Frozen Seas Deck

It is finally here and Marry X-Mass and Happy Holidays.



Preface:

This deck was created as a group effort to expand several areas in the Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific Theatres of battle.  There was focus to expand the convoy game, the Baltic nations, and to flesh out the major nations by giving more options for each.  There was also a focus on mine warfare since it was such a major part of the defenses of the Baltic.  I will write a blurb about each nation and some of the philosophy on the unit choices and abilities.

The next step in this process is to see if there are any MAJOR design flaws in the deck by leaving it open to public viewing and play testing.  Again any major or minor errors will be corrected as need but not because you dislike something.

Frozen Seas Deck List
1. Australia – Sutherland Short - UC
2. Canada – Warrior – carrier - R
3. Canada - Iroquois - destroyer - C
4. Denmark - Niels Juel - cruiser - UC
5. Denmark - Peder Skram - cruiser - UC
6. Denmark - Draken - torpedo boat - C
7. Denmark - Fokker DXXI - fighter - C
8. Denmark - Havmanden - submarine - C
9. France - Paris - battleship - R
10. France – Painleve – carrier – R
11. France -  MB-175T Torpedo Bomber - UC
12. Finland - Hameenmaa - destroyer - C
13. Finland - Ruotsinsalmi - auxiliary
14. Finland - SB-2 - patrol bomber - UC
15. Brummer – cruiser - UC
16. Germany - U-99 - submarine - C
17. Germany - BV-155 - fighter - C
18. Germany - Me-410 – torpedo bomber - UC
19. Germany - Ju-290 - patrol bomber - UC
20. Germany – Altmark – Auxiliary - UC
21. Germany - Penguin - Auxiliary – UC
22. Germany - Togo - Auxiliary - UC
23. Japan - Tama - cruiser - UC
24. Japan - I-31 - submarine - C
25. Netherlands - Hr. Ms. Seomba
26. Netherlands -MV Gadila - Auxiliary - C
27. Norway - Eidsvold - cruiser - UC
28. Norway -  Æger - destroyer - C
29. Norway - Olaf Tryggvason - Auxiliary - U
30. Norway - Northrop N03PB - bomber - C
31. Norway – He-115 – patrol bomber - UC
32. Poland - Wicher - destroyer - C
33. Poland - Gryf - Auxiliary - UC
34. Poland - Wilk - submarine - C
35. Poland - PZL P.11 - fighter - C
36. Poland - PZL 37 Los - patrol bomber - UC
37. Sweden - Sverige - battleship - R
38. Sweden - Manligheten - cruiser - UC
39. Sweden - Tri Kronor - cruiser - UC
40. Sweden - Visby - destroyer - C
41. Sweden - Sjöbjornen - submarine - C
42. Sweden - FFVS 22 - fighter - C
43. Sweden - Saab 17 - dive bomber - C
44. Sweden - Saab 18 - patrol bomber - UC
45. UK - Anson - battleship - R
46. UK - Courageous - carrier - R
47. UK - Nairana - carrier - UC
48. UK - Burwick - cruiser R
49. UK - Danae - cruiser UC
50. UK - Achates - destroyer - C
51. UK - SS Empire Morn - CAM ship - Auxiliary - UC
52. USA - USS New York - R
53. USA - Charleston - destroyer - C
54. USA -  Borie - destroyer - C
55. USSR - Izmail – carrier - R
56. USSR - Maxim Gorky - cruiser - R
57. USSR - Chapayev - cruiser - UC
58. USSR - Razumnyi - destroyer - UC
59. USSR – Lembit - submarine - C
60. USSR - SU-2 - bomber - dive bomber - C
61. USSR - TU-2  - patrol bomber - UC
62. USSR - Marti - Auxiliary – UC
63. Neutral – Minefield – Minefield - UC

Australia
Though the Aussies had units and plied the waves all across the world during the war it was decided to go with a unit that would expand Australia’s air power, especially in ASW actions.  This unit was designed after units that flew anti sub patrols in the North and Mid Atlantic.


Canada
Iroquois as added destroyer to Canada with Destroyer flotilla again represents the strong Tribal class.  The warrior was a harder pick and was finally decided to follow the model of Vanguard as a late war addition to the game.  We kept her simple with just one expert SA.


Denmark
A new nation in W@S, Denmark is a nation with a long maritime history.  The coastal defense ships give some slow moving guarding ships that worked in tandem with minefields in the shallow water around the country.  The Dragen (Dragon) represents a class of nine different units (some with different configurations) that where rated as first rate torpedo boats – a unit common in the Baltic – the redheaded stepchild of a destroyer and torpedo boat.  Havmanden, is an odd unit since if given the right circumstances can have +2 to its armor but also fits into the mine theme of this deck.  The Fokker is a unit used by several nations and provides a low cost natural alternative to other planes.


