Post by Solomiranthius on Mar 29, 2017 21:01:24 GMT
Officially Clarified SAs - placeholder
WAS FAQ - placeholder
This document is an alphabetical list of all the Special Abilities that have so far been officially clarified. Each entry contains a brief summary of all the rules clarifications for that particular SA, a list of units with the ability, and the source of each clarification. The sources used in this compilation are the War at Sea Rules Update and Clarifications (WAS U/C), the Task Force FAQ (TF FAQ) and links to the official clarification forum on the Avalon Hill message boards. This list has been updated to include all changes made in the WAS U/C for Aug 10, 2010 and all clarifications from the AH boards up to Apr 24, 2011. Please note that the ‘official’ versions of the clarifications are in the sources themselves, the blurbs below were written by me as an attempt to simplify and combine multiple rulings. Some of the older WotC forums are no longer available, so some clarifications below no longer have sources, sorry.
The WAS U/C can be found here: www.wizards.com/avalonhill/rules/War_at_Sea_Clarifications.pdf
The TF FAQ is here:
www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/aam/ah20080724c
The Axis and Allies Miniatures Q+A forum is here:
community.wizards.com/go/forum/view/75890/136146/A38A_Minis_Q38A
Also see community.wizards.com/content/forum-topic/2299676 where Huscari moved all the clarifications to the old Wiki giving it WotC blessing: web.archive.org/web/20120921091248/http://community.wizards.com/was/wiki/Special_Ability_Clarifications
# SA's: For example, Expert Bomber 1 and 2, are the same SA, and therefore cannot stack, despite having different numbers.
Airfield Strike: An aircraft assigned on this SA cannot be attacked by enemy aircraft at the airfield, as enemy aircraft can't be assigned to the airfield defensively. The SA's of aircraft at the airfield are not taken into account.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1068464 and WAS U/C (some of the first links info is out-dated)
Anti-air Specialist: Note the similarity in wording to Bristling with Guns, presumably the attacks must be against different targets.
Bristling with Guns: The two attacks must be used against different targets.
Close Escort: Close escort lets you place one more ship in the sector than the number allowed by the stacking limit of the scenario. This is not necessarily three, as it says in the SA.
Source: WAS U/C
Combat Air Patrol: An aircraft moved by Combat Air Patrol into a sector containing an enemy with Combat Air Patrol does not keep that enemy from using Combat Air Patrol. This SA cannot be used to send a fighter to the land airbase as a counter to Airfield Strike.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1068464
Crippling Salvo: Like other damage, the effects of this SA begin at the end of the phase.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20016421/War_At_Sea_Flank_Speed_questions
Cruiser Leader: See Flotilla Leader entry.
Damage Control: You may not use Damage Control for a destroyed ship. Damage control only helps if you're still afloat at the end of the turn. Note that you can use Damage Control only once, not each turn.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1004271
Defensive Armament: This SA takes effect as soon as a unit is targeted by an enemy fighter, subsequent attacks, from any source, are registered against the new armor value. The unit can always be attacked by ships first, however.
Source: TF FAQ
Determination: A determination roll must be made each time lethal damage to the unit is received rather than once at the end of each phase when the destroyed counter would be turned face-up.
Source: web.archive.org/web/20100313171620/http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=20706
Determined Attack: This SA functions largely the same as Press the Attack (see below), please note that the aircraft is limited to bomb and torpedo attacks after Determinedly Attacking, despite the fact that it has an ASW rating.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1058830
Draw the CAP: As soon as a destroyed or aborted counter is placed on this Aircraft, enemy fighters are no longer required to attack it. Enemy fighters in the sector that have not yet made an attack are free to select their targets normally.
Source: WAS U/C
Escort: This SA can only assist units of the type bomber, and therefore does not assist fighters, even when those fighters are trying to attack in the surface attack phase. All bombers in a sector with a fighter with escort are considered escorted. Even aborted fighters (by enemy fighters or by failed search check) can escort.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1076898
forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1075492
forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1116102
Evade Bombs: The use of Evade Bombs is declared after the bomber is fully committed to that attack, with all options and special abilities declared, but before the bomber's attack dice are rolled. If the bomb attack is not evaded successfully, then it's resolved normally. If it is evaded, the attack is still completely used up, including add-ons such as Expert Bomber.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?p=16848863#post16848863
Evade Torpedoes: An evaded attack is used up, just as in Evade Bombs.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20016421/War_At_Sea_Flank_Speed_questions
Expert 'X': These carrier SA's can be assigned at any time before the dice are rolled in the attack.
