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WWI Naval Battle – Copenhagen 1914

Copenhagen the verb that is. In May 1914 the British finally accept Admiral Fisher’s suggestions (made in 1904 and 1908) to preemptively attack the German fleet in the naval base at Wilhelmshaven. A routine flight by the German Navy’s only dirigible, the L 3, spots the British in the North Sea in time for the German fleet to sortie.

Visibility was 14,000 yards. Wind was westerly at 8 knots and the seastate was 2.

Status at the end of the game: Cope-end-status

Damage output summary: Cope-damage

Plot: Cope-plot

Plot showing flotilla torpedo attacks: Cope-plot-flot

The light cruiser screens have formed up in line ahead. The fist hit has blown up HMS Southampton.

British fleet. The wreck of the Southampton is visible in the upper right corner.

German fleet

The light cruisers withdraw under fire from battleships.

Two British dreadnoughts in the lead division have been lost to turret hits followed by magazine explosions.

The fleets close to around 5000 yards as damage mounts. British destroyers have launched torpedoes and withdrawn.

German torpedoes hit the British line, crippling or sinking several ships. With the British clearly worsted, the Riskflotte theory is vindicated.

Analysis:

Examining only the battleship action, the British hit rate was 9.3% and the German hit rate was 14.1%. This difference was the result of the westerly wind blowing the gun and funnel smoke in front of the British line, while the German smoke was blown to the disengaged side. The British needed the guidance in the Grand Fleet Battle Orders (~ May 1916):

Weather …The leeward position, with the wind on the engaged bow, is usually the better … the main consideration is that of being in a position where the gun and funnel smoke from our own ships do not interfere with gunlaying… [page 15]

I don’t know if there was any such guidance in May of 1914.

The British suffered gun losses due to 29 turret face penetrations. Four British battleships were lost to explosions as a result of turret fires reaching the magazines. Turret hits represented 14.7% of all hits on British ships and 12.7% of all hits on German ships. These numbers are consistent with the algorithms. The consequences (for the British) of turret hits are so significant that the algorithms for turret face hits and penetrations will be elaborated in future code modifications. For example, the probability of a turret hit for flat trajectory shells will be examined, and the curvature of British turret faces might need to be modeled.

The strategic lesson is that a preemptive attack should have been considered at an earlier date, ideally before the Germans developed effective AP shells.

WWI Naval Battle – Italians vs French

In another non-historical scenario, the Italians decide the Central Powers will be the winning side. The Italian fleet sails out to challenge the French fleet.

Visibility was 24,000 yards. Wind was north-westerly at 16 knots and the seastate was 3.

Status at the end of the game: Italia final status

Damage output summary (part 1): Damage part 1

Damage output summary (part 2): Damage part 2

Plot (part 1): Italia plot 1st part

Plot (part 2): Italia plot 2nd part

The fleets deploy into battle lines, with the Italians (on the right) somewhat more organized. An early French torpedo boat attack has been repulsed with heavy loss.

The four French dreadnoughts and the lead pre-dreadnought take damage from the five Italian dreadnoughts. French ACs (background) attempt to get within torpedo range.

The Italians also take damage, but not nearly as much.

One French dreadnought has been sunk and one has no propulsion. Italian torpedo boats (bottom) close in on the crippled French dreadnoughts to use their short-ranged torpedoes.

The remaining French dreadnoughts are slowed by flooding damage and are overtaken by the pre-dreadnoughts. Several French ACs are quickly sunk when the Italian battle line shifts fire to them.

The Italian battle line evades a torpedo attack by a turn together. One dreadnought has sunk.

The volume of fire of the four Cavour and Duilio class ships was about 50% greater than that of the four Courbet class ships (13 gun vs 10 gun broadsides and a slightly higher rate of fire). The longer range French torpedoes might have evened the odds, but the attacks were stopped or evaded. A decisive victory for Italy and a good test of the code.

WWI Naval Battle – Mediterranean 1917

This fictional scenario was designed to test new destroyer/torpedo boat guide algorithms. For each fleet, two ships can be designated as guides. DD/TB units can then be ordered to take station on those guides instead of being given normal movement orders.

Visibility was 24,000 yards. Wind was north-westerly at 10 knots and the seastate was 2.

Status at the end of the game: Fr-US end status

Damage output summary: Output 19MAR2014

Plot: Fr-US plot

The fleets have maneuvered to nearly parallel courses at about 15,000 yards.

The wreck of the French AC Waldeck Rousseau can be seen in the left rear. The remaining ACs and two of the French battleships have taken medium damage. The few remaining French TBs are in the foreground.

Within minutes of each other, battleships from each side suffer steering hits and turn out of line. The Utah was designated as a guide for US DDs, so they followed her. Preventing this will require a code change.

When we quit, damage to the battleships was about even, but the French armored cruisers and torpedo boats had suffered much more damage than those of the US. The small French TBs were sunk primarily by fire from the 5 inch guns of the US BBs. There were no successful torpedo attacks, but the US AC Montana was accidentally torpedoed by US DDs.

WWI Naval Battle – North Sea 1916

This fictional scenario was designed to test revised torpedo algorithms and also to experiment with several tactical concepts mentioned in Friedman, Naval Weapons of World War One, Chapter I:1, Gun Tactics. Fleets of 16 battleships (as envisioned by Plunkett) meet on opposite courses (addressed in Admiral Callaghan’s ‘Instructions for the Conduct of the Fleet in Action’ of October 1913). The order of battle assumes that the British and German battlecruisers and the British 5th Battle Squadron are engaged elsewhere. The 12in gunned British battleships were sent to cover Tershellling in the event the German fleet attempted to return to port by that route. The German pre-dreadnoughts were left in port. HMS Audacious was not lost in 1914.

Visibility was 11,000 to 12,000 yards, with the best visibility looking toward the east. Wind was westerly at 10 knots and the seastate was 3.

Status at the end of the game: IOt8a

Damage output summary: Output 5MAR2014

Plots:

First 20 minutes: 1916 Plot 1-20

20 to 25 minutes: 1916 Plot 20-25

25 to 35 minutes: 1916 Plot 25-35

Complete 35 minute plot: 1916 Plot

Our host has a great view for a naval game.

The screening light cruisers reform into columns.

British destroyers launch torpedo attacks toward the German line and retire.

The German battleships have taken some torpedo hits, but continue without loss of speed. British armoured cruisers have taken damage from the leading German battleships.

The older ships at the rear rear of the German line suffer under the guns of the leading British battleships. British armoured cruisers are shattered and British light cruisers pass down the German battleline.

Two British armoured cruisers and one light cruiser are sunk, but the German battleships take much more damage than the British. With the battle still in doubt, we had to call it a day.

WWI Naval Battle – Fehmarn Belt, Part II

In this fictional battle using the WWI naval game program, the Russian Baltic fleet sails to attack Kiel in August 1914. The game is continued from the earlier maneuvers posted here. Since the torpedo algorithms were significantly revised, the game was backed up several minutes to restart prior to any significant action.

The plot was complicated, so it was divided into two 20 minute plots:

Fehmarn8 plot first 20

Fehmarn8 plot last 20

Status at the end of the game: Fehmarn8 status

Damage output summary: Output 2-26-2014

Looking southwest, with the Germans to the west (right) and the Russians to the east (left).

Russian battleships and armored cruisers in the foreground have turned away from a torpedo attack, but are nearing the southern shore of the Fehmarn Belt. The torpedoes miss as a result of the maneuver.

The Russians have reformed into column and head back to the north. In the distance, the Germans have taken torpedo hits on two battleships, seriously damaging them.

Crippled German battleships (red markers) are sent west out of the battle.