Grand Fleets 3rd Edition

[Ruckdog]

I've been playing around with Grand Fleets 3, from Majestic 12 Games:

http://www.mj12games.com/grandfleets/

Greg and I are looking to review it for the MBS podcast soon!

As part of my trying out the rules system, I have made a handy-dandy stats generator for the game, which you can find on the blog:

http://www.manbattlestations.com/blog/2017/04/17/grand-fleets-3-stat-generator/

This stats generator uses the equations provided in the rule book to create stats for any historical ship. I've automated as much as the process as I could though!

[McKInstry]

How do you find this rule set compares to GQ2 or GQ3?

[Ruckdog]

That's hard for me to say, since I haven't played GQ! Comparing it to Spartan's system, I think it's a bit simpler. GF3 strikes me as a good "fleet action" system, where you can have lots of ships on the table and still have a reasonable length game. Subs and aircraft are also very abstracted.

[McKInstry]

Does it do shell by shell resolution or accumulated over x period of time? The GQ system assigns the values based on, IIRC, 5 minutes of firing.

[Ruckdog]

Does it do shell by shell resolution or accumulated over x period of time? The GQ system assigns the values based on, IIRC, 5 minutes of firing.

It's not shell by shell, though firing rates are accounted for in the math behind determining the number of D6s rolled for guns. Based on the distances moved, each game turn is roughly 6 minutes long. The game definitely makes some simplifications that favor ease of play over technical and historical veracity, but those simplifications are what makes the game work well as a mass fleet game I think, and aren't so intrusive that they remove all feel of history from the game.

If you are interested, MJ12 does have a demo version of these rules available that cover the basics:

http://www.mj12games.com/grandfleets/gf3demo.pdf

[McKInstry]

Looks interesting and I prefer simplicity. I'll grab a copy off Wargames Vault. Thanks!