NT: Action in the Skagerrak 1941

[mmaker52]

This is an after action report on a WWII scenario using the Naval Thunder rules. The firing was hot and heavy and showed how light cruisers racing ahead of their supporting battleships is not a good idea. A good time was had by all.

Attachments:

[Bluebear]

An interesting report. Reads like it was a good game.


-- Jeff

[warchariot]

Nice report, glad to see a naval report. Ilike the map, but picture would be nice!

[TheDreadnought]

Great report! Thanks for sharing! I agree, it's nice to see some more Naval Thunder stuff on here.

You don't mention anything about strikes from the Victorious. Did she not wind up contributing much?

[shigure]

I will post pictures soon. The Victorious and her escorts were held out of range of long-range Luftwaffe aircraft in case any of the KM ships would have broken out. The other RN capital ships were busy escorting two troop convoys. Thus the rationale for the KM to make a breakout and try to get at the troop convoys.

[shigure]

Pictures of the Action:
Initial set-up of the KM Fleet. The ships to the right are the two KM heavy cruisers followed by the BB's. The ships to the left are the BC's followed by the Panzerschiffes and flanked by the CL's.
i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Shimakaze/Naval%20Thunder%20IV/DSCF1661.jpg

The Hipper leads the PE, Tirpitz, & Bismarck.
i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Shimakaze/Naval%20Thunder%20IV/DSCF1664.jpg

Bismarck as the tail end charlie of Admiral Lutjens main battle line.
i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Shimakaze/Naval%20Thunder%20IV/DSCF1663.jpg

Scharnhorst and Gneisnau lead the Panzerschiffes in a bid to get past the RN and breakout into the Atlantic.
i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Shimakaze/Naval%20Thunder%20IV/DSCF1665.jpg

The initial set-up for the RN shows from right to left the CA's flanking the BC's. The CL's lead the RN's Homefleet BB's.
i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Shimakaze/Naval%20Thunder%20IV/DSCF1670.jpg

The KM BC's turn to try and break away from the KM BB's hoping to get into the Atlantic and raid the troop convoys.
i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Shimakaze/Naval%20Thunder%20IV/DSCF1668.jpg

Initial contact is made by the RN CLs and the KM CAs turn to unmask their X & Y turrets. The KM BCs seeing smoke on the horizon in front of them turn to rejoin the KM BBs.
i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Shimakaze/Naval%20Thunder%20IV/DSCF1674.jpg

Sheffield, along with Ajax & Achilles begin to take long range gunfire from the KM CAs & BB's. Just above them you see the RN BCs moving to block the anticipated course of the KM BCs.
i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Shimakaze/Naval%20Thunder%20IV/DSCF1671.jpg

The KM BB & CA line turns to cross the 'T' on the charging RN CLs with shellfire being exchanged by both sides.
i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Shimakaze/Naval%20Thunder%20IV/DSCF1678.jpg

The Sheffield staggers under the massed gunfire of the KM BB's & CA's and slips beneath the waves.
i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Shimakaze/Naval%20Thunder%20IV/DSCF1684-1.jpg

The RN BB's put on full speed to support their hard pressed CLs. However, the KGV takes a bridge hit from the Tirpitz.
i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Shimakaze/Naval%20Thunder%20IV/DSCF1680-1.jpg

Hood & Repulse race ahead to engage the KM BCs, but the Repulse takes a hit below the waterline which floods the engine rooms, reducing her speed.
i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Shimakaze/Naval%20Thunder%20IV/DSCF1682-1.jpg

Hipper and Bismarck take return gunfire that starts fires, but do little material damage.
i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Shimakaze/Naval%20Thunder%20IV/DSCF1685.jpg

Ajax & Achilles continue to charge ahead and try to get within torpedo range, but are sunk in the attempt. The PE tries a long range torpedo shot, but it misses. At the top of the picture the KM BC's exchange gunfire with the RN BCs.
i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Shimakaze/Naval%20Thunder%20IV/DSCF1691.jpg

A better shot of the long range gunnery duel between the KM BCs (at the bottom of the pic) and the RN BCs (at the top of the pic).
i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Shimakaze/Naval%20Thunder%20IV/DSCF1679-1.jpg

KGV still suffering from the effects of the bridge hit that forces her to steer straight ahead, is hit by the Tirpitz and loses her fire control.
i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Shimakaze/Naval%20Thunder%20IV/DSCF1687.jpg

The KGV finally gets her steering under control and with the POW finally make a turn to port. Unfortunately, the KM BBs and CAs are able to find the range and start fires on both RN BBs. The KGVs damage control team exhausted by the effort to repair the steering has a difficult time bringing the fires under control.
i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Shimakaze/Naval%20Thunder%20IV/DSCF1693.jpg

So while the RN suffered some losses, the KM was turned back. The valuable troopships will not come under the guns of the KM capital ships.

