Hi friends:
In January I was either sick, crazy busy, or on holiday, so catching up now.
On New Years Day I hosted a few games, including another go at the Battle of the River Plate. I split the three RN cruisers between my friends Conrad and David, and I ran Graf Spee and handled the game play, since I was the only one who knew the rules.
Sadly no photos of the game, as I was quite busy, but I can report that it was a decisive win for Captain Langsdorf. As both sides closed the distance, a salvo from the Graf Spee's big guns hit Ajax. The first shell hit the bridge, wiping out Commodore Harwood, Captain Woodhouse, and their staff, but the second shell hit a magazine and the unfortunate ship detonated and was gone.
Shocked, the British players gamely closed, scoring some hits but taking the worst of it. Spee turned to present her full broadside, and soon Achilles was in serious trouble, listing badly and struggling to control flooding. The pressure was now on Exeter, and she gamely fought on as turret after turret was knocked out, while scoring some hits. With her final salvo before succumbing, Exeter scored a hit on the Spee's rudder and leaving her victorious but steaming in circles.
Would Langsdorf be able to repair his rudder before HMS Cumberland arrived? That was a faint consolation to the RN players, now gamely clinging to wreckage, so we called it as a German victory of sorts. I've now fought the battle twice, and the score is Kriegsmarine 1, Royal Navy 1. An excellent scenario to introduce players to naval gaming. We used the Naval Thunder rules and they continue to impress me.
At present I am assembling a GHQ model of Bismarck, and hoping to do the Battle of the Denmark Strait soon. I'm quite enjoying naval gaming as a diversion.
Cheers and blessings to your die rolls. MP+
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