Fatal Flaw: This SA is triggered by four or more sixes (6’s) rolled against this unit by any gunnery attack from an enemy battleship.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1010351
forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1064759
forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1064759
Fighter Cover: This attack does require the unit to have line of sight to its target. Enemy aircraft aborted by fighter cover cannot use Press the Attack or Determined Attack, however, the attack does not constitute a fighter and so does not trigger the Defensive Armament. This attack is good for one enemy aircraft per turn, not all aircraft within its range.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1076898
forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1066258
forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1066233
Fighter Director: Action takes place at the end of the Air Defense phase, aborted fighters cannot be redirected. If both players re-direct their fighters, then alternate activation. You many not use Fighter Director on the same unit twice in one turn.
Source: WAS U/C, community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20016421/War_At_Sea_Flank_Speed_questions
Finish Him Off: Because damage is not applied until the end of a phase, Finish Him Off does not apply to units damaged previously in the same phase.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/19949402/Sparviero_Finish_him_off
Flotilla Leader: This ability does stack with the highest flag rating in the fleet, including the flag ratings of the units with this special ability.
Source: TF FAQ
Great Agility: This ability is triggered when the unit's vital armor is equaled, not at any specific value.
Source: WAS U/C
Guard the Convoy: Guard the Convoy applies even when no legal attack can be made on the unit with guard the convoy.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20084837/Sackville_and_Guard_the_Convoy?post_id=346024289#346024289
Harass from a Distance Not only does this attack not benefit from carrier 'Expert' SA's, you may not boost it with Scout Planes either.
Source: WAS U/C
High Level Bomber: Change the word ‘hits’ in this SA to ‘successes.’ Each six rolled does not count as a separate hit, but rather two successes.
Source: WAS U/C, community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/19949818/WaS_Halafax_38_Mitchell
High Speed Run: This ship may not claim objectives the turn you use this SA, but other units in your fleet can.
Source: WAS U/C
Infiltrator: The middle row of sectors is not on the opponent’s side of the map, therefore, units with this SA may fire in the first turn if deployed there.
Units: Archerfish, I-26
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1067967
Jammed Mount: Consecutive rolling of ones (1’s) does not doubly affect this unit's attack dice as per the rule that SA’s of the same name do not stack, but it does extend the SA's effect an extra turn.
Source: TF FAQ, community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20092537/WaS_Jammed_Mount
Kamikaze Attack: This SA cannot be used at range 1.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20016421/War_At_Sea_Flank_Speed_questions and WAS U/C
Lay Smoke Screen: Regardless of what is says on the card, this SA should read, “Instead of attacking during your Surface Attack phase, this unit can make a local smoke screen. A sector containing a smoke screen blocks line of sight. A unit in a smoke screen has concealment. Remove the smoke screen at the end of the next turn.” Smoke screens take effect immediately and provide concealment to all units in a sector, even aircraft and submarines. Smoke stays in the sector where laid rather than following its creator around.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1060664 and forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1025764
Loiter: An aircraft with Loiter does return to the airfield after every turn, occupying one of the slots of the land airbase, it simply doesn't get a re-arming counter.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1222069
Long Shot 6: This SA may also be used for range 5 or 4 attacks and despite any damage to the unit.
Source: TF FAQ and forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1070624
Lucky Hit: Multiple torpedo hits during the same attack do not result in more than one Lucky Hit roll.
Mines: A sector is either mined, or not mined. Nothing stops you from mining a sector more than once, but the additional mines won't have any additional effect. Mines are permanent. Mines do affect PT Boats, but not Submarines. Ships that stay in a mined sector do not have to roll for mines on each turn, only when they enter.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20030121/WAS_Mines
community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20016421/War_At_Sea_Flank_Speed_questions
Mission Selection: The Barracuda's version of the SA should function just as RE2001's, declared in the air mission phase. The declared type limits the attacks that unit can perform (fighter - AA, dive bomber - bombs, torpedo bomber - torpedoes, ASW).
