Varyag's Busy Day

Bullethead

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When news of the Japanese attack at Port Arthur reached Cpt. Bulletkov of Varyag at 0045 on 9 Feb, he immediately parted company with the gunboat Koreyets and slipped out of Chemulpo. Although he planned to return to Port Arthur, he decided to spend some time first patrolling the east coast of Korea and the Tsushima area, both to ascertain Japanese intentions and to disrupt their supply routes.

Varyag managed to avoid contact with the overwhelming Japanese Chemulpo Strike Force, which obliterated Koreyets as the latter attempted to hug the coast to Port Arthur, and spent the whole of 9 Feb and the following night cruising uneventfully southward along the Korean coast. News trickled in of many encounters to the north, from Wei-Hai-Wei to Assan Basin, but Varyag saw nothing. Cpt. Bulletkov began to wonder if he'd chosen the wrong strategy. However, the next day would prove to be as action-packed as he could have hoped.

Dawn on 10 Feb found Varyag just west of Takeshiki. Its light also revealed pursuing Japanese in the form of Asama and Niitaka, both still bearing scars from their battle with gallant Koreyets. Cpt. Bulletkov sounded General Quarters and bore away at high speed to the NE, and the IJN cruisers disappeared below the horizon after about 30 minutes. The hands were stood down and the galley prepared for breakfast.

Breakfast was interrupted at 0756. By this time, Varyag had rounded the north end of Takeshiki and had come down the east coast to check the port, despite the paranormal effects of the Takeshiki Circle, when the lookouts spotted smoke on the NE horizon. Cpt. Bulletkov immediately turned to investigate, and the chase was revealed as the C. Maru. When the ship refused to surrender, Varyag stopped along side and her gunners quickly blew the maru out of the water. Just as the merchant started to sink, however, Asama and Niitaka were resighted steaming up hard from from the SW, having apparently gone through the Takeshiki Strait. Cpt. Bulletkov put the spurs to his ship and once again showed his heels to his pursuers.

A lull of about 30 minutes ensued, during which Cpt. Bulletkov tried to feed his crew brunch as Varyag closed the Japanese coast off Fukuoka. However, this proved to be a rich hunting ground, so there was no respite for ship or men. At 1016, the British merchant Shanghai, escorted by 4 auxilliary cruisers, appeared from the haze about 20kyds to the north, while the German ship Eidelborn was spotted far to the WNW. Realizing the futility of chasing Eidelborn, Cpt. Bulletkov charged after Shanghai, scattering her would-be escorts in all directions. In passing, Varyag's gunners crippled the auxilliary cruiser Miike Maru, leaving her burning so badly that she eventually came to a stop and sank without further effort.

Eventually, Varyag overhauled Shanghai and forced her to turn back south. The stubborn Brit skipper refused to surrender immediately, however, still hoping for rescue. But after an hour or to of heated semaphore argument, and observing nearby the sinking of Miike Maru and the disappearance of the other auxilliary cruisers, Shanghai struck her colors and hove to.

Pausing only to dispatch a prize crew and take aboard prisoners, Cpt. Bulletkov sped off to the west. Eidelborn had long since disappeared, but the auxilliary cruiser Hongkong Maru was still just visible in that direction, and Bulletkov hoped she'd lead him to the German. Another long, hard chase ensued for the poor stokers, but eventually, just off the NE coast of Takeshiki, Varyag caught the auxilliary cruiser and quickly destroyed her. Unfortunately, of the Eidelborn there was no sign. Fortunately, however, the IJN cruisers which had chased Varyag in the morning were also nowhere to be seen.

It was now about 1410. As Varyag cruised around the north end of Takeshiki again to check the western approaches to the port, the crew had a brief opportunity to grab their much-delayed meal. The stokers, however, mostly collapsed on the open deck in the frigid air, too exhausted to eat. However, their respite would not last long.

By 1430, Varyag was close off the western entrace to Takeshiki port, again suffering the weirdness of the Takeshiki Circle. Still there was no sign of Eidelborn, but suddenly a dense, low black cloud appeard just off the NW corner of the island. As Cpt. Bulletkov trained his spyglass in that direction, to his amaze eyes were revealed no less than 22 IJN torpedoboats, smoke pouring from their tiny funnels as they charged towards Varyag like a pack of enraged weasels. There was nothing for it but to run off to the SW as fast as the tired stokers could manage. Fortunately for Varyag, the Takeshiki Circle exerted its malign influence on the Japanese as well, and their formations soon dissolved into chaos, allowing Varyag to escape. She headed back for the Tsushima Straits with the intent of patrolling the Korean coast again before returning to Port Arthur.

Shortly thereafter, however, Bulletkov had received word by radio that the gunboat Mandzhur, en route to Vladivostok, had briefly encountered the main fleet of Adm. Togo himself in the Tsushima Straits. Bulletkov decided to attempt to rendezvous with the gunboat and assist her in getting through the dangerous chokepoint, at least during the remaining daylight hours. As Varyag cruised SW for Mandzhur, with battle stations 1/2 manned, she got what turned out to be her longest break of the day, slightly more than 1 hour. Exhausted crewmen made the most of it, not knowing when it would end.

At 1615, Varyag entered Tshushima Straits and soon spotted Mandzhur running for her life from the armored cruisers Adzuma and Yakumo. Bulletkov had arrived just in time! He quickly closed on the Japanese cruisers, who soon decided Varyag was a more worthy target, and broke off Mandzhur. Varyag led the Japanese on a merry chase, remaining tantalizingly near gun range, while Mandzhur made good her escape in another direction. Mission accomplished, Varyag put on her best speed and soon left her pursuers behind in the gathering evening gloom.

It was now 1700. The crew had been at battle stations almost constantly since 0700, and their few, short respites had been with at least half the men at their posts. During the course of this busy day, Varyag had captured a neutral merchant and destroyed 2 Japanese auxilliary cruisers and a cargo ship. She had expended 28% of her ammunition but was unscathed herself, apart from the normal wear and tear of sea duty. Cpt. Bulletkov welcomed the setting sun, and its hope of a peaceful night, with the same enthusiasm he'd had for sunrise's promise of action. How long ago had that been? Only 8 hours? It seemed like part of a different lifetime.
 

Zakalwe

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:clap:

Nice tactics, hoped I would have been so smart. But I already planned to smuggle her through the patrols after a few days rest at Port Arthur.

Z.
 
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