Riverside Gaming

Jameson · Site Admin Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Posts: 434

The map in an easier to view format:
http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/extras/uboat/3401.htm

If it doesn't link directly, go to:
http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/extras/index.html
Pick U-Boat Grid Charts, then No. 3401 Atlantic Grid

Foxes and Hounds-Atlantic is a strategic and tactical game which allows players to simulate the breakout of German raiders into the Atlantic to prowl on convoys, and the Allied effort to hunt them down and destroy them.

The large strategic maps guarantees the same game will never be played twice. Countless tactics and strategies may be employed by both sides.

The object of the German player is to sink as many merchant or warships as possible, while preserving their force from destruction.

The object of the Allied player is to hunt down and destroyer the German force by any means necessary. A balance must be met between escorts for the convoys, and forces hunting the Germans.

A third player acts as a referee and follows guidelines to resolve searches and dispatch convoys.

Foxes and Hounds-Atlantic is online playable, and scores will be kept for matches played at Riverside Gaming.

It is early 1941, and all across the Atlantic, the Kriegsmarine is wreaking havoc among Allied shipping lanes. The Battle of the Atlantic has reached a critical stage, and the fate of the British Empire hangs in the balance. France has fallen, and the Hitler’s navy is now operating out of advanced bases in the Bay of Biscay.

As the German commander, will you build on the success of the u-boat campaign, or will you count on surface raiders to decimate Allied convoys? Will you change fate by investing in the maritime arm of the Luftwaffe and naval aviation? You must decide how to use your limited resources. The combinations are limitless. Will the brand new Bismarck break out into the Atlantic and become the nightmare of Allied sailors? Will you spread out your forces for better odds at detecting convoys, or will you rely on the sheer overwhelming power of the Wolfpack?

As the Allied commander, you must route your convoys strategically. Defence of the convoys is paramount, but you must also be aggressive in hunting down the Kriegsmarine. A fine balance must be struck. Place the old veteran battleships of the Grand Fleet in convoys to ward of surface raiders. Commission escorts to fight the convoys through u-boat infested waters. Hunt down German surface raiders with fast battle cruisers and carrier forces. Classic Royal Navy units such as the Ark Royal, Hood , Nelson and Repulse are at your disposal. As are the newer units to the fleet such as Illustrious, Prince of Wales and King George V. Operate long range air patrols out of the Caribbean, Ireland, the west coast of Africa and the eastern shores of Canada. Remain vigilant and spend your resources wisely. The convoys must get through.

7 Key Ports
Halifax
Londonderry
Gibraltar
New York
Freetown
Trinidad
Liverpool

Rules

Construction Phase

In this phase, the Allies and Germans choose the forces they will have under their command. Merchant ships that are in the actual convoys are not included in this phase. The point distribution is as follows: http://riversidegaming.myfastforum.org/about385.html

Allies*: 600 points
Germany: 300 points

*Allies are defined as any units belonging to the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, New Zealand, and France.

Only units with a 1941 date may be used in Foxes and Hounds-Atlantic. The Graf Zeppelin is not considered a Standard unit, but may be used as an Optional Unit, as well as other units. Optional Units may be found here:

It is recommended your read and understand the Deployment Rules thoroughly before commencing construction.

Deployment Phase

Allied Aircraft
Each of the 7 key ports may base up to 5 squadrons of aircraft. New York is the only exception, as the United States is still a neutral country during early 1941. Also, some other airfields are located on the map. These may each base up to 5 squadrons of aircraft as well.

Axis Aircraft
There are German-controlled airfields located on the western coast of France. These may base up to 5 squadrons each.

*Carrier squadrons are also assigned to their vessels at the beginning of the first turn.

Ports

Allied Warships
At the beginning of the first turn, all Allied warships are based in any of the 7 key ports.

Axis Warships
At the beginning of the first turn, all Axis surface units are based in the ports in western France. Submarines may be deployed in any of the sectors found in the following areas:
( AJ to AL, BC to BE, CC to CF, DD to DG)

Forming Divisions

When warships are deployed, they are formed into “divisions.” Divisions my contain between 1 and 10 warships. Carrier bases squadrons do not count towards this, There is a maximum of 2 friendly divisions per sector. Divisions may be split or reorganized at the beginning of each turn if 1 or more divisions are located in the same sector. Careful consideration should be put into constructing your divisions. A carrier without any escorting destroyers may not last too long in the middle of u-boat infested waters.

Forming Convoys

As the Allied player, you must form and dispatch your convoys. Each convoy must consist of no less than 5 merchant ships, and no more than 15. Any escorting divisions of warships do not count towards this total.