[Bluebear]

Thanks for the photos. That close-up of the Bismarck shows a very nice paint job.


-- Jeff

[warchariot]

Thanks for the photos. I notice not all ships are based, which do you like better?

[shigure]

I think for ease of handling and for wargaming purposes, I like using the bases better. It may take up a little more space but you can also write the name of the ship on the base in bigger letters that are easier to read.

[TheDreadnought]

Reposted text for easy reading:

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The action in the Skagerrak in 1941 began when virtually the entire German surface fleet, attempted to break out into the Atlantic. This fleet, consisting of the battleships Tirpitz (flag), Bismarck, battlecruisers Scharnhorst (flag), Gneisenau, heavy cruisers Lutzow and Admiral Scheer *, and heavy cruisers Hipper and Prinz Eugen. These were escorted by the light cruisers Köln and Nürnberg, who were to return to Germany after the breakout.

The intercepting Home fleet consisted of the battleships King George V and Prince of Wales, battlecruisers Hood and Repulse, heavy cruisers Norfolk and Suffolk, and light cruisers Glasgow, Sheffield, Achilles and Ajax. The carrier Victorious was providing distant support.

The fleets quickly sighted each other (turn 2), although not all ships could see each other initially, both fleets quickly worked up to full speed. The British fleet initially steered to close with the German battleships, the Sheffield, Achilles and Ajax speeding ahead in an attempt to use their torpedoes.

The German battleships and heavy cruisers turned to starboard and the Tirpitz opened fire on the Sheffield, the Bismarck attained hits on the Ajax, joined by the Prinz Eugen. but did not cause any major damage, and the Hipper fired on the on the Achilles.
The German battlecruisers and heavy cruisers turned to port in an attempt to swing around the British force and escape into the Atlantic. Alas it was not to be, as the British battlecruisers, heavy cruisers and Glasgow swung hard to the starboard to cut the German escape route. (See ship track diagram)

The Germans, seeing this, made a hard starboard turn to reform the German line. The Scharnhorst opened fire on the Norfolk, knocking out her ‘X’ 8” turret. The Gneisenau likewise opened fire on the Sheffield, but failed to hit.

The Repulse opened fire at the Scharnhorst at extreme range, but missed, giving the Germans additional +25 VP. The Hood, had better luck, opened fire on the Scharnhorst, immediately knocking out her ‘A’ 11” turret, as well as other damage.

The fleets continued in their directions, just out of range of the British heavy cruisers. The German light cruisers, feeling somewhat outclassed, pulled in behind the German battlecruisers and heavy cruisers, waiting for the opportunity to break through the line and attack the British ships. This never happened.

The situation now was thus: The German battleships were firing at the Ajax, causing more and more damage, but nothing critical as yet. The King George V continued to fire at the Hipper, knocking out a 4.1” mount. The Prince of Wales was still masked by the King George V and was not able to fire yet. The British battlecruisers was still going on the opposite course, and with the range closing, the Hood continued to fire at the Scharnhorst, causing additional damage. The Repulse again tried to fire at the Scharnhorst at extreme range, but was, once again, unlucky, thereby giving the Germans additional +25 VP.

The Bismarck now shifted her fire to the Sheffield, causing great damage. The Tirpitz shifted her fire to the King George V, causing some damage. The Scharnhorst shifted to the Repulse, hitting her engine room, which caused serious flooding and a reduction in speed to 20 knots. The Gneisenau shifted to the Hood, knocking out “Y” 15” turret. At this point the German heavy cruisers were still not in a position to fire their main weapons. The Hipper continued to fire at the Sheffield starting large fires. The Prinz Eugen was firing on the Achilles. Note that during all this time, the secondary armaments of the German ships were firing on the British light cruisers.

