British 1916 Campaign

bill44

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TF37 centered on the armoured Cruiser Roxburgh with the CL Champion, and FL Gabriel and seven DD's plus the AV Manxman had set sail just after the 1/8 and 2/8 DD flotilla's, Roxburg's captain had heard the desperate WT messages from the flotilla's as the German BC's sank them one by one, and was out for a measure of revenge. His chance came 10 minutes after they were sunk when Gabriel sighted smoke just 1100 yards ahead.

Gabriel's captain signalled to his three DD's to turn to port with him and engage the lone German DD. At the same time the CL Champion flashed a signal to her four DD's and the group turned to starboard and increased speed to 23knots. Roxburgh also increased speed to 22 knots and signalled Manxman to retire to a safe distance, she turned 180 degrees and rang up full speed.

Gabriel launched torpedoes at the lone DD and opened up on her with all guns, her DD's following did likewise. Roxburgh also opened up on the German, who was hit hard, her guns silenced, as their crews were cut down by shrapnel and seven inch shells holed her hull all torpedoes fired at her missed. On board Champion, her lookouts spotted smoke on her port bow , she and her DD's turned to meet this new threat 3000 yards distant.

Gabriel and her group turned to port to engage the DD's on her port bow , on board Champion, her lookout observed two hulking beheamoths off her starboard bow, a signal was flashed to her DD's, to fire topedoes at the two battle cruiers, and turn hard to port.
 

saddletank

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Curious why you keep starting new threads Bill? I could possibly merge them into the original if you like?
 

bill44

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Hi mate, um, I just thought that this would keep people interested, seeing a "new adventure" so to speak.
But I'm happy for for you to merge them back. This ones going to be a doosy.
 

saddletank

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If its a new campaign, no problem. I assumed it was the old one.
 

bill44

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No it's not new just a continuation of the old one. I jsut thought that the thread would get way too large continually adding new battles.
As I said I'm happy for you to merge them.
 

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Part II

Champion's torpedoes had barley cleared their tubes when the first shells hit her, followed by even more, her exposed gunners were cut down by the murderous hail of shells, likewise her engine room crew were also killed by the shells tearing into her, in short time her engines were a complete shambles. For some reason the Germans failed to see Roxburgh as a threat and left her alone, she targetted the lead BC, as she turned to port.

Champion's DD's launched all their torpedoes at the enemy as they turned, and now a third enemy capital ship could be seen. Lookouts on the stricken Champion spotted four enemy destroyers heading for her DD's and flashed a signal to them, torpedoe tracks were also spotted heading towards the British DD's.
 

bill44

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Part III

As the German DD's raced towards the British line the BC's continued to fire on the British, now as before the DD's were in mortal danger, the lead German DD was hit by a 30 cm shell, her engine room wrecked and an uncontrollable fire started. S34's lookouts spotted torpedoe tracks and her helm went over to starboard.

S35 and Nepean collided, Nepean had already been hit by 15cm and 8cm fire, as well 2 pounder hits. Now 28cm shells crashed around the two ships, both were hit. On board S35 her seniour officers were dead, a juniour ensign ordered abandon ship, he never got the chance to go over the side as another heavy shell hit killing him. On board Nepean 57 of her crew were dead, the ship herself was dead in the water and all guns out of action.

On board the Lutzow, torpedoe tracks were spotted and she began evasive action.
 

Bullethead

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Good luck, Bill! Hope some torps hit home. Damn, but you have some intense fights! :toast:
 

bill44

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Part IV

FL Gabriel and her DD's had commenced a turn to starboard and had rung up full speed as the BC's came in to view, seeing the enemy turn in their gereral direction all ships launched torpedoes, and continued their race to safety.
On board the Lutzow her lokuts spotted the British DD's on her starboard beam, two German DD's V27 and 28 were crossing the BC's bows roughly heading towards Roxburgh, further behind them, unseen in the gloom were G41 V43 and V44.

Lutzow now took the 1.13 flotilla under fire a 30cm shell wrecked her engines and she slowed to 21 knots, the Germans then fired on Onslow. On board V27 torpedoe tracks were spotted, she would have flashed a signal to the BC's were it not for her searchlihts being wrecked in the previous engagement, likewise her WT set was out of action.