Source: WAS U/C
Night Fighter: Despite the fact that units with this ability gain other advantages during night conditions, even in a night battle, this unit must wait until turn four to re-roll an attack. Re-rolls are determined before an opponent rolls for concealment. This SA also negates any firing penalties caused by darkness, though it doesn't increase gunnery range.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1145643 and WAS U/C
Nimble: The correct wording should be, "... when an enemy Fighter rolls successes exactly equal to this unit's Vital Armor and would destroy it, ..." and so still applies if a different SA or condition affects the unit's vital armor.
Source:
community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/25042781/WaS:_CZ_Questions
No Sea Control: Units with this special ability cannot claim objectives, but they do
prevent an opponent from claiming an objective by being in or adjacent to that objective.
Source: WAS U/C
Opening Salvo: The SA functions once per unit, not once per attack type.
Source: WAS U/C
Overstack: The amount of units allowed to overstack an airbase does not change in different size games.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1049201
Pinpointer: This SA may not be used by an aborted aircraft.
Source: WAS U/C
Poor Facilities: Aircraft rearming on a carrier with this SA are automatically lost if that carrier is sunk.
Source: WAS U/C
Press the Attack: An aircraft must decide to press the attack immediately on being aborted by an enemy attack, not at the end of the air defense phase or during the air attack phase. An aircraft that has successfully pressed the attack is still aborted, and therefore cannot be the target of another attack in the same air defense phase. Destroyed aircraft cannot use press the attack.
Pursuit Ship: This SA does not allow a player to break stacking limits, so if the ship you designated moves into a fully stacked sector, you may not move your ship there, but it does allow you to break movement limits, so ignore crippled status.
Radar Solution: The bonus applies to the first Main Gunnery attack of the ship with the special ability. The correct wording should be, "The first time this unit makes a Main Gunnery attack ..."
Units: West Virginia
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/25042781/WaS:_CZ_Questions and WAS U/C
Repair: A ship may not repair itself, only a 'local' ship.
Rugged: This SA is triggered when the unit's vital armor is equaled, not at a specific value. It works in the same as Nimble which is covered in the WAS U/C.
Run Silent: Due to the Ram SA, a unit with silent running on the side with initiative may be attacked before it has the chance to not move in its half of the movement step, fulfilling the requirements of the SA. However, it may still take the bonus (obviously before any dice are rolled) by committing to not moving during the subsequent surface movement step.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1069883
Scout Cruiser: This SA provides a boost for both bombs and gunnery on the same turn, despite the card saying 'or.'
Units: Tone
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1120051
Scout Planes: This SA cannot benefit an aircraft using the Harass from a Distance SA. The bonus apples to all torpedo attacks.
Units: Chikuma
Source: WAS U/C (see Harass from a Distance section too)
Secret Cargo X: This ability works once per game for each unit that possesses it, rather than once per game, period.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1157510
Shadowing: This SA may not be used by an aborted aircraft. Shadowing does not require LOS. The bonus can apply to multiple aircraft, including the aircraft doing the shadowing.
Source: WAS U/C
forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1143073
Sharpshooter: Though the SA reads that a 6 is needed, when shooting at a unit with Bad Weather Fighter, both a 5 and a 6 will make the attack miss.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20016421/War_At_Sea:_Flank_Speed_questions?post_id=345668217#345668217
Slow 1/2: A crippled Ship with speed 2 and the Slow 1/2 special ability has its speed reduced to 0 for the turn by rolling a 1 (or 2) at the beginning of your Sea Movement
phase.
Sneak Attack: Initiative modifiers do not affect this ability, which only works if a ‘natural’ ten is rolled on the dice. If a re-roll is required because of a tie, only the first roll counts towards this SA, the re-roll does not.
Source: WAS U/C, TF FAQ and forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1069808
Split Fire: The restriction applies only to the ship using the special ability. The correct wording should be, "This unit can't make any other Gunnery attacks during the turn you use this ability."
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/25042781/WaS:_CZ_Questions and WAS U/C
Stuka Operations: Despite the can't trumps can clause in the rule book, both vessels with this SA may base both types of Stukas.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1067409 and WAS U/C
Sub Hunter: Use of this SA cannot trump sector stacking limits.
