WWI Naval – Page 2

WW1 Naval – Baltic Convoy 1916

This scenario was inspired by the Russian attack on a convoy of iron ore sailing from Sweden to Germany described in “After Jutland“, Chapter 6, pages 90-91. The Russian attack group of destroyers has a close cover force of cruisers and a distant cover force of dreadnoughts. The Germans expect the operation and counter with their own cruiser and dreadnought supporting forces.

Winds WSW at 5 knots. Sea state 2. Visibility 6 NM.

Narrative

Player reports
Russian
German

Plots
0-25 minutes
25-50 minutes
50-75 minutes
All

End game status

Computer code (described here)

Convoy escorts (one armed merchant cruiser and two groups of trawlers) attempt to distract the attacking Russian destroyers.

The convoy makes smoke and heads south at its best speed of 10 knots.

The convoy is destroyed. The old German cruisers are losing the fight with the Russian cruisers.

The Russian dreadnoughts press on southwestward to support their cruisers.

The German dreadnought divisions deploy into a battleline while the Russian dreadnoughts reverse course and head northeast.

Cruisers and destroyers clear the line of fire for the dreadnought action.

With the visibility only 12,000 yards the battlelines close to under 10,000 yards. Hits accumulate rapidly.

The two lead Russian dreadnoughts are overwhelmed by a fortunate series of hits from four German dreadnoughts.

With only two Russian dreadnoughts left to face six relatively intact German dreadnoughts, we called the game. The convoy and most of the German cruisers had been destroyed, but the loss of the Russians dreadnoughts was a high price to pay for meeting the mission objective.

1/6000 Naval – Never Built Ships

These are various ship designs from WW1 or shortly thereafter, modeled in 1/6000 scale. Many had little or no chance of being built.

La Motte-Picquet class French cruiser.

1917 Russian design for a Black Sea Battleship. The link has several 16-inch gun designs. Version 2 of the four variations by V.P. Kostenko (at the bottom of the page) was modeled since it was among the later designs (1917) and matches the drawings provided.

Austro-Hungarian Project V Battleship. Austro-Hungarian Project VI Battlecruiser. The last Austro-Hungarian battleship and battlecruiser designs were modeled.

German Post-Jutland Battleship Design Studies. Battleship study L20eɑ was modeled since it was selected on 11 September 1918 as the basis for the next German battleship (Dodson, “The Kaiser’s Battlefleet” page 126). Battlecruiser study GK4541 was modeled since it was among the last designs considered (Dodson, “The Kaiser’s Battlefleet” page 127) and since it was included in the Avalanche Press game “Jutland 1919“.

Tillman Battleships. Design IV-2 was modeled since it was the one presented to Congress early in 1917.

Left: 1917 Russian Black Sea battleship Version 2. Right: La Motte-Picquet class French cruiser.

Left: Austro-Hungarian Project V battleship. Right: Austro-Hungarian Project VI battlecruiser.

Left: German battleship study L20eɑ. Right: German battlecruiser study GK4541.

WW1 Naval – Oran 1914

This alternate history scenario was a confrontation between British and French ships in November 1914. The British were tasked with preventing the return of the French fleet from Oran to Toulon. The French were to get underway from the anchorage at Oran and get past the British.

Player briefings

Status at the end of the game

Narrative

Player reports:
British
French

Plots of ship movements:
0-30 minutes
30-45 minutes
40-60 minutes
All

Computer code (described here)

All ships except the rear French battleships have been sighted.

The British battleline of the four oldest dreadnoughts and eight pre-dreadnoughts.

The French have deployed into a line with the armoured cruisers leading and the new dreadnoughts in the rear.

French DDs attack unsupported and are shattered by the fire of British 4 and 6 inch guns.

The Devonshire should not be in a camouflage paint scheme in 1914.

The British dreadnought division passes through the French fleet. One collision occurs. The Bellerophon blows up and the Temeraire sinks.

We stopped play after 12 turns (60 minutes of game time) and about 4 hours of real time.

Heligoland Bight – 1916

This Friday we played a fictitious naval battle set in the North Sea in 1916. The British attempt to sweep the Heligoland Bight to eliminate German patrols. The Germans are supporting their light forces with heavy ships. The scenario includes ships not actually available in the North Sea at the time.

Player briefings

Winds WSW at 3 knots. Sea state 2. Visibility 5 NM toward the SW, 6 NM toward the NE.

Status at the end of the game

Narrative

Player reports:
British
German

Plots of ship movements:
0-30 minutes
30-50 minutes
All

Computer code (described here)

Initially only the 3rd British BCS and its CL screen enter the Bight.

When German BCs are engaged, the remaining British forces move in from the north.

Heligoland in 1/18000 scale (the game’s ground scale)

We played for about 4 hours without a decisive result. The British had suffered somewhat more damage. In spite of a lot of torpedo fire from the light cruisers and destroyers, the only two torpedo hits were achieved by the Von der Tann and the Blucher.

Risikoflotte Risked – 1914 Naval AAR

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a fictitious naval battle set in the North Sea in May 1914. The British attempt to destroy the German fleet in the North Sea bases. The German fleet sails to fight in the Heligoland Bight. The scenario is based on the British strategy of destroying fleets which may become a threat (Copenhagen) (also), and the German concept of the Risikoflotte (risk fleet).

Player briefings: Copenhagen 1914

Visibility 14,000 yards, improving gradually. Wind westerly at 8 knots. Sea state 3.

Status at the end of the game: Cope IO

Damage output file: Cope Short output

Player reports:
Cope British
Cope German

Plots of ship movements:
0-30 minutes Cope plot 0-30
30-50 minutes Cope plot 30-50
50-60 minutes Cope plot 50-60
All Cope plot all

Computer code (described here)

The German battle line is sighted by British CLs.

Most of both side’s dreadnoughts have been spotted.

Both fleets have deployed into lines and approach on courses giving reasonable range rates. The head of the German line takes early damage and the rear is disrupted by British flotilla torpedo attacks. Those flotillas take heavy damage.

After more than four hours of play and 60 minutes of game time we called it a day. 5 British dreadnoughts were sunk and 2 were in a sinking condition. 2 German dreadnoughts were sunk and 1 was heavily damaged. The Germans could claim a tactical victory at this point but not a strategic victory.

This battle was played some years ago with an earlier version of the code.