Armada - Guide To Solo Gaming: February 2021
Armada - Guide To Solo Gaming: February 2021
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INTRODUCTION
Armada is Mantic’s recently released tabletop naval game. This guide introduces solo
wargaming to Armada.
Solo wargaming can never replace playing against a live opponent and will not be to
everybody’s taste. It does, however, offer the opportunity to familiarise players with the rules,
trial different fleet builds and practise tactics. During a time of covid lockdown, solo gaming
may also offer the only opportunity for some players to get their new fleets onto the gaming
table.
• Part 2 contains generic rules covering actions by enemy ships in ‘kill’ scenarios. These
rules can be used in any scenario involving kill missions but a number of scenarios are
included as well as suggested enemy fleets. A reference sheet covering enemy ship
actions during their activations is included at the rear.
The scenarios are designed to be played at 250 points on a 4’ x 4’ table but suggestions are
included for playing 150 point games on smaller tables. Should players wish to increase the
difficulty of the games, each scenario has suggestions for how to do this.
The enemy in each scenario is limited in its actions and is fairly predictable. It would be easy
to design a fleet to win a specific scenario. However, each scenario is different and requires
different skills to succeed and it is suggested that players design their fleet without knowing
which scenario they will face and then select the scenario randomly.
Beware! Because of the limitations of the fairly predictable enemy, success against this foe
is one thing, fighting the living is something else. Owing to the constraints of the system, it
may be possible for players to predict how the enemy fleet will react and devise specific tactics
to capitalise on these constraints by devising specialise tactics to win games. While this is a
legitimate tactic to win games, players may prefer to play without deliberately exploiting the
weaknesses of the system in order to avoid developing ‘bad habits’ that will let them down
when facing a live opponent.
Definitions
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Set Up
Wind Direction
Roll a D6. On a 1-3 the wind starts the game blowing from the west, on a 4 – 6 it starts
blowing from the east.
Statistics
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Breath Weapon
The monsters each have a flaming breath weapon with the following statistics:
As the first monster activates in a turn, it will select an enemy vessel as its target and will head
towards that target at battle speed. Targets will be selected in the following priority order:
• The closest enemy non-surrendered medium or larger ship within the leading arc and
within 20”.
• The closest enemy non-surrendered medium or larger ship not within the leading arc
and within 10”.
• The closest enemy non-surrendered medium or larger ship within the leading arc more
than 20” away.
• The closest enemy non-surrendered ship medium or larger ship not within the leading
arc and more than 10” away.
If all enemy medium or larger ships have been destroyed or surrendered, the monster will
target small and tiny ships using the criteria listed above.
When the second and third monster activate during a turn, they will apply the selection criteria
listed above but will ignore enemy ships already targeted by another monster earlier in this
turn unless it has not surrendered, is within the firing arc and within 10”, in which case it will
target the same ship. If when a monster activates all enemy medium or larger ships have
been targeted, the activating monster may target a ship already targeted by another monster.
Monsters move at battle speed unless forced to move slower. Having legs or fins, they can
walk or slither over sandbars and through the shallow water close to islands and shorelines.
They do not attempt to avoid this terrain if it is in the direct path to their target, or when fleeing,
but suffer D3 damage for each movement step that they spend in the shallows or on a sandbar.
Monsters may not cross islands or rocks but automatically pass the evade test for this terrain.
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Monsters will move as directly as possible towards their selected target, evading islands, rock,
other monsters and enemy ships. Monsters automatically pass the evade test for terrain and
other monsters. At the end of each move step, check if there is an enemy ship within leading
arc and range of the monster’s breath weapon; if there is, the monster will fire its breath
weapon on the closest enemy ship regardless of size. If there is a target at the end of the first
move step, monsters must engage it, even if a better target might be available at the end of
its second move step. A monster may only fire its breath weapon once per turn and may not
fire as she bears.
Should a monster collide with an enemy ship, both parties having failed their skill test to evade,
calculate the damage caused in accordance with the usual rules, the monster will then
automatically grapple the enemy ship and a boarding action takes place in accordance with
the normal rules (even if this enemy ship was not the monster’s original target). Its activation
is then over.
If a monster is hit with a flaming attack and is required to place a blaze marker, it immediately
takes D6 damage rather than D3, but automatically extinguishes the fire at the start of its next
activation by submerging the affected part of its body with no impact on its activation.
