ncc1717

In this hypothetical battle, The French attack the Austro-Hungarian naval base of Pola (Pula in Croatia today) in September 1914.

Scale: 1/6000 miniatures, 500 yards/in ground scale.

Rules: Computer code in development.

Visibility 22,000 yards. Wind southeasterly at 10 knots. Seastate 2.

Status at the end of the game: Pola-status

Damage output file: Pola-output

Plot of ship movements: Pola plot

The A-H fleet leaves Pola as the French approach.

A-H DDs make smoke to cover the deployment of the fleet.

The A-H divisions turn south to get more maneuver room. The French turn north to keep the leeward position. A French AC blows up and another turns out of line with steering damage.

The French take advantage of the good visibility to fight beyond the range of half of the A-H ships.

This scenario was not balanced well due to the French advantage in gun range and the slow speed of the oldest A-H ships.

WWI Naval Battle – Interception of the HSF

As a counterpart to a recent hypothetical battle where the German battlecruisers were sent into the channel to intercept the BEF transports, this scenario assumes the High Seas Fleet demonstrates in the North Sea to draw the Grand Fleet away from the channel. The GF intercepts the HSF as it moves south along the Danish coast toward the Jade.

Scale: 1/6000 miniatures, 500 yards/in ground scale.

Rules: Computer code in development.

Visibility 14,000 yards. Wind northwesterly at 12 knots. Seastate 2.

Status at the end of the game: BEF2-status

Damage output file: BEF2-output

Plots of ship movements:

first 40 minutes BEF2-plot-1to40

last 50 minutes BEF2-plot-40to90

total BEF2-plot

North is to the the left and the Danish coast is off the table to the rear. When sighted, the GF was across the path of the HSF. This photo is several turns later.

The British dreadnoughts have turned south to avoid German torpedoes. The German dreadnoughts have all taken damage and turned to the west to clear the Danish coast.

A British AC has blown up. British dreadnoughts continue south, chased by German torpedo boats.

The battle lines attempt to reform, but slower damaged ships start to fall behind.

At the point where we stopped, both battle fleets had taken significant damage and it was expected that a lot more ships would soon be sunk.

WWI Naval Battle – Return of von Spee

The German Asiatic and Mediterranean squadrons are attempting to return to Germany in September of 1914. Scouting Group I has evaded the British in order to escort them back. While coaling in Faxa Bay Iceland, they are caught by the Battlecruiser Fleet.

German light cruisers were required to stay stationary for the first three turns (15 minutes) and were limited to an ordered speed of 10 knots on turn 4. German heavy ships were required to stay stationary for the first four turns and were limited to an ordered speed of 5 knots on turn 5 and 10 knots on turn 6. The Goben and the three battlecruisers of the 2nd BCS were limited to 22 knots due to maintenance issues.

Scale: 1/6000 miniatures, 500 yards/in ground scale.

Rules: Computer code in development.

Visibility 22,000 yards. Wind northeasterly at 25 knots. Seastate 3.

Status at the end of the game: RvS status

Damage output file: RvS output

Plot: RvS plot

The British enter Faxa Bay from the west. The German ships are anchored, facing into the wind.

The British CLs are heavily damaged, mostly by the 15cm guns of the German BCs.

Inflexible has blown up in the upper left, and the wrecks of two British CLs are in the lower right.

The game was stopped at this point due to the time and to avoid the long gunnery duel which would have followed.

Gutshot Game – The Above Average Seven

Saturday the local HMGS-South group played a game of Gutshot, in which seven tough gunslingers defended a western town from bandits. We played through the game twice. Each time the town was saved, but not without some highly cinematic deaths among the gunslingers. One player learned that playing with dynamite is dangerous.