For the record, I only intend running this series of posts until the current batch of models is complete - this of course being the pre dreadnoughts for Fezia and Rusland.
At the time of writing, the first eight of these are now at the 'ship's boats and funnel tops' stage which I am hoping to complete today with the basing etc tomorrow. The knock on effect is that my planned game will now take place later in the week but that should not be a problem. In any event I will need to get the fleet ship charts readied.
Mention of the ship's boats has reminded me of two points - firstly, on the models I am painting their is a prodigious quantity of them and secondly, I am never sure what colour to paint these. I tend to go for lifeboat white but that assumes they are upside down when of course for the most part they would either have covers on or be open to the elements. If they have covers then what colour should they be?
A tricky one to be sure but at the scale I am painting I will probably stick with the white versions as they add to the look in my opinion.
Monday, 15 April 2013
Saturday, 13 April 2013
The Painter's Progress....Part 6
I spent some time this afternoon having a bit of a tidy up of the painting tray. to begin with, I gave eight of the pre dreadnoughts some work with the decking and so should be able to finish them off tomorrow all being well and with the basing tackled on Monday. They should be in action on Tuesday, again, assuming nothing untoward gets in the way.
I also took the opportunity to clean up sixteen Stonewall WW1 German dreadnoughts and seven for the Royal Navy. I am awaiting a couple of replacements for the Royal Navy but made a start on the models in any event. For the Germans there is four of each of their main classes - Nassau, Helgoland, Kaiser and Konig (I know I need another Kaiser!) and for the RN the King Georges and a trio of Bellerophons received similar treatment. All very constructive I must say and very satisfying to complete.
The models that I was being very coy about in the previous post in this series are of course, Bismarck and H.M.S. Renown and they both featured in the recent Battle of the Norwegian Bend (as opposed to the Denmark Strait....). These were a pair of samples Mark at Stonewall kindly sent me wit my recent order. Bismarck was a delight to paint, Renown less so as the casting was a little soft around the edges. I shall be acquiring more to go with these in due course!
I also had a moment of sheer whimsy as I rediscovered a box of goodies I acquired from Tim Gow some while ago. I won't give anything away (and I doubt if Tim will remember what it is) but it has just gone to the top of the painting pile after the pre dreadnoughts have been finished. It is self contained - meaning I won't have to add anything to it - and will provide something a little different for me to game with and an excuse to paint something a little more colourful....;-)
Still no word on the result of my second interview either....
I also took the opportunity to clean up sixteen Stonewall WW1 German dreadnoughts and seven for the Royal Navy. I am awaiting a couple of replacements for the Royal Navy but made a start on the models in any event. For the Germans there is four of each of their main classes - Nassau, Helgoland, Kaiser and Konig (I know I need another Kaiser!) and for the RN the King Georges and a trio of Bellerophons received similar treatment. All very constructive I must say and very satisfying to complete.
I know you have seen it but I could not resist showing it off again!
The models that I was being very coy about in the previous post in this series are of course, Bismarck and H.M.S. Renown and they both featured in the recent Battle of the Norwegian Bend (as opposed to the Denmark Strait....). These were a pair of samples Mark at Stonewall kindly sent me wit my recent order. Bismarck was a delight to paint, Renown less so as the casting was a little soft around the edges. I shall be acquiring more to go with these in due course!
The 'not-quite-as-good-a-casting-as-Bismarck' model of H.M.S. Renown
I also had a moment of sheer whimsy as I rediscovered a box of goodies I acquired from Tim Gow some while ago. I won't give anything away (and I doubt if Tim will remember what it is) but it has just gone to the top of the painting pile after the pre dreadnoughts have been finished. It is self contained - meaning I won't have to add anything to it - and will provide something a little different for me to game with and an excuse to paint something a little more colourful....;-)
Still no word on the result of my second interview either....
Thoughts on Ships and stuff
Flat Top - the Avalon Hill version of the Battleline game designed by S. Craig Taylor (sadly deceased). Without a doubt this is one of my all time favourite board wargames
After the frenzy of gaming and painting warships of recent weeks, culminating in the action yesterday with the only two WW2 models I currently own, I have been giving some thought to what comes next. The most important decision I have taken is that 1/2400th will be the scale for anything 1895 and after - I really like the models - and that I will be making use of Stonewall models primarily, with a smattering of Panzerschiffe for the odd models I need to fill in the gaps. Aside from the Fezian and Rusland set up, together with the WW1 RN and High Seas Fleet, I will be tackling WW2 - I have two ships already so it would be rude not to add to them - and I have surprised myself by actually considering a Pacific set up.
