Sea Power: First thoughts and Impressions

A successor to Fleet Command?

Initial thoughts

A Grisha frigate sailing off the coast of Fiji.

Is Sea Power worth getting? The answer to this question is perhaps directly proportionate to how much of an enthusiast you are. If you have logged hundreds of hours in 'CMO' and want something smaller scale, or with some visual fidelity, then the answer is perhaps 'yes.' If you're a general naval enthusiast, or a fan of the old Fleet Command, then the answer is 'certainly.'

Worrying trends: If any of the above is caveated with general exhaustion at the eagerness of development teams to release products in early access and out source, at your own expense, bug fixing, then you may want to hold off until further notice. 

I can't claim to have any objectivity here, I'm terribly cynical about early access and wargames in general. It's clear for Sea Power that, for the time being, the community bears a large onus on both identifying bugs to quash and creating content. That's always going to be a mixed bag, and we have years of Combat Mission and Steel Beasts community content to prove it. For every George MC, JonS, Ben or Zipuli making top-tier, believable and playable content, there will be an inevitable mountain of chaff you need to sort through first. A particular pet peeve of mine is people trying to make a game something it's not, and we have mountains of "total conversion" mods for, say, a simulator like Combat Mission to show how much talent is wasted on doing something that accomplishes little (again, I cannot claim to be unbiased here).  

I would therefore not hold it against anyone for expecting a dev team to release a bit more content, even in an early-access stage. Community-driven content and out-of-the-box replay ability should not live in direct opposition to each other, but so often appear to do precisely that. In Sea Power's particular instance, we'll have to wait and see if that trend continues. 

I very clearly have my worries. That, for example, there is already a host of mods needed to enable full carrier operations (i.e: use of all elevators) is a prime example. An early access symptom? Certainly. Caveat emptor is always in effect with early access, but I think it would be unfair to just say that and leave it there. The reality is many development teams never really leave early access, and there are at least a handful of examples where community modders see their mods become official updates. Whether they're adequately compensated for their efforts, or not, is only part of the issue: its symptomatic of what I view as a worrying trend in game development. War on the Sea, by the by, hasn't had an official update in well over a year, and appears to be completely dead on the development front. That's a shame, because I've thoroughly enjoyed it, albeit only because of herculean efforts by modders - and I would rather not have Sea Power go the same way. 

I don't know Triassic games, so I can only speak generally, and from my own point of view. If you have faith in the studio, or just more tolerance of these things in general, then by all means, spend your monies how you see fit. You're likely to be of a temperament to enjoy what you get already for Sea Power.

Bottom line: All of the worries aside, I've thoroughly enjoyed what I have played of Sea Power, and in the end that's the strongest endorsement a consumer can give a product, right? 

There's quirks and quarks, naturally: the manual at this point is in such a work-in-progress state that I question the point of its inclusion at this stage. The tutorial is a set of placeholder videos by some YoutTuber who, to put it gently, may not know precisely what they are doing.  Many of the in-game references have errors or placeholders. A fine example is in the description for Bravo and Charlie Tomahawk variants: both are described as anti-surface, which will confuse those not in the know, and the only clue as to what is for land strike, and what is for sea, comes from the background photo (showing one missile over water, the other over land). One more example should suffice:  the semi-fictional, navalized, Kh-27 the Soviets get is described as wire-guided (which is a hilarious thought, but not accurate). Then there's the occasional glitch in the matrix, like getting passive sonar contacts through an island. If you're completely and utterly insufferable and incapable of holding a human conversation I am sure you can find more infidelities with flight models, radio and acoustics, but generally everything appears to be in working order, with some measure of consistency. If you're an old hand at stuff like Fleet Command or the atrocious Naval Warfare title you can likely pick up Sea Power and play, but otherwise you may find the information currently available too little to break through to an enjoyable experience. 

All of the above can be hand-waved away with "early access", yes, but it can be hard to remember that if you're paying 65 bucks or 45 quid. Again: buyer beware. Keep your expectations realistic.

Sea Power at its potential best: Pacific Ambush AAR

Here's proof that Sea Power will live and die by the competence of its community creators. After searching for about 40 minutes through a mountain of forgettable scenarios, I stumbled upon one that seemed promising. Pacific Ambush by Rex turned out to be a diamond in the rough. It had all the hallmarks of what I view as a good scenario: somewhat lengthy, with lead-in time that allows for tactical freedom, and that it's not yet another desperate attempt to create a duel between an Iowa and Kirov also helps. 

The premise is simple: TF 6 is transiting back to its combat patrol area after resupplying in Australia. Morale is flagging, perhaps a result of lack of contact in a secondary theatre, and in an effort to address this the CO elects to transit via Fiji. The hope is the scenery and brush with paradise might revive the crew. As the TF approaches, however, a sharp-witted rating detects strange emissions in the vicinity. Soviets? Out here?

The centrepieces of TF6, a Belknap class missile cruiser, with Long Beach in the background. Tight waters in the area of operations demands such close formations.

