Noob Campaign May 1916 Room 40 German

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Meanwhile back off Harwich

About 7 am, on May 26, after completing our minelaying, The Hochseeflotte captures CS Acteon. The storm is here as well, and in the heavy weather Acteon refuses to surrender, until Stuttgart nearly rammed her!

Sea state 5, 3 meter waves, 20+ knot wind.

At 1:44 pm Stettin is torpedoed by the SS E.4, north of Zeebrugge.
Stettin is flooding 100% port side and sinks.

We also hear that the Monitors General Crawford and Sir John Moore have sunk. I guessing mines, but perhaps a U-boat.

Haven't seen any monitors lately. I have been busy laying mines, heh heh!
 
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A new sheriff in town!

As the Hochseeflotte departs Zeebrugge to meet Gruppe Magellan; I detach Hamburg, Munchen and 3 Torpedoboote as Gruppe Zeebrugge and base them out of Zeebrugge.

This has worked out very well, as I can chase off British destroyers and French Torpedo Boats, and also capture Allied freighters as well as the Hochseeflotte, but with much less ship handling. The Hochseeflotte does manage to capture CS Bougainville on their way north.

The early night battle with the Harwich force seems to have left an Allied vacuum just NE of the Pas de Calais.

They do seem to be trying to fill it with submarines however.

Of course, it could get dicey, if they were to send out some Armored Cruisers.
 
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Mowe adventures

The Mowe has been busy. She laid mines in the northern east-west Allied shipping channel, which I'm hoping to drag the BCF through as the pursue Gruppe Magellan (who she met west of Scotland, right before they met the BCF).

She sailed almost to Liverpool before getting reports from U-boats of freighters along the north coast of Ireland.

There she captured the CS Amiral de Kersaint at the channel into Londonderry at 5 am on May 28.

At 8:38 am, she spots CS Hong Kong off Lough Swilly, just not far enough off!

She chases Hong Kong west, but has to detour north to get out of range of the 9.2" batteries. There were a few too many near misses, but Mowe escapes unharmed.

This entends the chase, and she does catch Hong Kong until 12:47 pm, over four hours later! It's tough when 13 knots is your best speed! But it sure beats only making 10!

Mowe makes her way around Ireland's west coast and then heads up to Pembroke where she encounters a lot of DD TBs (29, 34, 35 and 36). Most of the time they seemed fooled and ignored us, but we did have to sink DD TB 35 when she fires on us. Strangely, after 35 sinks we fire on 29 until we realize she is not shooting back, even though she saw us sink 35.

Mowe is now on her way SW to try to catch merchants as they move toward England. After that, perhaps off Cornwall.
 
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The Long Pursuit

The BCF pursues Gruppe Magellan all day on May 26, but may have lost us during the night. We hope that they are still back there as we move carefully through Mowe minefield, and as we arrange our rendevous with the Hochseeflotte.

The storm has passed, and the May 27 is calm and clear.

But we do not sight them, and meet the HSF at 10 pm at (54,28),
55 degrees, 24 minutes N, 7 degrees 46 minutes W.

By 6 am, Gruppe Magellan has returned, and the HSF is entering the Jade.

Our voyage of circumnavigation of England is complete!

An interesting side note: The British Grand Fleet (91 ships in 18 divisions) is sighted by a U-boot at about 11:30 pm on May 28, 25 km east of Scapa Flow, sailing west. By 1 am, they have anchored at Scapa. Maybe the Beatty was chasing us to the GF.
 

Bullethead

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Congratulations on your successful exploit! I figured you'd never see any of those BCs again :p

BTW, thanks for noticing the shore batteries in such out-of-the-way places. I doubt they've had many chances to justify the effort I put into researching them.
 
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Thanks! I wasn't sure how it would play out, but thought it would be fun to try!

The weather may well have saved me, since the British couldn't envelop me with their destroyers, while the Cats ran me down, slowing me enough for 5th BS to finish me. That's probably what I would have tried.

So, I have you to thank for all those shore batteries in Ireland and Wales?

Well, thank you! It really is a nice touch! Especially the mix of calibers in the different batteries.

I am constantly amazed at the extent of historical research in this game!

They definitely added some excitement to those CS rundowns, and DD TB suppressions.

Looks like they run a constant anti-sub patrol between Queenstown and Pembroke.