On board Lutzow her lookouts spotted the torpedoe tracks " Torpedos, Torpedos, Kapitän, Steuerbord Lager 043, und 127" It was too late to avoid them. The first torpedoe hit Lutzow in line with Bruno turret, exploding under the bottom of the ship the pressure wave tore up through the decks. the explosion occurred near the broadside torpedoe flat putting it out of action, nearly 2000 tons of water quickly flooded in causing her draught to increase by 8 feet.

By sheer luck the second torpedoe passed close by her stern. Another four torpedoes were headed towards the group, V28 got in the way of Lutzow's fire and was reduced to sinking condition. On board Derffilnger her lookouts spotted the torpedoes bearing dwon on them and shouted a warning, again too late for evasive action. But luck was on her side, the torpedoe failed to detonate, not so with Lutzow, the second torpedoe bore down on her, striking her in line with the main mast, and put no's six and seven 5.9 guns out of action, worse flooding put four of her stbd boiler rooms out of action.
 

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Part V

The German BC's were now hammering away at the 1.13 flotilla, Nicator, her entire crew dead sailed aimlessly, Onslow had 42 casualties, and only her midships gun working, worse her fires were now out of control. Gabriel had light steering damage, Moresby had both tubes damaged and her rear gun out of action but it looked like both were going to escape though.

Lutzow's plight was worsoning with every minute that passed, she turned to starboard and took Roxburg under fire, whilst Moltke and Derfflinger dissapeared in to the mist.
Champion had sunk, so too Obdurate, both with heavy losses, Nerissa, Nepean, and Nestor were also lost and with a combined total of 240 men between them just 32 had survived.
 

bill44

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Part VI
Lutzow's hull had been strained by the two torpedoe hits, now her port side torpedoe net came loose level with the after turret. This extra drag slowed her even further.

The remnants of the German destroyers flotilla's charged towards Roxburgh, she turned to starboard and engaged them, S36 was hit by two 4 inch shells which caused heavy casualties on deck, destroying her midships mount and tubes. Next she was hit by a 6 inch shell that wrecked her propulsion and cut her speed to 8 knots, minutes after this a 7.5 inch shell totally destroyed her propulsion, drowning all the men in her machinery spaces.

A salvo from Lutzow fell 200 yards ahead of Roxburgh, so far her damage was minimal, five of her 3 pounders were damaged, and she had 8 casualties. S34 and G41 were already battered and it took minutes for both to be reduced to burning wrecks by Roxburgh. It was inevitable though that Roxburgh would eventually start to be hit by heavy shells, soon 8 and 15 cm shells began scoring on her, her exposed 3 pound mounts bore the brunt of this fire so too their crews, with just 3 mounts left undamaged, her casualies had mounted too, now 21, stretcher bearers hurried backwards and forwards to aid stations.

Unknown to the British Derfflinger and Moltke were speeding back to the battle, Lutzow's engines failed as her boilers flooded, her captain ordered her abandonded.
 

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Part VII

Lutzow began to settle deeper in the water, her men hurried over the side, counterflooding had kept her on an even keel, three of her boats were already in the water.

Roxburgh continued to hamer away at the German DD's, Manxman who had been ordered to the rear , now reversed course and headed to assist in the destruction of the German DD's her captain felt that his four inch guns would be of some value, however he was unaware that Defflinger and Moltke were speeding towards the scene to rescue Lutzow's survivors.

Roxburgh's guns cut down the men manning the DD's guns quicker than they could be replaced, DD V44, 73, G87 G88, and S56 chargerd at Roxburgh, V44 sheered out of line battered and burning, V73 was the next to feel the sting of Roxburg's shells, her magazine was wrecked by a six inch shell, she hauled out of line as a 7.5 inch shell damaged her propulsion.

G87 was hit successivley below the water line and rolled on to her port side within minutes,
a 705 inch shell destroyed G88's engines, six more 7.5 inch shells devistated her, she sank by the stern, with no survivors.

Moltke and Defflinger were now in range of Roxburgh and opened up on her, her captain knew this would be her final fight, and turned broad side to give the enemy everything he had left.
Manxman's captain relised too late that he was facing enemy heavy unit's and turned to escape.
But there would be no escape for her, three 30 cm shells smashed in to her tearing her apart internally and starting uncontrollable fires. These were followed by 15cm shells, her captain ordered her abandoned.