If the monster’s move brings it into contact with a player ship, it will ram the enemy ship and
will automatically fail its skill test to evade when doing so. The player ship may attempt to
evade but without the normal +1 modifier. Calculate damage caused in accordance with the
usual collision rules; treat the monster as a XL ship and add 2 to the damage it causes on the
enemy. The monster will then automatically grapple the enemy ship and a boarding action
takes place in accordance with the normal rules. Its activation is then over.
If a monster has not rammed an opponent but still ends its move within 3” of an enemy ship,
it will immediately attempt to grapple that ship, and fight a boarding action.
If the number of wounds taken by a monster exceeds its Ne value, it will not surrender; instead,
the monster will attempt to flee directly towards the northern board edge, avoiding enemy
ships and terrain if possible. If the monster is grappled and engaged in a boarding action, it
must successfully disengage before fleeing. If it fails to disengage it will continue to repel
boarders but will count as devastated. The monster will fire its breath weapon at any enemy
ships it encounters within its firing arc.
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Victory Conditions
At the end of the game total up the points value of monsters and ships destroyed or
surrendered. Count half points for any monster or ship that is fleeing or devastated but has
not surrendered.
The player wins if their fleet kills at least 2 monsters and suffers less total damage than the
monsters have suffered.
Should players wish to make the scenario more challenging, one or more of the suggestions
below may be implemented:
• Use a 3’ x 4’ board.
The player wins if their fleet kills at least one monster and suffers less total damage than the
monsters inflict on their fleet.
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The agent peered through his telescope from his hidden vantage point on the cliffs. Just off
shore he could see the annual treasure fleet forming up in the ocean. Massive galleons at
anchor, guarding the convoy of armed merchant ships as they prepared for the voyage
carrying gold and jewels from the newly conquered territories back to their homeland. He
could see no way in which his admiral’s fleet could successfully raid a convoy this well
protected.
He turned his attention to the scene on his left. The last few merchantmen were leaving
harbour and navigating the shallows on their way to join the treasure fleet. The water here
was too shallow for the massive escort galleons that had to wait off shore and the ships instead
had detachments of marines on board to escort the ships until they reached the safety of the
escort galleons. The marines were hard at work fixing boarding nets over the merchantmen’s
decks. As the agent studied the scene, a plan started to form in his mind. With planning and
a bit of luck, next year might see some of the treasure fall into their hands.
Later that day, seated at a desk in his room in a tavern, the agent penned a letter:
“My Lord Admiral ….”
XXX
The admiral peered through the slowly lightning sky towards the horizon. Overnight, he had
manoeuvred his fleet through the shallows into the shelter of an island, out of sight of the
harbour where the merchant ships were readying to join the treasure fleet. All was ready and
it just awaited the signal that the ships were leaving harbour.
Looking up, the admiral spotted 2 flashes from the crow’s nest lookout’s shrouded lantern. It
was time for action. The stern watchman had also seen the signal and passed it to the other
ships in the fleet. In tight formation, the fleet raised anchor and headed towards the enemy.
(Note: This scenario involves an enemy convoy with 5 M ships. Players may not have this
many models and may wish to use cardboard bases to represent the ships.)
Set Up
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The player’s deployment zone is 8” deep by 18” long along the southern part of the western
edge. Because of the shallow water, the player may not take any XL ships in their fleet.
Place 2 islands in the western part of the game board and some rocks and sandbars in the
eastern part of the board with more towards the southern edge. There should be no terrain in
the direct line from the harbour to the ocean.
The convoy starts at battle speed. The player’s ships start anchored and can increases to
steady speed during their first turn.
Wind Direction
Statistics
Merchantmen may be upgraded with random upgrades selected by rolling a D6 and consulting
this table. A separate roll may be made for each ship or, if time is short, a single roll may be
made and the upgrade applied to all ships.
Roll Upgrade
1 Sturdy Construction. Add 10 SP and 5 Nv to the ship’s starting value.
2 Veteran crew. Upgrade the crew from regular to veteran.
3 Extra cannon. Upgrade the ship’s side armament to 2H, 1C.
4 Additional crew. Increase the ship’s CS from 5 to 6.
5 Blessing of the Gods. When the ship is required to take its first
Nv test to determine if it surrenders, it may re-roll the test, the second result
stands.
