Simulations III.

This is coolbert:

Simulations - - conclusion.

Thanks to the War Times Journal, a description of a naval warfare simulation, a war game that I find to be very good. A naval warfare simulation analogous in many respects to the Fletcher Pratt "Naval War Game" original, but with a measure of "stochastic" [randomness] introduced to make the "game" more realistic!

Should NOT necessarily be thought of as a mere game. Recall that the British Admiralty used the Pratt "game" to test various scenarios when formatting a response to the presence in the south Atlantic of the Graf Spee during World War Two!

Normally I am not a games player of any sort. "BATTLEFLEET 1900" in the QuickFire version I do find to be particularly good and highly recommend. This is paper and pencil stuff, can be "played" in a manner to test various scenarios and outcomes. Even by a single individual!

"These rules are suitable for use with all standard wargaming miniatures, including our line of 1/3000 scale naval pre-dreadnoughts . . . All text and combat charts needed for game play are included below, the rules are completely free and no purchases are required."

ALL for FREE!

The "game" can be played in two forms: 1. BATTLEFLEET 1900 PRE-DREADNOUGHT NAVAL WARFARE: 1890-1905. This is the "long" form, more involved rules [the rules can be complex and undoubtedly take some time to master] and the use of "miniatures". 2. QUICKFIRE PRE-DREADNOUGHT ERA FAST-PLAY RULES. The "fast" or "short" form of the game, concentrating on gunnery, more  easily played, the rules less intense and learned a lot quicker.

Also, DO NOT THINK these miniatures [1/3000] should not be thought of as mere toys and an adjunct to the "play", not as cosmetics but in the long form of play an integral part of the competition. Participants for gunnery ranging must "eyeball" the distance between combatant vessels - - the more accurate the "ranging" the more accurate the gunnery and the greater number of telling hits!

This particular era - - the pre-Dreadnought - -  has a particular appeal? All self-respecting nations, world powers of the time desired and put to sea fleets of battleships, cruisers, etc., pelagic-going vessels with considerable firepower, power projection being the goal.  Ships having all-steel hulls, steam-powered, firing big-bore long-range rifled guns mounted in turrets. Naval warfare as fought up to the time of the Second World War.

The accuracy and validity of naval warfare simulations is unquestionably "better" - - the results of such wargames can be more trusted and verified?

Try it - - I think you'll like it. A whole range of scenarios can be played out, it is up to your imagination. And you have a pretty good degree of confidence what you observe on the playing table is what probably would have occurred in real life!

For those of you desiring a randomness beyond normal, go this web site, enter and print out a listing of integers simulating a required dice throw:

Part 1: The Integers Generate [999] - - Each integer should have a value between [1] and [6] - - Format in [3] column(s). - - Part 2: Go!

coolbert.