[DW] Italiens, premiers retours des testeurs

[Youenn]

De Delboy le playtester de DW qui balance des infos:

As promised, here is the first of my three mutterings regarding the upcoming Italians.....

The Italian Fleet
Hail, the all-powerful Italians!
I've mulled over how to go about presenting the Italians, how to show their ships in context, discuss their strengths and weaknesses etc.
In the end, after doing a few drafts, I've decided on a slightly amended format to the usual one, taking the Size Classes [starting with the tiny and smalls] and building up.

This should mean that the breakdown comment in the Italian Navy should take 3 posts and hopefully make more sense than if I just lumped everything together and provide players a foundation of knowledge based upon the smallest elements first.

Fleet Overview
What are the Italians designed to do? What is their 'bag'?

The answer to these questions was our core focus during design. The renders were done a while back and so the creation of the rules to fit was made easier by having some visual input.

Looking at the ships we were all struck by their blade-like appearance. Sleek and deadly, they appeared to be knives of the sea. With such evocative imagery in our heads we decided it was time for an Elite force in D-Wars and the Italian atheistic supported the idea perfectly.
So....the Italians are designed to be the best of the best....Best Crew, Best Guns, Best Defences.... and if they cant build the best, they hire the best instead – Money makes the strongest loyalty.

Of course this superiority comes at a cost – a points cost in D-Wars! So dont expect the Itlaians to be cheap. Class costs.
Players should be aware the Italians are by no means the mega-fleet in D-Wars [although I expect folks to panic a bit when they see the fleet list!] and good players will pick the Italians apart with a combination of focused gunnery and strong boarding assault and its up to the Italians to stop that from happening!

One of the new innovations from Spartan is the creation of these paired-box releases. They contents of which provide a balanced, competitive fleet that should fit the bill for new and experienced gamers alike.

Right! On to the vessels......
Uccisore Torpedo Assault Craft
The Look
With a trio of smokestacks in the aft and a bank of torps in the fore, there was no doubt that these assault craft were going to act in the role of short range MTB – Motorised Torpedo Boat. Modelled on the same base size as the Small Tanks for the Land Game, they seem slight and very innocuous ..... dont be fooled!

Why is it needed?
Historically, the Italian fleet is famous for its use of small attack craft armed, so I guess that’s where the initial reasoning for designing these models came from. We wanted the Italians, despite their elite nature to have at least one element on the tabletop they could have multiples of. Something that could be used to muddle and confuse the enemy.

Gunnery, MARs and Generators
Well... its got Torpedoes obviously and not much else!

From a very early stage during the testing and design process we decided that these vessels should
models should be Tiny Class models. We thought about making them Small Class [much like their Small Tank counterparts] but with Line of Sight issues and collision fouling a real issue in the early tests it was universally agreed that these fellows should occupy the smallest 'vessel bracket' possible.

By opening up the game to this class the design team hoped to maintain the concept of the assault craft being vessels NOT tokens, taking a leaf out of the Small Tanks from the Land Game. Being Tiny in size, the Mediums in the game can shoot over them, so they are less effective as LoS-blockers.

Further to this we decided that these vessels should be FREE, much like Tiny Flyers, and their presence on the High Seas should be conditional to having vessels who could tend for them. The assault craft should not be able to simply 'tag along' with Italian fleets as their small size would make them very vulnerable to adverse weather conditions, etc.

So we added a new MAR which allows for such things to be represented on the tabletop, without referring to the Carrier rules, which mention TFTs in them repeatedly. Besides we really wanted these to feel like an addition to the fleet, a freebie, that improved the fleet's game play – not an activation rag or one-shot deal that can often be the TFT's lot in life.

Squadrons with the Assault Craft Support Mar may field a squadron of assault craft in the deployment phase of the game that is equal to their Squadron Starting Strength multiplied by their Compliment Value.

[e.g. A squadron of 3 Italian Cruisers with Assault Craft Support (2) would field a single Squadron totalling 3 x 2= 6 Assault Craft.]

All models in a newly formed Assault Craft Squadron Must be deployed at the same time as the parent Squadron, and within 4” of one of the parent models, but are free to to act as a separate Squadron during the game. This new Squadron does not count towards the generation of Game Cards. Additionally, a Squadron of Assault Craft may not have Games Cards played upon it.

This MAR simply allows the creation of a new squadron, which is free to act in the game using a simple multiplier mechanic.

Next up, we added another MAR – Tiny Target.

