Naval Detection Rules


Warships and transport groups can detect enemy ships and TR groups in two ways in PATE. First, they can detect enemy ships by being in the same location, or a nearby location in some cases. Second, they can detect enemy ships by encountering them during movement.

1. Detection in ports
Ships can detect ships and transport groups in ports under two conditions. First, ships and transport groups in ports will automatically detect all other ships and transport groups in the same port, both those in the harbor and those in the coastal waters. Second, ships and transport groups in sea areas may be able to detect ships and transport groups in ports connected to the same sea area. The chance that a player can detect ships and transport groups in a port from ships and transport groups in the same sea area is equal to 20% times the number of tactical locations in the sea area that contain only frigates under his or her command, plus 5% times the number of tactical locations in the sea area containing ships of the line or transit groups. Tactical locations with both frigates and ships of the line or transport groups count 5%, not 20%. In this case information will appear only on the PATE position report maps and will contain only the number and nationality of ships detected.

2. Detection at sea
Ships can detect ships and transport groups in ports under three conditions. First, ships and transport groups in sea areas will automatically detect all other ships and transports in the same tactical location in that sea area. In this case, information about the detected ships will appear on the PATE position report maps and in the position report for each ship. Second, ships and transport groups in sea areas may be able to detect ships in different tactical locations in the same sea area. The nationality of all frigates operating in the sea area is always reported above the PATE map of that sea area on the position report.  The chance of detecting in other tactical locations is 20% for each tactical location with only frigates in the sea area, and 10% for each tactical location with frigates and other ships. Third, ships and transport groups in ports will detect frigates, but not ships of the line or transport groups, in the connected sea area. The nationality of all frigates operating in the sea area is always reported above the PATE map of that sea area on the position report. No other information will be available.

3. Encountering other ships in ports
Whenever ships come into a port, they will always encounter all ships in that port and be detected by them. Ships can then use the evade option to try to break contact or the pursue option to try to maintain contact.

4. Encountering other ships at sea
Whenever a group of ships move into a sea area, they have a chance to encounter other ships in the same sea area, and hence to enter their tactical location and detect them. The chance depends on the type of ship and on its orders. The chance that the ships moving into the sea area will detect other ships already in that sea area is 10%, plus 10% for each tactical location with ships present in the sea, plus another 5% if that tactical location contains a frigate that is not evading contact and at least one other ship, plus another 10% if at least one ship in that tactical location has no movement orders. The modifiers are doubled if the group of ships moving also contains a frigate not evading contact and at least one other ship. If the moving group detects other ships, then the tactical location to which it moves is selected randomly, but it is more likely to move to a tactical location with a frigate not evading contact and one other ship.

At the end of the second naval movement phase, any ship in a sea area which has not moved from that sea area during the turn has a chance to detect other ships in the same sea area, since it has been sailing around that sea area for the entire turn. The chance of detecting ships in another tactical location in that sea area is 20%, plus 30% if the detecting group includes a frigate, plus 30% if the ships in detected tactical location include a frigate, plus 60% if the ships in the detected tactical location has not moved either. Each tactical location in the sea area is checked until detection occurs in one of them or all have been tried.
Last updated 12/28/09