The Manchurian War

We got together to fight our second training battle this past Saturday, 27 June. While we prefer cruiser/destroyer actions, we felt we need to gain a little experience with battleships. Of course, the recently acquisition of two Kongos and two Dunkerques might have played a role in that decision. Two players new to the rules joined us (four playing), so we kept the scenario simple. 

One of the advantages of the French fleet is that one can just make-up scenarios. In this case, we decided on an action that had the French sending a squadron to reinforce its forces in the Far East. Dunkerque. Strasbourg, and the heavy cruiser Foch formed the Groupement tactique d’Extrême-Orient. The group was to join with the Forces Navales d’Extreme-Orient based in Saigon. Fearing that such a powerful group would upset their plans against French Indo-China, The Japanese dispatched a battle group consist of the Haruna and Kongo, along with the heavy cruiser Haguro. We opted not to use any destroyers so to keep the battle on the simpler side of the rules. The battleships were fairly well matched, but Haguro clearly outclassed the treaty cruiser Foch. Torpedoes also favored the Japanese, with sixteen 24” Type 93 tubes against only six 21″ tubes of the French.  

Map of the Action

The two side spotted each other at long ranges, the weather being clear with a moderate breeze. 

1300-1306 (T1). Both squadrons were initially in line ahead, Haruna and Dunkerque leading their respective squadrons. The Japanese were on a course to the north east, the French heading due west. At 24k both sides opened ranging fire. The Japanese had turned due north to open all their arcs, The French continued due west with Strasbourg taking a position off the Dunkerque’s port quarter clearing her arcs. No hits were scored in the first minutes of the battle.

1312 (T2). The Japanese ships turned four points to starboard to close the range, while the French also turned 4 point to starboard. The French were slightly ahead of the Japanese. Dunkerque got first blood scoring a hull hit against Haruna at 20k.  

1318 (T3). Range as now down to 18K. Both Haruna and Dunkerque missed, but Kongo and Strasbourg exchanged hits. Kongo took a hull hit while Strasbourg was hit on its hanger which started a fire and took a hull hit which didn’t penetrate. The two cruisers began firing at each other without effect.

1324 (T4). Range was ~15-17K. Strasbourg’s damage control successfully contained the fire. Range was slowly dropping as both sides held their present course. It was now 16k. Both Haruna and Kongo missed, but Strasbourg scored another hit on Kongo which didn’t detonate. Foch hit Haguro, but the shell didn’t penetrate. Haguro had returned the favor and hit a seaplane which started a fire.

1330 (T5). Range was ~13.5KThe God of War was wearing Janus’ mask. As Janus’ looked to towards one side to favor a beginning, the other side would only see the promise of an end. Dunkerque and Haruna traded hits, both critical. A 13” shell smashed through the armor of Haruna’s X Turret and started a fire that threaten the magazine. The turret crew sacrificed themselves to ensure that the magazine was flooded, saving the ship. At the same time a 14” shell hit the stern of Dunkerque, exploding in the steering compartment. The force of the explosion twisted the rudder to starboard, turning the 27,000T ship hard to starboard. A shell from Kongo also struck the Strasbourg, destroying the forward ports side 152mm secondary turret.  Foch’s crew extinguished its fire but took two more hits, one in the hull and one that destroyed B Turret.  

1336 (T6). Range was ~12K Dunkerque’s crew struggled to free the ship’s rudder without success. Dunkerque turned tightly to starboard while Strasbourg sailed passed her holding her due north course. Foch was moving up to lay smoke to cover the out-of-control flagship. The Japanese had turned to nearly due east while remaining in line ahead with the plan of sailing behind the French squadron. However Dunkerque’s problem threw that plan into disarray as the French basically remained where they were. This left the Japanese with their A arcs closed, reducing their firepower to only their forward turrets while Haguro range was fouled. Both French battleships had all their arcs open. In the gunfire exchange, both Haruna and Kongo lost a secondary mount. Dunkerque took a hit from Haruna but it was dud. Foch changed targets to fire at Haruna but missed. 

