Signal flags

[afilter]

Anyone use them.

When playing last weekend there was some friendly discussion about how players have used various methods of passing information to other players instead of just table talk. One was to write a 5 word message.

I just read this on another forum:

In multi-player Fire As She Bears games, the fleet commander first creates a "signals book" with copies for each player on his side. This gives a hint of the historical issue of having pre-determined sets of signals available, but not necessarily the same ones the enemy is using. Next, at the start of each turn, the fleet commander sets up his signals with chits or color blocks next to his ship. The length of the signal is variable based on the commander's quality, which can be simulated with the rules already present in VaS and AoD. The players may not talk about their plans, and can return signals to follow the "orders" or to indicate they are unable to comply, or may even ignore the signals and do their own thing. While this may be more important to the age of sail ships of the line, it might add a bit of interest in a multi-player game where players run squadrons, and the fleet commander plans for the whole fleet to perform a maneuver. One signal, General Chase, opens it up for squadron or task force commanders to operate under their own intiative. With the signals books, this also opens up the way for misunderstanding and misinterpretation of signals, very much like the historical issues I read about. Use command checks with squadron commanders to see that they saw and carry out the orders from the fleet commander. The FASB Signals module is available as a download from the same source that carries VaS and AoD, so those interested should go there and look it up and make their decisions. This seems like a good thing to add when a game group has played a game for some time and has become too used to it. It should add a touch of spice to keep them interested in it.

Having some pre-printed signals made up for each fleet and then each ship rolling a command rating to determine if they see the signal sounds like an intersting way to add some realism to the game.

When the fleet/squadron flag has a new order for his fleet each ship performs a command roll if they make it the GM shows them the signal and then it would be up to them to decode it properly using a key. Same thing could be done on a simpler scale with just passing short messages 5 words or less.

I think this would be pertinent for CoD and RotB and even early WWII before TBS was wide spread. I was just reading an account of the USS Houston where they had to take commands from the Dutch via signal flags at Java and it caused confusion.

Thoughts?

[TheDreadnought]

Don't need a complicated system for this. Can just say that players are not allowed to have in-game talk with each other. If they want to communicate, they have to do it by writing five word or less messages on a folded-tent 3x5 card that they put in front of their chair.

Played in a game with a rule like this before and it was fun.

[Bluebear]

Twenty-odd years ago I hosted a game of "The Byng Touch" which used flag signals. It was a hoot. Orders were misunderstood on both sides and lots of hilarity resulted.

Certainly flags and signal lamps were used by Pre-Dreadnoughts . . . indeed, one of the reasons that they sailed so closely to each other was so that signals could be sent easily. If you have a group, it might be fun to try.


-- Jeff

[warchariot]

The Block System for Fire As She Bears is easy and straight forward, but seems a little over the top for a simple game. Believe me, you have enough issues with two players on a side without using signal blocks.

[afilter]

Depending on the players and their comfort level with the game itself this could be made as simple or complex as their skill level allows.

At a minimum I like the written message system. I also like the idea of actual signals that can get misinterpreted as well. To keep it moving it could be something simple like pre-printed table tent cards and each side having a different key so the signals don't mean the same thing to the opponents. I think it introduces a bit more fog of war.

Examples:
"follow me in line"
"Turn Starboard"
"Turn Port"
"Engage targets in order"

One thing I already like about the game is the concentrated fire rules. If table talk is not allowed then players would not be able to discuss what targets they are engaging resulting in more instances where multiple splash markers as placed on a single target.

Just thinking out loud.