Source: WAS U/C
Suicide Attack: Units destroyed by this SA still count as victory points for the enemy.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1049201
Surprise: This SA boosts both AA and gunnery attacks.
Surprise Raid: This SA activates only on 'natural' rolls of 10 or better, and even if you lose initiative. The ships may be chosen at any time before they roll an AA attack, and not necessarily right after the initiative roll.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20016421/War_At_Sea_Flank_Speed_questions
community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/21000881/Surprise_Raid and WAS U/C
Survivor: Only hits against the vital armor (and hence not torpedoes) count to trigger this ability. Even success of the survivor roll does not stop a crippled ship from receiving one hull point of damage and perishing.
Torpedo Run: Ships using this SA don't necessarily need to move to the same sector (so long as both can make a torpedo attack) but normal stacking limits still apply.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20110657/WaS_Torpedo_Run
Vital Cargo: To satisfy the conditions of Vital Cargo, the ship and the island must be "on your opponent's side of the map." That excludes the neutral row of sectors across the middle.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1024855
Wildcat Operations: This special ability applies regardless of whether the unit is in an Allies or Axis fleet.
Source: WAS U/C
The WAS U/C can be found here: www.wizards.com/avalonhill/rules/War_at_Sea_Clarifications.pdf
The TF FAQ is here:
www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/aam/ah20080724c
The Axis and Allies Miniatures Q+A forum is here:
community.wizards.com/go/forum/view/75890/136146/A38A_Minis_Q38A
Also see community.wizards.com/content/forum-topic/2299676 where Huscari moved all the clarifications to the old Wiki giving it WotC blessing: web.archive.org/web/20120921091248/http://community.wizards.com/was/wiki/Special_Ability_Clarifications
# SA's: For example, Expert Bomber 1 and 2, are the same SA, and therefore cannot stack, despite having different numbers.
Airfield Strike: An aircraft assigned on this SA cannot be attacked by enemy aircraft at the airfield, as enemy aircraft can't be assigned to the airfield defensively. The SA's of aircraft at the airfield are not taken into account.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1068464 and WAS U/C (some of the first links info is out-dated)
Anti-air Specialist: Note the similarity in wording to Bristling with Guns, presumably the attacks must be against different targets.
Bristling with Guns: The two attacks must be used against different targets.
Close Escort: Close escort lets you place one more ship in the sector than the number allowed by the stacking limit of the scenario. This is not necessarily three, as it says in the SA.
Source: WAS U/C
Combat Air Patrol: An aircraft moved by Combat Air Patrol into a sector containing an enemy with Combat Air Patrol does not keep that enemy from using Combat Air Patrol. This SA cannot be used to send a fighter to the land airbase as a counter to Airfield Strike.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1068464
Crippling Salvo: Like other damage, the effects of this SA begin at the end of the phase.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20016421/War_At_Sea_Flank_Speed_questions
Cruiser Leader: See Flotilla Leader entry.
Damage Control: You may not use Damage Control for a destroyed ship. Damage control only helps if you're still afloat at the end of the turn. Note that you can use Damage Control only once, not each turn.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1004271
Defensive Armament: This SA takes effect as soon as a unit is targeted by an enemy fighter, subsequent attacks, from any source, are registered against the new armor value. The unit can always be attacked by ships first, however.
Source: TF FAQ
Determination: A determination roll must be made each time lethal damage to the unit is received rather than once at the end of each phase when the destroyed counter would be turned face-up.
Source: web.archive.org/web/20100313171620/http://boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=20706
Determined Attack: This SA functions largely the same as Press the Attack (see below), please note that the aircraft is limited to bomb and torpedo attacks after Determinedly Attacking, despite the fact that it has an ASW rating.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1058830
Draw the CAP: As soon as a destroyed or aborted counter is placed on this Aircraft, enemy fighters are no longer required to attack it. Enemy fighters in the sector that have not yet made an attack are free to select their targets normally.
