 Dice rolls
All dice rolls are made using six sided dice(d6). There are two types of rolls in Decisive Victory 1d6 rolls and 2d6 rolls.
For a 1d6 roll, roll one die and take the result value. For these types of die rolls, you are trying to meet or exceed a given value. For instance a 4+, would indicate that you need to roll a 4, 5, or 6 to succeed.
For 2D6 rolls, roll two six sided dice and add the value together. When rolling 2d6, a roll of 2 or 12 always results in a failure, while a roll of a N7(natural seven) is always considered a success. A N7 is a roll where the values of both dice add up to seven and one die is a 4 and the other is a 3. 2D6 rolls can be effected by modifiers that increase the range of successful values. For every +1 modifier the range of successful values grows by one. For example +1 allows for all 7's to be counted as successes and a +2 allows for all 7 and 8's to be counted as successes. A +3 gives 6-8, a +4 give 6-9. A negative modifier reduces the success range by one in the opposite manner. Modifiers cannot be reduced below a 0 or above a 9. See Table 1 for the full list of modifiers and the target values.
Table 1: 2d6 Success Modifiers
When applying modifiers, add or subtract before halving or doubling. When halving values, always round up.
2.0 Game Scale
In Decisive Action every three inches equals 1 mile and 1 game turn represents 4 minutes.
3.0 Game Turn
The game if broken into the following phases:
1.1 Command
1.2 Initiative
1.3 Aircraft
1.4 Movement
1.5 Attacks
1.6 Maintenance
3.1 Command
Ships generate a number of command points equal to the command score of the commander placed on the ship.
Command Scores:
- Fleet Admiral : 5
- Admiral: 3
- Captain: 2
- Commander: 1
- Lieutenant: 0
The use of command points is described in the abilities section of the rules.
3.2 Initiative
Each player rolls a d6 and adds the command score of their highest rated commander. The winner has the initiative for the turn.
3.3 Movement
Starting with the player who lost initiative both players alternate moving the ships in their fleet. Each player can move a number of ships in their fleet equal to the command score of their highest rated commander at a time.
Ships can move at three speeds: Full, Half, and Complete Stop. Ships moving at full speed can move up to their full speed in inches, but must move at least half their speed. Ships at half speed can move between zero inches and half their speed in inches a turn. Ships at a complete stop cannot move at all. Ships can change speeds at the beginning of their movement. A ship can change speeds from Full to Half, but not Full to Complete Stop. Likewise a ship cannot go from a complete stop to full speed, the ship must first accelerate to half speed first.
Ships can turn once for every 2 inches they move. Each turn cost 1” of movement. The amount they can turn is based on their turning class. Class 1 ships can turn up to 45 degrees for every two inches, Class 2 ships can turn up to 90 degrees, Class 3 chips can turn up to 180 degrees, and Class 4 ships can turn up to 360 degrees. For example a Class 1 ship with 6 inches of movement can move 2 inches, turn 45 degrees, and have 3 inches of movement remaining.
If a ship ends it’s turn with enough movement to turn, but not an additional inch of movement to pay for the turn, then it may turn at the beginning of its movement on the next turn without moving an additional 2 inches.
3.4 Attacks
Players alternate firing each of their ships. Staring with the player who won initiative, make attacks with a number of ships equal to the command score of your fleet's highest rated commander.
A ship can fire each of its weapons systems once in a turn. To make an attack, roll 2d6 adding the weapons systems fire control bonus as a modifier. Weapons systems have different rules based on their types. For gun systems, see section 3.4.2. For torpedoes, see section 3.4.3.
When making attack rolls, use two differently colored dice. These dice represent the hit location of the attack. Elect one die to be 1st die and the other to be the 2nd. The hit location will affect the armor the attack must penetrate. If the target ship fails its armor save (see below), it will suffer damage.
A ship can fire each of its weapons systems once in a turn. To make an attack, roll 2d6 adding the weapons systems fire control bonus as a modifier. Weapons systems have different rules based on their types. For gun systems, see section 3.4.2. For torpedoes, see section 3.4.3.
When making attack rolls, use two differently colored dice. These dice represent the hit location of the attack. Elect one die to be 1st die and the other to be the 2nd. The hit location will affect the armor the attack must penetrate. If the target ship fails its armor save (see below), it will suffer damage.