BTW, I've been experimenting with the area patrol mission, and have realized I misunderstood the units on the radius. I was thinking in terms of kilometers.

I set it to 75 for all the German local port defense units, and now I have Medusa and Arcona off Harwich!

My initial settings for zepplins and subs seemed to have worked out ok, if not exactly what I had in mind, but I was surprised when all those old CLs and TBs took off for the Channel!
 

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Enjoyed your reports!! Almost like being there.... are you a teller of storys by nature or trade??
 
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Enjoyed your reports!! Almost like being there.... are you a teller of storys by nature or trade??
Thanks! I'm glad that you are enjoying my tales of naval exploration!
I thought I'd try to convey some of the drama I experienced in the game, not knowing what lay beyond the next point of land or squall!

Of course, I am rather familiar with the history, giving me an unfair advantage:cool:.

Perhaps by nature, but by trade I work on computers, Unix/Veritas/SAN.
I've been programming computers since 1975.

History, and, in particular, military history, have always fascinated me.

I've been playing wargames (AH,SPI) since the late sixties, and have always especially enjoyed the naval games (Sink the Bismarck, Midway and, of course, the old miniatures-counters Jutland).

I am truly delighted with the Distant Guns simulations! The level of historical research and detail is amazing!

I think that those who complain about the accuracy need to consider that there has always been a great deal of chance in naval warfare. As one of my Napoleonic miniatures friends always says: "It is better to be lucky than good.". After all, what were the actual odds that HMS Hood would blow up?
Or that the Bismarck would be disabled with a jammed rudder?

From what I have seen, the results are quite realistic and fit well historically.
But, because every game you play, involves "rolling the dice" again, you won't always get the same result.

And as for the AI, well, I don't think that any navy has yet developed a decent "computer admiral", that they'd feel comfortable putting in command of their ships.

It took years of research and effort to make computers able to beat humans at chess, a relatively straightforward game where only one unit moves at a time, there is no FOW and no chance elements.

The FOW in the campaign is great. I had no warning at all (other than being off the NW coast of Scotland) that I was about to encounter the BCF. And I had no idea that Jellicoe was at sea until one of my subs saw him 25 km from Scapa on his return!

I'm definitely going to have to use my Zeppelins and subs more cleverly (I just stuck them on a large area patrol at the beginning).

On the other hand, they have seen a lot of things, and it was really nice having that sub there when I did meet the BCF, as I got to see it all.
 
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Sad Tidings

TO: Admiral Scheer, Hochseeflotte
FROM: Commodore Noob, TF Zeebrugge

I regret to inform you of our recent losses:

Kleine Kreuzer Medusa
Grosse Torpedoboot G40

The Medusa had performed admirably while on long range patrol, sinking an enemy Destroyer TB. Shortly there after, an underwater explosion did severe damage to her starboard side. Many enemy submarines were operating in the area, and she was not near any known minefields.

Her speed was reduced to 11 knots, but she seemed to be stable, with her pumps managing the flooding. Suddenly, there was another explosion and she began to sink rapidly.

Fortunately, the crew was able to quickly take to the boats with few casualties. They were soon taken aboard the Arcona and the Nymphe from their own squadron.

This causes concern as this is the second cruiser lost in the waters to submarine attack. As you are well aware, the Stettin was lost only a few kilometers to the Northeast.

Our own Grosse Torpedoboot G40 had just run down another enemy Destroyer TB, when after reducing the enemy to a sinking state, a 12-pdr shell jammed her rudder and left her running at 30 knots toward the enemy shore.

Unfortunately, her crew was also unable to slow the engines, so she went aground at high speed. So begins the glorious invasion of England!

She went ashore a few km east of Southend. The enemy shore batteries remained silent throughout the battle.

The enemy craft pursued her toward the shore, sinking two kilometers from it.




Gamer note: I don't actually know what sank Medusa, but I would tend to assume, as above, that it was a submarine torpedo attack.

G40 went ashore with her rudder jammed, but I could not give orders to stop the engines (or do anything else for that matter).

The British shore batteries never woke up, though I think that the final run went through the range of at least one 9.2" battery.
 
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Shore batteries

I can't wait to play British and check out the guns at Heligoland!

My captains look so worried when I say such things!
 
