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Greetings Designers,

As we move into more modern and Sci-fi combat detection seems to be a more relevant idea or thought process.

For example, in the Hammer's Slammers universe, firepower has become so powerful that no one tries to fly an aircraft because once detected a MBT or Artillery can accurately bring down a plane in seconds.

Some genre's seem to thrive on detection more than others such as Space navy, sub game, etc. Let's talk a bit about how to do detection right in a game and how to do it wrong. Feel free to swap ideas, talk about games that did it well, games that did it not so well, Genre's that need detection, etc.

Anyone recall how 40K first made use of Dark Eldar Mandrakes. Three models that you could move however you want, and once revealed the unit was placed with one, and the other two removed.

Battlegroup uses some sort of spotting roll with modifiers.

Blucher uses blinds

Edit: I have also seen a "deep strike" style mechanic used where the player can place the model anywhere on board once it enters play/is detected, but it then scatters. usually, deployment is a choice or forced by an opposed detection roll.

What are players opinions about seeing where a model is located, but needed a dice roll in order to target/spot said model for shooting/attacking purposes?

Does it ruin the illusion of "detection"?

Yes, I recall hiding in 40K 1st and 2nd edition. Once some one got within Initiative distance, any hidden models were automatically detected. It made the stat just that much more worthwhile.


I have been playing around with space naval, and instead of making them WWII Naval in space I was thinking it might make more sense to make it more Cold War Submarine warfare in Space. Hence the question.

From a different discussion on a different board about Submarine games.....

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Tabletop games just do not have a great way to handle detection in an authentic way. For true stealth situations, the opponent should have no idea where the enemy is until they attack or give away their position. Obviously, this can be difficult in a tabletop wargame where models represent the enemy and players have a god's eye view. There are only a handful of ways I have thought of to deal with this problem:

1. The easiest is, you don't. You assume that by the time the battle breaks out everyone knows about where everyone is and stealth is discarded in order to fight. A somewhat unsatisfying soultion to the issue.

2. Use Blips/Blinds. These represent the approximate location of various vessels and the blips are revealed by various actions such as shooting, active sonar pings, etc. Better, but players still have a relative idea of where an enemy is and can be fiddly in execution.

3. Non-detected units are placed in reserve and enter the board when they are "detected" at any depth or board edge they wish. However, it feels more like the non-detected craft is just late to the party.

4. Deployment nodes where once a vessel is detected they can be deployed within X distance of the node. Allows players to get an idea of where the enemy will appear and plan for it, but not the precise location.

5. Detection checks, where you can not fire until you pass a detection check. However, it does not "solve" the issue of a player having a God's eye view.

6. Allow vessels to ultimately "deep strike" anywhere onto the board if undetected. However, this means they WILL get to Alpha Strike. Players hate when they get Alpha Striked.

7. Double Blinds where each player has their own "board" that is identical and only moves vessels on their own board until they are detected and then they go onto the opponent's board too. Very cumbersome and fiddly, but probably the most realistic. Best if used on a board game.

How you handle stealth is up to you as the designer, but there is no right or wrong answer as it depends on what you want to emphasize in the rules. Submarine games and Aerial games both have similar yet unique challenges for a designer. Read lots of these types of rules as I suppose their are other solutions I missed out on above, but a good solid understanding of aerial and sub games will only benefit you in creating what you wish.

I added some more thoughts on this subject on my blog.....

https://bloodandspectacles.blogspot.com/2020/08/wargame-design-detection-and-stealth-in.html

Thanks everyone for the contributions.