26 replies to this topic

[Jim O'Neil]

I was thinking along the same lines as well  and will post a version where Cesare turns and fights, to see how that plays out.

[Jim O'Neil]

Strasbourg vs Cesare - round two

 

 

 

13 June 1940  Mediterranean NE of Bizerte, Tunesia some 150 miles

 

Intelligence: Adm Darlan discovers that the Italian BC Guilio Cesare has had some engine problems and was held up in Tripoli. She should be moving to Taranto as soon as the issue is fixed and he desires to put the RM in place. He details STRASBOURG to depart the Atlantic pocket battleship hunt and move as quickly as possible to Bizerte to refuel and be joined by a ready escort of Contre-torpilleurs.

 

French  - Course 085º

Strasbourg

Chevelier Paul

Epervier

Vauquelin

 

Chevalier Paul and Epervier are 1,000 yards n from of and 1,500 yards to the left and right of Strasbourg. Vauquelin is trailing Strasbourg by 2,000 yards.  The funnel gasses hide the Italian force initially until Strasbourg was able to ID them from her top.

 

Cesare has repaired her issues and has an escort of 2 Torpedo Boats.

Super Marina has insisted on a better escort, so held Cesare up until 3 DDs could make it to Tripoli and refuel.

They have started out through the Mine field at first light.

 

Italians - Course 40º Speed 18 knots

Guilio Cesare

Ascari

Camica Nera

Lanciere

Lupo

Partenope

 

The Italian force is sailing with the two TBs 2,000 yards to the front of Cesare and 2,000 yards to either side of her bow looking for signs of submarines. Acari and Camica Nera are 2,000 yards to either flank of Cesare and Lanciere is due aft about 1,500 yards.

 

The French spot (Acquire) the Italians at 0900, but the Italians do no not see the French initially due to the funnel gasses obscuring the spotting. It is 0912 before Lanciere spots and signals Cesare and 0915 before the Cesare confirms the spotting, at which time the French are steaming toward the Italians at close to top speed for the Strasbourg. The range is 22,800 yards and closing.

 

the Italian Admiral knows he is in for a tough day, the enemy ship out matches him in many ways and his only hope is a closer range battle where his extra guns will make a difference, hopefully.

 

He has his Destroyers and Torpedo Boats put up a smoke screen behind him, hoping they will imagine him running for it, but instead he comes around 120º to the right to kill time and let the Strasbourg get in closer. His speed bleeds off even with power on, he is maintaining 12 knots as he comes out of his turn. He has actually moved 1050 yards closer to the Strasbourg with his maneuver and Strasbourg has closed about 5,300 yards in this time. Cesare is accelerating as she clears the smoke with her guns trained to starboard. The range is 16,500 yards.  Cesare get’s a single hit on Strasbourg’s #2 turret which does not penetrate. Strasbourg returns fire and whiffs.

 

The two ships have closed an additional 4,200 Yards and Strasbourg starts a turn away to open the range. At 12,300 Yards. Strasbourg takes a hull hit slowing her to 16 knots along with her 45º turn to port. Cesare turns 65º to starboard holding 18 knots and slips behind Strasbourg who again whiffs her shot. Meanwhile the three Italian Destroyers charge out to close the French Battleship and at 30+ knots causing the French Contre-torpilleurs to try to get in place to protect Strasbourg, but only Vauquelin can do anything, and she misses. Cesare’s secondary hit Chevalier Paul in the Bow, slowing her some.

 

The range changes little, but Strasbourg finds her main battery masked and has her guns train to port for when she exits her turn. Cesare scores another hit taking another hull box. Chavalier Paul is hit again, this time in her #2 gun mount. Lupo, followed by Partenope appear to Cesare’s rear and Lupo launches torpedoes at Chevalier Paul, which chooses to maintain it’s course to attack Cesare.  both TBs open rapid fire on Chevalier Paul and Partenope hits twice setting off the depth charges and causing a fire as well as taking a second hull box. Chevalier Paul is able to suppress the fire promptly. The Italian destroyers close 3,000 yards.

 

The three Italian DDs close another 3,500 yards to 10,000 yards. Strasbourg engages with her secondary [2 on Lanciere, 4 on Camica Nera and Ascari] but nothing hits therm. She fires her main battery at Cesare and misses again. Cesare returns fire on Strasbourg to no effect. Her fires on Chevaler Paul take out her #1 gun mount. The two TBs also fire, one on Chevalier Paul and the other on Epervier. Partenope takes out Epervier’s starboard TT mount.

 

Cesare closes on Strasbourg and fires, hitting five times and 11,700 yards. Strasbourg takes hits in her Port 5.1” quad mount, her port 5.1” double mount, her #1 Main gun turret taking out  2 guns, she loses yet another hull box and takes a critical hit in her main Battery ammunition in her #2 turret taking two more guns out. Strasbourg’s return fire takes out Cesare’s Float plane storage, causing a fire and a hull box.  Her fire versus the oncoming Destroyers Misses Lanciere but  hits Camica Nera twice in the hull and in a bulkhead, .which she repairs and She misses Ascari.  The Contre-torpilleurs do not hit anything they shoot at. Camica Nera hits VauquelinIn her forward #1 gun mount.  the range for the Destroyers is now 6500 Yards, excepting Camica Nera 7,000, and they turn and launch torpedoes. Strasbourg Takes two torpedoes in her starboard side forward, eliminating her Main Guns and leaving her with one hull box at 4 knots.

 

Cesare turns four main battery guns on Epervier while her secondary deals withChevalier Paul, Epervier takes a single 12.6” hit which does three damage {Hull, Bulkhead and Gun #3} The Bulkhead isnot repaired, slowing Epervier more. Strasbourg makes smoke and crawls away when Cesare misses with its main guns. Cesare turns her stern toward the two Contre torpilleurs and speeds up while the two TBs make smoke behind her as they evade. The three Italian destroyers engage Vauquelin as they turn and withdraw as well. 

 

Cesare fires her aft guns at Strasbourg ad her forward guns at Vauqelin causing a fire aboard Strasbourg.  French morale fails and the french commence to withdraw. Cesare fires another series of salvoes into Strasbourg, which just rearranges the junk … her flag comes down and the remaining crew abandon ship. Charges go off and Strasbourg slips beneath the waves.

 

This was somewhat lopsided because Strasbourg didn’t get any hits early in the battle while Cesare pounded away …not super effectively at first, but steadily and Strasbourg couldn’t get back in the battle. Italian tactics contributed, but it shouldn’t have been so one sided. The French Contre-torpilleurs could have contributed more, but since I was the only one running everything, they were not well used.

[Jim O'Neil]

Perhaps we should have a new topic for Scenarios, so people can post scenarios to it.

[Kenny Noe]

There is an entire section devoted to scenarios below.   It's called "After Action Reports"  aka AAR.   All game scenarios should go there.

[Jim O'Neil]

Cool, except I haven't found it ... and I am not posting an AAR, I am posting a new scenario that Lonnie and I have brainstormed a bit...

[Kenny Noe]

Jim,

 

Here is a link to the forum.  

https://www.odgw.com...action-reports/

 

This is a place where all general scenarios and game reports should go.

[Jim O'Neil]

Ah Ha!... I was looking under GQ 3... never even considered Forums in general.