The Tiny Target MAR is designed to bridge a gap between token and vessel, ensuring that odd gameplay 'bumps' that came up in testing were levelled out.

Model assigned rules (Mar): Tiny Target
• Models with this Mar never detonate Mines during their movement.
• Any model of a larger size class that collides/rams with a model with this Mar may continue its movement after the collision/ram has been resolved, provided the vessel with the Tiny Target Mar was sunk during the collision/ram.
• Models with this Mar may never be the target of a Boarding Assault.
• Models with this Mar always have the Elusive Target and Fast Target Mars.
• Models with this Mar Cannot be targeted by Tiny Flyer Token (TFT) Ordnance (Torpedoes/Bombs), but can be targeted by all TFTs (including Fighters and Recon Planes) using TFT Ack-Ack. Assault Craft are hit on a 4+ during such Attack.

Taking each in turn, I'll try to explain the reasoning....

Mines+Detonation – Given the size of D-Wars mines, we felt it was reasonable that these vessels should be able to navigate them when they were deployed in the water [….but not when dropped on them of course!]
Ram/Collision Question – Given their Tiny status we felt that a battleship/Dreadnought should not be fouled by these little pests, and so if the collision results in the MTB being removed, then the larger vessel may continue on oblivious!
No Boarding? - We felt that these tiny models [that are worth nothing in terms of VP/CP] should not be the target of quick boarding rushes.....with models that small, where would the platoon of assault marines land?
Fast+Elusive – An easy one really!
No TFT Ordinance – Quite apart from the waste of good bombs/torps on these guys, the size of the vessels was also a deciding factor in this. However, the evocative imagery of aircraft strafing these vessels in attack runs did appeal, so we gave fleets a viable means of neutralising these assault craft using Wings......even Recon Wings!

Finally, the little vessels got Pack Hunter [mostly from a historical/imagery point] and Hit+Run [for mostly the same reason, and to vastly increase their threat to the enemy!]

Of course, given their Tiny Size, they didn’t get any Generators!

Movement and Manoeuvre
These guys are pretty fast. Moving at 12” and with Hit and Run, they can strike at the enemy and move away again before an effective defence can be mounted. Opponents must be aggressive to take them on, or perish under their systematic torp-assaults. We decided that anything other than 360-degree movement was ridiculous, as so the vessels are free to move in the most flexible method possible.

Squadron Size
As explained above, the size of the unit is dependent on the size of their parent unit. Both the carrier and the cruiser are capable of deploying them and if the Uccisore is to be a staple in fleets, then these vessels will be required to bring them to the fight.

Overall
They can be devastating if used well. Frustrating to your opponent if the Hit+Run MAR is pushed to the limit and likely to attract lots of attention....which is always nice considering they are free!

The Scutum Frigate/Escort
The Look
With its slight build and impressive stacked torp weapon system, the Frigate/Escort is very pleasing. Its close to the other vessels in looks, but not identical..... which I like. One point of interest is the large depth charge dispenser at the back of the vessel!.....

Why is it needed?
Obviously all fleets need some Frigates, and the Italians are no exception. However, in line with their elite feel, we decided to look more to the Corvette-style build for inspiration.
This vessel needed to be able to hit and run past their targets, and stay flexible where possible. Also we wanted these vessels to also act as operational Escorts for the Large/Massive vessels too, as much to extend their gaming use as anything.

Gunnery MARs and Generators
These guys are bristling with weaponry. First off we have a 270-degree turret, with a pretty standard AD level that you would expect from a Corvette. Add to that a RB1 Torp weapon that can deliver a solid wall of torps at short range and these are Corvettes...with real punch.
The MAR count of these elite-Corvettes is pretty standard – Elusive and Small [they are Corvettes afterall], along with Water Hunter.....the idea for this inclusion was mostly due to the huge depth charges on the back of the vessel, but it also applied to the other weapons systems too.
Finally the vessels have the Hit+Run MAR to give them the tabletop effect of a fast, agile strike unit, capable of ambush tactics and avoiding damage if played/deployed well.
No generators were needed of course....its a Small Vessel.

Movement and Manoeuvre
Moving 12” these Smalls are more than capable of being a first-strike unit. Combine the reasonable movement with Hit+Run and the Scutum is nasty, and just as frustrating to face as the MTBs.

Squadron Size
These vessels can be taken as a squadron of 2-4 or as Escorts in a group of 1-4.... Massively boosting the dreaded Battleship and Carrier's offensive output!

