My Maiden Voyage with the Tsar's Navy

[Tophat]

I have vacillated on buying Distant guns for almost a year now. Waiting for Jutland was one reason I'd put off my purchase. The fact that players had been reporting on their adventures with the Czar or Emperor's navies for years now was another reason. Finally I simply decided to "do what I would enjoy". So this chronicle is basically sharing my game experience.

I'm diving right into the campaign game as the Russians this first time around. I did play the introductory scenario many,many moons ago when I first downloaded the "free trial". My lack of experience/ease of using the controls helps handicap me against the (ai). I plan on doing this good with the bad,no reloads,do-overs/restarts. What happens,happens so i can try to get that friction of war feeling.

So I have chosen to fight from the start with the Port Arthur torpedo-boat attack. This starts out with my fleet,14 ships at anchor and 2 DD's on patrol. Hope this screenshot works.

As you can see my ships are fat,dumb and happy with the patrolling DD's totally out of position to screen against anything approaching from open water.

When the enemy is sighted I get darn lucky with some of my boys going to action stations.

Boyarin is going to quarters in 27 seconds! (I love this ship!) Hopefully she will fend off some of these destroyer runs on my cruiser line until more ships get into action.

Boyarin does her job and puts out rounds giving the Japanese something to contend with as 2 more cruisers get underway!

The Japanese DD's are making a run on my left flank the outer line of which is hinged on the protected cruiser Pallada. I was hoping to get Pallada underway before the japs could put some torps into her but,but it looked like it was not to be.

I dodge a bullet and these first two tops miss! WHEW! I like the way Pallada looks so I'd hate to loose her so early in the fight. Isn't that shallow of me? I like the aesthetics of a ship so I'm rooting for her to stay afloat.

Well my initial jubilation at Pallada dodging 2 torps is dashed when my boys on the Boyarin take a torp just aft of the 3rd funnel!

As painful as Boyarin taking a torpedo was for me my lads on Pallada were drawing more attention from the japs to themselves screening my BB line. One of the Japanese destroyers seems to be making a kamikaze run on Pallada and more torpedoes are on the way to Pallada as well.

Seems the charging banzai jap destroyer has taken a torpedo meant for Pallada! I'm also glad my cruiser line seems to have drawn so many torpedoes as no torpedoes have yet been fired on my BB's!

At this point my active cruisers,shore batteries and an active BB now really work over the japanese DD's.

 

[Tophat]

The Japanese DD's after going down my left flank turn and run parallel to my inner BB line. But the japs are between my BB's and shore batteries and one of my BB's finally makes it to quarters!

Some of the jap destroyers try to break back out to sea but succumb to my vengeful cruisers accurate fire!

Another Japanese destroyer tries to make a run to the south and escape back to their fleet. Too bad for this fellow my task force is already moving in this direction and has a speed advantage.

As my line closes on the hapless bugger...........

In no great amount of time the last japanese destroyer is reduced to a hulk and then a new reef for fish.

My victorious taskforce passes as if on review.........

In moments I see the close of action report:

 

[Tophat]

So ends my Port Arthur battle which is just the opening curtain. Please feel free to comment and suggest away as you will. This opening phase really didn't have any planning or strategic thought involved so if my report seems light on facts and deep thoughts that is why.

 

[Fairweather]

For a first attempt that is very impressive. Usually something russian dies (usually Pallada). I'm surprised Boyarin survived that torp hit, i thought one was enough to sink her. Happily though, even if Pallada is sunk there is still another two of the class left.

 

[Bullethead]

Welcome aboard, Tophat .

Congrats on keeping Pallada alive. That's something I've never managed in all the times I've played this battle.

How did you save Boyarin? Did you send her to the big anchor symbol?

 

[Tophat]

Welcome aboard, Tophat .

Congrats on keeping Pallada alive. That's something I've never managed in all the times I've played this battle.

How did you save Boyarin? Did you send her to the big anchor symbol?

Pallada was kept alive by Boyarin coming to general quarters very early in the engagement. Within the first min of sighting the Jap DD squadrons the Boyarin was bringing down fire on the enemy destroyer leader. Pallada then started moving early as well within the first 2 mins and was lucky enough to dodge and lay down fire on the destroyers herself.

Boyarin had 56% flotation damage 41% was persistent but was able to make safe in the inner harbor. Must of gotten very lucky on the torps hit location and any random factors taken into account for damage calculation.

I kept my ship movements simple and also kept concentrating fire on the DD's I thought were the torpedo threats.

One early error was my movement of the 2 Russian duty DD's. I had them alter course and they entered that big blue sea anchor area so they went out of the battle.

Also one of the Jap DD's did act as a torpedo shield for Pallada or she very well may have been torpedoed as well. Bottom line i got very lucky.

 

[rgreat]

You definitely got very lucky.

I getting 'no losses' outcome in like 1 in 50 tries.

 

[Tophat]

The next rather nasty situation to confront me was one I'm sure all Distant guns players have had handed to them. Here is how i dealt with my Varyag situation.

Close to 10am and protected cruiser Varyag is steaming in company with the gunboat Koreyets making for Port Arthur.

The approaching Japanese force is almost certainly too powerful for my two ships,even if some or most are transports the rest are escorts. I could zoom-out and over to the Japanese force but that just wouldn't be fair and give me too much God's eye view information. So I decide to pull a "Brave SirRobin" and RUNAWAY!!!

I basically now have Varyag accelerating to 23kts and Koreyets going to her 13kt maximum as well.

It doesn't take long before the Varyag begins putting some distance betewwn Koreyets and herself. Sorry about all the pictures and lack of commentary but I have nothing major to contribute other than I am praying I get both these ships out of Dodge!

