The Mechanics of Combat in PATE
In PATE, players represent squadron and fleet commanders (admirals)
rather than the captains of individuals ships. Therefore, they make
decisions about the tactics of the fleet, but do not control individual
ship movements. (This is necessary to allow the battles to resolve in
one turn). During a PATE battle, players must make three decisions;
whether to initiate, accept, or evade battle, whether to fight at range
or at close quarters, and whether to maintain line ahead or attempt to
break the enemy's line. Based on those decisions, combat occurs, the
loser must flee, and ships are damaged or sunk, This document explains
the mechanics of PATE combat and how the orders players send affect
what happens in a naval battle.
Joining battle
At the start of the battle, ships have the chance to initiate battle,
accept battle, or evade it. No battle occurs unless at least one ship
selects "Engage" for its combat order to bring on battle. If one does,
then PATE determines which ships, if any, fight in the battle. There
are three special situations for evasion:
- In a battle between frigates, if only one side has SOLs present,
the
frigates of that side can take shelter among their SOLs, neither
fighting nor leaving the area.
- In a battle between frigates with transports present, if one side
has
more than twice as many frigates as the other, the transports on the
smaller side
cannot evade at all.
- In a battle in a harbor, evasion is not possible.
If none of the special cases apply, then evasion is determined as
follows. Ship with "Evade" selected for its combat option attempt to
evade; ships with "Accept" or "Engage" selected do not.
- If one side entirely wants to evade and the other side has at
least one
ship that wishes to fight, then tthe evading
ships attempt to evade as a group; either all will evade, or none will.
The chance depends on whether the evaders are to windward or to
leeward. The chance of evasion is much higher if they are to leeward,
unless the battle is coastal waters of
a port and winds are onshore, in which case the chance is low. It also
depends on ship quality and on winds (evasion is more likely in light
winds).
- If at least one ship on both sides is fighting, then there are
individual rolls for each ship trying to flee. If the number of ships
fighting on the side of an evading ship is at least half the number
fighting on the other side, then evasion is automatic. Otherwise, the
chance of evasion is determined as above.
Determining battle positions
Once the ships that will fight are decided, PATE then determines the
range at which the battle will occur,which side will be to windward,
and whether ships will fight in
lines, or lines will be broken. Battles in harbors are always at close
quarters. Otherwise, if all
ships want to fight at range or at close quarters, then it is done. If
all ships on one side want to fight at range and some or all on the
other side want to fight at close quarters, then those wishing to close
may try. The chance is high if the closing ships have windward gauge
and low if they have leeward gauge, and also depends on ship quality.
If both
sides have at least one ship trying to close, then if a side has at
least half as many ships closing as the opponents, then its ships
fighting at range do so automatically, otherwise the opponents
have the above chance to close with the ships fighting at range in
addition to those fighting at close quarters.
In most battles, the ships are in two groups, one to windward and one
to leeward, in which case the group to windward fights from windward.
In some cases, groups of ships are in a variety of positions from
windward to leeward. For example, if two groups of French ships and two
groups of British ships all arrive at a port, it may be that a British
group is furthest to windward, a French group next furthest, the second
British group next, and the second French group furthest to leeward. In
such a case, whichever side has the group highest to windward is the
one that fights from windward and the other side fights from leeward.
Once range and wind position are established, ships at close quarters
which want to break
the enemy line
may do so as long as each side has at least three ships at close
quarters. If all ships on both sides are trying to break the line, then
the battle becomes a general melee and no adjustments occur. If not,
then each side that has at least three ships trying to break the line
gets a chance to do so. If they succeed, the combat power of the ships
breaking the enemy line is increased 50%; if they fail, their combat
power is decreased 50%.
Battle outcomes
Once the tactical situation is established, we calculate total strength
on both sides.
Ship strength is determined by:
135 for FL, 100 for SL, 25 for FR, 0 for TR
If crew is below 70%, reduce strength by 2.5% for each 1% below,
falling to 0 at 30% crew
If at close quarters, add 5 for each 100 Marines
Quality modifier: -30% for Very Poor to +30% for Excellent, doubled at
close quarters
Experience modifier: 0 = -40%, 1-3 = -30%, 4-8=-20%, 9-15=-10%,
25-35=+10%, 36-48=+20%, 49-63=+30%, 64+ = +40%, doubled at close
quarters
+10% for aiming hull, +10% for windward, -10% for closing
Reduction if already damaged, more reduction for hull than for rigging
+33% if breaking the line has succeeded, -25% if it has failed
Shore batteries are worth 100 times the port's defense rating if
intact, half that amount if damaged, with no further modifications.
Shore batteries direct half of their fire at hulls, and half of it at
rigging. The side with the greater total strength is more likely to
win, but is not guaranteed to win.
The amount of damage and crew loss depends on the total strength of
both sides and the fraction of ships at close quarters (more damage
likely in close quarters battles). The chance of a ship being captured
depends on how much damage it has taken, with rigging damage counting
more than hull damage, the amount of rigging damage the opposing fleet
has taken, and on whether the battle was fought at close
quarters.
Page maintained by Stephen Schmidt. Last updated 6/23/06.