The Tsar's Crown Jewels - Russian

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I decided to try out the Russian side in DG 1.5. The Tsar's Crown Jewels sounded interesting, so here I go!

Drauf Seydlitz!
 
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A night that will live in infamy!

Admiral's Log, First Pacific Squadron
Admiral Stark, Battleship Petropavlovsk
February 9, 1094

The Japanese, in heinous disregard for the rules of war, perpetrated an atrocity, by launching a torpedo attack last night.

A horrific birthday surprise for my wife, they interrupted the party just as she was dancing with the Viceroy!

Fortunately, I had ordered our destroyer patrol to shoot first and ask questions later. As they began to fire on Japanese destroyers, our cruisers quickly weighed anchors and came to battle stations!

Our alert seamen riddled the enemy, sinking eleven torpedo craft.

While I commend their efforts, I must sadly report the following damage to the squadron:

Protected Cruiser Boyarin, torpedoed and sinking, her captain managed to run her aground in the port, where she is undergoing repairs. He is to be commended for saving this valuable ship.

Battleship Tsesarevich, torpedoed, but able to get under weigh, undergoing repairs.

Battleship Peresvyet, rammed by a sinking enemy, repairing damage.

Protected Cruiser Pallada, damaged and undergoing repairs.

Technical details:

Protected Cruiser Boyarin: 100% persistent port flooding.

Battleship Tsesarevich: 26% persistent port flooding.

Battleship Peresvyet: 12% persistent port flooding.

Protected Cruiser Pallada: 20% persistent port flooding.
1% persistent starboard flooding.
 
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Destroyer and Gunboat patrol

Admiral's Log, Port Arthur
February 9, 1904

Following the torpedo attack on my squadron, I assigned Gunboats and destroyers to conduct aggressive patrols in the vicinity of Port Arthur.

One of these patrols, encountered a Japanese cruiser armed with 120mm guns and torpedo tubes, SW of Port Arthur. The enemy proved to be surprisingly fast, making 21 knots to the NW. Our ships pursued, and the AGB fell behind. Our destroyer tried to herd the enemy into range of the shore batteries, and expended most of her ammunition. She then closed to about 100m from the enemy's stern (it seems that their stern chaser 120mm had also run out of ammunition). The destroyer then attempted a close range torpedo attack, but was sunk after launching a torpedo.

The AGB maintained contact, and observed the enemy ship gradually listing and then sinking.

The enemy ship was identified as the CR Tatsuta.
 
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Askold and Novik

Admiral's Log, Port Arthur
February 9, 1904

Following the attack, I ordered the Protected Cruisers Askold and Novik to sea in the hopes of intercepting enemy troopships.

Very quickly, they encountered four armored cruisers and a battleship of the enemy in the darkness, on a southeast course.

Though they quickly turned away, both ships were hit.

They have returned to port for minor repairs.

I suspect that this was the main Japanese battlefleet.
 
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The Battle of Chemulpo Bay

Captain's Log, Protected Cruiser Varyag
February 9, 1904

In violation of Korean neutrality, the Japanese haved landed troops at the port of Chemulpo! They further threatened to violate the neutrality of this port by threatening British, French and Italian ships, if they did not move their moorings to allow the Japanese to attack us.

In light of this barbaric behavior, it was clear that we must fight our way to the freedom of the high seas!

The Varyag, accompanied by the Gunboat Koreyets sortied from Chemulpo and encountered the Japanese in the bay.

The enemy force consisted of one armored cruiser and five other cruisers, as well as a force of eight torpedoboats.

Clearly facing a superior force, I elected to make a run for the open sea.

I ordered Varyag to course WNW at flank speed! Koreyets was ordered to head staright for the enemy and then break to the south, and SE through the tidal flats, if necessary. I hoped to force them to divide their forces.

The enemy pursued the Varyag, allowing Koreyets to escape to the south.

The enemy managed to close to about 11 km before we began to pull away to the west.

During this chase they fired numerous 203 mm shells at us. Due to the range we were only hit once, but that hit destroyed a 152 mm mount (sternmost on the port beam), and caused very minor flooding.

The enemy could not match our 23 knot speed and fell behind. Their torpedo boats circled around their line of cruisers.

As the engagement ended, it appeared that both of our vessels would escape, but sadly this was not to be!
 
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A mortally wounded bear lashes out!

Captain's Log, Protected Cruiser Varyag
February 9, 1904

We were greatly surprised at about 1130 when we discovered that the Koreyets was in line astern behind us, when we had last seen them steering a SSW course out of the bay.