Source: WAS U/C
Escort: This SA can only assist units of the type bomber, and therefore does not assist fighters, even when those fighters are trying to attack in the surface attack phase. All bombers in a sector with a fighter with escort are considered escorted. Even aborted fighters (by enemy fighters or by failed search check) can escort.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1076898
forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1075492
forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1116102
Evade Bombs: The use of Evade Bombs is declared after the bomber is fully committed to that attack, with all options and special abilities declared, but before the bomber's attack dice are rolled. If the bomb attack is not evaded successfully, then it's resolved normally. If it is evaded, the attack is still completely used up, including add-ons such as Expert Bomber.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?p=16848863#post16848863
Evade Torpedoes: An evaded attack is used up, just as in Evade Bombs.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20016421/War_At_Sea_Flank_Speed_questions
Expert 'X': These carrier SA's can be assigned at any time before the dice are rolled in the attack.
Fatal Flaw: This SA is triggered by four or more sixes (6’s) rolled against this unit by any gunnery attack from an enemy battleship.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1010351
forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1064759
forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1064759
Fighter Cover: This attack does require the unit to have line of sight to its target. Enemy aircraft aborted by fighter cover cannot use Press the Attack or Determined Attack, however, the attack does not constitute a fighter and so does not trigger the Defensive Armament. This attack is good for one enemy aircraft per turn, not all aircraft within its range.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1076898
forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1066258
forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1066233
Fighter Director: Action takes place at the end of the Air Defense phase, aborted fighters cannot be redirected. If both players re-direct their fighters, then alternate activation. You many not use Fighter Director on the same unit twice in one turn.
Source: WAS U/C, community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20016421/War_At_Sea_Flank_Speed_questions
Finish Him Off: Because damage is not applied until the end of a phase, Finish Him Off does not apply to units damaged previously in the same phase.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/19949402/Sparviero_Finish_him_off
Flotilla Leader: This ability does stack with the highest flag rating in the fleet, including the flag ratings of the units with this special ability.
Source: TF FAQ
Great Agility: This ability is triggered when the unit's vital armor is equaled, not at any specific value.
Source: WAS U/C
Guard the Convoy: Guard the Convoy applies even when no legal attack can be made on the unit with guard the convoy.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20084837/Sackville_and_Guard_the_Convoy?post_id=346024289#346024289
Harass from a Distance Not only does this attack not benefit from carrier 'Expert' SA's, you may not boost it with Scout Planes either.
Source: WAS U/C
High Level Bomber: Change the word ‘hits’ in this SA to ‘successes.’ Each six rolled does not count as a separate hit, but rather two successes.
Source: WAS U/C, community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/19949818/WaS_Halafax_38_Mitchell
High Speed Run: This ship may not claim objectives the turn you use this SA, but other units in your fleet can.
Source: WAS U/C
Infiltrator: The middle row of sectors is not on the opponent’s side of the map, therefore, units with this SA may fire in the first turn if deployed there.
Units: Archerfish, I-26
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1067967
Jammed Mount: Consecutive rolling of ones (1’s) does not doubly affect this unit's attack dice as per the rule that SA’s of the same name do not stack, but it does extend the SA's effect an extra turn.
Source: TF FAQ, community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20092537/WaS_Jammed_Mount
Kamikaze Attack: This SA cannot be used at range 1.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20016421/War_At_Sea_Flank_Speed_questions and WAS U/C
Lay Smoke Screen: Regardless of what is says on the card, this SA should read, “Instead of attacking during your Surface Attack phase, this unit can make a local smoke screen. A sector containing a smoke screen blocks line of sight. A unit in a smoke screen has concealment. Remove the smoke screen at the end of the next turn.” Smoke screens take effect immediately and provide concealment to all units in a sector, even aircraft and submarines. Smoke stays in the sector where laid rather than following its creator around.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1060664 and forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1025764
Loiter: An aircraft with Loiter does return to the airfield after every turn, occupying one of the slots of the land airbase, it simply doesn't get a re-arming counter.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1222069
Long Shot 6: This SA may also be used for range 5 or 4 attacks and despite any damage to the unit.
Source: TF FAQ and forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1070624
Lucky Hit: Multiple torpedo hits during the same attack do not result in more than one Lucky Hit roll.