6 Reinforced deck. The ship never suffers crushing blows during boarding actions.
Merchantmen move at battle speed unless forced to move slower. They will move as directly
as possible towards the open ocean, evading terrain, other convoy ships and enemy ships.
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Merchantmen have a normal move of 3” but in turns when the wind direction has changed,
this increases to 4”.
At the end of each move step, check if there is an enemy ship within fire arc and range; if there
is, the merchantman will fire on the closest enemy ship regardless of size. If there is a target
at the end of the first move step, merchantmen must engage it, even if a better target might
be available at the end of its second move step.
During its activation, a merchantman will fire as she bears if an enemy ship is within point
blank range, unless the same ship will also be within point blank range at the end of that move
step, in which case it will wait until the end of the move step to fire. A merchantman will never
benefit from raking fire.
During a player’s ship’s activation, if the merchantman has not already activated, it will fire as
she bears on any enemy ship approaching within 3”.
Merchantmen will never initiate a grapple/boarding action and will never shoot into ships that
are grappled.
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Each merchantman carries treasure equivalent to 100 ship-building points. The treasure on
board a merchantman that surrenders after being boarded, or is boarded after surrendering
due to gunfire, is captured by the player. If a merchantman is sunk before being boarded, the
treasure is lost.
Merchantmen that succeed in reaching the ocean by crossing completely into the ocean area
marked on the map, enjoy the protection of the ocean-going galleons. They may not be
targeted by shooting or boarding, will not surrender and automatically extinguish any
remaining fires on board. The treasure is retained by the convoy.
The player wins if their fleet captures treasure valued at 300 ship-building points or more.
Should players wish to make the scenario more challenging, one or more of the suggestions
below may be implemented:
• Have a fanatic hidden within the fleet that will attempt to set fire to the ship’s magazine
if the ship is captured or is about to sink. After a ship surrenders or sinks, roll a D10.
On a roll of a 1, the ship explodes causing 2D10 + 6 damage to all ships within 3”.
There is only one fanatic within the fleet and after a successful explosion, there is no
need to roll for this effect on further ships.
Alternatively, offset the cost of ships lost against the value of treasure recovered. It has cost
200 ship-building points to finance this expedition. The expedition’s sponsors expect a profit
of at least 100 ship-building points. At the end of the game subtract the value of ships lost
from the value of treasure recovered. If the total exceeds 100, the player has won.
The player wins if their fleet captures treasure valued at 200 ship-building points or more.
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These rules cover the actions taken by enemy ships during their activation.
2. If the ship is grappled it will fight a boarding action and then end its activation.
3. If the ship is on fire, determine if there are any player ships of size M or larger within
18”.
If there are no player ships within 18”, the ship will concentrate on extinguishing the
fire, unless it has a fired marker on it.
On a 4 – 10 the ship will ignore the flames and take the consequences.
4. Ships will normally travel at battle speed unless there are no player ships within 24”
when they will travel at full speed, or unless forced to slow because of game rules. As the first
ship activates in a turn, it will select a player vessel as its target and will head towards that
target at battle speed. Targets will be selected in the following priority order:
The closest player non-surrendered medium or larger ship within the leading arc and
within 20”.
The closest player non-surrendered medium or larger ship not within the leading arc
and within 10”.
The closest player non-surrendered medium or larger ship within the leading arc more
than 20” away.
The closest player non-surrendered medium or larger ship not within the leading arc
and more than 10” away.
If all player medium or larger ships have been destroyed or surrendered, the ship will target
small and tiny ships using the criteria listed above.
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When subsequent ships activate during a turn, they will apply the selection criteria listed above
but will ignore player ships already targeted by another medium, large or extra-large ship
earlier in this turn unless it has not surrendered, is within the firing arc and within 10”, in which
case it will target the same ship. Player ships that are grappled with an enemy ship are
automatically considered to be targeted. If when a ship activates all player medium or larger
ships have already been targeted, the activating ship may target a vessel already targeted by
another ship.
Ships will avoid terrain if possible, and medium and larger ships will avoid shallows if possible.
Enemy ships will automatically pass skill tests to avoid other enemy ships in the first 2 turns
of games.
5. During move steps, the ship will fire as she bears if:
a player ship is within point blank range, unless the same ship will also be within point
blank range at the end of that move step, in which case it will wait until the end of the
move step to fire.