Overall
A staple for the Italians, these ambush vessels are capable of attracting a lot of firepower before they go down. The low CR [common among Corvettes] is offset by the ambush MARs and multiple weapon systems. Costing 30pts each, they are MUCH more expensive than other Corvettes, but this is clearly intentional, to provide much needed Small coverage using elusive vessels at the core, at an expensive premium.


Cinquedea Destroyer
The Look
In my opinion these guys are probably the ugliest of the Italian vessels, but its relative really, they still look great. But in a fleet of aesthetic perfection, a plain-jane stands out....

Why is it needed?
Everybody likes destroyers! I'm a Prussian player and I still use mine no matter what folks say!
The destroyer bridges the gap well I think between medium and small. But still has a role on the tabletop.

Gunnery MARs and Generators
It has 2 wepaon systems, both solid.
A 360-degree turret for incredible flexibility of fire, with very good AD across 3 range bands.
And a torp-turret with a 270-arc that has a consistent 4AD at RB1+2......
Like I said...solid.
In terms of MARs, the Cinquedea has what you would expect. Pack Hunter [obviously] and Small Target.
Added to that, in-keeping with the other Smalls, the destroyer has Hit+Run too! So pinning these guys down will be difficult and being even more flexible that the Frigate in terms of AD targeting, the Cinquedea is a beauty.....even if it does 'look' like it has hit by the 'Ugly Stick'.

Movement and Manoeuvre
Moving at a respectable 12” and with Pack Hunter and Hit+Run, the destoryer should be a staple for the small category.

Squadron Size
With the option to take squadrons at 2-4, its easy to simply always buy them in 4s....but these guys work well in 3s too and are capable of wreaking havoc even in smaller sizes.

Overall
Very good vessel I think. Expensive at 40pts, but then all Italian ships are, but with flexibility, and the ability of remain combat effective even after casualties, I'd expect folks to get good value from them.


Righto, that's it for the Tiny and Smalls.
Feel free to ask questions and comment.
More to come on the Mediums at the weekend!

Cheers, and thanks for reading,
Delboy!

[soltan]

et en français ça donne quoi !!

Bon en fait, je confirme il me les faut !!

[elric130]

Oui plz en fr ça dit quoi ???

[Youenn]

Pas trop de temps/courage, mais en gros:

Revue générale de la faction:
Les italien seront l'élite de DW : peu de vaisseaux, mais de très bon vaisseaux. Donc très cher en points.
Pour le moment tous les small ont "hit and run" et 12 pouces de mouvement + des bonus divers et variés sous forme de tourelle avec grand angles, des pack hunter/water hunter, des elusive, etc. mais je vous laisse découvrir tout ça.


MTB :
tokens, mais en fait non : des models tinys (donc en dessous de petit) avec une chiée de règles spé réunie en une nouvelle MAR Tiny target + des MAR habituelles:
-pas abordable, mais éperonnable sans problèmes pour tous les navire "normaux"
-pas attaquable avec les tinys bombardier ou torpilleurs, mais ciblable avec les fighters
-elusives et fast target
-fait pas péter les mines
-hit and run
-pack hunter
-12 de mouvement

Des torpilles comme les torpedo bomber mais il ne faut pas les recharger et en plus pack hunter donc plus puissant à mon humble avis.
Gratuits, mais faut les payer dans les coûts des croiseurs, et du carrier (et max 6 à priori).


Frégate/escorteur:
-Hit and run
-12 pouces de Mvt
-tourelle à 270 avec "bon niveau d'AD pour une corvette"
-possibilité de gros coup de torpille (je cite un "mur de torpille") à RB1 (mais uniquement à RB1).
-water hunter pour cause de (et je ne rigole pas) : "grosses CC sur les maquettes et pis comme les italiens c'est l’élite de l’élite bas en fait sur toutes les armes..."
-hit and run mais aussi elusive et smal target
-petit CR (comme les corvettes)
-escadre de 2 à 4 pour les frégate et 1-4 pour les escorteurs

donc des corvettes ++ camouflée et aux hormones mais à 30 pts.


Destroyer:
-12 de mouvement
-Hit and run, pack hunter et small target
-tourelles à 360 jusqu'a RB3 avec un bon niveau d'AD
-tourelle torpille à 270 mais que pour RB1 et 2 ... à 4 AD.
-escadre de 2 à 4

Des très bon destro et les premiers destro a avoir deux systèmes d'armes, mais à 40 pts la bête.

[soltan]

Oui plz en fr ça dit quoi ???

Les italiens sortent de Miramar, ceux sont "the best of the best"

[Hannibal]

Bref, Les elfes arrivent..

[cythrawl]

la suite des infos sur les Italiens :

As promised, here are the tester thoughts regarding the Italian Mediums.

I'll start with the Bomber...cos its my favourite



Fortuna Bomber


The Look
With a tri-winged design and wing mounted engines, the vessel 'nods the head' towards certain WWII aircraft, but there is no doubt that the Bomber has a style all on its own. I love this model, and plan to have at least 2 units in my final 1500pt army!



Why is it needed?
The fleets always get a Bomber of one type or another, and the Italians are no exception. The bombers of other nations however suffer from a number of drawbacks – Lack of resilience, Poor approach AD distribution, Low unit sizes etc..... but not so, the Italian Fortuna!



Gunnery, MARs and Generators
Torpedoes form its sole armament, but don’t be put off. With AD6 at RB2+3+4, the vessel is pretty deadly at removing Small squadrons!



At this point I think its fair to point out that the Fortuna DOES follow the Italian design mechanic of low CR. The bomber has CR5 and is fair to say....pretty squishy if a torrent of fire is directed towards it. The up side is, that even down to its last point of HP, the vessel is STILL chucking out 6AD at most range bands..... so the focus for opponents HAS to be removal, which can often be easier said than done.



In terms of MARs, the Fortuna bucks the curve a little. It loses Swift Accent [a 'bomber' staple] mostly because we felt it didn’t fit the tabletop role.



It keeps Momentum, as you might expect, but look down to the Movement and Manoeuvre Section to see where the Fortuna excels.



Next up, again in-keeping with the Italian design thinking, the vessel gained Hit+Run. On the surface of it, this seems a bit pointless, but.... bear with me.

Ever wanted to fire your weapons on a flyer at RB2, outside of AA range, then move into RB1 to the relative safety of AA-only enemy ordinance? Ever wanted to move 4” then 1”, shoot, then turn 5x45-degrees to....'remain on station'?...... the Fortuna can!



Next, to further emphasis the vessel's loitering feel we gave it Spotter. Not the most exciting MAR for most, but when used in conjunction with the Italian firepower from the Medium, Large and Massive models, its really useful....mostly because to the amount of Hit+Run in the fleet.



Finally, the Fortuna gained Water Hunter as a Model Assigned Rule. This MAR in conjunction with the Torpedoes should worry any submarine group within arc, especially if the squadron is at full strength!



And of course, Bombers don’t have access to any Generators right?....Wrong! The Fortuna is blessed with a Shield Generator to allow it to maintain combat capability while executing its Spotter and Small-Hunter roles. This helps balance out the low CR..... but beware rockets... :ph34r:


Movement and Manoeuvre
Moving at 10”, these vessels don’t have great speed, its really no better than most of their counterparts, but given its Spotter and Torps Role on the battlefield, the movement isn’t really a problem. They wont be trying to bomb anyone to get their points back, so don’t need to close.



One important feature for the Fortuna that sets it apart from most flyers is that despite its standard 4” minimum move, there is no restriction in their turning circle......their pilots are the best of the best! This allows for easier lining up of the torps and allows the Bomber unparalleled manoeuvrability.



Squadron Size
This was a real area of contention for the testers. Some argued the Fortuna was hampered by the lack of weapon systems, citing that when only armed with torpedoes, the vessel was AD light and lobbied hard for an increase to the squadron from 3 max to 4 max [This means the Uber-Squadron is worth 220pts!]



Others thought that given the engagement role, Shield Generator and effect against submerged models, that 3 max was sufficient and in line with other bombers......



The 4-max testers won out in the end! 4X 6AD Torps at RB4!....Ouch!
[Of course the smart play is to throw 6+6+6+6 at Smalls and 6+3 6+3 at Mediums for best effect]



Overall
The Fortuna is really solid. Not the most survivable of vessels, due to its drop in CR, but with the Shield Generator and ability to keep its distance, its very, very handy. Oddly I've used the Spotter MAR more with this vessel than I ever have before!?.... Read on to the Italian Cruiser to see why....


The Gladius Cruiser

The Look
This was the first render we were sent, and really helped set the tine for the Italian Fleet. Quite simply I reckon this is the best model in D-Wars at the moment!

Sharp, almost razor-like lines, with an innovative MTB delivery system at the back, a Torp-Turret and 2 versions of Ship Cannon..... Fantastic!


Why is it needed?
Obviously all fleets need some Cruisers and this one feels so multi-purpose, that its inclusion will most likely be a joy rather than a chore.