Koreyets is a nice little ship for what she is,that being something that floats,moves and has some big guns on it to impress the natives. Koreyets is slow and unarmoured if she is out of luck and the Japanese give chase shes dead.

Well the Japanese do notice my ships running off,while the majority of the Japanese forces move toward the coast and i assume taking the port one armoured cruiser Choyoda charges Koreyets at 18kts! The gun exchange happens fairly quickly and Koreyets starts taking damage fast.

The uneven exchange continues and koreyets takes a horrible pounding! However Varyag continues to draw away from Japanese forces and at this point I'm very confident she will elude pursuit. Koreyets however has turned into a punching bad and is dead in the water.

Varyag continues to put distance between herself and any enemy vessels while Koreyets is a blazing wreck.

 

[Tophat]

Varyag is now clear and still putting distance on pursuit.

Another 10 plus mins go by where Varyag continues to increase seperation and then the disengage box appears:

WHAT??????????? One enemy ship lightly damaged has to be Choyoda,2 enemy ships lost??? Was Chemulpo harbor mined? My ships did nothing at all to any other Japanese ships.

Here is a campaign strategic view of the operating area.

 

[Tophat]

Later just some 4 hours to dusk of the first day of War once again the Varyag runs into Japanese forces:

Don't know exactly yet what ships the masthead lookout is reporting but we immediately alter course to west southwest and put distance between us.

Putting my cursor on the offending red triangles I see Japanese BB's!!!!!! So I go for a look.

But first we show are heels at 23kts!

Now my "look" at what I actually ran into.............I couldn't help peeking.

Well Varyag has found out where the Japanese Big boys are floating thats for sure. Thought they might be closer to port Arthur,but here they are heading SE at 18kts.

And to end this chapter:

 

[Tophat]

A quick look at where we stand this late afternoon of the first day of War,Feb 9th,04'.

My commerce raiders are deploying from port Arthur. One group Askold and Lt.Bsomething and the Aux.Cruiser Angara. Now Angara is sailing on her own yet with both groups sailing at the same time they are in a 3 ship clump on the map! I should have delayed one groups sailing time by an hour or two.

 

[Tophat]

Just before dusk once again Varyag close to port Arthur runs into some unwelcome Japanese.

Varyag immediately reverses course again and disengages. We shall creep into port Arthur at night. Also with the news of the large jap heavies down south I'm thinking of taking the Fleet out for some gunnery practice.

 

[Tophat]

The first night of war my commerce raiders ran into some patrolling Japanese warships. I altered course quickly to disappear into the gloom.

Unfortunately my clumping of 2 TF's on commerce raiding missions would come back to haunt me.

While Askold and the Lt.Bsomething were fast and nimble the trusty old Angara was neither. Nor were the Japanese torpedo boats traveling alone. But before we go into that take a look at Angara in pristine condition:

note how Angara is rated at 20kts undamaged? I can attest that she never attained that speed for me! Here Angara sees the cruiser force that was tagging along with the torpedo-boats.

Now the Angara did make it up to 19kts for a time and was marginally pulling away from the Jap cruiser line,but damage would soon slow her down. I was also unwilling to bring my other 2 would be commerce raiders into this shootout to try and pull Angara's chestnuts out of the fire. I need commerce raiders!

With a stern chase that seemed to last forever the end for Angara was only prolonged.

Damage mounted in the form of fires and flooding started to occur from hits on the waterline.

 

[Tophat]

An end to this less than stellar voyage for the Russian navy.

And a look at our current overall situation:

By the way I am very interested in the following:

1) Elliot island Japanese "UNDEFENDED"naval base is now active.
2) My 1st pacific squadron seems to be laying mines? Is this usual?

 

[Tophat]

My two would be commerce raiders Askold and Lt.Budunov didn't sight big fat merchant ships carrying war supplies,they did sight another Japanese patrol.

Once again I altered course to avoid confrontation with warships! Its those defenseless merchantmen we want to plunder! My intent is to delay Japanese ground forces progress by strangling their supply lines.(Yes i know its commonsense and not an original notion) I also intend to pickoff or shootup and put in the yard isolated japanese forces and strain their patrol capability. A sortie by my BB's out of Port Arthur is going to occur its the when that is variable.

Back to my 2 commerce raiders though. I ordered a course change but that didn't stop a gun duel until we opened the range.

So much for these Chinese boats pressed into imperial service.

After working these ships over in passing my dynamic duo alter course again and sail at 23kts into the rising sun.

As we continue into the morning of our second day this is our strategic situation.

 

[JebUSMC]

Ah, you discovered why I leave Angara at Port Arthur for a few days before sending her around the east coast of Japan to Vladivostok. Yes it is normal for any ship that is at rest and can lay mines (most of the Tzar's navy can lay mines) to drop a few in the local waters every midnight.

 

[Tophat]

Ah, you discovered why I leave Angara at Port Arthur for a few days before sending her around the east coast of Japan to Vladivostok. Yes it is normal for any ship that is at rest and can lay mines (most of the Tzar's navy can lay mines) to drop a few in the local waters every midnight.

Ah,thanks for the reply. Yes,the dispatch of Angara was a miscalculation on my part. Its a good lesson in understanding the capabilities of ones forces.

I appreciate the information on the mines. I was and am planning to lay some around Elliot Island and hope to get lucky with a strike or two.

By the way what do you think of my chronicle here? Am I too late to the party all this having been done so many times before?:smoke:

 

[Tophat]

My pair of raiders Askold and Lt.Budenov once again sight something other than a fat merchantman. This is another cruiser force that gives chase but is left in the wake of my two ships.

 

[PepsiCan]

By the way what do you think of my chronicle here? Am I too late to the party all this having been done so many times before?:smoke:

Please continue! I read your messages

 

[Derfflinger]

I reed your aar too. Very interesting and good screenshots. :thumup: