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Getting to Grip with the Coasts

Introduction

If you've got your speakers on the sea-gulls should allow you to use your imagination.

I for one was caught out with the coasts therefore I think if is fair to explain how the rules work by using examples. As you will see certain comments are shown after the moves. Cut means a unit supporting another unit is broken down due to it being attacked. Failed is the same as a bounce, in other words the unit didn't get into the province it wanted to. Misorder is as it says. Dislodged means a unit was defeated & therefore has to move to another province. As you will see I've put Disbanded as the player might decide to take the unit off the board rather than dislodge.

Moving to Coasts

As will be shown, the moves below will be a misorder due to the fact that the orders didn't mention the coasts they were going to. Needless to say, the fleets remain in Portugal & Bulgaria.

In Spain, north or south coast have to be stated & Bulgaria, east or south coast.

The following moves will fail or bounce. Please note the two listed would be any country or two separate countries used in the same season, e.g. Spring 1905.

In this case, it's no different to two armies or fleets or both trying to swap their provinces, e.g. A(Lon)-Yor, A(Yor)-Lon.

Moving to Coasts with Support

This is where the fun starts & as said, I've been caught out & so have other GMs. Unlike the examples shown above, these moves will succeed. By using them, I'm using countries as you may know; one country can't defeat their own units.

Where many players get confused is the coast in those examples. When it comes to supporting, it is the province not the coast.

The problem does arise with orders as above but with a minor mistake or perhaps a planned mistake, i.e. tactical. One example is the following but obviously it can be done in the other examples above.

Whether is was planned or not, the move will fail as Italy supported to the wrong coast.

Supporting an Anchored Fleet

The above examples show fleets moving to coasts however a fleet anchored in that province coasts would still work. A different example shows how support will work.

The French moves simply fail & England is still in (Spa) nc.

If you're understanding the supportive moves to coasts & equally to standing units, the following might make you sit back & re-read.

The English support will be classed as a misorder therefore Italy will have to retreat. The reason being that the English fleet can't move to Marseilles (Mar) in one move. To get to Mar, it will have to move to Por then Spa sc & finally to Mar. Remember again, it is the province.

Builds

Only Russia can be caught out with this build, as they are the only country with coasts in its home centre. If they tried to build a fleet in St Petersburg (StP) but failed to mention the coast, the build will not work & they are lost without a fleet.

No Coasts

Whist writing about coasts, one subject is worth mentioning, which is Sweden (Swe) & Denmark (Den). A fleet or army can move to each other with a single move however any fleet trying to go from Skagerrack (SKA) to Baltic Sea (BAL) or vice versa must land at either Swe or Den & then move to it.

Where players sometimes get confused is Constantinople (Con). It has no coast therefore a fleet can move from Con to either Ankara (Ank), Smyrna (Smy), Aegean Sea (AEG), Bul sc, Bul ec, Black Sea (BLA). A fleet in BLA can move to Con & in the next move to AEG & obviously vice versa if they are in AEG.

Conclusion

I've met many players who, like me, are GMs & they, like me, got confused about the coasts. I think it's worth your while making sure you can remember the above as it might prove valuable in one of your games.

Keep docking!

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