Gunnery MARs and Generators
Bristling with weaponry, the Gladius lives up to its name, stabbing through medium vessels with ease. Both the fore and aft guns are Primary, so can link to increase the AD-focus considerably!



These 'Blades of the Sea' churn out 11AD at RB1....you heard me right?......but I'll repeat for those of you sitting in the cheap seats..... that’s 11AD at RB1! Of course this relies upon getting a side on shot, but who cares! 11AD at RB1!



There is also a cute little Torp Turret that drops 4AD Torps into the water, nothing special, but it does provide an interesting AD addition to EITHER the Port of Starboard arcs.


The MAR count of these elite-Cruisers is pretty large.

The Assault Craft Support value for them is 2, so a squadron of 3 creates a squadron of 6 Assault Craft for use in the game. This is very useful as these MTBs can be used after the Cruisers have struck with their AD into a larger vessel. With the target hurt, the MTBs can swarm it with torps...then if you're smart, slip away again using Hit+Run....



The Cruisers are designed to be Elites, so its only fitting they have Elite Crew. Not many you understand, but enough to be able to beat back all but the most numerous boarding parties.



Also, the vessels have the Hit+Run MAR to give them the tabletop effect of a fast, agile strike unit, capable of ambush tactics and avoiding damage if played/deployed well.



The Gladius has a slight disadvantage in its CR stat being only CR5, but with the Shield Generator included and the best Inventive Scientists money can buy, the survival curve is pretty level....just don’t lose that shield!....or you're toast!



Finally, mostly from an aesthetic point of view, we added Streamlined Hull. Why?..... look at the model and see why! It also had the benefit of moving the Gladius into even numbers for its movement, which is handy for folks using Hit+Run.



Movement and Manoeuvre
Moving 9” the Gladius is in the top-tier for Cruiser movement. Combine the reasonable movement with Hit+Run and Streamlined Hull and their ability to duck out of heavy combats is pretty good.



Squadron Size
These vessels can be taken as a squadron of 2-3 and cost a pretty scary 80pts each! This seems a lot I know, but when you consider the cost of the MTBs are included in that, its not too bad. One area for new Italian Players to be conscious of however is the value of these as Prizes in the game. These vessels MUST be protected as much as possible! 160pts per Cruiser when Prized is their one and only Achilles Heel!



Overall
The use of finesse in movement will really mark out the Good Italian Player from the New Italian Player. The Italians are an Elite Force, for Elite-minded Players, and this vessel typifies that ethos.





That's it for the Mediums,

Large and Massive models next!

[Youenn]

Je doute toujours un peu de la balance des italiens par rapport aux autres nation quand je lis les descriptif, mais bon a priori, ça a été bien play testé donc ça devrais aller. N'empêche, je ressent un certain durcissement des statt entre les russes et les italiens ...

[Amiral X]

C'est sur, ça va pas laisser insensible... Je sens encore que les prussiens vont crier au scandale devant une tel debauche de puissance en RB4 Les russes vont pas aimer trop non plus, il y a de quoi percer l'ablative armor des croiseur dès la RB4... FSA et COA ont pas de quoi paniquer en revanche, je sens pas les italiens les detroner a longue et les croiseur a CR5 auront la vie dure pour approcher... Brits et japs, hmmm j'en sais trop rien, faudra voir ce que ça donne sur la table... quand a mes RF, comment dire... on aime pas les grosse puissance de feu a longue, mais vu que c'est pour beaucoup de la torpille, sans doute privilegier plus que d'habitude les aériens pour s'affranchir du probleme... Voltaires et Vauban risque d'etre les betes noires des italiens A voir pour le reste, mais ça risque de donner des affrontement bien tactique

[Youenn]

Je doute toujours un peu de la balance des italiens par rapport aux autres nation quand je lis les descriptif, mais bon a priori, ça a été bien play testé donc ça devrais aller. N'empêche, je ressent un certain durcissement des statt entre les russes et les italiens ...

Au contraire je suis pour ma part très sceptique : le virus du grosbillisme et de l'escalade à la puissance toucherait donc SG !? Et l'Italie une nation mineure dans le Background devient une nation d'élite hyper puissante capable de dominer les autres !? A voir mais bon plus ça va et plus j'ai l'impression que les 4 core nations sont les plus faibles.

Au vue des renfort obtenue par l'armée et la marine Britannique, je ne trouve pas vraiment...
Reste les touches discrètes de la part de SG auprès des joueurs pour d'éventuelles améliorations des unités prussiennes... plus les renforts prussiens et japonais...
Bon on va voir ce que ça donne.