Also, the enemy was now steering a NE course into Chemulpo. The soon came about and pursued us.

I ordered Varyyag to steer WSW and Koreyets to steer west, both at their best speed. The engine room could only manage 22 knots now, following the past hour's hard steaming.

Within minutes we sighted a force of destroyers to the SW, headed directly towards us at 28 knots!

Could this be the vanguard of the enemy's battleline? Could we still escape?

Fortunately, it turned out to be a force of eight destroyers, which with the now emboldened enemy torpedo boats proceeded to charge us from the SW and SE.

I ordered Varyag to steam SSW to engage the western division of destroyers, while Koreyets steered course 271.

It was not long before we engaged the enemy destroyers, mortally wounding the lead ship, but having many of our exposed gun positions disabled (a strong case for the use of turrets!) by their 3" guns.

The damage was light and would be repaired in time, but we were forced
to break off toward the west.

Meanwhile, the east division of destroyers and two divisions of torpedo boats were closing rapidly on the Koreyets. She withheld her fire until the first torpedo boat was about 5 km away and then she opened fire! At firs tthere was little damage to the enemy, but then she turned NW, bringing more guns to bear.

She was brought under fire by twelve enemy ships, attacked on all sides, torpedoes and shells filled the water and air!

Her own guns roared back bravely, especially effective were her 107 mm, and massive 203 mm guns.

Soon, our brave Koreyets was ablaze, her rudder jammed left, but her guns continued firing in all directions!

Like a mortally wounded bear, the Koreyets lashed out again and again, savaging the enemy!

Near the end an untouched division of torpedo boats dared to pass by as she circled with her rudder jammed, and were severely punished!

As she sank, the crippled enemy limped away.

In the end, Koreyets accounted for five torpedo boats and two destroyers!

Varyag continued away to the southwest pursued by the enemy. Only after she mortally wounded a third destroyer and opened fire on the only unscathed torpedo boat did the enemy reconsider and withdraw.

We lost a brave ship today, the mighty Koreyets, but the Japanese paid a high price for her, five destroyers and five torpedo boats sunk, five others damaged!
 
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Gunnery setting

BTW, I am playing with the default settings, except that I changed gunnery accuracy to 20, as I had heard that it was more historically accurate.

Is that the proper setting for historical accuracy? Anything else I should tweak?
 
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Gunnery setting default

Since the official historic gunnery setting is 100, I reset to the defaults.
We'll see how that goes.
 
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Area Patrol meets the Greyhounds

I had set the Gunboats and 3rd DD (I rearranged my TFs a little) on area patrol.

At 2200 on February 9, DD Skori and Armored Gunboat Gryemski encounter Protected Cruisers Chitose, Takasago, Kasagi & Yoshino.

By 2232 Skori and Gryemski have sunk.

I'll have to be more careful about patrolling at night.
 
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The Voyage of the Varyag - First night

Captain's Log, Protected Cruiser Varyag
February 10, 1904

I have decided to make my way to Vladivostok, rather than fighting my way back to Port Arthur.

0302 Varyag meets Fuso and Takao in the dark in a straight off the SW Korean coast (34 deg. 20' N, 126 deg. E).

Takao is just an armed (fair number of guns) cruiser, but Fuso is an aged, but heavily armored cruiser. I turn away.

After 42 minutes we disengage. While we didn't suffer much damage, we did lose crew, and thus damage control suffers.

I'll also need to watch my ammunition.
 
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The whole enchilada

Admiral's Log, BB Petropavlovsk
February 10, 1904

0621
I receive a report of an enemy battleship, leading three armored cruisers, from two of our patrolling destroyers, which were fired upon, but escaped unharmed.

I am at sea with BB Petropavlovsk, Poltava, Sevastopol, Retvizan and Pobyeda plus AC Bayan and PC Diana. I decide to investigate, and set course 135.

0627
My force plus the patrolling destroyer Stoini encounter the battleship and three armored cruisers, as the day dawns. They are behind us on course 306.
We turn to pursue.

0634
Stoini sights another battleship headed SSE! It is the Mikasa, and the whole enchilada!

Stoini is badly damaged by a 152mm shell, and decides to attempt a desperation torpedo attack.

I turn the battleline to ESE and ring up flank speed! Diana struggles to move through to the unengaged side of the line.

Stoini gets close, but Mikasa turns slightly, spoiling our lauch solution. The torpedo tubes take too long to adjust their aim, and Stoini is lost without launching.

Bayan ventures too close before turning away! I should have signalled her earlier! She flees to the south, but cannot get enough distance as she loses speed. The whole Japanese battle line of six battleships and three armored cruisers pound her mercilessly!

