2 replies to this topic

[jwsleser]

This is hopefully the first of many posts as we embark on playing the DTMB Campaign game. It will be a few months before we actually start the campaign as we finish collecting the necessary ships and master the GQ3 and DTMB rules. I thought I would post some of our preparations to lead up to the start.

 

The Dutch. The major combatants of Dutch Navy stationed in the NEI consisted of four cruisers and seven destroyers. Several more ships were nearing completion and would have deployed to the NEI but the German invasion in May 1940 disrupted that plan. By the time these new ships were ready, the campaign in the NEI was over. 

 

The Dutch Squadron in December 1941. Not included in the picture is Hr. Ms. Sumatra. Although present in the NEI, she was still under refit with serious engineering plant problems (among other issues). Manning was also a problem as the fall of The Netherlands cut the NEI off from its source of replacements. Cross-decking was common as ships enter refit/repair and their crews transferred to other ships to complete their complements. While in the DTMB Campaign game, Sumatra wasn't never operational and was transferred out of the area early in the campaign. I plan to get Sumatra in the near future as she is a ship used in DTMB to help play balance. 

 

https://themanchuria...h-squadron.jpeg

 

The Dutch destroyers in the picture are correctly organized for the campaign (the organization in the DTMB is incorrect, see Bosscher De Koninklijke Marine in de Tweede Wereldoorlog, deel 2 Bijlage 9, and Womack The Allied Defense of the Malay Barrier 1941-1942, p.50). The Divise Torpedobootjagers 1 consisted of Groep I (Hr. Mrs. Van Ghent, Witte de With, Kortenear), Groep 2 (Hr. Ms. Piet Hein, Banckert), and Groep 3 (Hr. Ms. Eversten, Van Nes). 

 

https://themanchuria...h-cruisers.jpeg

 

The two main Dutch cruisers, Hr. Ms. De Ruyter and Java. 

 

https://themanchuria...utch-tromp.jpeg

 

​The destroyer leader Hr. Ms. Tromp. While considered a destroyer leader, she was never assigned to the destroyer groups and was reclassified as a light cruiser. 

 

I have the floatplanes, but have yet to finish painting them.

 

v/r  Jeff

[W. Clark]

On GT4 if the Allies roll a "7" for their Theater Event then they can activate the Sumatra at Surabaya. She is limited in speed by an unrepairable engine hit to 20 knots. Her CRT rolls for gunnery are up 1 roll. Her damage control rolls are up 2 and she has green morale. In addition, she is considered unreliable and is subject to "Ship Availability" rolls that she has to pass in order to sortie. Other than that, she is just like Java; a "5.9" non-rapid firing cruiser without torps. I see no reason, however if at some point you want the what-if, that a house rule agreement between both sides allowing her to appear at the start in full working order could not occur. It would represent (IMHO) the Dutch having made different choices on ship maintenance prior to the campaign. You could add her VP value to the IJN VP total as a play balance if you thought it to be needed.

 

WMC

[Jim O'Neil]

Looks very interesting, wish I were closer.