Par contre, je pense que tu va hurler puisque les larges et massif italien posséderaient des 'Amplified Shield Generators' à ..... (roulement de tambours) ..... (aller encore une couche paske ça le mérite bien) ..... 3d6 le shield, et pour le moment toutes les unités italiennes ont hit and run...

Mais comme je le disait, on va voir comment ça ce joue une fois les figs sorties.
Sinon pour le fluff, la tactique et la stratégie étant deux choses, les italiens peuvent avoir des unités d'élites, mais tellement peu d'escadres qu'ils restent une nation mineure...

[Marcos Izquierdo Lozano]

Par contre, je pense que tu va hurler puisque les larges et massif italien posséderaient des 'Amplified Shield Generators' à ..... (roulement de tambours) ..... (aller encore une couche paske ça le mérite bien) ..... 3d6 le shield, et pour le moment toutes les unités italiennes ont hit and run...

C'est SCANDALEUX!!!!! (je tape du poing sur la table)(et je mors ensuit sur mon bicorne) les torpilles, les boucliers, on perd notre identité avec ça

[Alris]

Perso, ça ne m'inquiète pas plus que ça. Ils auront beau avoir les meilleurs bateau du monde, s'ils sont 3 sur la table, ils vont morfler.

Mine de rien, 30pts la frégate c'est énorme et c'est le bateau le moins cher à leur dispo. Pour autant, c'est clair qu'ils ont l'air de piquer mais les différents renforts dans les armées majeures devraient aider.

[vonhymack]

Pareil! On nous a vendu les Russes et les Français sur le même ton, avec force hyperboles et tout le toutim. Même le CoA n'est pas imprenable! C'est juste qu'ils mettent les faiblesses entre parenthèses et c'est prévisible.

J'aurais tendance à faire confiance aux playtesteurs pour ce qui est de l'équilibre. Sur certains commentaires on précise bien que c'est une flotte assez pointue à manœuvrer.

[soltan]

Le cuirassé et le porte-avions.

C'est tout pour le moment concernant les italiens .... mais visiblement des volants pour les trois types Large/Medium/Small sont dans les tuyaux

The Italian Large+Massive Models

And finally, the real power behind the Italian navy, the Mars Battleship and Affondatore Fleet Carrier.

Both vessels are brutal, no-nonsense gunnery platforms, with flexible weaponry arcs and of course, the Amplified Shield Generator!



I've included a render of each vessel to show off their wonderful design [...I hope I don’t get in trouble for that!] :unsure:


Mars Battleship
BattleshipFrontPortHigh.jpg



The Look
I keep using the words sleek, sharp, blade-like....so why stop! Its all those things!





Why is it needed?
Every fleet has a battleship, so its fair to assume that the Italians should have one too! Of course the Italians are famous for being 'top heavy' in terms of their hierarchy, so when it came to designing the Big Boys, we were determined to make sure the vessels were impressive – Besides....we had pretty big boots to fill when we saw the renders for both!





Gunnery, MARs and Generators
Armed with the unusual Turret on Turret Design, the Battleship hands out a pretty solid 21AD at RB1, 16AD at RB2, 11AD at RB3 and a passable 6AD at RB4.



There is also an incidental Broadside, probably best used to target smalls and damaged mediums.



Added to that there is the Torpedo Turret that has a short range torp attack of 6AD using a 90-degree Port OR Starboard turret.....

In terms of MARs the vessel has Streamlined Hull...obviously! :rolleyes:



Elite Crew were added to fit the overall Elite mentality. Not many of course, as too many Elite Crew is pretty crazy in-game.

Hit+Run was also a given since every other vessel in the Fleet got it. [Combined with Streamlined Hull, the Battleship gets a 4”move then shoot then move again capability]



Finally along with the most Inventive of Scientists comes the truly terrifying Amplified Shield Generator...... A shield generator that saves on a 3D6 roll rather than a 2D6 roll......Take that Covenant!



“Some scientists are driven by principles, by the need to help their common man, by a higher purpose born of better things, and some of us just do it for the money...”



Italian money buys the best.... and in this case they got it!




Movement and Manoeuvre
Pretty standard moment for the Mars class, but with good planning, the Hit+Run MAR can really pay off. It takes an experienced player to get the best out of this MAR, but when used well, its brutal...and very frustrating for your opponent.





Squadron Size
….well its a Battleship, so expect these fellas to be on their own!





