Blue Water Navy - Scenario 1a Yankee Hunting AAR - Turn 2

End of Turn 1 amongst other things roll for weather for next turn:

West: 4 - Clear - nothing for the Yankees to take advantage of.
Mid: 4 - Clear
East: 3 - Clear
North: 10 - very stormy and 3 dice - 3, 5, 7 - but all areas not really in play anymore (N. Sea, Norwegian, and East of Iceland).

Both sides reset to 7 Ops and Soviets go first… What to do?
The Soviets spend 1 op deploying the IL-38 back to the Bastion to go On Patrol and assist TF Borodino with ASW Operations.
Next per the rules since the 7 Ops on the track is marked SHIP the TF phase occurs immediately after the first ops expended.

The TF ASW Value is the combination of the ASW strength of all components with some modifiers:
2 (Krivak) + 3 (Udaloy) + 1 (Kiev) + 2 for carrier + 2x3 (Victor) + 3 (IL38 Patrol) = 17 - bummer one short of max. The Soviets need to get more 1 Patrol acft on Patrol.

The Soviet gets 4 dice no modifiers - 2,3,3,3 - big whiff. Also with an N2 roll the TF gets a Good Detection placed on it.
But wait - double 3's. The Krivak and Udaloy have rocket torpedoes allowing one die to be increased to 8 and the other discarded. Unfortunately, the Allied Subs both have a 10 defense so still no effect.
Now the Allied Subs can choose between SSBNs or the TF for their attacks... Duh, go for the Boomers.

Rules question - an MP on patrol supporting a TF ASW operation still stays fresh and is available for independent actions later in the turn?

Since the Bastion is a dangerous place for an enemy SSN - the US for its first Ops decides to perform an ASW attack with the Sturgeon.
3 Dice + 1 DRM - 2, 9, 10 - 2 10 hits.
Again the Victor assisting the TF takes the first hit, and the 2nd hit finishes off the damaged Delta III for 3 more payload points.

Rules Question - Subs part of a TF can still take ASW hits from enemy ASW attacks?

The next Soviet Ops is spent putting a Bear from Kola On Patrol in the Bastion (instead of attacking like the last turn) in anticipation of the remaining 2 LA SSNs entering the Bastion and/or providing assistance to the 2nd SHIP event/TF ASW Op.

The next US Ops is used to allow the damaged Swiftsure to perform an ASW attack in the Bastion - on the chance that the Soviets try to destroy her.
She gets 2 dice w/ +1 DRM - 2, 10 - dodged the intrinsic Bastion defense and inflicting one more hit. Down goes the Victor and the Soviet SSNs have done their job - eating torpedoes for the SSBNs.

Back to the Soviets - and they continue to beef up the ASW assets in the Bastion putting the last Kola based Bear On Patrol there.

Back to the US. The US is going to take a chance and send the range 2 Nimrod in England to attack the Foxtrot on patrol in the Barents Sea to try to clear the way for the LA's.

The Nimrod gets 3 dice - 1,6,6 - same result as the Bear last turn - whiff.
And a wasted Ops point.

SHIPS will occur again after the next expended Soviet and US Ops points.
The Soviets go first - and honestly, they don't want to do anything but can't pass since do not have LESS Ops than the US.
The SSBN's need to stay in the Bastion under protection and the Yankee SSBN's don't need to move, become spent, and reduce their chance of evading the US SSNs when they attack.

I assume the Soviets can expend an Ops point but do nothing. Correct?

Now the US - after the US spends an Ops the Soviet TF can perform ASW - so the US will defer sending the 2 LA's into the Bastion until after the SHIP/TF ASW action. Instead the SSNs near Cuba/S.America begin their attacks on the Yankee SSBNs.

First, the Sturgeon moves to attack - both Yankee SSBN's roll for evasion - argh - 1,2 - neither evade!
But neither are Spent so they can try again at 6+ for the next SSN attack.

The Sturgeon attacks with 3 dice and +1 DRM - 5,7,9.
All the Yankees have an 8 Defense so 2 hits - Soviets choose SSN for the first hit, then US Chooses SSBN for the second. These Sturgeons are dangerous...

Now the SHIP action - TF Borodino conducts ASW Ops in the Bastion w/o the Victor but now with 3 MP's on Patrol
Ships get 6 + 2 Carrier
x3 MPs give 9
Total 17 - 1 short again of max so get 4 dice no modifiers - 2, 6, 7, 8 - again whiff… And no rockets.

Now that the TF ASW Ops are done for the turn the Soviets will use a not an action to return the patrolling IL-38 to base as Fresh and then expend an Ops Point to put it On Patrol in the Barents. This way both LA's will be interdicted as they move thru the Barents (Foxtrot/IL-38) and enter the Bastion (x2 Bears).

With 3 Ops remaining the US decides to spend one more point on the Yankee Hunt before sending the 2 LA's thru the gauntlet to the Bastion.

The LA north of Haiti moves into the Yankee First Strike area and they roll again for evasion - 7, 9 - this time BOTH evade and take an SSN with them. The LA just hears them go and for 2 of the Yankees, Havana so close…

For the Soviets nothing to do again - most units are Spent or On Patrol and the SSBNs are not leaving the Bastion.

Back to the US for the first LA run on the Bastion.
In the Barents, the Foxtrot reacts - 4 dice - 4,6,7,9 - no joy.
Next entry into the Bastion and 1 of the Bears - 3+1 dice - 1,1,10,10 - 2 hits
The LA rolls for evasion - 3,6! She's damaged but makes it into the Bastion and commences its attack.

The LA gets 2 dice and +1 DRM - 2,4 - fail.
Perhaps she was a bit shaken up by the gauntlet she had to go thru.

Per above no Soviets can or want to do anything again so the US expends the last Ops point of the turn and the 2nd LA starts her run.
First, in the Barents the IL-38 takes a shot at her - 3 dice - 1,6,8 no joy.
Next, the Bear as she enters the Bastion - 3+1 dice - 1,5,8,10 - 1 hit
Evasion - 2
Also Damaged

She gets 2 dice and +1 DRM - 5,10 - 1 hit.

The Soviets pick a Delta I/II for damage - 2 Payload points

Is there anything the Soviets could have done better?

Some rules clarifications above but otherwise on to the last turn…

Rules question - an MP on patrol supporting a TF ASW operation still stays fresh and is available for independent actions later in the turn?

Rules Question - Subs part of a TF can still take ASW hits from enemy ASW attacks?

Rules Question - I assume the Soviets can expend an Ops point but do nothing. Correct?

Designer Comments:

The Soviet gets 4 dice no modifiers - 2,3,3,3 - big whiff. Also with an N2 roll the TF gets a Good Detection placed on it.
But wait - double 3's. The Krivak and Udaloy have rocket torpedoes allowing one die to be increased to 8 and the other discarded
If you look on the QRS 'Anti-Submarine Warfare by Task Forces' you'll see: it needs two natural 1 or 2's to place a good detection. And, rocket torps work a little bit different for a TF hunting subs rather than one being attacked by subs: Ships with rocket torpedoes kill on doubles <10, so actually you got one kill there and remain poor detected.

Rules question - an MP on patrol supporting a TF ASW operation still stays fresh and is available for independent actions later in the turn?
Yes

Rules Question - Subs part of a TF can still take ASW hits from enemy ASW attacks?
No, nor can they hunt themselves other than via TF ASW

I assume the Soviets can expend an Ops point but do nothing. Correct?
Yes

In the Barents, the Foxtrot reacts - 4 dice
2 dice - he has a split asw value 2 vs subs 4 vs ships