Re: [FT] Morale Re: [SG2] weapons

>I dislike making the player just along for the ride
>and to roll the dice.	Morale is all well and good in
>ground combat where it can be demonstrated
>historically that it had a real effect.  I just don't
>see any modern warships refusing orders.
Battle off Samar October 25,1944
Batle of Leyte Gulf
Surface action with fair visibility - all ships
in both fleets were in communications
American Forces
6 X CVE
3 X DD
4 X DE
Japanese forces
4 X BB
6 X Ca
2 X Cl
10+ DD

Action:
 US: US DD + DE layed smoke and attacked
 Japanese fleet while CVE's ran and launched
 aircraft.
 Japanese: Closed on US ships at maximum
 speed. Japanes thought US DD + DE were
 Crusers while CVE's were CV's
Results:
 US: lost 2 X DD , 2 X DE in screen
 while 2 of the CVE were sunk by fire of the
 BB's
 Japanese: called back ships to reform battlegroup
 and broke off action (thought US battleships
 would be showing up shortly). In other words
 the Japanese fleet morale broke and fleet
 withdrew.

This is an extreme example of a battle where morale
was more important then ship statistics. Actually
most "wet navy" battles were and will be impacted
by morale in a major way.
>The black gang doesn't
>know where the enemy is or really where the ship is
>going, they just know what speed the Captain wants,
>and they give it to him, until machinery starts
>breaking down.
Bad morale on ship could result in:
  -Ships not present at battle due to major
    system failures.
  -Systems disabled due to faulty maintenance.
  -Slower maximum speeds then those listed
  -Ship breaking off action due to damage
    at lower levels then ships with higher morale.
Bad fleet morale could result in:
  -Misidentification of enemy ships due to
    bad intel or orders not to risk fleet
   (put down BB model in place of Ca for example)
  -Ships/squadrons do not show up due to requirements
    to escort convoys or guard stratigic locations.
    Bad morale -> more no shows
  -Fleet must brak off due to losses or the ratio
    of your fleet to the enemies ( we can't afford
    to lose your ship as the enemy can replace there
    ships while we can't for example)

Scott Siebold