Terrible Night Action Off Hakodate

saddletank

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I just played the most amazing and terrifying game in DG yet. I had sent the Vladivostok Squadron of 4 cruisers and 8 torpedo boats to prey on shipping off Japan’s southern coastline. For several days they successfully caught numerous neutral ships (I think the tally was something like 8 in 6 days) then during the 26th February the squadron found itself in contact with about 13 torpedo boats which turned tail and fled. Not wanting to be caught by a more powerful enemy squadron I curtailed the patrol and ordered the squadron to return to Vladivostok via the channel between the main and north islands.

On the night of 27th February however while steaming north off the coast near Hakodate Japanese torpedo boats were sighted to starboard closing rapidly. The two divisions of 4 Russian torpedo boats were ordered to reverse course and put distance between themselves and the enemy while the 4 cruisers turned to cross the T of the approaching enemy. A wild turkey shoot developed with numerous enemy boats attempting to achieve positions to launch torpedoes while the frantic Russian gunners shot them to pieces. Some 8 or 9 Japanese boats had been sunk and the fight had descended into a swirling chaotic maelstrom and point blank ranges. All 4 Russian cruisers were steaming independently trying to avoid enemy torpedoes and each other.

After 30 about minutes I thought I had beaten off the attack when a fresh unit of Japanese destroyers, bigger boats, appeared very close on my disengaged bow. I turned my attention to these and also decided to beat a retreat when they cranked speed up to 26 knots and charged. I crippled the first but the second one must have been hit in the steering as it steamed right in front of Gromoboi and was rammed at 20 knots. The enemy boat had her bow sliced off, rolled over and sank within 20 seconds but Gromoboi was brought to a grinding halt, her speed falling off to 7 knots. This allowed the following enemy boat to put a torpedo into her and her speed could not be got above 10 knots with heavy flooding.



This was enough for me and I decided to get the hell out of it, Bogatyr coming round to give Gromoboi close support. Then heavy shells began falling and I realised I had been surprised by my arch-enemy the Chiyoda squadron of an armoured cruiser and 7 old protected cruisers. By now quite a lot of minor damage had been done to all my ships by the enemy torpedo-boats QF guns and many gun positions were damaged.





Trying to get some sea-room between me and the enemy cruisers Gromoboi and Bogatyr were hit repeatedly by 6 inch and 4 inch shells and although I began to withdraw it became clear that Gromoboi was doomed. Further enemy destroyers attacked her and all my cruisers steamed away firing at each leading enemy boat in turn. However some got through and Gromoboi took 2 more torpedo hits in the next 10 minutes although she dodged 4 more and another pair ran deep under her keel. Bogatyr became the target of 3 enemy protected cruisers and serious fires broke out.

I was shocked to find even more Japanese torpedo boats attacking my withdrawing 8 TBs and a running fight ensued between the light forces in which all the Russian boats were damaged to varying degrees and 2 lost. By now Bogatyr’s fires were out of control and all her artillery silenced.





There was no choice but to abandon her and Gromoboi and get Rossiya and Rurijk, both able to still steam fast, away.



The battle lasted an hour and 45 minutes and at the end of it I was wet with sweat and shaking.



The final tally was 2 Russian cruisers and 2 Torpedo boats lost and an amazing 25 Japanese torpedo boats sunk out of 33 present. I’m stunned that they even have this many boats. They must have noted my location from the missing merchant ships and built up powerful forces over several days with the express intent of destroying my squadron. While I damaged 2 or 3 of the protected cruisers my cruisers were too shot about to do much serious damage to them and in balance this was a great Japanese victory as the Vladivostok force will have to repair for at least 3 weeks and will never again be quite the same threat.



One thing that struck me was the sheer toughness of Gromoboi, she took a terrible hammering and at the end when flooding finally overcame her, her crew had got her speed up from 10 knots (when she was hit by the first torpedo) to 12 and she was bravely still firing one or two guns.

The result was my fault. I should never have mixed it at night with the first few torpedo boats but should have shown them my heels and fought a running battle. Once I started sinking them I got greedy and stayed around. Big mistake. I think I could have got away instead of mixing it at short ranges where eventually the sheer weight of enemy numbers meant some torpedo boats would get through to launch successfully.

To Norm and Jim, thanks for a simply fantastic game :)
 

Zakalwe

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yeah,

several nights before, I found my Vlad force of 3 AC in a big mess of DD and TB at close range. As they were attacking and not trying to escape, I was suspicious if there were stronger forces around. So I ordered only a small turn, to bring the most possible guns into play. I sank most of the boats with only minor damage and tried to get away from the direction they first showed up.

I`ll never know if there were more ships around, but I valued my three cruisers higher than trying to find out.

You can call me chicken if you want.... :D ;)

Z.
 

Bullethead

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Damn, ST, that battle might have been decisive, in a bad way, for your campaign :(. It's hard for the Russians to cope if they lose many cruisers...

I'm with Z--I run away from most night actions: no telling what all's out there. And if it's just TBs or DDs, they can keep up so you don't need to worry about leaving them behind if you really want to kill them :). There have been times I've pursued at night, but it's always been an anxious occasion.
 

Rhetor

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Proper formation of a task force is crucial in night engagements. I have made a foolish mistake of placing all the destroyers on the sides of the battleship/cruisier/minelayer force from Port Arthur. During the night I came across 6 Japanese TBs and DDs + Crusier "Tatsuta"; these were spotted from the leading battleship less than 1500 meters away. I have dispatched all the enemy vessels, but lost 3 destroyers (one exploded after a friendly 305mm direct hit), and and the "Pobieda" got a torpedo in the starboard.

Next time the "Boyarin" would sail ahead with some DDs to feel the way for the big shots.
 
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