The reason for this is tied in with my long time fondness for the old Avalon Hill boardgame Flat Top. The game covers carrier battles in the Pacific during 1942 although not the Midway operation. Contained in the box are loads of counters covering ships and air assets, task force organisation charts, the rules, a huge mounted map board of the area covered and, best of all, a pad of pre printed plot maps. The plan is simple and essentially means acquiring the models for the ship counters. The map is used for strategic moves and the models come out to resolve the tactical battles.
There is a school of thought that has the view that carrier actions or air strikes against a surface task force do not make for good naval games. I disagree with this because with the right mechanics a carrier strike can be great fun to fight for both players. It also give you the chance to paint up some aircraft models should you wish (which can be easily arranged). Back in the day when I was regularly playing Flat Top amassing great aerial armadas to knock out carrier task forces was hugely enjoyable although not for the faint hearted as the volume of anti aircraft fire a full sized US carrier group could put in the air was truly formidable!
I am also currently amassing a selection of aircraft for the Pacific theatre using Axis and Allies: Angels 20/Bandits High, so having the ships for the naval side extends my coverage of the theatre somewhat.
The great thing about this year of the Pacific War is that the US Navy was not quite the juggernaut it was to become later on and so requires care in how it is handled. For Japan of course it is a war of diminishing returns and so both sides have differing overall objectives which makes for a fertile background for wargames. As an aside, the Flat Top plot maps would also be very useful for any manner of small scale naval mini campaigns - WW1 'hunt the raider' style games spring to mind.
For the time being though, my focus is on the Fezian and Rusland fleets with the WW1 British and German set up. When I get to WW2 the RN and KM will follow first of all but I will also need to consider the fleets for the Turkish involvement in the Middle Eastern project.
Mention of WW2 of course means the use of airpower and so that will also be something to consider for the rules I am using - the action yesterday was fought a set designed to 'end' in 1920. One to ponder for later in the year methinks.
Friday, 12 April 2013
The Battle of the Norwegian Bend, April 1941....Game Number 38
Somewhere off the coast of Northern Norway, at around 8,000 feet....
Thus far the flight had been mercifully uneventful. A quick transit over the North Sea and then a succession of visits to assorted Fjords in the hope of finding a large warship. Nothing. Not even any anti-aircraft fire for his troubles. The whole coastline seemed to be asleep. He was just entering the final Fjord of his journey when he noticed something. Below him was a very small fishing village with the usual array of small craft moored up safely in the harbour. He was just thinking how picturesque it looked when he saw a very large tanker berthed alongside the edge of the Fjord with what looked like a long and snake-like boom in the water. This had to be it, he thought. Why would a small fishing village need a tanker and a boom? His mind pondered this discovery. Refuelling a large ship - that had to be it! In any event he was getting close to the time he would need to return home and so he throttled back, banked and turned for a second look. There it was, a huge tanker that was riding high in the water, meaning only one thing - it was empty. He was convinced that he had found the lair of the beast and so headed out to the open sea at full throttle to report. With a sense of urgency he switched on his radio. "Rhubarb control this is Pot Roast 5, do you read me? Over".
R.A.F Glenfiddich, Northern Scotland....
The nasally clipped tones of the pilot of a lone reconnaissance Spitfire crackled into life in the radio room of the R.A.F. base. The air within was stale with sweat, cigarette smoke and the occasional waft of aviation exhaust fumes. Tension permeated the very fabric of the small wooden hut and assumed an almost physical form. It had been a long night and for little result. The duty officer switched on the mike. "Pot Roast 5, this is Rhubarb control, reading you loud and clear, over". The junior aircraft man made some fine adjustments on the bank of dials in front of him. The sound of static crackled on, the volume dwindling and increasing in response to the turn of the dials. "Rhubarb control, I arrived too late for the party and narrowly avoided taking part in the cleaning up"...."The cloud is low and so am I - I am returning home, over and out". The crackling stopped and silence once again reigned supreme. The duty officer sighed. He turned to his subordinate, his face a mask of stony resolve. "Get me the Admiralty and quickly, we have missed her in the bad weather so the ball is with them now!"