Each weapons system can fire at a separate target freely, but a single weapon system is more limited. You may split the fire of a weapons system against more than one target. Elect one attack to receive the full FC bonus of the weapon system; all other simultaneous attacks use half the base fire control value. Weapons in a system can only fire at a target if that target is within the fire arc of the weapon.
When firing at a target ship that is at a complete stop the attacker gets an automatic +5 bonus to hit.
3.4.1 Armor Saves
When a ship is hit by an attack its owner is allowed to make an armor save to attempt to minimize the damage. Armor saves are determined by rolling 2d6. Add the armor of the target as a bonus to success and subtract the attack's strength as a negative modifier. For example a strength 3 gun hits a target with 9 armor; the resulting modifier to the roll is +6. If the roll is a critical success the target ship suffers no effects, otherwise determine damage based on the success or failure of the saving roll. The armor value used for the save is determined by the hit location on the damage grid. A roll of a 1 on the 1st die means that the ship is hit below the water line; use the ships underwater armor value. A roll of 2-5 uses the ships belt armor value. A roll of 6 uses the ship on its deck armor value.
If the save failed, roll a d6 for the total damage listed for the attack. On a 4+ apply one point of damage to the ship and one point of minor damage for every other failed rolled. Also mark off the location on the damage grid where the attack hit.
If the save succeeded
, roll a d6 for the total damage listed for the attack. Apply one point of minor damage for every 4+ rolled.
Saves are always considered to succeed against damage 0 weapons. Instead deal 1 point of minor damage on a roll of 5+.
The effects of damage and minor damage is applied in the maintenance phase.
If the target armor is 13 or higher than the attacks strength, then the save automatically succeeds. Conversely if the strength is 13 or higher than the armor the save automatically fails.
3.4.2 Guns
Guns have the following special rules.
Guns are affected greatly by range, for every full 8” the attacker is from its target the attack suffers a -1 modifier and the strength is reduced by 1
Guns suffer additional negative modifiers to hit (but not to strength) under the following conditions:
- Night Time: -4 (-3 for Japanese)
- Bad weather: -2
- Two different gun batteries from the same ship fire on the same target: -1
When a gun hits its target with a N7 you get a second bonus attack roll. The second roll uses the same modifiers as the first and if it succeeds the attack deals damage twice. Both attacks rolls must be saved against individually.
When a ship attempts an armor penetration against a target farther than 36” away, subtract one to the 1st hit location die result for the purpose of hit location on the damage grid. Add one to the result if the target is within 12”. Subtract a further one to the 1st hit location die result if the target ship's bow or stern is pointed directly the firing ship. The modifiers to not affect the chance to hit, just the location of the damage applied.
Gun attacks that hit underwater armor have their strength halved(after first reducing for range).
3.4.2.1 Gunnery Radar
Some ships’ gun batteries are equipped with specialized radar for directing their gunnery attacks. Ships with gunnery radar can make a special attack roll on a target ship before firing the attached gun battery. The attack bonus is not affected by range or other negative gunnery modifiers. If the attack is a success, then the ship’s attacks with that gun battery do not suffer negative modifiers to hit for the turn. The strength of the gun battery is still affected by the range.
3.4.2.2 Spotter Planes
Some ships carry float planes dedicated to scouting and assisting with gunnery ranging. A ship can use the range from its spotter planes when determining the range increment for its gunnery attacks. Strength of the attack is still determined by the range increment from the firing ship to the target. See the Aircraft rules for additional information on using aircraft.
3.4.2.3 Search Lights
All ships are equipped with searchlights to assist in night fighting. They have a range of 6 inches. A ship can target a single enemy ship in the shooting phase with its searchlight to cancel the negative night time to-hit modifier. This will cancel out the night fighting modifier to all ships that fire at the same target enemy ship. The ship using the searchlight is also illuminated, canceling out any night time to-hit modifiers when it is targeted by attacks as well.
3.4.2.4Star Shells
A ship can fire a star shell from its gun batteries during night time engagements. They do this instead of making a normal gunnery attack. They have the same range as the gun battery used to fire the star shell. Place a star shell marker anywhere within range and then move it in a random direction 3d6 inches. If a ship is within 1 inch of the marker it counts as if it had been illuminated by a searchlight.
3.4.3 Torpedoes
Torpedoes can only fire a limited amount of salvos.
Torpedoes suffer a -1 to hit for ever full 3 inches the attacking ship is from its target. Torpedoes also cause damage on a 3+ instead of the normal 4+.
