As a longtime player of Harpoon I have watched publishers come and go. From my first edition of Harpoon II from Adventure Games in 1983 through Harpoon (Third Edition) with Game Designers’ Workshop to Harpoon 4 with Clash of Arms and now into Harpoon V by Admiralty Trilogy Group (ATG) each has had a varied level of product support. Today, ATG makes sure that the four major wargames in the Admiralty Trilogy Series (Dawn of the Battleship, Fear God & Dread Nought, Command at Sea, and Harpoon) are supported at least twice a year with the publication of The Naval SITREP. The latest issue, #67 published in October 2024, continues the fine tradition of providing news, background, scenarios, data, and book reviews.
News good and sad
On the good news front, progress on updating Command at Sea to the 5th edition standards continues. On the sad side, I had missed the sad passing of Brooks Ashley Rowlett, a longtime contributor and support of ATG. I can only imagine that when I am playing an Age of Sail wargame and get a fortunate change in wind direction it is Brooks watching over me from above. Thank you, sir, for your many contributions to my gaming enjoyment.
The article “Keeping Track” describes a new “red text” method ATG is implementing to clearly show changes to their digital products. This is a much-needed effort to help keep people aware of changes in the living digital documents as compared to the less-often updated dead-tree editions.
Book Reviews
Fighting in the Dark; Fading Victory: The Diary of Admiral Matome Ugaki 1941-1945; Iran-Iraq Naval War, Volume 1: Opening Blows September – November 1980. I have Fighting in the Dark and agree that it is a very good book!
Dawn of the Battleship
“Dawn of the Battleship Scenario: Battle of Souda Bay” is a hypothetical scenario that takes place in 1899 pitting French and Russian forces against the British Royal Navy.
Fear God & Dread Nought
See the “Battle of Humen” entry under Command at Sea below for associated articles.
Command at Sea
“Command at Sea Campaign: Malta Strike Force – October to December 1941″ is actually a scenario generator for between two to five players and a referee focusing on Royal Navy Force K stationed at Malta.
A smaller CaS scenario is offered in “Command at Sea Scenario: Force H Engages” which is a hypothetical engagement assuming HMS Hood was sunk and both Bismarck and Prince of Wales were damaged. Further, it assumes the air strike from Ark Royal did not damage Bismarck as happened historically before the surface ships of Force H entered the battle.
“Battle of Humen: The Largest Naval battle in the Second Sino-Japanese War” is by Chang Lei and is a detailed historical exploration of the namesake battle. It is followed by “Trilogy Scenario: Battle of Humen” where the Imperial Japanese Navy attempts to destroy two Chinese warships protected by coastal emplacements. This scenario uses rules from both Command at Sea and Fear God & Dread Nought.
Harpoon
“Mighty Ike’s Battle Axe Guarding the Red Sea” is a report from a June 2024 visit aboard the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower as it conducted operations against the Houthis. Many good photographs of Carrier Air Wing 3 ‘Battle Axe’ are included.
“Russian Special-Purpose Submarines” is Annex A data entries for the submarines assigned to the Main Directorate of Deep Sea Research (GUGI). The editor/author noted, “they have no place in scenarios” but I disagree.
“The US Navy’s New EW Pod” talks about the new ALQ-248 Advanced Off-Board Electronic Warfare (AOEW) system but offers no game rules.
Likewise, “The US Navy’s New Long-Range AAM [Air-to-Air Missile]” discusses the recently revealed AIM-174B. This article does include some “best estimate” rules though presented within a paragraph and not in an annex-style entry.
“Data Links for ASW [Anti-Submarine Warfare]” relates research into Russian data links for use in Harpoon V.
More Harpoon V love comes in the article “Harpoon V Sonar Rules Tweaks” that offers exactly what it states.
Trilogy Gaming
“Calculating Deadweight Tonnage” provides a means for players or scenario designers to calculate tonnage for container ships. Useful for modern day Red Sea combat scenarios, eh?
Perhaps the most “fun” article in The Naval SITREP #67 is “Trilogy Scenario: Matinee Turkey Shoot – Gaming The Final Countdown at Historicon 24.” This combined scenario/after action report describes the feature scenario used at Historicon 24. This scenario depicts the final climatic (almost) battle in the 1980 movie The Final Countdown where the USS Nimitz was transported back in time to December 7, 1941 and has an opportunity to take on the Kido Butai of the Imperial Japanese Navy before they attack Pearl Harbor.
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