On the bridge of H.M.S. Renown, somewhere off Northern Norway....
Meanwhile, one hundred or so miles north of the where the Spitfire had passed, H.M.S. Renown continued with her patrol. Her captain was aware that the newest German battleship, Bismarck, had supposedly sortied and that it was his job to try and pin her down. He was not concerned about the finding of her but he was very concerned about becoming drawn into a fire fight against 15" shells with little more than light cruiser level armour for protection. As he scanned the horizon to the south through his binoculars he considered once again the dictum of Jackie Fisher about "Hitting first, hitting hard and keeping on hitting". He silently prayed to himself that should his path cross with the mighty Bismarck that his ship would be able to do just that. The alternative, being involved in long and drawn out gunnery duel, would leave only one winner and he doubted if it would be his ship.
On the bridge of K.M. Bismarck, somewhere off Northern Norway....
Her captain was troubled. So many things had been rushed concerning this operation. His ship was alone, without any escort, not even a cruiser. Her orders were contradictory - avoid action but engage with full power if needed - and even the mission itself was vague. Essentially he was to take the Bismarck around Iceland and home. This was purely for propaganda purposes, to demonstrate the impotence of the Royal Navy in the face of German naval might. As a student of military history he was reminded of Jeb Stuart's ride around the Union Army during the American Civil War. It made for great headlines but added little or nothing to the war effort. He was also reminded of how it ended for the Confederacy as well.
His ship was powerful one and he was confident it would give a good account of itself if it came to battle. The only problem was that he could ill afford a pyrrhic victory. By a strange coincidence he found his mind wandering back to what he had read about Jackie Fisher and something half remembered about "Hitting first, hitting hard and keeping on hitting". If his officers and men were to ever see their homes again he would need to live up to that mantra.
The Norwegian Bend, 300 miles off Tromso in the Norwegian Sea....
H.M.S. Renown plunged on through the icy seas in a south westerly direction on the final leg of her sweep. Thus far she had come across nothing at all. Despite this her captain had the nagging feeling that he had overlooked something vital and so was about to order a minor change of course to double back when a shout from the radar room was heard.
"Contact heading North West!"
Everything seemed to happen at once as a flurry of bearings and speeds were urgently passed to the bridge. It was not one of theirs for certain and so could only be the missing German battleship.
"Sound Action Stations Number 1, ready all weapons and prepare to engage!" The Executive officer saluted crisply and barked out a succession of orders. H.M.S. Renown was going to war.
Dismay was the overriding emotion on the bridge of the Bismarck as she simultaneously discovered she was not alone. The enemy warship was not supposed to be there and was between her and home so would have to be engaged and dealt with, and quickly as well. Actions stations sounded and the great ship swung about to identify and engage her unexpected adversary. her captain pondered the identity of the enemy warship and hoped it would be an older ship rather than one of the new King George class battleships.
Almost simultaneously the two ships opened fire....
Germany
K.M. Bismarck - Battleship, Heavy Armour, Speed 4, Flotation points 45 (Critical 25 - this is high due to reluctance to sustain irreparable damage), 4 x Heavy Gun Dice, 6 x Light Gun Dice (3 on a broadside) and 8 x Light-1 Gun Dice (4 on a broadside).
Royal Navy
H.M.S. Renown - Battle Cruiser, Light Armour, Speed 4, Flotation points 30 (Critical 10), 3 x Heavy Gun Dice and 5 x Light Gun Dice (3 on a broadside).
The Battle of the Norwegian Bend, somewhere off Tromso in the Norwegian Sea....
