Nordkapp Solitaire Rules

The following rules are to be used for solitaire play of Alea’s Nordkapp game. Except where noted, all rules of the regular game are in effect.

The active player controls the German units, these rules govern the Allied forces.

1 0. Sequence of Play
At the very beginning of the game determine the turns of entry for the Allied convoys and Home Fleet by rolling a die. 

1.1	Convoy Arrival
An even DR indicates the PQ convoy will arrive on turn 1. An odd DR indicates the QP convoy arrives on turn 1. For the convoy that does not arrive on turn roll the die again. A DR of 1 to 3 results in the convoy entering the game on the second turn, a DR of 4-6 results in the convoy arriving on turn three.

The hexes the convoys and their escorts will arrive are determined next by rolling a die for each.

PQ Convoy and escort:		QP Convoy and escort:
DR = 1 hex 1601			DR = 1 or 2 hex 1020
DR = 2 hex 1701			DR = 3 or 4 hex 1019
DR = 3 hex 1901			DR = 5 or 6 hex 1018
DR = 4 hex 2101
DR = 5 hex 2301
DR = 6 hex 2401

1.2 The Home or Cruiser Fleet Arrival
The arrival of the Home or Cruiser Fleet is determined by DR. A DR of 1-3 results in the Home Fleet arriving on the same turn as the PQ Convoy. A DR of 4 or more results in it arriving the turn after. Add 1 to this DR if the weather is bad. Add 2 if the weather is storm. There are no DR modifiers if the weather is fair or fog.

1.3 Air Mission Determination
At least one carrier air unit must be allocated to CAP if there are any Axis units air units in play, all others will be assumed to be allocated to attack missions. No Allied air units are used for Recon (these are factored into the Allied spotting DR modifiers).

2.0 Spotting
Unlike the regular game, forces and ships are either spotted or unspotted with full-disclosure and knowledge of the numbers and types of ships in a spotted Task Force (TF). There is no “limited intelligence” in playing solitaire (well, we hope not!).

At the beginning of each turn, or whenever a German ship or TF moves, German units that are within spotting range of an Allied TF or sub must roll to see if they become spotted and/or retain their spotted status (if already marked as spotted). All Allied TFs and submarines have an inherent spotting DR of 1. TFs have a spotting “range” of 4 hexes in fair weather, 3 in bad, 2 in fog or storm.  Additionally, the Allied player may spot with his submarines in the hex the sub occupies, as well as the 6 adjacent hexes. For any Axis TF, ship or surfaced submarine that enters or occupies a hex within an Allied force’s or sub’s spotting range roll a die and modify it as follows.

Subtract 1 from the DR for each of the following that apply:

•	Each CV that is within spotting range.
•	Targeted ship is already spotted.
•	German TF or ship is adjacent or in the same hex as the spotting Allied TF or sub.

Add one to the DR for each of the following that apply:

•	Night turn.
•	Fog.

A modified DR of 1 or less results in the ship/TF being spotted. A DR of greater than 1 results in the TF/ship remaining unspotted, or losing its spotted status.

The German player must roll to see if any of his ships, subs or TF are spotted during his movement phase whenever any of these units move within spotting range. This can result in multiple spotting attempts by the same Allied TF, sub or ship on the same moving German unit.

The Axis player must spot Allied ships/TFs as laid out in the regular game rules.

3.0 Allied Movement Rules
The Allied units will be governed by the rules laid out in this section when playing solitaire.

3.1 PQ Convoy.  The PQ Convoy and its escort will move as directly and speedily as possible to the east map-edge exit hexes of  1018-1020.  The PQ convoy should avoid moving within 4 hexes of a Norway airbase, or into or adjacent to a spotted German ship/TF (it can move into or through unspotted ones) unless it is to exit from an east map-edge hex.  The PQ convoy will roll for scatter whenever it is within 7 hexes of a spotted German ship/TF (per the rule in Operation Rosselsprung).

3.2 QP Convoy. The QP Convoy and its escort will move as directly and speedily as possible to the west map-edge exit hexes of 1501 to 2501.  The QP convoy should avoid moving within 4 hexes of a Norway airbase, or into or adjacent to a spotted German ship/TF (it can move into or through unspotted ones).  The QP convoy will only roll for scatter if it not within 4 hexes of the Home Fleet and/or the west map-edge hexes, and it is also within 7 hexes of a spotted German ship/TF (per the rule in Operation Rosselsprung).

