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+
That does sound like some good gaming with results illustrating how things could have gone for the Rn had the Spee's captain not chosen to scuttle. Hope to see pics of your next game if you can spare the time!
ReplyDeleteGlad to read you are well mate. Just listened to the latest Canadian wargamer pod - good stuff!
Hi Dai. Glad you liked the podcast. I think it's actually a tougher scenario for the Spee than it looks as the real victory condition is to escape without any significant damage, and in our second game, the Spee last about a third of its damage points.
DeleteMichael -
ReplyDeleteI see that HMNZS Achilles graces this posting!
The River Plate battle is an intriguing one in which it is hard to assess the balance of forces. I've played out versions of the battle with other forces (one to test my 'teeny-tiny' battlecruiser against my basic cruiser design, and the other a fair while back to test my 'Mighty Armada' game. The results there, too, were 1-all.
It is my belief that Graf Spee got the better of the tactical action, but the strategic position was pretty much hopeless - just as the eponymous Admiral's was in 1914. I think Capt Langsdorf knew it. By the end of the day, his stocks of 11-inch were down to 40%, but that of Ajax's main guns (and presumably that of Achilles) were even more depleted.
One forms the impression that warships of the time were really good for one serious action against a peer opponent, after which they would need replenishing and refitting.
Had Cumberland hove over the horizon betimes, methinks it would have been all up for Graf Spee, although Cumberland would have known she'd been in a fight.
Fascinating battle!.
Cheers,
Ion
Hello Ion: Yes, as they say in the moving about the Achilles NZ crew, "five hundred ... individualists". :) It is a great scenario for all sorts of games, including space battles, I am thinking.
DeleteI don't think Langsdorf would have attached if he'd known he was facing three cruisers, I think his lookouts thought it was one cruiser and two DDs. I think you're right that warships then were one shot weapons, and if they survived the flight they'd need a lot of repairs Contemporary naval warfare is likely much more unforgiving - one hit by an anti ship missile and most surface ships would be in desperate trouble.
Always glad to have you read these posts, hopefully they will be more frequent.
Cheers, Mike