A photo reconaissance Spitfire
Thus far the flight had been mercifully uneventful. A quick transit over the North Sea and then a succession of visits to assorted Fjords in the hope of finding a large warship. Nothing. Not even any anti-aircraft fire for his troubles. The whole coastline seemed to be asleep. He was just entering the final Fjord of his journey when he noticed something. Below him was a very small fishing village with the usual array of small craft moored up safely in the harbour. He was just thinking how picturesque it looked when he saw a very large tanker berthed alongside the edge of the Fjord with what looked like a long and snake-like boom in the water. This had to be it, he thought. Why would a small fishing village need a tanker and a boom? His mind pondered this discovery. Refuelling a large ship - that had to be it! In any event he was getting close to the time he would need to return home and so he throttled back, banked and turned for a second look. There it was, a huge tanker that was riding high in the water, meaning only one thing - it was empty. He was convinced that he had found the lair of the beast and so headed out to the open sea at full throttle to report. With a sense of urgency he switched on his radio. "Rhubarb control this is Pot Roast 5, do you read me? Over".
R.A.F Glenfiddich, Northern Scotland....
The nasally clipped tones of the pilot of a lone reconnaissance Spitfire crackled into life in the radio room of the R.A.F. base. The air within was stale with sweat, cigarette smoke and the occasional waft of aviation exhaust fumes. Tension permeated the very fabric of the small wooden hut and assumed an almost physical form. It had been a long night and for little result. The duty officer switched on the mike. "Pot Roast 5, this is Rhubarb control, reading you loud and clear, over". The junior aircraft man made some fine adjustments on the bank of dials in front of him. The sound of static crackled on, the volume dwindling and increasing in response to the turn of the dials. "Rhubarb control, I arrived too late for the party and narrowly avoided taking part in the cleaning up"...."The cloud is low and so am I - I am returning home, over and out". The crackling stopped and silence once again reigned supreme. The duty officer sighed. He turned to his subordinate, his face a mask of stony resolve. "Get me the Admiralty and quickly, we have missed her in the bad weather so the ball is with them now!"
On the bridge of H.M.S. Renown, somewhere off Northern Norway....
Meanwhile, one hundred or so miles north of the where the Spitfire had passed, H.M.S. Renown continued with her patrol. Her captain was aware that the newest German battleship, Bismarck, had supposedly sortied and that it was his job to try and pin her down. He was not concerned about the finding of her but he was very concerned about becoming drawn into a fire fight against 15" shells with little more than light cruiser level armour for protection. As he scanned the horizon to the south through his binoculars he considered once again the dictum of Jackie Fisher about "Hitting first, hitting hard and keeping on hitting". He silently prayed to himself that should his path cross with the mighty Bismarck that his ship would be able to do just that. The alternative, being involved in long and drawn out gunnery duel, would leave only one winner and he doubted if it would be his ship.
On the bridge of K.M. Bismarck, somewhere off Northern Norway....
Her captain was troubled. So many things had been rushed concerning this operation. His ship was alone, without any escort, not even a cruiser. Her orders were contradictory - avoid action but engage with full power if needed - and even the mission itself was vague. Essentially he was to take the Bismarck around Iceland and home. This was purely for propaganda purposes, to demonstrate the impotence of the Royal Navy in the face of German naval might. As a student of military history he was reminded of Jeb Stuart's ride around the Union Army during the American Civil War. It made for great headlines but added little or nothing to the war effort. He was also reminded of how it ended for the Confederacy as well.
His ship was powerful one and he was confident it would give a good account of itself if it came to battle. The only problem was that he could ill afford a pyrrhic victory. By a strange coincidence he found his mind wandering back to what he had read about Jackie Fisher and something half remembered about "Hitting first, hitting hard and keeping on hitting". If his officers and men were to ever see their homes again he would need to live up to that mantra.
The Norwegian Bend, 300 miles off Tromso in the Norwegian Sea....
H.M.S. Renown plunged on through the icy seas in a south westerly direction on the final leg of her sweep. Thus far she had come across nothing at all. Despite this her captain had the nagging feeling that he had overlooked something vital and so was about to order a minor change of course to double back when a shout from the radar room was heard.
"Contact heading North West!"
Everything seemed to happen at once as a flurry of bearings and speeds were urgently passed to the bridge. It was not one of theirs for certain and so could only be the missing German battleship.
"Sound Action Stations Number 1, ready all weapons and prepare to engage!" The Executive officer saluted crisply and barked out a succession of orders. H.M.S. Renown was going to war.