I take advantage of this time to turn my ships north and we have the sun rising behind us, but the range is long, and we do little damage.

As the Japanese finish the Bayan, I turn west, and then turn on a line of bearing with course 315 back to Port Arthur. From west to east I have:
Pobyeda, Retvizan, Petropavlovsk, Poltava and Sevastopol. Diana is north of us, and scouts ahead.

The enemy begins a long stern chase. We are making 16 knots, but they can make 18!

Each time they approach us, they begin to fire at around 7000m. At this point, each time I respond by taking a line of bearing on course 10, which allows at least some of our ships to bring their forward turrets to bear. All fire is directed at their lead ship, the battleship Mikasa! If we can slow her, perhaps we can escape.

The enemy fires only on Sevastopol, but she is a stout ship, and they accomplish little.

Soon after each turn, Mikasa turns away to the south, and the whole dragon curls about firing their broadsides at the apex. As they do this we resume course 315.

Eventually, after many hours, we sight Round Island! Soon, we will be safe under the umbrella of our shore batteries!

But, it is not to be! The batteries do not fire! Why? Heads will roll! Those batteries should be manned and ready!

We need to maintain course 315 to make Port Arthur, so at the end, I break off Sevastopol to run to PA, and turn the others west. By this time, Mikasa has been hit repeatedly, and fires and waterline holes are observed. But, she comes on nonetheless!

Next we break off Poltava who has some fires. The last three turn SW to bring more fire on Mikasa, which has tunred westward.

Finally, Petropavlovsk is hit hard, at closer range, and many fires blaze, we break away, covered by Retvizan and Pobyeda. Sevastopol turns back to help!

The enemy turns away and comes back one last time! Petropavlovsk is a raging inferno, and our propulsion is damaged by the fires! It is a race against time to reach the port!

We arrive in Port Arthur, ablaze and making only 8 knots, but the port ships rush to our aid and we save the Petropavlovsk!

The rest of the ships make their way back, as the light falls and the Japanese withdraw.

We have fought for over 11 hours, and have lost the Bayan!

But the Mikasa, while her fires are extinguished and she never reads more than light damage, has been pounded. And we did lay mines near Weihaiwei...
 
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The Voyage of the Varyag - Second night

Captain's Log, Protected Cruiser Varyag
February 10, 1904

We continue to sail around the southern coast of Korea on our way to Valdivostok.

1731
We sight three torpedo boat division in the Tsushima Straights!
They react slowly and we are able to break contect as the light dies.

2312
We sight the CR Chihaya (unarmored) and open fire at 2500m!
Five minutes later she is sinking.

February 11, 1904
0026
Varyag encounters a lone torpedo boat (TB 65) at range 2556m.
We open fire and she is sinking in two minutes!

0238
We sight two torpedo boats at 2844m and 3206m. Soon there are five!
By 0250 there are eleven, but one is sinking.

There seem to be no end of torpedo boats! We identify six divisions over the next few hours, the 10th, 11th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th TB divisions!

While their small guns cannot penetrate our armor, we take horrific losses at the exposed gun positions! We are unable to keep the guns manned and active. We run at full speed, but are repeatedly overtaken!

Again and again we repair a few gun mounts and heavily damage a torpedo boat or two, before turning away to repair again, but:

Damage control is down to 24%! We have so few of us left, and we must maintain 22 knots, and man at least a few guns.

Finally, after hours of frantic combat and repairs to the gun mounts, at 0404, a torpedo boat draws close. We have dodged a couple of torpedoes already. We have no stern guns available, only 152mm guns forward to starboard. We turn east to bring them to bear, but this lets the enemy get closer! Finally, a six inch shell hits home, and she is sinking!

We have sunk an even dozen, and damaged five more of 22 torpedo boats! And we have escaped!

It is 5 am.
 
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The Voyage of the Varyag - Third morning

Captain's Log, Protected Cruiser Varyag
February 11, 1904

0703
The morning light reveals ten torpedo boats bearing 157, range 22 km.
Also, the Gunboat Akagi bearing 37, range almost 29 km.
Due to our extreme losses in the crew, I elect to disengage,
and set course 333, speed 22 knots.

0815
No enemy in sight!
 
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The Voyage of the Mandzhur - Kasuga Maru

Captain's Log, Gunboat Mandzhur
February 11, 1904

We have sailed without incident from Shanghai at the outbreak of war.
We don't know what we are sailing into, but the men are ready for anything!

0815
We sight the Auxilliary Crusier Kasuga Maru. We pursue her!

1257
We hit her with the big gun (203 mm)!

1341
Another 203mm hit!

We gradually close the range and by 1337 she is sinking. We have taken no damage.

