3 replies to this topic

[Todd Reed]

I saw those pics in the folders of Historicon 2011 - anybody have any write-ups on the games?

[Kenny Noe]

I'm trying, but have a family vacation that I was told I "must" attend.... Hopefully I can write it up and publish soon. Keep an eye on the Blogs section. Will try and remember to cross post.

Thanks for asking...

[healey36]

Historicon 2011
S-493 – Run to the Atlantic

Let me start by saying I’m a board-gamer, having had very little exposure to, or participation in, the world of miniatures gaming. That said, I’ve always been intrigued, and frankly, a bit intimidated by the incredible amount of detail and passion folks bring to the table in this branch of the hobby. Over the past three or four years a number of us have ventured to Historicon to observe, attend a few lectures, and scoop up a bunch of stuff from the vendor area. This year, we committed ourselves to trying to participate in at least one game…we lucked out with our choice.

The premise of the game centered on the attempted sortie by a pair of Admiral Raeder’s pocket battleships with the objective of breaking out into the Atlantic and tearing up the sea lanes for a few weeks or months. The force would be screened by a pair of heavy cruisers and three light cruisers. The Royal Navy, with Ultra intel, would attempt to intercept with a larger force of heavy and light cruisers.

The game was sponsored by Old Dominion Game Works, mastered by the very capable (and patient) Bob Benge. The rule set was General Quarters 3. For those of us inexperienced with GQ3 and miniatures naval gaming in general, Bob steered us through it and made sure we had fun. Thanks Bob. What follows is my recollection of the evening’s events.

The game kicked off around four o’clock and was scheduled for four hours. There were six players, three to a side. I took a spot with the Kriegsmarine, while my son joined the RN. After a brief bit of strategizing, we Germans assigned our commands. The force was divided into three flotillas, one comprising the pair of Lutzow-class CB’s, a second with two Hipper-class heavy cruisers, and the third the three light cruisers. Being the least experienced player on our side, I opted for the three light cruisers, knowing they would most likely be expended anyway. The objective for the Kriegsmarine was to get the CB’s off the western map edge intact. We assigned overall command to the CB player.

The Brits, similarly divided into three units, had an advantage in numbers. Two units consisted of a pair of heavy cruisers with a single light cruiser, and the third being made up of three light cruisers. With the CB’s slower speed, we recognized the Brits would have a slight edge in maneuver.

The German initial strategy was to line up on the center at the eastern table-edge heading due-west, cruisers in front (heavies on the left, lights on the right) with the CB’s bringing up the rear. They would sail straight down the table and hopefully force the English to commit, perhaps splitting their force to our advantage. While at first there seemed to be considerable initial milling about on the horizon, the Brits soon came into clear view, having indeed split their force. One of the flotillas consisting of two heavy cruisers and a single light cruiser was on a south-easterly course, cutting diagonally across the western side of the table. The group of light cruisers turned due east, proceeding down the northern table-edge. The remaining flotilla of two heavy and one light cruisers lagged as a blocking force.

In view of these developments, the German commander fatefully ordered his own cruisers into a battle-line turning to the southwest in a race to cross-the-tee with the British force cutting diagonally to the south-east. The CB’s simultaneously turned northwest, bearing down on the advancing column of light cruisers. It was quickly apparent that the German cruisers would lose the race.

There was sporadic exchange of long-range fire as the distance closed between the lines, hits being scored by both sides with minimal damage. His Majesty’s heavy cruisers reached their optimal firing position first, and promptly shot Hipper to pieces. The Germans, their tee crossed, were unable to bring their guns to bear, and what few hits they were able to score were largely ineffective. Hipper, dead in the water and on fire, was skillfully passed by her sister ship, only to suffer the same fate. Within a matter of minutes both German heavy cruisers were out of action. Having witnessed this disaster, the commander of the light cruisers increased speed, broke from the line and turned due north, bringing the ships around into position to unleash a broadside on the heavy cruisers at a considerable range. Peppering the English with 5.9-inch rounds to no effect, the British commander bellowed that the German was “either a brave lad or a damned fool”. Accepting the latter, the Geman attempted to quickly put as much open water between himself and the Brit cruisers with their return fire as possible. Leipzig, who would seem to spend the entire game either on fire or smoldering, took a number of hits and burst into flame for the first time. As the range lengthened, the Brit commander returned to unfinished business with Hipper and Prinz Eugen.

To the north, the on-rushing British light cruisers exchanged salvos with Scheer, who returned fire with her forward turret. Scoring multiple hits and severely damaging the lead light cruiser, the British line turned sharply southward, now taking fire from both pocket battleships able to bring their 11-inch guns to bear. Blasting away, one light cruiser was soon dispatched and the others limped slowly south toward the center of the table. The CB’s maintained their fire over the increasing range while continuing west at maximum speed, ominously failing to score any hits over a number of turns.

Leipzig, her fires out, led the column of German light cruisers north across the table. Immediately in front of them, slightly to port, came the onrushing British light cruisers trying to escape Scheer and Lutzow. In a straight line heading due south, the ships would pass each other at near point-blank range. No longer distracted by the heavier ships firing from opposite sides of the table, the light cruisers opened on each other as they rushed past. Leipzig took a number of hits, lost turret two, her port-side torpedoes, and re-erupted in flames. Koln had turret two and three disabled. Nurnberg, bringing up the rear of the German column, suffered no hits. Simultaneously numerous hits were scored on the Brit light cruisers who veered southeast as they passed the Germans. Nurnberg, launching a salvo of torpedoes as the English rushed past, scored a hit removing the stern of the last ship in the line, its momentum carrying it forward to fall dead in the water.

By now there was nothing left of Hipper and Prinz Eugen other than an oily sheen and a few bobbing heads in the choppy sea. The heavies now exchanged a series of long-range salvoes, over a few turns scoring minimal hits and little damage. The mixed force of heavy and light cruisers that had positioned themselves to block the advance of the German capital ships now moved forward, heading north-east at a deliberate speed. Scheer and Lutzow continued due west in line. The endgame was rapidly approaching.

The German light cruisers, mauled in the devastating exchange with their English counterparts, recognized the danger and desperately tried to get position to screen the pocket battleships from the blocking cruisers. The blocking force opened on the Germans, raking Leipzig one last time. With all primary guns disabled and on fire from bow to stern, she passed a morale test, turned and fell out of line to the west. Koln, down to one remaining turret, took numerous hits, lost speed and slowed precariously. Nurnberg, undamaged but the farthest back, raced forward hoping to close the range for a second torpedo attack. It was, however, all for naught.

Scheer and Lutzow chugged westward. The blocking force, continuing north-east to close the range, crossed the tee and opened fire on the leading Scheer. The CB returned fire scoring few if any hits, continuing a sudden trend of abysmal gunnery. The range continued to close, now just a few thousands yards separating the two columns. Then, in one of the great moments of British naval history, Ajax, hero of the Battle of the River Plate, unleashed a broadside from her eight six-inch guns scoring numerous hits up and down Scheer. A few desperate die-rolls later and it was game over - Ajax had managed to knock out both 11-inch triple turrets of the pocket battleship, leaving her with only her secondary, effectively sealing her fate. With all possibilities vaporized, the Kriegsmarine conceded the day to the British players.

A little more than three hours in the books and it was all over. We’d had a lot of fun, learned a bunch, and met some great folks. I can’t think of a better way to squander three hours.

It was, however, a long ride home with my son, commander of Ajax and the blocking force.

At least that’s how I remember it.

[Kenny Noe]

GREAT AAR!! Thanks!