Dismay was the overriding emotion on the bridge of the Bismarck as she simultaneously discovered she was not alone. The enemy warship was not supposed to be there and was between her and home so would have to be engaged and dealt with, and quickly as well. Actions stations sounded and the great ship swung about to identify and engage her unexpected adversary. her captain pondered the identity of the enemy warship and hoped it would be an older ship rather than one of the new King George class battleships.
Almost simultaneously the two ships opened fire....
Germany
K.M. Bismarck in overall plain 1940 grey - one of the two sample 1/2400th scale models I received from Stonewall Figures. Not a bad casting and paints up very nicely indeed.
K.M. Bismarck - Battleship, Heavy Armour, Speed 4, Flotation points 45 (Critical 25 - this is high due to reluctance to sustain irreparable damage), 4 x Heavy Gun Dice, 6 x Light Gun Dice (3 on a broadside) and 8 x Light-1 Gun Dice (4 on a broadside).
Royal Navy
H.M.S. Renown - again in an early war overall grey scheme. This is not as 'crisp' a model as the Bismarck but still paints up very nicely and as a gaming piece is hard to beat at the price.
H.M.S. Renown - Battle Cruiser, Light Armour, Speed 4, Flotation points 30 (Critical 10), 3 x Heavy Gun Dice and 5 x Light Gun Dice (3 on a broadside).
The Battle of the Norwegian Bend, somewhere off Tromso in the Norwegian Sea....
The opening move sees the Renown speeding across to intercept the Bismarck who immediately turns in to face her enemy. The opening exchange of fire at maximum range was ineffective.
Whilst the Renown slows down with the intention of holding the inside of the Bismarck's turn once again the guns boom out - with devastating effect on the thinly armoured British ship.
Renown fights back and damages her assailant - but will it be enough?
Renown continues her turn but the Bismarck manages to cut across her bows and lets rip with another damaging salvo
Renown is real trouble now as her attempt to stay on the inside of the Bismarck's turn has left her stern on to the full weight of the enemy ship's broadside
Once again the Bismarck pounds the hapless battle cruiser as she speeds past her and away to safety. Renown has now suffered damage sufficient to take her within critical level and so she would be forced to break off the action.
The Captain of the Bismarck, despite the hammering administered to the hapless Renown, has no idea as to the whereabouts of the rest of the Royal Navy and so decides that heading home would be the most prudent course of action.
The from the wreckage of the bridge of the Renown with the smell of electrical fires and burnt cordite clinging thickly in the air, the Captain, with his hand in a bandage from a shrapnel wound, surveys the departing Bismarck with a mixture of pride and relief. Pride in the fact that his ship went head to head with a much more powerful opponent and stood up to a fearful pounding in the best traditions of the service and relief that at last it was over and that he could take his battered command to home and safety.
Bismarck had suffered very minor damage but more importantly, at least as far as her commander was concerned, was the fact that she had been spotted and so her mission was compromised. Of greater significance though was the question as to why on earth a commander of such an inferior ship would willingly engage such a superior opponent? Once again he secretly marvelled at the uncompromising attitude of his opponent and pondered a doom laden future against such an implacable enemy.
Aftermath
I used my version of the Portable Naval Wargame and it worked out pretty well. The Germans needed to brush the Renown aside and so with great aplomb. The Renown did all that could be expected of her but was badly let down by the shooting and her decision to try and turn inside the Bismarck. She was also very unlucky with her initiative rolls as she only won this on a single game turn. The German ship maintained full speed throughout and in retrospect perhaps Renown should have followed suit.
Renown was both brave and resolute and so the mighty Bismarck effectively blinked first.
Thursday, 11 April 2013
The Painter's Progress....Part 5
Today I managed to apply the first dry brush to the 16 pre dreadnoughts and then had a slight change of plan. I am now going to tackle these in two batches of 8. The split is between the coastal defence battleships and the front line versions. I am doing this solely because it will be quicker and it also will mean I can get them into action much sooner. For the record, I am tackling the bigger ships of the two types so the small coastal defence battleships will have to wait until next week.
The small 'pure pleasure of painting' project is at the varnishing stage and the basing will be tackled tomorrow. I am rather pleased with the way it has turned out although half of it has suffered from being a fairly poor casting. All being well I will have them up on the blog tomorrow.