Torpedoes are affected by night time and weather hit modifiers like gunnery attacks. Torpedoes also benefit from searchlights. Radar and spotter planes cannot assist with torpedo attacks.
Torpedoes always count as rolling a 6 on the first die for hit location.
3.4.4 Hit Location
You should keep a hit location table for every ship in the game. Use it to track the accumulation of minor damage against the ship.
Mark off the targeted hit location on a ship whenever it fails an armor save roll.
Each location can only be marked off once. Once the location has been marked off, any other hit to that location is applied to the next location down. If you have reached the bottom of the chart and could not apply damage, add one additional damage point to the ship.
| 1st Die/2nd Die | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 1(Deck Armor) | AA | AA | Com | Com | AA | AA |
| 2-3(Belt Armor) | AA | Guns/
Flight
| Guns/
Flight
| Guns/
Flight
| Guns/
Flight
| AA |
| 4-5(Belt Armor) | Turn | Struct | Struct/
Torp
| Struct/
Torp
| Struct | Turn |
| 6(Underwater Armor) | Turn | Speed | Speed | Speed | Speed | Turn |
Location hits are tracked against a ships Speed, Turning, Guns, AA, Command and Torpedoes. As soon as a ship takes a set amount of hits to a system that system becomes damaged. When all of the boxes for a system are marked off, that system becomes disabled. The amount of marked of damage location boxes it takes to damage a system is dependent on class. A destroyer class ship’s system is damaged after 1 box is marked of, a cruiser takes 2 boxes, and a capital class ship takes 3 boxes.
The effects of a damaged or disabled system are described below.
3.4.4.1 Com (Command) Damage
A ship with a damaged command system generates 1 less command point per turn. A ship with a disabled command system generates no command points and cannot received command points from a flagship.
3.4.4.2 AA Damage
A ship with a damaged Anti-Aircraft battery halves its total AA points to a minimum of 1. Dual purpose AA is also halved, but still provides a minimum of 1 additional AA point per dual purpose battery. A ship with a disabled AA battery receives no AA points, not even from dual purpose guns. Dual purpose guns can still fire normally at surface targets.
3.4.4.3 Flight(/Hanger Deck) Damage
When a ship’s flight deck and hanger becomes damaged, roll a d6 for every aircraft flight embarked on the ship. On a 4+ the, flight is destroyed and roll again on the hit location table. A ship with a destroyed flight deck cannot launch or recover aircraft flights.
3.4.4.4 Gun Damage
A ship with a damaged gun system halves the Fire Control and damage (but not strength) of all its gun systems. A ship with a disabled gun system cannot make gun attacks.
3.4.4.5 Turn (Turning) Damage
A ship with a damaged turning system requires 1 extra inch to turn during movement, and turns as 1 turning class lower to a minimum of turning class 1. When a ships turning system is disabled roll a d6 on a 2+ the ship’s rudder is locked ahead and cannot turn for the rest of the game. On a 1, the rudder is locked to either port or starboard (determine randomly). The ship must make a 45 degree turn in that direction whenever possible for the rest of the game.
3.4.4.6 Speed Damage
A ship with damaged engines halves its maximum speed. The ship no longer has to change to half speed to come to a complete stop. A ship with destroyed engines cannot move at all.
3.4.4.7 Torp (Torpedo) Damage
A ship with torpedo damage loses half of its available torpedo salvoes. If a ship’s torpedo systems are destroyed roll a d6 for every remaining torpedo salvo. For every 3+ apply a point of damage to the ship and roll again on the hit location table. Ships without Torpedoes are unaffected by hits to the torpedo system.
3.4.4.8 Struct (Structure) Damage
When a ship takes enough location hit to damage the structure add 3 additional points of damage to the ship. If all the structure locations are marked off, add two points of damage to the ship in every maintenance phase.
4.0 Maintenance
In the maintenance phase the effects of damage done during the turn is applied. The maintenance phase is split into 4 sections.
Apply the section in the following order:
1.0 Test for Catastrophic Damage
2.0 Apply Minor Damage
3.0 Damage Control
4.0 Abandon Ship
4.1Catastrophic Damage
If the damage done to the ship is greater than or equal to the Critical Damage Threshold, roll 1d6 for every point of damage the ship has sustained Count the number of dice that rolled 4+. If the number is greater than or equal to the Critical Damage Threshold of the ship, it explodes or sinks. Remove it from the table.
4.2 Apply Minor Damage
For every three points of minor damage taken in the turn, roll once on the hit location table and mark off the resulting box. All the minor damage is then removed from the ship.