Lutzow's captain watched with a lump in throat as his ship sank, over 40 over her crew were going down with her, he reflected on wether he should have done the honourable thing and shared her fate. FL Gabriel had also been severly damaged and had run aground and sunk in shallow waters 46 crew were lost, so to Morseby, she went down with all hands.

The German BC's now turned their full attention to Roxburgh, shell after shell hit her, and she continued to hit back but for all the good it did she may as well have been throwing rocks her shells could not get through the BC's armour.

When Roxburgh finally slipped beneath the waves 100 of her crew had perished. Moltke and Defflinger picked Lutzows survivors and the British as well. All 12 British ships had beeen lost, and of the German force of 19 ships, 14 were gone.
 

bill44

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The British were determined to sink the remnants of the HSF scouting force, to this end HMS New Zealand sailed, she still carried damage form a previous encounter but her captain was determined to bring the Germans to account no matter what the cost.

nine kilometers NE of Granton at 10:16 and in driving rain that reduced visibility to under 6000 yards New Zealand spotted the two German BC's, who were first to open fire, she was hit 8cm and by 15 cm shells, then by two 30cm shells. She got one torpedoe off before she was hit by more 15cm shells, her captain ordered a turn to starboard to fully engage the lead BC, and launch another torpedoe, three more 30cm shells tore in to her damaging her steering.

A a 28 cm shell penetrated her side and smashed in to her midships magazine, a massive fireball enveoped the centre of the ship , her hull sides peeled outwards , her decking splintered into matchwood. On board the German ships sailors on deck were thrown off their feet by the shock wave, debris rained down on the ships.

As New Zealand rolled on to her portside, one of the torpedoes she had launched struck Defflinger in the stern. On a small nearby island the RN coastal battery watched in muted horror as New Zealand dissappeared, fueled with vengefull hatred they quickly loaded thier guns to try and exact a measure of revenge.

Soon though heavy shells were landing around them, the six and nine inch guns soon opened up on the two German ships, however the damage was light. and 13 men were killed by the shells landing around them.

Four men survived New Zealands sinking, and HMS Hydra was about to encounter the BC's.
 

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War Update:

RN losses:
Torpedoed:
DD Sparrowhawk.
LC's Royalist, Bellona.
AMC's Otway, Alsatian, Hiliry.

Mined but not sunk:
Erin, Tiger, Ajax, Invincible.

German Losses:
V47, Probable torpedoe.
Damaged by torpedoe:
Derffliner, Posen.
 

bill44

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A Black Day for the RN

HMS Abdiel and DD Oak ahd been dispated to lay minesoff Willemshaven, they ran in to some DD's accounting for V152, before the CL's Thetis and Niobe came in to veiw, outgunned the two ships beat a hasty retreat, sending a WT on the pursuing ships course and speed. Several submarines were dispatched to the area and the french sub Prairial torpedoed and sank Thetis with heavy loss of life.

A plan was hatched to try and flush out the light forces with Abdiel as bait backed up by the BC's.
Accordingly Indomitable, Tiger, Princess Royal, Indefatigable, and Invincible flying Rear Admiral horace Hood's flag sailed.

At a little after 01:45 German DD's were sighted by Invincible who engaged the V43 off her port stern, she was in company with V77, V78, and S57. Indomitable turned to port with the other BC's following, in short time all four DD's were smashed to peices.

At 02:15 in pre dawn twilight three ships were sighted, a DD and two heavies, BC's action stations were sounded, Invincible was targeted by both ships whilst the British ships concentrated their fire on the lead German ship (Derfflinger) almost immediatly Invincible was hit by 8 and 15cm fire. In the rear of the line no one saw it but a 30cm shell penetrated her after magazine, and she blew up taking Hood and 800 men with her. Indefatigable was targeted next, salvo after salvo tore in to her, both wing turrets were destroyed, her forward turret damaged, steering and propulsion damaged and her entire port side opened up to the sea and with over 200 casualties, her captain ordered her abandoned.

The remaining BC's beat a hasty retreat.
 
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