Overall
In its own, its pretty solid....add a few Frigate Escorts and things start to get very interesting.



Remember those incidental Broadsides?.... With Escorts they can dial up to a pretty healthy 16AD in close quarters from the parent firing then escorts linking with each other! And the Torps from the turret?.... With Escorts they can dial up to a solid 16AD in close quarters using the same firing solution!
….that’s on top of its own turreted firepower of RB1 21AD of course...!






Affondatore Fleet Carrier
CarrierRearStarboardHigh.jpg



The Look
The Italian Fleet's 'Big Mama'. She sports wide MTB+TFT bearing hips.... :wub:


A really fantastic model! All sorts of detail and possible variants could be made with this model, but during design, we opted for the middle road....of course there is no reason why, further down the line we might not make a dual MTB or Dual TFT loaded vessel too!





Why is it needed?
Apart from its fantastic build, the vessel provides the Air support for the Italian Fleet. Along with that, it greatly increases the MTB count on the tabletop.




Gunnery, MARs and Generators
Its gunnery all but matches that of the Battleship, minus the broadsides! So folks may be forgiven for letting 'Big Mama' loose on their enemies!



In terms of MARs, the Assault Craft Support allows for 6xMTBs to be created during deployment, giving the fleet another activation and a serious threat to medium and small squadrons.



Unsurprisingly the vessel has Elite Crew, but the amount is quite low, so players should be mindful to keep Escorts or at the very least some TFT-Fighters on Combat Air Patrol.... losing 'Big Mama' to a rough boarding action would tear the heart out the fleet.



No Hit+Run for this vessel...its just too big. Neither does it get Streamlined Hull.... those hips of hers stop that.



Finally along with the most Inventive of Scientists comes another one of those terrifying Amplified Shield Generators...... A shield generator that saves on a 3D6 roll rather than a 2D6 roll......Take that AGAIN Covenant!





Movement and Manoeuvre
It still moves at 7” a turn so its reasonably fast for vessels in her class. We tied it with turn penalties, but in the end discarded it, reasoning that despite the size it wasn’t needed.





Squadron Size
Obvipously the vessel comes in squadrons of 1. But all in a few Escorts..... <see the Mars Battleship for more on that!>





Overall
As an activation creator, its fantastic!



Using the 6xTFTs in 2x3 Fighter Wings allows CAP to be placed [using the TFTs Well Trained MAR] on the Battleship and Carrier, and so the Local Air Support can be brought to the fight as Torp Bombers instead!
...this bucks the standard curve which sees most folks having fighters in Local Air Support....



Initially I expect most players to go for the Carrier over the Battleship....unless a boarding fleet is the opponent of course! The Affordatore/Big Mama is a visually stunning model and even with a 200pts+ price tag, well worth the points I think.

Phew!

And so, thats it for the Italians!

[latribuneludique]

J'ai pris la liberté de déplacer le sujet dans la section Flottes & Armées de DW, cela me paraissait plus approprié.

[Youenn]

En fait, vu que ce n'est pas encore sorti, ça me semblais mieux en nouveautés, mais je m'en accommode ^^
Sinon une autre vue du bombardier


Une autre vue des croiseurs


et une autre vue des gros

[soltan]

Le bombardier Fortuna il est vraiment énorme .... vraiment dommage qu'il soit en "métal SG"

[soltan]

Par contre un truc de design qui me dérange vraiment et nuit aux figs navales, ce sont les cheminée qui sont presque au ras du pont et en plus à l'avant… Je voudrais qu'on m'explique comment les types dans le poste de contrôle juste derrière et au dessus de celle-ci font pour voir quelque chose !



Rien que pour ça je ferais l'impasse.

C'est clair que dans notre monde ça serait un problème, mais dans celui de DW ça n'en est pas un, car tout l'équipage est équipé de lunettes qui permettent de voir à travers la fumée

Rien que pour ça je ferais l'impasse.

Pas moi ... rien que pour le bomber .... pour une fois où il y en a un qui me botte niveau look (... le Voltaire n'est pas un bomber )

[Youenn]

Pas moi ... rien que pour le bomber .... pour une fois où il y en a un qui me botte niveau look (... le Voltaire n'est pas un bomber )

Je m'insurge on ne peut aimer le Voltaire sauf pour me taquiner...
Vous êtes un fieffé taquin monsieur!