Task Force 6 is centred around the powerful nuclear cruiser Long Beach. Like all American cruisers, it's intended to be the cornerstone of a carrier group's air defence. A true cruiser, however, with all the necessary facilities for flag-command, it's also clearly capable of leading a potent surface group or anti-submarine effort. It's a high value target, and as events turn out, the Soviets have scrounged what they can in an attempt to ambush it, having divined it's route to station. 

A Belknap class cruiser is also present, another significant surface combatant. Rounding out the task force is a Knox-class frigate, and an Adams class missile destroyer. 

All praise to Rex, everything in this scenario is set up to negate the stand-off firepower of the Long Beach. The tactical dilemma is using your limited scouting assets (a pair of Sea Sprite helicopters), to try and negate that. The Soviet units encountered are not exactly the "A" team here, which is perfectly believable given the sorry state of the Pacific Fleet, and its massive area of responsibility, relative to the other Soviet fleets. 

First Moves

With something clearly afoot, the first moves are to rationalize my formation and get some eyes out. The dilemma is not knowing the initial nature of the threat: what tipped us off suggests a surface contact, but it would be foolish to think there's no subsurface threat complimenting it. The bottleneck we're transiting through provides opportunity to a submarine commander bold enough to accept the confined space. The problem is, we only have two sea sprites, and if we got one with fuel tanks searching, that essentially halves our submarine picket. The Knox has a towed array, true, but curiously for the Americans, it's only capable of active search. Not something you want to use willy-nilly. 

A Sea Sprite takes off from the Belknap-class, loaded for long range endurance. 

The formation kept for most of the scenario: a normally too-close formation dictated by terrain.

Complicating the situation is, perhaps inevitably, the overwhelming amount of civilian traffic in this area of the world. Rex has included groups of fishing smacks, sampans, and international bulk carriers transiting the area. The Sea Sprites are initially busy conducting risky visual identification passes to ensure there's no missile boats or enemy surface vessels hiding amongst the herds. 

The British-flagged Botany Bay, one of the many MVs transiting the area

It is these first investigations that, incidentally, spot what the Soviets may have in store for us. As a Sea Sprite is flying past a Dutch-flagged merchant, it spots a Silkworm site on one of the islands. It's a clever position: short-ranged (21.6 nautical miles), it's positioned to hit us as we enter minimum safe distance to counter fire our Tomahawks. The only other choice at that point would be to close for shore bombardment, giving it plenty of time to fire. 

I had figured, surely, there would be more laying in wait. So, as TF6 opens the distance to engage this first position, I recall the sea sprites to refuel in anticipation of searching the other islands. Sure enough, an intricate crossfire of Silkworms and guidance radars is eventually spotted. 

Identify a Silkworm, fire a Tomahawk. Rinse, repeat. The large minimum safe distance keeps TF6 largely stationary in this time, however.

So far, so good. The Silkworms were a legitimate surprise, to be sure, and are only really discovered incidentally while I'm practising some due diligence. They were well positioned, and even rudimentarily guarded by SPAAG (which, unsurprisingly, can do little but fire in vain hope at the Tomahawks). Nevertheless, four are identified in turn and dealt with. 

The initial two silkworm sites, with their estimated range on the overlay.

The scenario nevertheless continued to ratchet up in complexity. In the radar shadow of one of the islands there is another set of small contacts detected by a Sea Sprites' search radar. Moving to visual ID does not, as expected, reveal a bunch more sampans, but some Shershen class torpedo boats. A small squadron was lying in wait. These things are, to put it mildly, showing their age, but the position they are discovered in makes sense. As stated, they had been assembled in a radar shadow and, as deployed, had been well covered by silkworms. Likely meant to advance when TF6 was too busy fighting off ASMs, they are now caught out. Once discovered, they moved out into open water and toward TF6. 

It's bold, it's brave, and it's totally futile. Shershens are essentially the equivalent to WWII-era PT boats, and have extremely short range torpedoes. They pose a negligible threat on their own as they roar out into open waters. I'm not particularly keen on having them visually spot the entire TF, however. The Byrd, the TF's destroyer, moves to intercept and sink them via gun action.

With EMCON still in effect, and with the Byrd firing at maximum range, it takes a fair bit of time, but the five inchers nevertheless leave three torpedo boats dead in the water, burning and sinking. 

It is not long after the Byrd's gun action concludes that emissions from a Grisha-class frigate are detected. A radar picket for a larger force, as it turns out: for soon after the Grisha illuminates,  Shaddock missiles are firing on bearing in the general direction of the TF. It is not a particularly large or accurate salvo, and the Long Beach is able to handle it almost entirely on its own. It adds yet another threat to the growing list, of course. Now there is a SAG somewhere out there, and it has a demonstrable stand-off capability. 

Missile Action

The American cruisers defend themselves from an initial, tentative, missile attack.

By this point it's very clear a concerted effort is being made to destroy TF6. Someone, somewhere, is lucid enough to realise TF6 will require more assistance, and an AWACs is diverted off station to provide me with surface search support. It takes quite some time to arrive, but once it does it unsurprisingly proves itself to be decisive. Almost immediately upon activating its radar, the Soviet SAG is detected. There's at least two decently sized radar returns, likely the source of the Shaddocks. A Soviet cruiser is out there. 

