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AAR Force de Raid - Norway or The Twins Meet The Twins


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#1 simanton

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Posted 20 December 2015 - 11:21 PM

At long last, after delays from windstorms, conferences and week-long power outages, the After Action Report from this year's game at Tactical Solutions is posted.

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#2 W. Clark

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Posted 21 December 2015 - 08:39 PM

First, thank you for the great AAR.
 
IMHO the French have a very poor chance for victory and perhaps even survival if they try for a straight out gunnery duel with the Germans. First, the French should split their force sending their Bats one way and everything else the other. Secondly, the French need to use smoke copiously. Strassbourg should smoke Dunkerque and a destroyer should cover the rest with smoke. Any exposed destroyer should be using evasive action. The idea is not to shoot at the Germans so much as to limit as much as possible the Germans being able to shoot at the French effectively.
 
The German BCs have to keep station on the French Bats or risk them crossing the German stern if they turn back on the French cruisers/destroyers and if they keep station then that takes them out of cruiser/destroyer fight. The German cruisers/destroyers have to penetrate the smoke screen to get at the French cruisers/destroyers and the resultant close range gun fight coupled with better French torpedoes should at least make that an even proposition for the French. Otherwise given the gunnery difference (about 2 range bands) and relatively equal dice the French are in for a really bad day.

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#3 simanton

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Posted 22 December 2015 - 01:29 AM

Glad you like it, Bill!  Yes, I hoped that adding the 1,500 ton DDs would beef things up enough for the French, but it wasn't enough.  Sheldon with the convoy and escorts was imaginative with smoke.  Smokescreens would definitely have helped the super destroyers and the 1,500 tonners.  In his maneuvers, Steve DID keep his light units headed for the convoy, which was good.  And you are quite right, the French definitely cannot afford a knockdown dragout in this one especially at long range.  And Ryan was mighty good at rolling straddles!  BTW, I don't think GQ2 allows anything bigger than a DD to lay smoke.  



#4 W. Clark

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Posted 22 December 2015 - 12:32 PM

I know that GQ II precludes ships larger than destroyers from making smoke but the rational in the rules as I remember it is that the restriction is to prevent an over use of smoke bogging the game down. However, just about every ship could make smoke in reality and in the case of this scenario it is an absolute necessity in order to provide play balance. My advice is to allow all ships in this scenario to make smoke. I would also apprise the French players of my advice about splitting the bats off and restricting German fire by use of smoke and evasive maneuver. I believe that if the French follow that advice then your scenario will be a closely contested one that both sides are in from the start to the finish which ever way it goes.



#5 simanton

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Posted 31 December 2015 - 12:51 AM

Just about any steam propelled oil-burning ship can lay an effective smokescreen.  After seeing the results when a forced draft blower lost control air, I have no doubt of it.  Diesels and coal burners really need smoke generators - mess with the combustion air on a coal burner and you'll get a grate full of clinkers.



#6 simanton

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Posted 06 February 2016 - 10:52 PM

I do have a house rule concerning smokescreens and spotter planes.  With a spotter plane on the target, a firing ship can shoot through a smokescreen, but its straddle odds are limited to normal visual maximum or maximum range of the gun, whichever is less.






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