Still no word re my second interview of yesterday - hopefully I will have some news tomorrow but I suspect it will now be next week.
I am not keeping my fingers crossed simply because it makes holding a paint brush rather awkward....;-)
The small 'pure pleasure of painting' project is at the varnishing stage and the basing will be tackled tomorrow. I am rather pleased with the way it has turned out although half of it has suffered from being a fairly poor casting. All being well I will have them up on the blog tomorrow.
Still no word re my second interview of yesterday - hopefully I will have some news tomorrow but I suspect it will now be next week.
I am not keeping my fingers crossed simply because it makes holding a paint brush rather awkward....;-)
The Chaco War - 1932 to 1935
The Osprey title covering the conflict
I have a confession to make. Were it not for the fact that Bob Cordery (Chaco War Blog Posts) has an interest in this war and had not only devised some rules but also produced some unit counters to use instead of figures (and thereby sowed this particular seed) it would have in all probability completely passed me by. I had never even heard of it!
However, and for a variety of reasons, I am now the proud owner of the above Osprey title which will serve as a good little primer to the conflict. I also have another title on the war set to one side and the news that our friends at Irregular Miniatures have launched a 15mm range for the war has absolutely no bearing whatsoever in this not-so-sudden interest in a new period.
9/4/13
We have added a 15mm Chaco wars range.
| CHAP 1 | Infantry rifleman advancing | A |
| CHAP 2 | Infantry SMG man advancing | A |
| CHAP 3 | Infantry LMG man advancing | A |
| CHAP 4 | Infantry engineer/standard bearer (please choose tool or flag-pole) | A |
| CHAP 5 | Infantry officer with pistol | A |
| CHAP 6 | HMG & 2 crew | F |
| CHAP 7 | Cavalryman | B |
| CHAP 8 | Horse holder and horse | B |
| CHAP 9 | Mortar & 2 crew | F |
CHAP 10
|
Mountain gun & 4 crew
| J |
| CHAP 11 | Field gun & 4 crew | J |
CHAP 12
|
Howitzer & 4 crew
| J |
| CHAB 1 | Infantry rifleman advancing | A |
| CHAB 2 | Infantry SMG man advancing | A |
| CHAB 3 | Infantry LMG man advancing | A |
| CHAB 4 | Infantry engineer/standard bearer (please choose tool or flag-pole) | A |
| CHAB 5 | Infantry officer with binoculars | A |
| CHAB 6 | HMG & 2 crew | F |
| CHAB 7 | Cavalryman | B |
| CHAB 8 | Horse holder and horse | B |
| CHAB 9 | Mortar & 2 crew | F |
| CHAB 10 | Mountain gun & 4 crew | J |
| CHAB 11 | Field gun & 4 crew | J |
| CHAB 12 | Howitzer gun & 4 crew | J |
Also use our Renault FT17 tank from the WW2 range
100 piece armies (Paraguayan or Bolivian) £25
None whatsoever.
None.
(If I keep telling myself this for long enough I may even begin to believe it....)
It is obscure, little known and features some rather novel troops with a range of odd equipment including biplanes and Vickers 6 ton tanks so in honesty, what's not to like?
Wednesday, 10 April 2013
"The Sultan took Tea as usual"....Game Number 37
The small Fezian port of Rize was the principle centre for the processing of the tea crop, for which the region was renowned. Enormous quantities of tea were shipped throughout the length and breadth of the Fezian empire via this small coastal town and from the earliest times, the small port was a constant target for raiders and pirates. After the recent action in the western Fezian Sea, Rusland decided that it would, for the time being, confine its raiding activities to the eastern end of the sea and so naturally, Rize suddenly found itself in the firing line once again.
Admiral Saltykov decided that a quick raid by destroyers to bombard the harbour would be sufficient cause for the Fezians to redeploy their naval forces in order to counter the Rusland threat. His cruiser strength was currently down to a single vessel as although the turrets on the Muravev Amurtski had finally been completed, the damage sustained by the Amiral Kornilov and Admiral Nevelskoi was still under repair. Rather than risk an untried ship Saltykov decided that blooding his destroyers would be a less risky option.