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CS Telemark sights Scapa Flow

The CS Telemark was captured in sight of Scapa Flow. I don't suppose that there is any way to influence these idiots, but that is probably the third cargo ship captured by the local destroyer patrol at Scapa. This time it was Racehorse again.

If I were a merchant captain, i think I try to sneak down closer to Norway.

I could send SG 1 up to clear away the DDs, but...
 
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Broken monitors

No, no! Not to worry! My 23" widescreen is just fine!

On June 2 at 0509, five British monitors appeared off Oostende.

Gruppe Zeebrugge was just north of Zeebrugge, planning on a little shore leave and some Belgian beer!

The monitors were Lord Clive, General Wolfe, Marshal Ney, Marshal Soult and Havelock.

Over the next three hours our shore batteries destroyed all five monitors and a stray French TB!

Gruppe Zeebrugge teased them by staying just out of range near the coast east of Zeebrugge.
 
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Mining activities

The HSF and SG1 set out to mine the British secondary shipping lane between Stavanger and Scotland.

The HSF Minelayers are sent to lay mines in the primary shipping lane just north of Dover.

The HSF Minelayers are harrassed repeatedly by Minos and Manly, who are very fast and always run.

The Minelayers (mostly Brummer) and Gruppe Zeebrugge sink DD Fame (see, we remembered her name) and DD TB 19. Brummer also manages to hit V67 with a 15 cm shell (friendly fire).

Eventually, the mines are laid and the Minelayers return toward Germany.
 
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Hochseeflotte Battle Stations!

At 1909 on June 2, the HSF spots CS Benledi, 95 km WSW of Stavanger.

Rostock and a G series run her down. We are concerned that she may have gotten off a radio transmission.
 
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Meanwhile back in the Bight!

At 1120 on June 2 we sight CS Argonaut off Heligoland!

These guys are even dumber than our merchants!

The June Reinforcements are diverted to seize her!

Bayern, Konig Albert, Graudenz and two nice DDs capture Argonaut at 1511, then head north to meet the Hochseeflotte.
 
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By the dawn's early light

In the early light of June 3, 127 km WNW of Lemvig, the Hochseeflotte and Gruppe June are approaching their rendevous and should sight each other at dawn. SG 1 is NW of us, perhaps 175 km.

At 0343, we spot four ships off the starboard beam of the Battle Line.

But these are not our reinforcements! They are British light cruisers!

Visibility is 16.5 km and increasing.

We bring the HSF around to heading 270 (from 135) in a simultaneous turn to prevent them from disappearing into the murk. The enemy flees to the west, but six minutes later Galatea is sinking, and Phaeton is damaged and only managing 16 knots. Inconstant and Cordelia are now visible to the battleline.

Two more enemy cruisers are spotted!

Another minute and we see an enemy light cruiser leading four destroyers!

More British cruisers and destroyers continue to appear as the daylight grows!

Then, at 0354, we spot the Battlecruiser New Zealand! We have encountered the BCF!

In another minute, we spot most of the BCF! In range of our guns!
 
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Shades of George Tryon

As the BCF is revealed to us in the morning light, there is something very odd about their formation!

Lion is heading north at 14 knots with a one degree port list (0355).

And Valiant is heading east at seven knots!

In the worst British naval collision since George Tryon, the Valiant appears to have rammed Lion's port quarter!

Both the Cats and the 5th Battle Squadron are in disarray.

Soon they sort it out and head away to the WNW.

Lion's list worsens rapidly:

0357 list -2
0402 list -5
0403 list -6
0406 We are hit for the first time, V 190.
0410 V 190 hit by a 21" torpedo, sinking in 18 minutes.
0413 list -11

We are firing at the battlecruisers, New Zealand and Indefatigable are closest and maneuvering first SE and then back to NW, are hit repeatedly and begin to slow. We ignore Lion as she seems doomed.

0415 Lion's list -12
0416 Lion's list -13

The Cats & 5th BS are running on heading 292, Lion is slowing them, but not for long.

0416 Indefatigable blows up and sinks!
0417 New Zealand is heavily damaged.
0418 New Zealand explodes and sinks!

Both Inde and NZ were under very heavy fire from many ships which couldn't get at the Cats.

0419 Lion's list -14
0420 Lion heels over, crew abandons ship.
0421 Lion has sunk, Sir David Beatty goes down with his flagship.
 
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