Mines: A sector is either mined, or not mined. Nothing stops you from mining a sector more than once, but the additional mines won't have any additional effect. Mines are permanent. Mines do affect PT Boats, but not Submarines. Ships that stay in a mined sector do not have to roll for mines on each turn, only when they enter.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20030121/WAS_Mines
community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20016421/War_At_Sea_Flank_Speed_questions
Mission Selection: The Barracuda's version of the SA should function just as RE2001's, declared in the air mission phase. The declared type limits the attacks that unit can perform (fighter - AA, dive bomber - bombs, torpedo bomber - torpedoes, ASW).
Source: WAS U/C
Night Fighter: Despite the fact that units with this ability gain other advantages during night conditions, even in a night battle, this unit must wait until turn four to re-roll an attack. Re-rolls are determined before an opponent rolls for concealment. This SA also negates any firing penalties caused by darkness, though it doesn't increase gunnery range.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1145643 and WAS U/C
Nimble: The correct wording should be, "... when an enemy Fighter rolls successes exactly equal to this unit's Vital Armor and would destroy it, ..." and so still applies if a different SA or condition affects the unit's vital armor.
Source:
community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/25042781/WaS:_CZ_Questions
No Sea Control: Units with this special ability cannot claim objectives, but they do
prevent an opponent from claiming an objective by being in or adjacent to that objective.
Source: WAS U/C
Opening Salvo: The SA functions once per unit, not once per attack type.
Source: WAS U/C
Overstack: The amount of units allowed to overstack an airbase does not change in different size games.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1049201
Pinpointer: This SA may not be used by an aborted aircraft.
Source: WAS U/C
Poor Facilities: Aircraft rearming on a carrier with this SA are automatically lost if that carrier is sunk.
Source: WAS U/C
Press the Attack: An aircraft must decide to press the attack immediately on being aborted by an enemy attack, not at the end of the air defense phase or during the air attack phase. An aircraft that has successfully pressed the attack is still aborted, and therefore cannot be the target of another attack in the same air defense phase. Destroyed aircraft cannot use press the attack.
Pursuit Ship: This SA does not allow a player to break stacking limits, so if the ship you designated moves into a fully stacked sector, you may not move your ship there, but it does allow you to break movement limits, so ignore crippled status.
Radar Solution: The bonus applies to the first Main Gunnery attack of the ship with the special ability. The correct wording should be, "The first time this unit makes a Main Gunnery attack ..."
Units: West Virginia
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/25042781/WaS:_CZ_Questions and WAS U/C
Repair: A ship may not repair itself, only a 'local' ship.
Rugged: This SA is triggered when the unit's vital armor is equaled, not at a specific value. It works in the same as Nimble which is covered in the WAS U/C.
Run Silent: Due to the Ram SA, a unit with silent running on the side with initiative may be attacked before it has the chance to not move in its half of the movement step, fulfilling the requirements of the SA. However, it may still take the bonus (obviously before any dice are rolled) by committing to not moving during the subsequent surface movement step.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1069883
Scout Cruiser: This SA provides a boost for both bombs and gunnery on the same turn, despite the card saying 'or.'
Units: Tone
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1120051
Scout Planes: This SA cannot benefit an aircraft using the Harass from a Distance SA. The bonus apples to all torpedo attacks.
Units: Chikuma
Source: WAS U/C (see Harass from a Distance section too)
Secret Cargo X: This ability works once per game for each unit that possesses it, rather than once per game, period.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1157510
Shadowing: This SA may not be used by an aborted aircraft. Shadowing does not require LOS. The bonus can apply to multiple aircraft, including the aircraft doing the shadowing.
Source: WAS U/C
forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1143073
Sharpshooter: Though the SA reads that a 6 is needed, when shooting at a unit with Bad Weather Fighter, both a 5 and a 6 will make the attack miss.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20016421/War_At_Sea:_Flank_Speed_questions?post_id=345668217#345668217
Slow 1/2: A crippled Ship with speed 2 and the Slow 1/2 special ability has its speed reduced to 0 for the turn by rolling a 1 (or 2) at the beginning of your Sea Movement
phase.
Sneak Attack: Initiative modifiers do not affect this ability, which only works if a ‘natural’ ten is rolled on the dice. If a re-roll is required because of a tie, only the first roll counts towards this SA, the re-roll does not.
