Navy orders
Overview
Each admiral can issue a single set of orders for the navy they control. The orders should describe a broad strategic plan representing what the admiral would like the navy to achieve on campaign in a territory over the downtime before the next event.
A military campaign is not a single battle, a campaign is a prolonged period of warfare that takes place over the whole territory in the three months between events.
Movement
- A navy can only move to a territory containing a region with the coastal keyword
Admirals may issue orders to attack or defend any territory their navy can reach. A navy can only operate in sight of land, so it may only move to territories that include one or more regions with the coastal keyword. It is not possible to move a navy out onto the open oceans far away from land.
To keep things as simple as possible, a navy is assumed to move to any territory that the general issues orders to attack or defend before any fighting takes place. In effect a navy can slip away at the start of a season before the campaign begins.
Imperial navies can move three territories in a season for example, an army in Madruga may be ordered to defend Redoubt - it will pass through Sarvos and Necropolis before reaching Redoubt where it will join any campaign that takes place. Navies can move freely through territories they do not control, they do not need to stop unless they encounter an enemy navy with offensive maritime orders in the territory they are attempting to pass through. In this case, both navies cease moving and a military campaign takes place between the two navies.
Note that the elite fleet resources controlled by players do not move like this. Fleets can cross the open oceans and may traverse Imperial waters swiftly and quickly - so they can be freely assigned to an Imperial navy or sent overseas to trade with foreign ports.
There is no "move order" for a navy, even if a navy moves to a safe Imperial territory to resupply, it is assumed that it would defend the territory it has moved to if that territory were attacked.
Transporting Armies
It is possible for a navy to transport an army from one territory to another. Embarking and disembarking on a navy takes time; each stage is equivalent to moving a territory. This means that a normal army that embarks and disembarks in the same season can move one territory - either before or after their naval passage. Embarking and disembarking does not affect the navy's movement.
Transportation on a navy is dangerous - if the navy is attacked and takes damage while transporting an army, then the army cannot take part in the ensuing campaign, but it automatically suffers the same casualties that the navy endures.
A navy may only transport a single army in a season. Both the admiral of the navy and the general of the army to be transported should submit appropriate orders.
Under normal circumstances, a campaign in a territory involves all opposing armies present. If both navies and armies are present in a territory, it is possible for two campaigns to take place, a naval campaign and a separate land campaign. Navies present in the territory may participate in the land campaign, the naval campaign or both - depending on the orders submitted. A navy that takes part in both campaigns will take casualties from both campaigns.
Offensive Maritime Orders
- All maritime orders cause the navy to intercept any opposing navy that is attempting to move past them
- Maritime orders cause a naval campaign to take place in the territory if there are any opposing navies
- The winning force will inflict extra casualties on the losing force
Maritime offensive orders cause a navy to attack opposing navies that are present in the territory. If an opposing navy attempts to move through the territorial waters during that season they will be forced to stop and be engaged by the navy with offensive maritime orders.
These orders initiate a maritime campaign in the territory if there is an opposing navy present. If there is no navy present in the territory during the campaign, then the navy has no effect.
Maritime campaigns are fought to sink and destroy the enemy navy, not for control of territory. There is no territory to capture at sea, so there is no calculation of victory points in a maritime campaign.
- Most effective against navies with harry shipping or shore offensive orders
- Least effective against navies with naval support or defend the coast orders
If there are other navies present in the territory, then the admiral may order the force to engage them. A naval engagement is only effective if there is an opposing navy present in the territory at any time during the season, otherwise the navy has no effect that season.
A naval engagement is particularly effective against opposing navies on harry shipping or shore offensive orders. The casualties inflicted on opposing navies with these orders are increased by three tenths.
A naval engagement is less effective against opposing navies on defend the coast or naval support orders. The casualties inflicted on opposing navies with these orders are decreased by three tenths.
Harry Shipping
- Most effective against navies with naval support, defend the coast or shore offensive orders
- Least effective against navies with naval engagement orders
If there are opposing navies present in the territory, the admiral may order their fleet to harry their shipping. The navy will disperse throughout the territory attempting to hunt down and sink enemy vessels operating in the area. This order is only effective if there is an opposing navy present in the territory at any time during the season, otherwise the navy has no effect that season.
