We picked out sides out of the hat, me and Surj (Germans) were pitted again BigLee and Evil Postie (Brits). You can read Lee's battle report here.
The battle plan was simple, the German High Seas fleet were stuck on the wrong side of the Horn Reef sandbanks, and had to wait for an undetermined time to cross them safely. Also there was a minefield all along the edge of the smaller mat, leading out into the open ocean , with only two narrow corridors left open for access. If we could we had to lure the Brits into the minefield. Otherwise we were to engage the fleet and destroy them.
Order of Battle German High Seas Fleet (Surjit and Ray)
Surj
Helgoland (Battleship) 12" Guns
Grosser Kurfurst (Battleship) 12" Guns
Bayern (Battleship) 15" Guns
Hannover (Pre Dreadnought) 11" Guns
Schliesen (Pre Dreadnought) 11" Guns
S53 (Torpedo Boat) 3" Guns + 4 Torpedoes
S54 (Torpedo Boat) 3" Guns + 4 Torpedoes
S55 (Torpedo Boat) 3" Guns + 4 Torpedoes
S56 (Torpedo Boat) 3" Guns + 4 Torpedoes
Ray
V44 (Torpedo Boat) 3" Guns + 4 Torpedoes
V45 (Torpedo Boat) 3" Guns + 4 Torpedoes
B109 (Torpedo Boat) 3" Guns + 4 Torpedoes
B110 (Torpedo Boat) 3" Guns + 4 Torpedoes
Sayolitz (Battle Cruiser) 11" Guns
Lutzoli (Battle Cruiser) 12" Guns
Leipzig (Light Cruiser) 4" Guns + 2 Torpedoes
Nurnberg (Light Cruiser) 4" Guns + 2 Torpedoes
British Grand Fleet (BigLee and Postie)
Ajax (Battleship) 13.5" Guns
Benbow (Battleship) 13.5" Guns
Ramillies (Battleship) 15" Guns
Thunderer (Battleship) 13.5" Guns
Britania (Pre Dreadnought) 12" Guns
Inflexible (Battle Cruiser) 12" Guns
Indomitable (Battle Cruiser) 12" Guns
Tiger (Battle Cruiser) 12" Guns
Monmouth (Armoured Cruiser) 6" Guns + 2 Torpedoes
Glouchester (Light Cruiser) 6" Guns + 2 Torpedoes
Rifleman (Destroyer) 4" Guns + 2 Torpedoes
Fury (Destroyer) 4" Guns + 2 Torpedoes
Africa (Pre Dreadnought) 12"
Liverpool (Light Cruiser) 6" Guns + 2 Torpedoes
Mameluke (Destroyer) 4" Guns + 2 Torpedoes
Oberon (Destroyer) 4" Guns + 2 Torpedoes
The German big boys Helgoland, Grosser Kurfurst, Bayern, Hannover &
Schliesen at anchor.
Schliesen at anchor.
The German Torpedo boats (on the right) patrol the waters looking for the enemy
We spot each other...
My SMS B110 is the first ship to take fire.
Come on tide........ the Seydlitz, Lutzow, Leipzig and Nurnburg all wait patiently.
Me and Surj managed to get into Torpedo range,
but of course that meant we were also in close range of the British guns!
It was hard trying to keep a line....
Turn 4 - At last the tide is high enough for the German big boys to try and get
into the action.
Turn 5 - The first casualty!!
HMS Fury sinks S53
Then HMS Rifleman has a lucky shot and S56 goes down as well!
but on our return of fire Surj manages to damage HMS Glouster, which is dead in the water.
My V44 fires a torpedo at HMS Mamluke which blows up and sinks.
HMS Liverpool and SMS S54 both slug it out....
Great dice rolls from both sides cause catastrophic damage to both ships
who both sink!
The British big boys arrive on the table.
Including HMS Thunderer and HMS Ramillies
The German High Seas fleet manoeuvres through the minefield and try and link up.
Surj did his usual, pushed all his ships far to close to mine, so I had to split my force
and go in two directions???
But we finally managed to get into some semblance of a line.
And we all fired along the line.
Surj very bravely pushed his last torpedo boat up into close range
In one of the last shots of the game the Seydlitz damages HMS Indomitable's rudder.
After this John, called the end of the game as night was closing in so the ships pulled apart to lick their wounds.
It was a close game, but the German High Seas Fleet were victorious, nearly all ships on both sides were damaged, some more than other, but the Brits lost a Battle Cruiser, 2 Light Cruiser's also effectively another the Gloucester that was drifting off table and 2 Destroyers, while the Germans only lost 4 Torpedo boats.
Casualties
German
S53
S56
V44
S54
British
HMS Gloucester - Dead in the water
HMS Mameluke
HMS Oberon
HMS Liverpool
HMS Inflexable
This was the first time I've played WWI ships and the first time I've played John's rules. John's rules were fairly simple and very effective, they did give you a great feel for the period, so I shall be looking forward to another game with these and maybe if I'm lucky...........another win????