The Soviet SAG is hugging the coast of Fiji, and would've been extremely hard to identify with TF6's own radar, given the terrain. The addition of the AWACs has officially short-circuited what had obviously been a sophisticated attempt to ambush TF6, and the enemy SAG is now closing in for a decisive action. I'm in no position to immediately respond, having initially moved far off course to effectively use my Tomahawks, and so the next few hours are spent keeping a large island between me and the Soviets while we close to effective Harpoon range. Complicating my situation is that my attention remains decidedly split: anti-submarine sweeps and scouting for additional Silkworm sites continue to hog my attention as I move into an attack position. 

Emerging from the radar shadow of a smaller island provides a narrow window for an attack.

The Belknap-class fires its port-side Harpoons.

The Kresta moments before it is struck, as its escorts pop chaff and fire defensively.

The Soviets fire first again, aiming at the lead ship of my formation as we come out of the radar shadow of an island. Nevertheless, their range advantage has been negated, and I have a decided weight of fire advantage. Their SAG, centred around a Kresta I, consists of small missile boats. The threat is serious, to be sure, but the amount of missiles they can put out is limited and their collective defence low. This was not a force that was intended to fight an open engagement, and it shows. 

My own counterfire is crushing: four Harpoons are selected for the Kresta, and a pair each for the Nanchukas. That left a few Harpoons to spare if  proven absolutely necessary. It's not. By the end of the exchange, the Kresta is burning from bow to stern, and all but one of the Nanchukas is slipping beneath the waves. 

The other large radar return, which catches a Harpoon intended for someone else, turns out to be a Soviet fleet auxiliary. It's a large ship and a single Harpoon won't do it much harm, particularly if it's in ballast. The Byrd closed to finish off both it and the surviving Nanchuka with a gun action. The latter sinks quickly, but the Boris Chilkin-class takes an astounding beating before it appears to start sinking by the bow. Somehow, it gets its flooding under control, and we never get credit for the sinking. 

Three gun actions in a day will guarantee the Byrd's crew are utterly insufferable in the mess back at Sydney harbour.

Final Act

With this enemy SAG sunk, what I assumed was meant to be the main threat to TF6 has been dealt with. The TF closes up for transit of the narrows, and the Sea Sprites begin laying sonobuoys along the path of transit. 

"Buoy away!"

This proves, again, to be justified suspicion, and two contacts were identified. Slowing the TF allowed decent use of passive sonar, and helped firm up the enemy contacts. About twenty nautical miles to the east and northeast were a November and a Tango, respectively. My transit route would've brought me into potential attack positions for both submarines, which could have been catastrophic. A vigorous anti-submarine action by the Sea Sprites begin. 

The crew quality of the November must be cranked up, because it puts on an awe inspiring defensive display, defeating four Mk46s and doing its best to slip the noose of sonobuoys laid around it. It lives to fight another day, despite a close call. While it's impressive conning, the November is nevertheless left completely out of an attack position and removed as a threat, sunk or not. TF6 is able to cruise past it, as it remains pinned down 20 miles to the southeast. 

Rapid depth changes, radical course corrections and liberal use of noisemakers: all recognizable to veterans of Cold Waters. This November uses them all in its successful bid to escape destruction.

The Tango is an easier mark, and does not even appear to be aware of the Mk46 until moments before impact, as it moves far too swiftly towards an attack position. It is struck twice, and eventually goes under. Impressively, an emergency blow gets it near enough to the surface for some crew to escape. 

A large oil slick and life rafts from the sunk Tango.

Nightfall sees TF6 exit the close quarters of the waters around Fiji, unharmed and victorious. I doubt highly we have the ammunition to actually make transit to a combat station logical. However, in exchange for a relatively modern Soviet cruiser, it is probably considered worth it. I am awarded a decisive victory for my efforts. 

Final thoughts: Scenarios like this are what Sea Power will need more of if it wants to have any longevity. It will become repetitive and suffer if every scenario is an evolution on a carrier strike, or some mindless smashing together of an Iowa vs Kirov battlegroup. The game ships with a respectable roster of ships, and there are a lot of tactical realities that can be captured. This remains my single most important worry for the game. A lot of what I see currently is so much chaff, but there are promising signs of competent, literate, challenging scenario design in the community. 

That this particular scenario was competently designed, seems obvious to me. I can nit pick, if I must: the briefing and in-mission messages are rife with spelling errors that are too obvious to ignore, for example. Like this blog, it could probably do with an outside proof-reader. 

That does not detract from the challenge of the scenario. Nothing you fight is a high technology threat, how could it be in the middle of nowhere? The Soviets would have had more pressing matters for their Cinderalla Fleet. This alone demonstrates a certain amount of logical reasoning by the author, Rex. They squeeze all they can out of these second-rate Soviet units and installations, and it's very clear the scenario is meant to punish anyone who sails forward aggressively, too comfortable in the Long Beach's capabilities. The reality is, if the Soviets were going to legitimately pose a blue-water threat to NATO navies in the 1980s, they would need to think outside the box, and this scenario is an example of how perhaps to capture that.