Or:
the ship will achieve raking fire from a broadside, unless raking fire will also be
achieved against the same ship at the end of that move step, in which case it will wait
until the end of the move step to fire.
6. At the end of each move step, check if there is a player ship within fire arc and range.
If there is, the ship will select a ship to engage from each of its fire arcs.
If the ship has regular or inexperienced crew, it must fire on the closest ship within
range, ignoring squadrons unless there is no other ship within range and arc.
If the ship has a veteran crew roll a skill, test, if this passed select a ship to engage
using the priority order below. If the test is failed, select a ship to engage using the
same criteria as a regular crew.
Priority 1. The closest medium or larger player ship at point blank range
and achieving raking fire.
Priority 2. The closest medium or larger player ship at point blank range,
not achieving raking fire.
Priority 3. The most-damaged medium or larger player ship within 10” and
clear line of sight.
Priority 4. The most-damaged medium or larger player ship within 10” and
partial line of sight.
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Priority 7. The most damaged small player ship within maximum range of
weapons in this fire arc.
Enemy ships will never engage ships that are grappled together.
If a ship can fire in a move step it must do so. Remember that ships may only fire once from
each firing arc during a turn.
7. During movement, a ship may be forced to attempt to evade or risk collision. Follow
the normal rules for these eventualities, they will automatically pass skill tests to avoid other
enemy ships in the first 2 turns of games.
8. At the end of all of its movement steps, the ship turns in order to maximise the effect
of its shooting.
9. At the end of all of its movement steps, a ship may find itself within 3” of a player ship
and a decision will be needed to determine if a grappling attempt should be made against
this ship. The decision to board depends on the chance of winning the boarding action, the
boarding quotient; the higher the boarding quotient, the greater the chance of success.
Factors to be taken into account in calculating the boarding quotient are:
The relative crew strengths, taking account of any modifiers. This calculated as own
crew strength divided by player crew strength.
The relative amount of damage required to get the ships to their Nv value. This is
calculated as damage required for player ship divided by damage required for own
ship.
The relative crew levels. This is calculated as own crew level divided by player crew
level using veteran crew = 10, regular crew = 9, inexperience crew = 8.
Example. An enemy large ship with a regular crew strength 7 has already taken some damage
and is 25 points away from its Nv value. The player ship is an Orc medium sized with an
experienced crew strength of 4, upgraded with Morax to make a crew strength of 6, but has
not taken any damage and will take up to 28 damage before reaching its Nv value.
B= 7 x 28 x 9
6 25 10
Which gives a boarding quotient of 1.17. Not terrible odds of winning the action.
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Having assessed the boarding quotient, roll a D10 and cross reference the result against the
chart here to see if the ship will attempt to grapple.
During a player’s ship’s activation, if a player ship approaches within 3” of an enemy ship, the
ship will fire as she bears”.
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A fierce storm has been blowing for 24 hours but has now blown itself out. Fleets had been
engaged but lost contact during the storm. As the weather clears, it becomes apparent that
the enemy are close than expected!
Set Up
Victory Conditions
The game lasts 8 turns. At the end of the game, total up all the points values (including
upgrades) of ships that have been destroyed or surrendered to get the final score. Ships that
left the table in the final turn, or that have taken more damage than half their starting SPs, are
worth half their points in this calculation. If the difference between the scores in favour of a
player is at least 10% of the total cost of the fleets, that player wins; otherwise the game is a
draw.
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The enemy is enjoying the fruits of its recent expeditions and is not expecting an attack.
Seizing the opportunity, your fleet has managed to approach the enemy harbour undetected.
Now it is time to press home your advantage and destroy the enemy.
It is unfortunate that the wind that has become blustery, but that should not affect your fleet
too much, should it?
Set Up
Wind Direction
Roll a D6. On a 1-3 the wind starts the game blowing from the west, on a 4 – 6 it starts blowing
from the east.
In the end phase of turn 2, and every turn after that, make a skill test for each ship that is not
anchored or grappled, in Initiative order. If the test is failed, the ship is blown directly (it should
not change facing) in the direction of the wind. Move the ship 4” (without changing facing) and
resolve any collisions as normal with no roll to evade. The moving ship does not turn or move
after damage has been applied, even if it has not moved the full 4”.
