4 replies to this topic

[W. Clark]

Jim O'Neal is looking at putting together a series of smaller North Sea and/or Channel scenarios (primarily cruisers, destroyers, minelayers and the like). I seem to remember a site that gave some OOB coverage to those kinds of fights but I'm having trouble finding it. If anyone has knowledge in this area I'd appreciate a response. We are looking at breaking Helgoland Bite into smaller segments and perhaps linking them. There are also what if scenarios such as Von Spee trying to get home rather than pressing on. We are thinking scenarios primarily limited to a cruiser squadron per side and if DDs are present to use the divisional/half flotilla rules to keep the number of bases to push down as far as possible, but nothing is set in stone. So, any input at all would be welcome.

 

WMC

[healey36]

Mike Bennighof has written a number of campaign/scenarios books for Avalanche Press’ Great War At Sea series of games; it’s possible you are thinking of these. They are comprehensive from an OOB perspective, and they include historical, play, and design notes. I am especially fond of the 1914 and 1915 booklets, a time when things were a bit more “free-wheeling”.

I presume you’ve read through Forney’s North Sea Campaign (ODGW). It’s an interesting approach, but I’ve not tried a soup-to-nuts play. It sounds like you guys are trying to laser-focus on a relatively brief stretch of time.

In my experience, finding primary source data for historical scenarios is tough, and corroboration of postwar writings can be even tougher. I think Massie and Bennett made decent jobs of it, but even they aren’t perfect.

[W. Clark]

Nope. There is a web site about the WWI that not only gives OOBs but lists of flag officers for both the RN and the Germans (including DOR for each grade) as well as other lists. Unfortunately, the laptop that I had it on was one of those things that went up in the wildfire of 2020. I used it extensively back in 2012 and 2013 when I was researching WWI scenarios, but memory alone no longer serves, and I was hoping for someone else's memory to bridge the gap.

It also listed the varies cruiser deployments throughout the war and just a host of useful info that could also point you in the right direction for further research. Nothing like fire and 100-year wind to sweep all before it.

WMC

[healey36]

Take a look at The Dreadnought Project site (dreadnoughtproject.org). I’ve used that to research individual ships, but not actions (information that is available there, but sometimes requiring a bit of work).

 

https://dreadnoughtp...x.php/Main_Page

[W. Clark]

That's it, thank you very much; I'll get on it.

 

WMC