4.3 Damage Control
After the roll for catastrophic damage and minor damage is applied, any number of damage points may be exchanged for location hits as a form of emergency damage control. For every three damage points removed in this way, roll once on the damage location table and apply the results. If the damage cannot be applied because a location could not be marked before reaching the bottom of the damage grid, then the damage points are not removed from the ship, and the ship suffers one additional point of damage.
When every location on the damage grid has been marked off, damage points can no longer be traded for location hits.
4.4 Abandon Ship
At the end of any maintenance step, if a ship has 2 times or more damage points as the ships critical damage threshold, the controlling player must spend 2 command points from the ship or the fleet flagship or the crew abandons ship and the ship is removed from the game.
5.0 Special Abilities
Ships can spend command points to gain special effects during a turn. Declare the use of an ability during the command step and pay its cost in command points. A flag ship can spend its command points on any ship in the fleet.
5.1 Abilities
5.1.0 Make Smoke – Cost 1 – Place smoke templates along the ships course this turn. When targeting a ship on the opposite side of a smoke template, the attacker suffers a -2 to hit. Randomly determine the wind direction when smoke templates are first placed on the board. during every maintenance phase roll a die and move the smoke in the wind direction that many inches. If a 5 or 6 is rolled, remove the smoke template completely.
5.1.1 Evasive Maneuvers – Cost 1 – For every turn this ship makes this turn, attackers suffer a -1 to hit it in the following shooting step. The ship executing this command suffers the same modifiers to hit other ships in the same shooting step.
5.1.2 Scuttle – Costs 2 – The ship immediately gains damage equal to it Critical Damage Threshold.
5.1.3 Close Action – Cost 1 – This ability must be used every time a ship moves within 1 inch of another. Either ship may spend the point, but if both do not, then there is a collision. If a collision happens, roll d6 equal to the CR of each ship against the other. For every 4+ rolled take a point of damage. If two ships where in close action during any point during their movement, then their guns receive a +2 to fire control, strength, and total damage when firing at each other in the same turn. Damage 0 weapons also increase their base damage to 1 while used in close action.
5.1.4 Concentrate Fire - Cost 2 - Add a +2 modifier to the first attack roll the ship makes during the turn. Can only be used once per attack roll and no other weapon systems can be used by this ship this turn. Target must also be within 16″ of the firing ship.
5.1.5 Damage Control - Cost 1 - For the duration of a turn ignore the effects of one damaged system, or treat one disabled system as damaged. You cannot spend two points on a single system to completely ignore a disabled system. Treating a disabled structure system as damaged does not cause the ship to gain 3 additional damage points. If you spend points to ignore turning damage, re-roll to determine if the rudder is locked when the system becomes disabled again.
6.0 Aircraft
Aircraft operate as flights of similar aircraft. There are five types of flights, Fighters, Dive Bombers, Torpedo Bombers, Float Planes, and Patrol Bombers
Flights move and make attacks in the Aircraft phase of the turn. During each turn a flight of aircraft will be placed in a particular stage. These stages relate to the distance a flight of aircraft is from the battle. Aircraft advance through the stages according to Figure 2.
Figure 2 - Aircraft stage progression
During the aircraft phase resolve every stage one at a time bringing with the attacking stage.
Missions and scenarios will specify at what stage aircraft will begin the game. Aircraft can only be used at night or in bad weather if they are equipped with radar. Unless the carrier is British, aircraft cannot be launched or recovered from carriers at night.
6.1 Attacking Stage
Aircraft can spend a variable number of turns in the attacking stage.
The number of turns a flight spends in the attacking stage is determined by the range to the target and the speed of the aircraft. It takes one turn to get to a target at close range (0’-6’), two turns to get to a target at medium range (6’-12’), and three turns to get to a target at long range (12’+). Slow aircraft add 1 to the number of turns they have to spend in the attacking stage.
You should mark each flight with a counter indicating how many turns it needs to be paced in the attack stage until it reaches its target.
When resolving this stage, decrement the counters for each flight. If any flight reaches 0 turns left in the stage, immediately move them into the On Target stage.
6.2 On Target Stage
The On Target stage represents the aircraft flight directly over their target about to begin an attack.
When resolving the On Target phase both players will start by adding additional aircraft to the game table. Starting with the player who has the initiative place all flight that have arrived from the attacking stage anywhere on the table.
