Suffolk Raid, November 1914

5th Battle Squadron November 1914
Harwich Force November 1914
A.G.I November 1914


On November 14, 1914, the British naval forces on the east coast were reorganized to defend against raids such as the bombardment of Yarmouth on November 3rd. The 5th Battle Squadron of eight pre-dreadnought battleships was moved to Sheerness. Vice Admiral Burney’s orders were “that at the first intimidation of a hostile expedition he was instantly to attack it, regardless of its strength…”. (Corbett, “Naval Operations” Volume I, page 250, Volume II, page 10, and Marder, “From the Dreadnought to Scapa Flow” Volume II, page 130)

This scenario assumes that the German force used in the Yarmouth raid returns to the coast of Suffolk later in November, and that the 5th Battle Squadron and the Harwich force intercepted it.

Both sides were run by the code‘s automation algorithms.

The orders of battle are listed in the narrative file:

SK-Narrative-suf-2026-5-17Download


Plots:
Full scenario plot:

suf-plot-allDownload


Simplified plot of lead battleships and battlecruisers.

suf-plot-blDownload

Plot from 08:20 to 09:00. The German light cruiser screen and the Harwich Force engage.

suf-plot-8:20 to 9:00Download

Plot from 09:00 to 09:30. The German battlecruisers and the 5th Battle Squadron of the Channel Fleet deploy and open fire. A German battlecruiser is hit by a torpedo from a Harwich Force light cruiser. German fire is initially concentrated on the nearest pre-dreadnought, which sinks.

suf-plot-9:00 to 9:30Download

Plot from 09:30 to 10:00. The battle lines circle each other. The British pre-dreadnoughts take far more hits than they inflict. One pre-dreadnought capsizes and sinks.

suf-plot-9:30 to 10:00Download
Situation at 10:00 Hrs
5th BS and Harwich Force, 10:00 Hrs
AG-I and AG-II, 10:00 Hrs

Plot from 10:00 to 10:30. The British force attempts to disengage. German torpedo boat flotillas attack and score torpedo hits on two pre-dreadnoughts, sinking one of them immediately.

suf-plot-10:00 to 10:30Download

Plot from 10:30 to 11:15. The modern destroyers of the Harwich force and the older destroyers of the Channel Fleet attack. Two hits are scored on German battlecruisers. The German force retires to the north. A fourth pre-dreadnought capsizes and sinks due to progressive flooding.

suf-plot-10:30 to 11:15Download

Status at the end of the game:

suf-final-outputDownload

Gunnery Logs:

Gunnery Logs Suffolk RaidDownload

Hit Logs:

Hit Logs Suffolk RaidDownload

Comments:
This game and several other replays indicate that the old ships of the Channel Fleet are outmatched by the German battlecruisers. On the other hand, there is little reason for the battlecruisers to engage, since sinking old ships will not help redress the balance of forces in the North Sea.

Tsushima, May 27th 1905

2nd Pacific Squadron
Combined Fleet

This scenario was based on the battle of Tsushima during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.

Both sides were run by the code‘s automation algorithms.

The orders of battle are listed in the narrative file:

SK-Narrative-tsu4-2026-2-6Download


Plots:
Full scenario plot:

tsu4 full plotDownload


Animated plot:

tsu4 animated plotDownload


Plot of battleships and armored cruisers from the start to 14:05. Both sides have deployed from cruising formations to single line ahead and have engaged on opposite courses.

Points 0-35 Battleship Armored Cruiser plotDownload

Plot of battleships and armored cruisers from 14:00 to 14:30. The Japanese battle line has reversed course to follow the Russian line north.

Points 30-60 Battleship Armored Cruiser plotDownload

Plot of battleships and armored cruisers from 14:25 to the end. The Japanese gradually catch up and inflict heavier losses on the Russians. The 2nd Pacific Squadron retires to the northeast at 15:20, and the Combined Fleet disengages at 15:35.

Points 55-150 Battleship Armored Cruiser plotDownload

The destroyers with their short range torpedoes were of little use in a daylight action. The code algorithms generally kept them on the disengaged side, however the code decided late in the battle to launch the entire Japanese destroyer flotilla (five divisions of four boats each) against the supposedly weakened Russian battle line. All five divisions were dispersed by damage from the tertiary guns of the battle line and supporting fire from protected cruisers Bogatyr and Aurora. This plot shows the flotilla attack from 15:11 to 15:30:

Japanese flotilla attack plotDownload


Status at the end of the game:

tsu4 final outoutDownload

Gunnery Logs:

Gunnery Logs Tsushima 4 ship unitsDownload

Hit Logs:

Hit Logs Tsushima 4 ship unitsDownload

Comments:
The 2nd Pacific Squadron attempted to disengage at 15:20 due to heavy losses. The Combined Fleet followed until 15:35 when lack of ammo and operable guns caused it to break off the action.

The results were more even than would normally be expected, likely due to the early loss of 30 cm guns on the Combined Fleet’s battleships. Mikasa, for example, lost her after turret to a 254 mm hit and both guns of her forward turret to premature explosions of Shimose shells.