Finland
Finland finally gets some needed ASW with the addition of all three units.  The SB-2 represents captured Soviet planes and also had the highest kill ratio of Finnish air forces against Russia.  The two surface ships give Finland more options to capture objectives other than the slow moving coastal defense ships and both units represent the utility that Finland put into their vessels so they could get the most out of them.


France
France gets the old battleship Paris with guard ship but balanced with inactivity.  The Painleve was a hard choice but in the end we felt it was better to do Joffre’s sister than something more exotic.  Finally the MB-175 gives France a land based option with ASW, torp, and bomb.



Germany
Several scenario pieces as well as a handful of historic units are in this collection.  The U-99 was one of the most decorated and successful subs in the war and has the Lonewolf SA to give a bonus for a sub working alone.  Togo gives Germany some fighter direction and Brummer a cheap cruiser option.  The Altmark again gives a historical unit and another transport for Germany to use in convoy scenarios.  Penguin is unique in that she is a raider with mines, again a unit that was very successful at what she did.  The planes are the He-290 (big brother of the Kondor), the Me-410 in torpedo plane version (not interceptor – again a choice to be more useful in a NAVAL war game) , and the Me-155 to give Germany a late war carrier born interceptor/escort.   Again no true heavy hitters…. But Germany doesn’t need any…



The Dutch
A MAC ship in gives your convoy games something interesting to use and it comes with a Swordfish attachment.  Also, Soemba, a unit that saw service in D-Day as well as high accuracy with its shots…. Both Torpman approved.


Norway
The old coastal defense ship Eidsvold makes an appearance and will make a good unit to have in tandem with Norge in the Kraken deck.  Aeger was one of a small group of small destroyers but fought valiantly against German forces and even stopped and sunk a transport full of guns and munitions for German forces.  The Olaf T. again is a unit that fought well and was one of the larger ships in the Norwegian fleet, she later on fought on the side of the Germans.  The two planes – the He-115 gives Norway some air based punch and the Northrop N-3PB gives Norway a great ‘Little Norway’ unit that was very effective on convoy patrol flying from Iceland.


Japan
Japan only has two units from the Aleutians Campaign with the I-31 and Tama.  I-31 was used as a supply sub for the islands on several runs and also tried to take a pot shot at the USS Pennsylvania.  Tama was in several of the different actions in Alaska and gives Japan a low cost cruiser with Bad Weather Fighter.


Poland
Poland has received little love over the past few decks so we thought it fit to give her a few more units to chose from, especially if someone wants to play some of the early war actions in the Baltic.  We created both the PZL 11 as a low cost fighter that can be used with Romania and also the Los with gives Poland some offensive bombing punch.  Wicher gives Poland another destroyer option and Wilk also expands Poland’s sub fleet.  Gryf rounds out the lot giving Poland a good minelayer to base small historical games around.


Sweden
How we love to hate yet love Sweden….  It was time for this nation to be able to expand and have a several units to choose from.  We put in the Battleship Sweden with an SA to reflect her squadron usage with Victoria and Gustav.  We also added the Aran class to expand the coastal defense ships with a unit that can allow you to deploy a cruiser sized ship and a destroyer but can’t move unit attacked.  Tri Kronor is a late war edition as Sweden’s largest ship and also gives some anti air defense.  Also Sweden gets air power with a fighter, dive bomber, and patrol bomber…..  scary.


UK
The Brits get solid units with 2 carrier choices and Anson.  The unit of note is the SS Empire Morn, a CAM ship, another option against those nasty Kondors.  There are also 2 cruisers to chose from with the Danae with a little nod with her future with the Polish navy.


US
The USS New York is Texas’s sister and provides an interesting choice when it comes to a battleship in a convoy role.   Borie has a very rich history with her crew ramming and then exchanging small arms fire with a u-boat.  The Charleston is an odd unit as it is considered a destroyer but functions similar to Britain’s  territorial cruisers from the late 1900s.  She had an active time in Alaska where she functioned as the flag ship for a time in Alaska waters.


USSR
Again, more love for the dark horse of W@S.  Another sister in Maxim Gorky and Chapayev gives a leader as a ‘what if’ light cruiser.  Marti is a historic unit and use to be the Czar’s yacht unit she was repurposed as a minelayer.  Lambit is the first Estonian unit and also fought on the side of the USSR throughout the war.  Izmail…… Soviet carrier….. most likely to be built in time to function in the war if the Army manipulated funds away from the army in its creation….. please don’t hate me.  The SU-2 gives a multi role unit for the Soviets as a fighter bomber.



Neutral
Minefield – this is the X-factor…. Unsure what impact it would have in the game but it represents a HUGE part of Baltic warfare.  This jury is out on this one so…. Feedback…… is good.