Harry shipping is particularly effective against opposing navies on naval support, defend the coast, or shore offensive orders. The casualties inflicted on opposing navies with these orders are increased by three tenths.
Harry shipping is less effective against opposing navies on naval engagement orders. The casualties inflicted on opposing navies with this order are decreased by three tenths.
Offensive Coastal Orders
- An Imperial navy can attack any region that has the coastal keyword
A navy can attack any region that has the coastal keyword, provided it can reach the territory. Imperial navies can attack a region even if it is not adjacent to an existing region controlled by the Empire, but in this case it is twice as difficult to take the region.
Shore Offensive
- Vulnerable to opposing navies with offensive maritime orders
Regardless of whether the navy directly assaults coastal towns and ports, or attempt to sneak marines ashore on empty beaches, a shore offensive is always a risky strategy. If the navy is attacked by opposing forces then they will suffer grievous casualties in the assault.
A navy that is engaged in a shore offensive can only capture coastal regions. If there are no legitimate targets for the navy to attack, then this order reverts to naval support if possible.
If an attacking force is victorious - they will capture land - the greater the victory the more land they will take in a season.
Defensive Coastal Orders
- No campaign will take place unless another force issues an order to attack
- A defensive coastal order may only be given by a side that controls a coastal region
Navies may attack other navies at sea, but they cannot attempt to defend the open waters. However they may take a defensive position either providing support and logistics to allied armies engaged in a land campaign, or by committing themselves to the defense of coastal regions, or by putting to port to avoid a conflict with an opposing navy.
If the defenders are victorious - if their side has a higher military strength than the attacker, then their victory translates directly into reduced casualties for the defenders. The greater the victory, the less casualties they suffer. Defenders take fewer casualties than attackers anyway; all other factors being equal there is a small natural advantage that favours the defender.
- Helps achieve victory in a land campaign, but does not inflict or suffer casualties in that campaign
- Most vulnerable to navies with harry shipping orders
- Least vulnerable to navies with naval engagement orders
If there are other Imperial armies present in the territory, the admiral may order a navy to provide them with support. The navy will not initiate a campaign by providing naval support, and does not directly engage the enemy, but it will provide highly effective support to land based armies in the territory, granting them improved logistics and supply lines.
A force on naval support orders contributes its full strength to determine the scale of victory of any land campaign that takes place in the territory. The navy does not take or cause any casualties from this campaign.
If the navy is attacked by an opposing navy with offensive maritime orders then it will also participate in the ensuing sea campaign.
If there are attacks on all friendly regions with the coastal keyword by opposing forces then this order reverts to defend the coast.
Defend the Coast
- Orders the navy to participate in a land campaign to defend coastal regions
- Any victory achieved by the navy translates into fewer casualties incurred rather than territory gained
- Most vulnerable to navies with harry shipping orders
- Least vulnerable to navies with naval engagement orders
If there are opposing armies attacking coastal regions in the territory, then the admiral may commit the navy to defend the coastline. The navy will move close to the shore and attempt to engage enemy land forces directly. The navy plays a full part in the ensuing land campaign and takes casualties from it as normal.
If the navy is attacked by an opposing navy with offensive maritime orders then it will also participate in the ensuing sea campaign.
If there are no attacks on regions with the coastal keyword then this order reverts to naval support.
Put to Port
- Orders the navy to put port, tying up vessels at wharfs and quays at a friendly shipyard
- The navy cannot be attacked by opposing navies and does not participate in any military campaigns
- Natural resupply is increased by 20% while a navy is in port at a shipyard
If there is an unoccupied shipyard controlled by an ally in a territory, then an admiral may order their navy to put to port. If the vessels reach the port unimpeded then they can dock safely and take no further part in any military campaigns taking place that season. They cannot defend the area and do not take casualties from any opposing navies on offensive maritime orders while they remain in port.
Natural resupply increases by 20% while a navy is in port. If the region containing a shipyard is conquered by an enemy army or navy while a navy is in port, then all the vessels are scuppered and the navy is automatically destroyed.
Only one navy may occupy a shipyard at a time. If two navies attempt to put into a port, the berths will be occupied by the first navy to reach it. A navy remains in port until it issues new orders in a following season. If a navy cannot reach the safety of a port then this order reverts to defend the coast if possible.