Source: WAS U/C, TF FAQ and forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1069808
Split Fire: The restriction applies only to the ship using the special ability. The correct wording should be, "This unit can't make any other Gunnery attacks during the turn you use this ability."
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/25042781/WaS:_CZ_Questions and WAS U/C
Stuka Operations: Despite the can't trumps can clause in the rule book, both vessels with this SA may base both types of Stukas.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1067409 and WAS U/C
Sub Hunter: Use of this SA cannot trump sector stacking limits.
Source: WAS U/C
Suicide Attack: Units destroyed by this SA still count as victory points for the enemy.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1049201
Surprise: This SA boosts both AA and gunnery attacks.
Surprise Raid: This SA activates only on 'natural' rolls of 10 or better, and even if you lose initiative. The ships may be chosen at any time before they roll an AA attack, and not necessarily right after the initiative roll.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20016421/War_At_Sea_Flank_Speed_questions
community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/21000881/Surprise_Raid and WAS U/C
Survivor: Only hits against the vital armor (and hence not torpedoes) count to trigger this ability. Even success of the survivor roll does not stop a crippled ship from receiving one hull point of damage and perishing.
Torpedo Run: Ships using this SA don't necessarily need to move to the same sector (so long as both can make a torpedo attack) but normal stacking limits still apply.
Source: community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75890/20110657/WaS_Torpedo_Run
Vital Cargo: To satisfy the conditions of Vital Cargo, the ship and the island must be "on your opponent's side of the map." That excludes the neutral row of sectors across the middle.
Source: forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1024855
Wildcat Operations: This special ability applies regardless of whether the unit is in an Allies or Axis fleet.
Source: WAS U/C
WAS FAQ - placeholder
The War at Sea Rules Clarification forum is here to help you. Before you post a question, please consult the resources below to see if it is already answered there. Of course, should further elabortation or explanation be required to settle your case, start a new thread and everyone here will be happy to help.
First, some resources.
You probably already have the rulebook, but in case you don't, it can be downloaded here by clicking on Download Advanced Rules:
www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/aam/WaratSea
A supplement to the rulebook has been released by Avalon Hill making sweeping changes in the game, including moving surface torpedoes into the surface attack phase, giving a penalty to strafing fighters, and adding rules for harassing submarines. It also clarifies some oft mis-understood rules. It is available here:
www.wizards.com/avalonhill/rules/War_at_Sea_Clarifications.pdf
The old (now defunct) Avalon Hill forum featured a section where WAS questions could be answered by an actual employee with the power to make rulings. Much of this information (though you can no longer post there) is still relevant and can be found here:
boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=19718
Additionally, the new Gleemax boards offers a place to post questions which can be answered 'officially' by a WotC representative, these can be found here:
forums.gleemax.com/forumdisplay.php?f=758
Numerous questions arose about the second set of WAS, Task Force. Enough confusion abounded that an FAQ was needed for that set alone, here it is:
www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/aam/ah20080724c
In response to a request for a sort of WAS FAQ, I have created this thread to post a few common questions and thier answers. If you have a suggestion for a commonly mis-understood rule, please post it here and I will add it to the FAQ, thanks. And with that, here we go. If you notice mistakes (especially concerning the rules) please notify me in a reply or by PM as well.
WAS FAQ
Gunnery and Bomb attacks:
These attacks must be rolled one at a time. Attacks from multiple units at the same target, or attacks by multiple gunnery values from the same ship (main, secondary, etc) are all rolled by themselves and are never added together.
Example: Rodney is attacking an enemy vessel at range 3. It may target that vessel with both its main and its secondary guns, but each attack is rolled seperately. Instead of one attack of 18 dice, Rodney gets one attack with 13 dice and one attack with 5 dice.
Note: The rules also state that torpedo attacks should be made seperately, and it is good practice to do so. This is despite the fact that rolling torpedos together gives no advantage to the attacker, unlike stacking gunnery attacks.
Capturing Objectives:
Objectives are captured at the end of each turn by a player who has a ship in an objective sector where no enemy ships are local or adjacent. Submarines are unit type submarine, not ship. Therefore, submarines do not keep a player from capturing an objective even if they are local or adjacent. Ships with the No Sea Control SA cannot capture objectives. However, because they are unit type ship, they do deny the capture of an objective which they are local or adjacent to.