The King George V continued to fire on the Hipper, knocking out another 4.1” mount, in addition to other damage, The Prince of Wales, now being unmasked, opened fire on the Prinz Eugen, starting fires and knocking out two 4.1” mounts. The Hood shifted her fire to the next ship in the retiring German line, the Gneisenau, knocking out a 5.9” turret. and the Repulse found the range to the Scharnhorst. The British heavy cruisers, having passed to the rear of the German commenced to fire at the Lutzow, which lost a 11” turret, and the Admiral Scheer, which suffered minor damage.

The Bismarck, along with the Prinz Eugen, shifted her fire to the Prince of Wales, knocking out some 4.5” turrets. The Tirpitz joined the Scharnhorst and the Hipper in firing at the King George V, causing fires, but these were quickly put under control. The Gneisenau shifted to the Hood, causing fires and other damage. The Lutzow opened fire on the Suffolk and the Admiral Scheer commenced firing on the Norfolk, but caused only minimal damage. The Sheffield, having taken too much, sank beneath the waves, but was able to get one short salvo at the Hipper, but caused little damage. The Achilles and Ajax were riding very low in the water, being reduced to wrecks.

The King George V shifted to the Tirpitz, knocking out a 4.1” count. The Prince of Wales opened on the Bismarck, causing some damage. The Hood continued to fire at the Gneisenau, causing additional damage, the Repulse, though moving more slowly and falling behind, fired on the Scharnhorst, knocking out her bridge. As the ship was being brought under control, the Scharnhorst wobbled, but managed to maintain her place in the line. The Suffolk continued to fire on the Lutzow, and the Norfolk continued to hammer the Admiral Scheer, knocking out a torpedo mount.

The Bismarck and Tirpitz , along with the Hipper and Admiral Scheer continued to fire on the Prince of Wales and King George V (which lost her fire control), respectively. The Scharnhorst shifted her fire from the King George V to the Repulse, causing additional flooding, slowing her speed down to 12 knots. The Gneisenau fired on the Ajax, which put her under the waves. The Lutzow and Admiral Scheer continued firing on the Suffolk and Norfolk. The Achilles followed her sister the bottom.

The King George V continued to firing on the Tirpitz and the Prince of Wales at the Bismarck. The Hood hit the bridge of the Scharnhorst, and the bridge of the Gneisenau was hit again by the Repulse. The Norfolk and Suffolk joined together to fire on the Admiral Scheer.

After regaining control of their ships, the surviving German admiral, seeing the state of his ships, hoisted ‘follow me’ and the German fleet turned back to home. The British, licking their own wounds and not wanting to be caught by the Luftwaffe, picked up the British survivors in the water and returned to base.

• In 1940, Hitler had the surviving armoured ships (‘pocket battleships”) reclassified as heavy cruisers.



Ship Track Diagram


Scoring:

German player:

25 Repulse missing at extreme range
25 Repulse still missing at extreme range.
125 Sheffield
105 Achilles
105 Ajax
385

British player:

0

The Germans clearly won a tactical victory, but were prevented from breaking out into the Atlantic, so the British player had the strategic victory.
Ship damage breakdowns:

King George V: lost three 5.25” turret, as well as fire control. 53% damaged.
Prince of Wales: lost three 5.25” turrets. 35% damaged.
Hood: lost one 15” turret. 15% damaged.
Repulse: serious flooding, speed down to 12 knots. Lost one 4” DP mount.
21% damaged.
Norfolk: one 8” turret. 27% damage.
Suffolk: 14% damage.
Glasgow: undamaged
Sheffield: sunk.
Achilles: sunk.
Ajax: sunk.

Bismarck: speed down to 8 knots. 22% damaged.
Tirpitz: two 4.1” DP mounts. 29% damaged.
Scharnhorst: one 11” turret. one 5.9” turret. Two bridge hits. 27% damage.
Gneisenau: one 5.9” turret. Two 4.1” DP mounts. One bridge hit. 28% damage.
Admiral Scheer: one 21” torpedo mount. 15% damage.
Lutzow (ex-Deutschland): one 11” turret. 11% damage.
Hipper: one 4.1” mount. One 21” torpedo mount. 54% damaged.
Prinz Eugen: three 4.1” mounts. One 21” torpedo mount. 31% damaged.
Köln: undamaged.
Nürnberg: undamaged.

[shigure]

I think we played 8 turns in about 2 1/2 hours. That was not bad considering the number of ships involved and all of us trying to keep detailed info. for the write-up, plus taking pictures of the action.
I think we might be running a WWI scenario this week.

[warchariot]

We have a tough time remembering to take pictures, so we wrote it into the turn sequence, still we forget.