The sandbars off the harbour mouth have been fortified by the enemy and are equipped with
1 H weapon each manned by regular crew. The cannons activate in the end phase, after the
wind effects described above have activated. Cannons have a 360 degree line of sight and
will target the closest player ship. Fortifications may be attacked with gunfire as though they
are a ship but may not be grappled or boarded. They have a Nv of 16 and when this is
exceeded they are neutralised and may not fire again during the game. Fortifications have no
value and do not count towards the final score.
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Victory Conditions
The game lasts 8 turns. At the end of the game, total up all the points values (including
upgrades) of ships that have been destroyed or surrendered to get the final score. Ships that
left the table in the final turn, or that have taken more damage than half their starting SPs, are
worth half their points in this calculation. If the difference between the scores in favour of a
player is at least 10% of the total cost of the fleets, that player wins; otherwise the game is a
draw.
• Making the enemy less predictable by increasing the speed of enemy ships by 1” on
every turn that the wind changes direction.
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SUGGESTED ENEMY FLEETS
Fleet special rule: All medium or larger ships in the fleet may reroll failed skill tests when seeing if they
surrender.
Fleet special rule: Enemy ships involved in boarding actions (including repelling boarders) must take
a skill test before rolling any dice to attack. If the test is failed, they suffer an additional -1 to-hit modifier
for that boarding action.
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FLEET 3 – TERROR OF THE WAVES
Fleet special rule: Medium ships and larger in this fleet add 0.1 to the boarding quotient when
determining whether to grapple a ship. Ships’ crews have a +1 modifier when rolling to attack in all
boarding actions and may re-roll their skill test when attempting a grapple.
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REFERENCE SHEET – ENEMY SHIP ACTIONS DURING ITS ACTIVATION
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Table 1 - Select Target
Ships will normally travel at battle speed unless there are no player ships within 24” when they will travel at full speed,
or unless forced to slow because of game rules. As the first ship activates in a turn, it will select a player vessel as its
target and will head towards that target at battle speed. Targets will be selected in the following priority order:
Pri Target
1 The closest player non-surrendered medium or larger ship within the leading arc and within 20”.
2 The closest player non-surrendered medium or larger ship not within the leading arc and within 10”.
3 The closest player non-surrendered medium or larger ship within the leading arc more than 20” away.
4 The closest player non-surrendered ship medium or larger ship not within the leading arc and more than
10” away.
If all player medium or larger ships have been destroyed or surrendered, the ship will target small and tiny ships using
the criteria listed above.
When subsequent ships activate during a turn, they will apply the selection criteria listed above but will ignore player
ships already targeted by another ship earlier in this turn unless it has not surrendered, is within the firing arc and within
10”, in which case it will target the same ship. If when a ship activates all player medium or larger ships have already
been targeted, the activating ship may target a vessel already targeted by another ship.
During move steps, the ship will fire as she bears if:
A player ship is within point blank range, unless the same ship will also be within point blank range at the end
of that move step, in which case it will wait until the end of the move step to fire.
The ship will achieve raking fire from a broadside, unless raking fire will also be achieved against the same
ship at the end of that move step, in which case it will wait until the end of the move step to fire.
Regular or inexperienced crews fire on the closest ship within range, ignoring squadrons unless there is no other ship
within range and arc. Veteran crews roll a skill, test, if this passed select a ship to engage using the priority order below.
Pri Target
1 Closest medium or larger ship at point blank range and achieving raking fire.
2 Closest medium or larger ship at point blank range, not achieving raking fire.
3 Most-damaged medium or larger ship within 10” and clear line of sight.
4 Most-damaged medium or larger ship within 10” and partial line of sight.
5 Most-damaged medium or larger ship within maximum range of weapons in this fire arc and clear line of sight.
6 Most damaged medium or larger ship within maximum range of weapons in this fire arc and partial line of sight.
7 Most damaged small ship within maximum range of weapons in this fire arc.
8 Most damaged squadron within maximum range of weapons in this fire arc.
B= Enemy crew strength x Enemy damage required to reach Nv value x Enemy crew level
Player crew strength Player damage required to reach Nv value Player crew level
D10 Result
Boarding Quotient
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Less than 0.95 Do not board
0.95 – 1.05 Do not board Board
1.05 – 1.20 Do not board Board
1.21 – 1.75 Do not board Board
1.76+ Board