Next, starting with the player who has initiative, move any flights already on the table. Normal flights can move up to 48 inches, while slow flights can move up to 32.
If a flight is placed or moved within 16 inches of an enemy base or carrier with a CAP, the opposing player may move one of the CAP flights directly next to the placed flight.
Patrol bombers are not placed on the board as they remain at high altitude. Set them aside an note that they are on target.
Aircraft flight will remain in the attacking stage until they are driven off, destroyed, or expend their ordinance. If a flight is removed from the on target stage for any reason except for being destroyed, it is placed into the returning stage.
6.3 Returning Stage
Flights move a number of turns back in the returning phase as they spent in the attacking phase to return to their base or carrier.
You should mark each flight with a counter indicating how many turns it needs to be paced in the returning stage until it reaches its base. When the counter reaches zero you may immediately land it on an available base or carrier. Make sure not to decrement the counters of aircraft that have just been moved from the On Target stage.
Some carriers are not capable of landing aircraft in combat conditions. Flights from these carriers are considered out of the game when placed in the returning stage if there is not another carrier or base they can land at.
6.4 Landed Stage
During the landed stage aircraft are rearmed and launched for new attack runs.
When resolving this stage, bases and carriers can launch new flights into the attacking stage. Carriers and bases can launch 1 flight a turn. You can spend command points to launch additional flights at a cost of 1 point per flight. Optionally, instead of moving a fighter flight to the attacking stage, you can declare that it is flying CAP instead. This represents the aircraft operating in a defensive roll. Place the fighter flight on the board next to the carrier or base that just launched it.
Fights that have just landed from the returning stage cannot be launched, and if a carrier has landed any planes this turn it cannot be used to launch new flights.
Flights are landed on carriers or ground bases. Flights are initially launched from their assigned base. Ground based flights can only land on ground bases, but naval aircraft can land anywhere to rearm for their next attack run.
6.4 Aircraft Combat
Flights have a quality score that represent their general combat abilities. Attacks against flights make a standard attack roll, any success results in the targeted flight being destroyed. Additionally, even if the attack is not successful, the attack has a chance of driving off the target flight. A driven off flight is moved to the returning stage.
When attacking a flight, compare the quality of the attack vs. the quality of the target flight. If an attack has higher quality than the target flight, make an attack roll at +7 to attempt to destroy the flight, and if the attack fails the target is driven off. If an attack is of equal quality to the target flight, make an attack roll at +5 to attempt to destroy the flight, but if the attack fails the target is not driven off. If the attack quality is less, make an attack roll at +3, but if the attack fails the target is not driven off.
6.4.1 Air to Air
When two flights attack each other compare both flights qualities and make opposing attack rolls.
Only Fighter Flights can initiate attacks against other aircraft. Fighter Flights can combine to attack enemy aircraft. When they do so, they add their quality altogether against a target. The opposing flight still only makes one attack roll. Other types of flights cannot initiate attacks against other aircraft.
6.4.2 Surface to Air
Ships and Land Bases get a number of AA points equal to their AA score a turn. These points can be used to defend themselves against aircraft attacks. When an aircraft attacks a surface target, the target can spend AA points to fire at the attacking flight before it makes its attack run. The quality of the attack equals the amount of AA points spent. Friendly ships within 3 inches of the attacking flight can also spend AA points to fire at the attacking flight.
If a ship uses a dual purpose battery to fire at the flight, that battery cannot be used to attack surface targets in the same turn.
6.4.3 Air to Surface
All air to surface attacks are made using an attack roll with a +5 bonus. The type of attack is determined by the type of flight.
Dive Bombers make a bombing attack with strength 8 and a damage of 3 at a target within 1 inch of the flight. The attack always counts as rolling a 1 on the first die for determining hit location. Whether the attack succeeds or fails, the flight is moved to the returning stage.
Torpedo bombers make a torpedo attack with strength 6 and a damage of 3 at a target within 3 inches of the flight. The attack always counts as rolling a 6 on the first die for determining hit location. Whether the attack succeeds or fails, the flight is moved to the returning stage.
Fighters may make a strafing run, and, if they hit, do 1 point of minor damage to a target within 1 inch of the flight.
Patrol Bombers make a high level bombing run that only hits on a N7. It has strength 8 and a damage of 4. Do not place the patrol bomber on the board when making the attack and only the target ship can fire at it with AA. Whether the attack succeeds or fails, the flight is moved to the returning stage.
Decisive Victory by Gregory Nickles is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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