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Post by admiralskipashita on Sept 2, 2012 8:26:55 GMT -5
I have seen quite a few of you ask about scenarios for pre-dreadnaught actions so I thought I would make a few suggestions.
Scenario #1
Historially speaking Chemulpo (Inchon) 1904 makes a challenging scenario pitting the heroic Russian protected cruiser Varyag and a small gunboat, Korietz, against a Japanese Armored Cruiser (Asama) and five protected cruisers.
In Russia the Varyag and her last voyage are celebrated in song and legend.
This is the opening action of the RJW. The roadway leading up to the harbor of Chemulpo (Inchon) Korea was fairly narrow and the harbor itself was filled with foreign ships making an attack in the harbor impossible.
Varyag's captain decided to sail out to confront the Japanese squadron in what was in essence a suicide mission. Koreitz tagged along but really did very little and can be ignored if you wish.
Because of the narrow channel the Japenese could only send out two ships at a time to fight Varyag which evens it up a bit. Of course they sent the armored cruiser and one of the protected cruisers out first.
The Russian player gets to count EVERY POINT of damage he does to the Japanese ships. If he manages to sink a Japanese ship he scores a draw automatically and if he is somehow manages to sink the Japanese armored cruiser, he wins, no matter what happens after that.
The Japanese score victory points as usual.
The actual fight lasted less than half an hour and the heavily damaged Varyag returned to Chemulpo and was scuttled by her crew. The gunboat Korietz, who was largely ignored by the Japanese, was also scuttled by her crew. The foriegn ships in the harbor rescued the Russian Crews and gave them sanctuary. The crews returned to Russia where they were hailed as great heroes.
After the war the Japanese raised the Varyag, refitted her and renamed her Soya. She served in the Japanese navy until the First World War when the Japanese gave her back to the Russians.
WHAT IF??
You can take this basic scenario and use any combination of combatants. Japanese vs. American. German vs. French. Etc.
Give it try and let me know what you think.
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Post by admiralskipashita on Sept 2, 2012 8:40:40 GMT -5
Scenario #2
After Dewey's stunning victory at Manilla Bay a German cruiser squadron showed up to "protect the rights of the Filipino people. The commander of the squadron, Prince Henry of Prussia wasan arrogant aristocrat, steamed into the harbor in his flagship IRENE without observing the normal formalities in a time of war. When the second cruiser COMORAN tried the same thing Dewey ordered the RALEIGH to put shot across her bow. Dewey then tutored the Germans on the proper behavior when coming into a contested port and waht amounted to a "hot" warzone. He told them not to get between his guns and the enemy.
What if the Germans had fired back?
Dewey's fleet: Protected Cruisers OLYMPIA-flag, RALEIGH, BALTIMORE and BOSTON and the Gunboats PETREL and CONCORD.
Prince Henry's Squadron: Protected Cruisers IRENE and COMORAN.
Dewey's ships are anchored in the harbor. The gunboats are on picket. It will take Dewey one turn to get steam up for movement but his guns are manned and ready for the fight.
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Post by admiralskipashita on Sept 2, 2012 8:48:54 GMT -5
Scenario #3
What if:
Following the RJW and the very unpopular peace (unpopular with the Japanese) mediated by President Rooseveldt there was tension between the US and Japan. Roosevelt did not trust the Japanese, although he admired them very much.
Some high-ranking naval advisors thought that Roosevelt should reinforce the Phillipines and upgrade it to full Naval facility to keep the Japanese in line. Roosevelt was concerned the mere prescence of more US warships in the Phillipines would be too much of a challenge to the Japanese and would spark a war. Instead he sent the Great White Fleet of US Battleships on their famous trek around the world pausing for effect in Japan.
But "what if" Roosevelt had followed the advice of his naval advisors and what he feared most came to pass. A Japanese sneak attack, ala' Port Arthur, on Manila?
Since Roosevelt is reinforcing the squadron in the far east you can put whatever US ships of 1906 vintage in Manila that you have handy. The Japanese should only have three Battleships, remember Mikasa blew up and sank. But they can have as many armored cruisers are you deem appropriate.
It's Port Arthur all over again. Give the US Player a percentage chance, say 50-50 that he will take appropriate precautions or that the Japanese fleet in spotted in time to prepare. Then IN COME THE DESTROYERS and off we go to the races.
This could be the opener of the mythical Amer-Japanese War of 1906 and could lead to some really exciting games with two professional and modern fleets going at each other.
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Post by admiralskipashita on Sept 2, 2012 10:38:16 GMT -5
Allow me to clarify a couple of things about scenario one.
First of all the Japanese may select ANY two ships to confront Varyag. It's his choice. If a Japanese ship is sunk another may take it's place entering the board from the Japanese edge from the same direction the first two Japanese appeared.
Varyag and Korietz are NOT a Division and may (perhaps should) operate independently.
Varyag may not retire from the fight until she has taken at lest 50% damage. In other words Varyag may not rush out score a few points on the protected cruiser(s) and then rush back to the harbor and claim victory.
You can play this on any size playing area. The Japanese enter from one edge and the Russians enter on the opposite edge. IF additional Japanese cruisers are sent to the fight they will enter the turn after the first cruiser is sunk from the same board edge the Japanese entered from in the beginning.
I think will do it.
Models: The only compnay currently making Varyag in 1250, my preferred scale, is Mercator and you have to find them second-hand, on German ebay. Korietz is made by HAI and is avaiable from Morning Sunshine Models.
In 1/2400 scale I believe Panzerschiffe makes Varyag but not Korietz. You can ignore Koreitz entirely or used any small gunboat of torpedo boat type model as the gunboat. It took no part in the battle other then firing the warning shot at the protected cruiser that entered Chemulpo to declare that hostilities had begun and to ask that the foreign ships leave. The foreign ships refused so the Japanese took up station in the roads outside the harbor and waited. The rest is history.
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