3.3 Home  or Cruiser Fleet. The Home or Cruiser Fleet will attempt to intercept any German TF, otherwise it must stay with the PQ Convoy. The Home or Cruiser Fleet will continue to stay with the PQ Convoy if there any German ships or TF were spotted (any that have remained unspotted don’t count).  The Home or Cruiser Fleet will switch to escorting the QP convoy as soon as it is west of the XX13 hexrow (the PQ Convoy will continue to move as per 1.5.1).

The Home or Cruiser Fleet will move to intercept the closest spotted German ship and TF. It should be moved to maximize its spotting DR modifiers listed in rule 1.4 until it engages the German force/ship in combat.  If the German ship or TF becomes unspotted the Home or Cruiser Fleet is moved to rejoin the PQ (or QP if west of the XX13 hexrow) convoy. 

3.3.1 Combat Guidelines. Allied ships will never attempt to disengage of attempt flight in battle, regardless of loss or damage to individual ships.  The following movement rules govern Home or Cruiser Fleet Ships in battle:

•	BBs and BCs will seek to engage in combat at long range. Roll a die to see if a BB or BC will move to medium range (even DR, odd it remains at long range). These ships will never move to short or torpedo range voluntarily, and should be moved back to medium range during their portion of the battle turn.
•	CAs and CLs will seek to engage in combat at medium range. Roll a die to see if a CA or CL will move to short range (even DR, odd it remains at medium range). These ships will never move to torpedo range voluntarily, and should be moved back to short range during their portion of the battle turn.
•	DDs and Es will seek to engage in combat at short range. Roll a die to see if a DD or E will move to torpedo range (even DR, odd it remains at long range). They will move back to short range after they conduct the torpedo attack.
•	CVs will always seek to avoid surface combat and not willingly get in range. These ships will always attempt to flee if all other warships are sunk or damaged.

Allied ships will attempt to engage the largest German ship before firing on smaller ones. The priority for combat is listed below:

•	Allied BBs, BCs and CAs will fire on German BBs and BCs first, then German CAs, CLs, and DDs in that order.
•	All other Allied ships will fire on German CAs, CLs and DDs in that order. They will fire on German BBs and BCs only if there are no other Allied ships to do so.
•	Similarly, Allied air units will attack German ships in this order of priority: BB, BC, CA, CL, all others. In the case of more than one target being available for attack by multiple Allied aircraft, all German ships must be attacked by an air unit before a second attacking aircraft can be assigned a target ship.

34 Allied Subs. Allied subs will move 1 hex on an even DR, 2 hexes with an odd DR, and only on turns when a German ship or TF is in play. A sub will always be moved towards the nearest German ship/TF, ending its move in the German’s hex.  If spotted, the German player rolls a die, adding 2 to the DR if the sub moved 2 hexes. A DR = 5 or more means the sub is surfaced for the turn, otherwise it is submerged.

If an Allied sub enters, or is in a spotted German ship’s/TF’s hex (i.e., the German moves into the hex and is spotted before moving on) the sub will immediately attack.

3.5 Separated Merchant Ships. Merchant ships that have become separated from their convoy must be moved as expeditiously as possible either back to the convoy or to the appropriate map-edge exit hex (west if from a QP convoy, east if from a PQ), whichever is closer that turn. For each ship roll a die. A DR = 1, the merchant can move 1 MP that turn. A DR = 2 to 4 the merchant ship moves 2 MP. A DR = 5 or 6 the merchant moves 3 MP. Subtract 1 from this DR if the weather is storm or fog. A DR of 0 results in the merchant being unable to move at all for the turn.

Merchant ships from a convoy that has been ordered to scatter may never join with another convoy or form a new one. These ships must be moved individually towards the appropriate and closest map-edge exit hex.

3.6 Local Escort. These ships will stay with the QP convoy until it reaches the XX13 hexrow.  It will then move to escort the PQ convoy once it reaches the XX14 hexrow.