1000 pt list help for a casual VaS game

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  • August 26, 2025 at 12:06 am #191328
    Aidan
    Participant

    Hello all, it’s been a while.

    Right now I’m trying to put together two, roughly balanced 1000 pt fleets for casual play based on what I got in the Battle for the Pacific starter box, plus a few additional models. Here’s where I’m at right now:

    USN 1000 Points,
    Portland class heavy cruiser
    x2 Northampton class heavy cruisers
    Cleveland class light cruiser
    x2 Atlanta class light cruisers
    x6 Fletcher class destroyers
    (12 ships total)

    IJN 1000 Points,
    x2 Mogami class heavy cruisers
    Furutaka class heavy cruiser
    x3 Fubuki class destroyers (w/type 93 torpedo upgrade)
    Fubuki class destroyer
    (7 ships total)

    …So what I’ve noticed is that the IJN will be outnumbered nearly 2:1, but hopefully can make up for it with their crazy powerful torpedoes. I was also thinking of an alternate list where I swap one Mogami (280 pts) for 2 Agano class light cruisers (220) and an Asashio class DD (60) for 9 ships total, but would require me to buy more ships.

    I’m looking for advice, and am totally open to seeing your lists as well.

    TYIA

    August 26, 2025 at 9:13 am #191329
    Nat
    Participant

    So, looks like you are using WLPS (WarLord Points System – the rulebook points) …. this isnt that great espically with regards to the refit costs!  As a general rule of thumb I suggest only using WLPS for learning the game or quickly putting a last minuete game together at a club… A good indercation is how type93s can be either 5 or 10 points depending on what ship they are despite being the same number of shots with the same rules & DD!

    IF you look in news from the wardroom thread theres a WLPA or WarLord Points Adapted where the refit costs are recalculated to something that is more consistant (its not great but its a step in the right direction).  Now because WLPA is a half way fix its not used that much in the wider community, most people prefere SHIPS (also found in the news from the wardroom in the points chart v2 is the current version).

    As for your list… while the IJN will struggle with the type 93s against Destroyers, the USN will struggle with gunnery against the IJN cruisers, but will have the tempo to dictate the battle.

    August 26, 2025 at 4:16 pm #191332
    Aidan
    Participant

    Thanks Nat!

    I noticed the crazy points discrepancies too. Do you happen to have a link to the WLPA chart? (edit: Found some of your fixed points charts as a well as the excellent Dutch fleet lists.) Also what’s the difference between WLPA and SHIPS?

    Thanks for the input. Are there any rules of thumb for VaS lists? I know in Bolt Action you wanted lots of infantry.

    • This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by Aidan.
    August 27, 2025 at 3:58 pm #191334
    Nat
    Participant

    So WLPA is based on the base costs of the ships as they are in the rulebook -0 with the biggest outliers (Alaska, Bismark, Yugumo etc) having the base cost guestimated into line.  Its a backward working of the points value then a review of the refit costs so they make sense.

    SHIPS is a ground up total recalculation – the guy who wrote it has published it if you want to home brew ships – I’ve just done the calculations so people dont have to.  It also has one BIG change in the points… NO FREE FLIGHTS!

    Rules of thumb for VaS:
    A balanced fleet (something of everything) makes for fun balanced games even if the points are off…
    Bring a big ship (BBs) on both sides- game goes very one way if you go full carrier fleets
    If bringing fleet carriers (thouse with 10+ flights) then make sure you have enough scouting points to launch them.
    Tempo beats beat sticks, ie lots of little DDS will win against  a supper battleship 99 times out of 100
    Dive Bombers hunt destroyers
    Crits not hits kill battleships – so you want to be fishing for crits (so torps are better than gunnery)
    Dont dogfight flights that are attacking ships
    Terrain & Smoke help more than you’d think
    learn to use Orders! (I keep forgetting… I get sunk )

    The wardroom errata is aimed at making the rulebook viable for pickup gaming and fixing major historical stat problems or inconsistencies, as well as adding fan made lists

    the RNN, VMF & MN (Dutch, Soviet & Expanded French) are balanced if using SHIPS … theres a few guestimations in WLPA costs.

    If /when something is put out on the wardroom (Facebook group) I try and remember to post it here & on the discord (as not everyone uses all three)

    • This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by Nat.
    August 27, 2025 at 4:30 pm #191336
    Aidan
    Participant

    Thanks for the in depth reply.

    I’ll definitely look for the SHIPS rules, especially because I like home brewing my own ships.

    As far as the list goes, I think I’ll find a roughly equal BB for each side to make things more interesting.

     

    Edit: I found the SHIPS chart. Many thanks to whoever the amazing soul was that went through and adjusted every single ship cost. Things are so much more balanced now… Alaska is more expensive than the Kongo instead of being 1/2 the price and better, for example.

    It’s going to be a little challenging cross referencing the SHIPS chart and the rulebook stats, but I’m definitely building a new list using the SHIPS chart.

    Thanks

    Aidan

    • This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by Aidan.
    • This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by Aidan.
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