1355
The Kasuga Maru sinks! A glorious victory for the Tsar!
 
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The Voyage of the Mandzhur - Night action

Captain's Log, Gunboat Mandzhur
February 11, 1904

2259
We sight three torpedo boats off the port of Masanpo.
Soon they become ten! Some appear to have been damaged.
More will be!

We are too slow to outrun them, but we can fight!

Again and again they approach, and we set ablaze or listing in our wake!

2234
We have punished all who approached, but we are out of 107mm shells.

2350
We have sunk ten of them. Please God that is enough!
 
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Meanwhile, back at Port Arthur

Admiral's Log, Battleship Retvizan
February 11, 1904

I have transferred my flag to the Retvizan, while Petropavlovsk, Poltava and Sevastopol are being repaired.

As I return (with Retvizan, Pobyeda, Diana, ML Amur and nine destroyers from a nighttime mining operation near Weihaiwei, heavy, though infrequent gunfire is heard to the north. It is ten minutes before midnight.

I direct our screen to widen their search area ahead of us, and the cruiser Diana increases speed between the two destroyer divisions.

About a half hour later, our starboard DD division opens fire on a torpedo boat, fatally damaging her. After another twenty minutes, a second torpedo boat is detected and destroyed. Diana assists with this one.

A few minutes later, a third torpedo boat, already damaged, emerges, and is quickly destroyed. From the survivors and wreckage, we determine that these were the torpedo boats Hato, Chidori and Kasasagi. The latter two had been fired upon by the patrolling Gunboat division, which had damaged the Kasasagi on their second contact.

Clearly, the enemy is bold to come so near Port Arthur. I shall have to increase our local minelaying. Weihaiwei now has an extensive minefield, perhaps we shall catch something!
 
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The Voyage of the Lyena - A good start!

Captian's Log, Auxilliary Cruiser Lyena
February 12, 1904

Yesterday, we took our leave of the Armored Cruiser Force, and sailed east.
We slipped uneventfully through the Tsugaru Straight during the night, and began sailing along the shipping lane off the east coast of Honshu.

We had a good beginning!

0249
We sight two freighters! We quickly capture the Manchester and the Keil.
This is a good start to our mission of trade warfare!

0838-0943
We pursue and capture the freighter Algiers.

1011-1104
We capture the Glasgow inshore, and admire the sandy beaches.

1635
We sight four Japanese torpedo boat divisions, the 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 12th, for a toal of fifteen boats. They react slowly, and appear to be having difficulty making headway due to heavy seas (sea state 4).
We head out to see and lose them.

1956
We sight the TBs again in a the darkness, they are still only able to make 9 knots in the heavy seas. We fire a few shots, then disengage at 2018.

2147
We capture the steamer Eidelborn, carrying contraband to Japan.

2242
We seize the San Francisco.

It has been a propitious beginning! We have captured six freighters in our first day east of Japan!
 
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The Voyage of the Varyag - Conclusion

Captain's Log, Protected Cruiser Varyag
February 12, 1904

We have done it! At 1316, we reach safe harbor at Vladivostok!

We will replenish our ammunition, and bring aboard replacements for our lost friends.

But tonight, we celebrate our deliverance through the enemy hordes!
 
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The Voyage of the Armored Cruisers - First contact

Admiral's Log, Armored Cruiser Gromoboi
February 12, 1904

Yesterday, we sent Lyena east with our good wishes! May she find good hunting!

Tonight, after an uneventful day cruising southwesterly along the coast of Honshu, we encounter the freighter Hong Kong at 2025. She is seized by the TB 211.

February 13, 1904
0113
TB 211 captures another merchant, the Glasgow (popular name, eh?), 129 km NNW of Hiroshima.

We spot brief glimpses of the funnel sparks of two warships, west of us, but do not sight them.

Gamers note: About this point I notice that Victory has gone from Russia (barely) to Russia +++.
 
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East of Port Arthur February 12

Admiral's Log, Battleship Retvizan
February 12, 1904

After encountering the torpedo boats, I order my squadron to patrol toward the east, and encounter the Greyhounds, who flee. We are able to rescue the patrolling destroyer Statni, which was badly mauled by these four PCs, last night.

We see them again briefly at 1254 and 1526.

I have ordered, the cruisers Askold and Diana with three destroyers to beakout and begin trade warfare on their way to Vladivostok.

We screen their exit with the battleships Retvizan and Pobyeda and the cruiser Diana.

At 1624, we return to Port Arthur.
 
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