Smoke Screens/Concealment:
Smoke screens come into effect immediately, despite the fact that action during a single phase is regarded as being simultaneous. All units within a smoke screen have concealment, including aircraft, which gain a concealment roll against any attack made against them. Concealment rolls, if successful, nullify one entire attack, whether it be gunnery, bombs, or a salvo of torpedos. Note that if multiple torpedo hits are scored in a single salvo, the concealment roll is for all of these hits.
Aborted Fighters
Fighters are aborted just as any other aircraft during the Air Defense phase. However, all attacks are considered to be resolved at the same time. Therefore, the SA's of the aborted fighter (such as Escort) remain in effect for the rest of the Air Defense phase. Additionally, the fighter may still attack enemy air targets during this Air Defense phase, so it is entirely possible for two fighters to abort each other during a single Air Defense phase.
First, some resources.
You probably already have the rulebook, but in case you don't, it can be downloaded here by clicking on Download Advanced Rules:
www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/aam/WaratSea
A supplement to the rulebook has been released by Avalon Hill making sweeping changes in the game, including moving surface torpedoes into the surface attack phase, giving a penalty to strafing fighters, and adding rules for harassing submarines. It also clarifies some oft mis-understood rules. It is available here:
www.wizards.com/avalonhill/rules/War_at_Sea_Clarifications.pdf
The old (now defunct) Avalon Hill forum featured a section where WAS questions could be answered by an actual employee with the power to make rulings. Much of this information (though you can no longer post there) is still relevant and can be found here:
boards.avalonhill.com/showthread.php?t=19718
Additionally, the new Gleemax boards offers a place to post questions which can be answered 'officially' by a WotC representative, these can be found here:
forums.gleemax.com/forumdisplay.php?f=758
Numerous questions arose about the second set of WAS, Task Force. Enough confusion abounded that an FAQ was needed for that set alone, here it is:
www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=ah/aam/ah20080724c
In response to a request for a sort of WAS FAQ, I have created this thread to post a few common questions and thier answers. If you have a suggestion for a commonly mis-understood rule, please post it here and I will add it to the FAQ, thanks. And with that, here we go. If you notice mistakes (especially concerning the rules) please notify me in a reply or by PM as well.
WAS FAQ
Gunnery and Bomb attacks:
These attacks must be rolled one at a time. Attacks from multiple units at the same target, or attacks by multiple gunnery values from the same ship (main, secondary, etc) are all rolled by themselves and are never added together.
Example: Rodney is attacking an enemy vessel at range 3. It may target that vessel with both its main and its secondary guns, but each attack is rolled seperately. Instead of one attack of 18 dice, Rodney gets one attack with 13 dice and one attack with 5 dice.
Note: The rules also state that torpedo attacks should be made seperately, and it is good practice to do so. This is despite the fact that rolling torpedos together gives no advantage to the attacker, unlike stacking gunnery attacks.
Capturing Objectives:
Objectives are captured at the end of each turn by a player who has a ship in an objective sector where no enemy ships are local or adjacent. Submarines are unit type submarine, not ship. Therefore, submarines do not keep a player from capturing an objective even if they are local or adjacent. Ships with the No Sea Control SA cannot capture objectives. However, because they are unit type ship, they do deny the capture of an objective which they are local or adjacent to.
Smoke Screens/Concealment:
Smoke screens come into effect immediately, despite the fact that action during a single phase is regarded as being simultaneous. All units within a smoke screen have concealment, including aircraft, which gain a concealment roll against any attack made against them. Concealment rolls, if successful, nullify one entire attack, whether it be gunnery, bombs, or a salvo of torpedos. Note that if multiple torpedo hits are scored in a single salvo, the concealment roll is for all of these hits.
Aborted Fighters
Fighters are aborted just as any other aircraft during the Air Defense phase. However, all attacks are considered to be resolved at the same time. Therefore, the SA's of the aborted fighter (such as Escort) remain in effect for the rest of the Air Defense phase. Additionally, the fighter may still attack enemy air targets during this Air Defense phase, so it is entirely possible for two fighters to abort each other during a single Air Defense phase.