1342 (T7). Range was ~9-11K. Dunkerque’s rudder remained jammed as the ship continued its merry-go-round ride. As Dunkerque’s main battery arcs remained open, Foch didn’t lay smoke as she sail past the battleship and then turned to starboard to close with Dunkerque. Strasbourg turned to starboard, bringing her on a course roughly SSW, passing behind her sister ship. Haruna led Kongo on a starboard turn heading roughly SE. Dunkerque and Strasbourg had exchanged targets, with Dunkerque hitting Kongo once and Strasbourg also scoring against Haruna. The hit on Kongo took out B Turret while Haruna lost a searchlight and tertiary mount. In exchange, a shell from Haruna penetrated the port side of Strasbourg’s Turret 1. The explosion ignited the powder charges in the turret which blew out the center bulkhead, killing the gun crew in the starboard side of Turret 1. Strasbourg had just lost half her main agreement. She also took another hull hit. Foch didn’t score any hits.

1348 (T8). Range was ~8-10K. Dunkerque’s crew was finally able to free the rudder and restore control. She continued to turn to starboard until she steadied on a due north course. Strasbourg turned to follow as the French admiral decided that the odds had turned against him. Foch continued south to swing in behind Strasbourg to lay smoke to help disengage. The Japanese battleships continued on the their SE course while Haguro maneuvered separately just north of the Japanese battleships. Both French battleships missed their opposite number, but Haruna hit Strasbourg with another hull hit. Haguro hit Foch five times, with two hulls, a bulkhead, and two secondaries. Haguro was hit, losing one of its DCTs. 

1354 (T9). Range was ~7-10K. The French continue to sail north while the Japanese battleship turn due east. Strasbourg is losing some speed. Haguro launched eight torpedoes to the NE. All the French ships miss, but Kongo scores a hit on Dunkerque. The shell hits A Turret and the fire begins to dash downward. Like Haruna, Dunkerque’s crew quickly flood the magazine saving the ship. Having now lost half his main guns, the French admiral decision to disengage was not only prudent but now a necessity.  

1400 (T10). Range was ~9-11K. Strasbourg slowed to 15 kts. Suddenly torpedoes are spotted off the port bow. At her slow speed, Starsbourg is sluggish and responds slowly to her helm. The officers watched as four torpedo pass in-front of the ship, then two explosions follow. It doesn’t matter that two more torpedoes miss astern as Strasbourg finished. She slowed to stop while heeling over to port. There is nothing the other two French ships can do. At the same time, five shells hit the stricken battleship as the crew escapes into the oily waters. Haguro doesn’t linger over her success but turned hard to port, bringing her starboard tubes to bear on the retreating French warships.

1406 (T11). Haguro launched another spread of eight torpedoes but it quickly became clear that the French ships will be able to avoid them. Foch moves into position to screen the Dunkerque with smoke from the Japanese fire, but the Japanese decide not to pursue.  Haguro takes some hits on its secondaries. I had made some sinking ships models, but forgot to bring them to the battle. Oh well, the next fight.

At this point we ended the game. We did check to see if Haguro’s torpedoes could have hit anything, but the firing arc was off and all would miss.

This was an enjoyable game. With two new players and plenty of talk, photo taking, shaking out the rules, we played 11 turns in a little less than three hours. As previously mentioned in other games, once players are able to work on their own, the game can move much quicker. 

The Japanese and French battleships were an interesting match and fairly even opponents. I would like to fight this again with a proper destroyer escort to see how the tactics would change. The main armament placement of the French ships wasn’t a significant problem until the end when the French decided to break off. Here the use of destroyers would have been of great benefit. 

Out next training game will be this coming Thursday (2 July). We are planning a night battle with cruisers to give those rules a workout.