Dsl quand on parle du voltaire je m'emporte, ceci dit, je suis d'accord avec toi sur le look du bomber italien. ^^

[soltan]

Pas moi ... rien que pour le bomber .... pour une fois où il y en a un qui me botte niveau look (... le Voltaire n'est pas un bomber )

Acheter une faction juste pour un bomber c'est du masochisme surtout un bomber qui va être en métal SG ! Parce que là, vu les derniers moulages métal sortis ça risque fort de ne pas rendre du tout comme les rendering 3D de promo !

Non en fait, le bomber, c'est la cerise sur le gâteau

[soltan]

Pas moi ... rien que pour le bomber .... pour une fois où il y en a un qui me botte niveau look (... le Voltaire n'est pas un bomber )

Je m'insurge on ne peut aimer le Voltaire sauf pour me taquiner...
Vous êtes un fieffé taquin monsieur!



Dsl quand on parle du voltaire je m'emporte, ceci dit, je suis d'accord avec toi sur le look du bomber italien. ^^

Hé hé ... l’hameçon à fonctionné

[Invité]

Re,

j'aurai bien aimé investir dans une flotte italienne mais je n'arrive pas à me faire une idée sur ce que la flotte peut valoir sur le terrain.

Déjà, il y a peu de figurines car toutes plutôt cher en points mais toutes assez balaises. Du coup, l'italien compense t'il assez son nombre de point par le fait d'être une force d'élite?

[Amiral X]

Re aussi !

L'un de mes fils a craqué pour la flotte italienne a leur sortie et donc depuis on l'a pas mal pratiqué à la maison et au club.

Honnetement je la trouve tres tres reussie cette flotte : elle est performante sans exces et offre un reel interet tactique a etre jouée, en particulier grace au Hit&run generalisé.

Les motor boat sont un enorme plus qui offre des option tactique vraiment exccellentes.

Globalement la flotte italienne frappe fort, et couplé a une tres bonne mobilité elle a souvent la possibilité de gagné un avantage important des les premiers tirs que l'adversaire a souvent du mal a remonter.
Coté resistance, le shield generator et inventive scientist generalisé donne un niveau correct mais les CR un peu bas donnent des mauvaise surprise un certain nombre de fois quand les dès de shield font greves...

La principale faiblesse se trouve du coté anti-aérien contre lequel les italiens sont faiblards (encore que peut etre pas pire que d'autre nations, sachant que moi je joue RoF donc forcement je trouve tout le monde faiblard dans ce domaine ).

Coté figurines, les medium et large sont toute magnifiques ! j'aime moins les small (fregate et destroyer) qui a mon gout sont trop etroites (ils ont vraiment abusé le coté effilé du design des small, mais c'est une question de gout apres...).
Pour le choix de figurines, pour le moment c'est pas encore tres varié mais avec les deux boites intiale ont a quand meme le choix de la composition d'une flotte. Personnellement je recommanderais de prendre 2 boite de naval battle group et 1 de support (1 seul porte avion ça suffit !) pour pouvoir aligner 2 squadron de croiseur et un full squadron de bombadier medium... d'ailleurs le second blattle group de mon fils est en commande  

Donc sur l'ensemble c'est un excellent choix de flotte (je parle en terme de gameplay, d'interet de jeu dans la durée et d'apprentissage/developpement des tactiques), qui reste assez conventionnel et mesuré en terme de puissance  par rapport aux tres exotiques (et surpuissant ) chinois ou Ottomans sortis ensuite. Et personnellement j'aime bien les emprunter a mon fils pour me changer de mes RoF !

Voila, si tu as d'autre question, hesite pas !

[Invité]

Enorme merci pour la réponse!!

Je ne m'attendais pas à quelque chose d'aussi fourni, en tout cas, je sais ce que je vais demander à mon anniversaire:cheers: 

Je voulais surtout une flotte qui me change des anglais avec un jeu plus rapide, cela à l'air d'être cela, pour le défi tactique, mon seul adversaire joue le RoF du coup, chaque partie en est un.

[Amiral X]

J'ai tres peu pratiqué la flotte KOB (personne ne la joue au club !   ) donc du coup je ne sais pas si les italiens vont faire une vraie rupture...  Les deux flottes sont sans doute a l'aise en RB2-3, les italiens plus canon+torpille alors que les KoB sont Torpille+canon, pas mal de shield dans les deux cas et le hit&run en remplacement du Guardian pour la protection des small... je ne sais pas si tu vas vraiment trouver une rupture (en fait je connais pas assez le KoB pour me prononcer  ).

Sans parler du fait que le italien sont pas a la fete contre les RoF, mais bon : a vaincre sans peril...  

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