Unknown to Saltykov was the fact that Fezia had already taken steps to extend her patrol lines to cover the approaches to Rize. Due to the shortage of gun destroyers (due in part to the torpedo based tactical methods championed by the Teutonian naval mission) Fezia had taken to supporting her torpedo armed types with a light cruiser. At this paticular juncture, the cruiser Midilli, accompanied by two torpedo boats, had been detailed to patrol the approaches to Rize. The four destroyers that made up the Rusland raiding force was not expecting any enemy activity this far out and so the stage was set for an affair of light forces.
Fezia
Midilli - Light Cruiser, Light Armour, Speed 4, Flotation Points 6 (Critical 2), 6 x Light-1 Gun Dice (4 on a broadside) and two fixed torpedo tubes (one on either beam).
Bodrum and Marmaris - Torpedo Boat, Unarmoured, Speed 4, Flotation Points 4 (Critical 1), 1 x Light-1 Gun Dice and four trainable torpedo tubes (two forward and two along the centreline).
Rusland
Loknya, Levintsy, Ladushkin and Lyskovo - Torpedo Boat Destroyer, Unarmoured, Speed 4, Flotation Points 4 (Critical 1), 2 x Light-1 Gun Dice and two trainable torpedo tubes along the centreline).
The Game
I will be using my usual rule set for this action and guess what? I have already seen a couple of very minor points that will need to be, ahem, adjusted. The main one concerns unarmoured vessels such as destroyers. The Light-1 gun dice discards the -1 when shooting at these vessels so the usual two point heavy hit for a 6 applies as normal. Further along from this, I am considering rules for the use of destroyer divisions of four ships as complete units - this will be really handy when fighting large actions (which will follow in due course).
Somewhere to the north of Rize, in the Eastern Fezian Sea....
When the news of the loss of the Midilli reached the Sultan he was apoplectic with anger. His temper was legendary and his rage was only mollified by the Teutonian naval attache immediately offereing a replacement ship of the same class. His pride appeased the Sultan decreed that a press blackout would be imposed with the loss of the two Rusland destroyers being emphasised and with no mention of the Fezian cruiser. As ever the daily news would appear to the population as being calm, tranquil and with nothing out of the ordinary to report. "The Sultan took tea as usual" would be the official line but the glibness of the comment fooled nobody - possibly not even the Sultan himself.
Aftermath
It was fast, up close and personal. It was also the first time that torpedoes were used in an offensive capacity. The rules for these worked pretty well and to be honest, the Fezian cruiser was quite unlucky to be torpedoed twice at maximum distance - needing a 6 to do so at that range. I used the two Rusland destroyers that operated in the same hex (at least until one of them was sunk) as a single unit for damage meaning that any hits from gunfire must be alternated between the ships. In effect destroyers operating in such a fashion receive fire on an area basis.
So far then, my actions with this latest round of models have been limited to cruisers and destroyers. I am thinking that perhaps it might be an idea to get out the big guns and start wielding some battleships.
This will be the next action then - so I had better get the models painted!
The Rusland raiding force of torpedo boat destroyers.
Admiral Saltykov decided that a quick raid by destroyers to bombard the harbour would be sufficient cause for the Fezians to redeploy their naval forces in order to counter the Rusland threat. His cruiser strength was currently down to a single vessel as although the turrets on the Muravev Amurtski had finally been completed, the damage sustained by the Amiral Kornilov and Admiral Nevelskoi was still under repair. Rather than risk an untried ship Saltykov decided that blooding his destroyers would be a less risky option.
The Fezian patrol centred around the light cruiser Midilli.
Unknown to Saltykov was the fact that Fezia had already taken steps to extend her patrol lines to cover the approaches to Rize. Due to the shortage of gun destroyers (due in part to the torpedo based tactical methods championed by the Teutonian naval mission) Fezia had taken to supporting her torpedo armed types with a light cruiser. At this paticular juncture, the cruiser Midilli, accompanied by two torpedo boats, had been detailed to patrol the approaches to Rize. The four destroyers that made up the Rusland raiding force was not expecting any enemy activity this far out and so the stage was set for an affair of light forces.
Fezia
Midilli - Light Cruiser, Light Armour, Speed 4, Flotation Points 6 (Critical 2), 6 x Light-1 Gun Dice (4 on a broadside) and two fixed torpedo tubes (one on either beam).