A convoy must be dispatched once every 3 turns, starting with the first turn. Only one convoy may be dispatched every 3 turns as well. Multiple sailings of convoys within the same 3 turns is forbidden.

At the beginning of the game, the Allied player is assigned 200 merchant ships that are broken down as follows:

Critical Cargo: (25 points) This is cargo that is absolutely critical to the war effort
Important Cargo: (10 points) This is cargo that is higher priority
Standard Cargo: (5 points) Necessary wartime materials or provisions

Depending on which ports you route the convoys to, the multipliers are used on the value of the cargo for the ships that reach their actual destination. See the Routing Table for more details.

Movement

All convoys have a movement rate of one sector per strategic turn. Divisions have a movement rate based on their slowest ship. Slow SA’s apply.

Movement of a division or convoy from one sector to a sector adjacent to it. The direction of the movement may be horizontal, vertical or on an angle.

Search Rules

In order to understand search capabilities, we must understand the Strategic Map.

Area- A collection of groups and sectors. Marked with two identifying letters.

Group-A collection of sectors. Marked with a similar set of numbers. Eg; Sectors 71,72,73,74 etc…

Sector-A small portion of the Strategic Map marked by and individual number. Eg: 11. 51, 77 etc…

Each turn, after the Strategic Movement Phase, comes the Search Phase. In this phase you may assign any aircraft squadrons (carrier or land based) to search the group they are located in, or an adjacent group*. When you assign a squadron to search a group, and PM your searches to the referee, they roll a die.

1-Reveal name and type of each ship present.
2-Reveal number of ships present
3-4-Reveal an enemy fleet is present, but not number or type
5-6-failure.

The referee posts the search rolls in a hidden sub forum and the players are only informed of detections. They remain posted for the Online Appeal Judge to inspect in case any discrepancy arises. See the thread titled Playing Online Games for more details.

It is important to note that any squadrons used to search, may not be used for combat this strategic turn. The reasoning behind this is that they are spread out in search patterns, and could not make a coordinated attack this turn.

Some ships, such as Battleships and Cruisers, have search planes on board. These may be used during the search phase to search the group that vessel is currently in. See the Search Capable Ships thread for more detail.

*Patrol Bombers may search groups that are at a range of 3 away from the group they are based at.

*Patrol Fighters may search groups that are at a range of 2 away from the group they are based at.

Attacking

After the Search Phase comes the Attack Phase. This is where combat is resolved on War at Sea maps. Combat is joined if there are two opposing surface or submarines forces in the same sector. There are only a few special rules that separate Foxes and Hounds from actual WAS combat:

1) Aircraft Attacks

-If a carrier based squadron attacks a target in the same group as its home carrier, the carrier is treated as an airfield is in WAS terms.

If an airfield based squadron attacks a target in the same group as its home airfield, the airfield operates in standard WAS terms.

-If a carrier based squadron is in combat in the same sector as its home carrier, it is treated with standard WAS rules.

-If a carrier or airfield based squadron is in combat in an adjacent group, it has only a one attack turn this match, and then is considered to have completed its Attack Phase, returning to its carrier or airfield when the attack is complete or aborted. This rule also applies to Patrol Aircraft attacking targets 2 groups away.

2) Withdrawing

-Submarines may withdraw from combat after they’ve spent one complete turn located in their friendly ship deployment zone or that of their opponent. They withdraw to the sector in the corresponding direction.

-Merchantmen or Warships may withdraw after they’ve spent one complete turn located in the enemy ship deployment zone. They withdraw to the sector in the corresponding direction.

Routing Table

7 Key Ports
Halifax (HX)
Londonderry (LD)
Gibraltar (GB)
New York (NY)
Freetown (FT)
Trinidad (TD)
Liverpool (LP)

HX Convoys
HX-LD (x5)
HX-GB (x3)
HX-NY (x1)
HX-FT (x3)
HX-LP (x5)

LD Convoys
LD-HX (x3)
LD-GB (x4)
LD-NY (x3)
LD-FT (x5)

GB Convoys
GB-HX (x3)
GB-LD (x3)
GB-NY(x3)
GB-FT (x2)
GB-TD (x3)
GB-LP (x3)

NY Convoys
NY-HX (x2)
NY-LD (x5)
NY-GB (x3)
NY-FT (x3)
NY-LP (x5)

FT Convoys
FT-HX (x4)
FT-LD (x4)
FT-GB (x2)
FT-NY (x3)
FT-TD (x3)
FT-LP (x4)

TD Convoys
TD-HX (x3)
TD-GB (x4)
TD-NY (x3)
TD-FT (x3)

LP Convoys
LP-HX (x3)
LP-GB (x4)
LP-NY (x3)
LP-FT (x4)

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