Bodrum and Marmaris - Torpedo Boat, Unarmoured, Speed 4, Flotation Points 4 (Critical 1), 1 x Light-1 Gun Dice and four trainable torpedo tubes (two forward and two along the centreline).
Rusland
Loknya, Levintsy, Ladushkin and Lyskovo - Torpedo Boat Destroyer, Unarmoured, Speed 4, Flotation Points 4 (Critical 1), 2 x Light-1 Gun Dice and two trainable torpedo tubes along the centreline).
The Game
I will be using my usual rule set for this action and guess what? I have already seen a couple of very minor points that will need to be, ahem, adjusted. The main one concerns unarmoured vessels such as destroyers. The Light-1 gun dice discards the -1 when shooting at these vessels so the usual two point heavy hit for a 6 applies as normal. Further along from this, I am considering rules for the use of destroyer divisions of four ships as complete units - this will be really handy when fighting large actions (which will follow in due course).
Somewhere to the north of Rize, in the Eastern Fezian Sea....
The Fezian patrol - the light cruiser Midilli flanked by two torpedo boats.
The Rusland raiders shake out into attack formation - the central pair will concentrate on the Fezin cruiser.
The Rusland destroyers complete their deployment with the central pair heading for the Fezian cruiser whilst the other two move out to either flank.
Meanwhile, true to their training, the Fezian torpedo boats form up on the unengaged flank of their supporting cruiser.
As the two forces close in the Fezian cruiser reverses course in order to engage the central Rusland destroyers as she passes them with her torpedo boats following in her wake. Shots were exchanged from both sides with the Levintsy taking minor damage.
At full speed the two sides manouevre for an advantage with the Ruland destroyers closing on the rear of the Fezian line as their cruiser attempts to open the range. The cruiser opens fire and slightly damages the leading Rusland destroyer. Despite several near misses, the Fezians escape unscathed.
The Fezian torpedo boat Bodrum snap fires a torpedo at the pursuing Rusland destroyers and succeeds in sinking the Levintsy - her hull simply split in two under the impact!
With one accord the two sides draw apart to reform and consider their next moves.
The Rusland ships form into line to renew the attack and to avenge the loss of one of their number whilst the Fezian torpedo boats again fall in with the cruiser.
In a seemingly desperate gamble the Rusland destroyer Ladushkin fires off a single torpedo, more in hope than expectation, and scores a telling hit on the Fezian cruiser.
Despite her damage, the Fezian cruiser fights back hard and manages to cripple the Lyskovo with salvoes of 4.1" gunfire
Disaster can be a fickle mistress - the torpedo boat Bodrum scores again with a torpedo and manages to send the crippled Lyskovo to the bottom. With a cruel twist of fate though, the Rusland destroyer Loknya manages to torpedo the Fezian cruiser squarely amidships and she quickly sinks!
The final reckoning. The Fezians lost the cruiser Midilli in exchange for a pair of destroyers - all of which were sunk by torpedoes.
When the news of the loss of the Midilli reached the Sultan he was apoplectic with anger. His temper was legendary and his rage was only mollified by the Teutonian naval attache immediately offereing a replacement ship of the same class. His pride appeased the Sultan decreed that a press blackout would be imposed with the loss of the two Rusland destroyers being emphasised and with no mention of the Fezian cruiser. As ever the daily news would appear to the population as being calm, tranquil and with nothing out of the ordinary to report. "The Sultan took tea as usual" would be the official line but the glibness of the comment fooled nobody - possibly not even the Sultan himself.
Aftermath
It was fast, up close and personal. It was also the first time that torpedoes were used in an offensive capacity. The rules for these worked pretty well and to be honest, the Fezian cruiser was quite unlucky to be torpedoed twice at maximum distance - needing a 6 to do so at that range. I used the two Rusland destroyers that operated in the same hex (at least until one of them was sunk) as a single unit for damage meaning that any hits from gunfire must be alternated between the ships. In effect destroyers operating in such a fashion receive fire on an area basis.
So far then, my actions with this latest round of models have been limited to cruisers and destroyers. I am thinking that perhaps it might be an idea to get out the big guns and start wielding some battleships.
This will be the next action then - so I had better get the models painted!
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