North American Campaign - Game 1 - opening shots

 

Scenario 1

May, 190? 

With war looming, and negotiations stalled, the Navy Red/White/Blue fleet has sent an Armoured Cruiser, the USS Swank, to assess the situation off Halifax, and to be in place to enforce a blockade of this British North American citadel.

On patrol is the Navy Red/Maple Leaf Naval Service scout cruiser, Languid, which is looking out for intruding Yankees,

in the fog…

Languid sights Swank

Swank sights Languid 

both ships stumble across one another, and with tensions high, it is not sure who fired first?

Turn 1

Using the Wellsian spongy dart firing method

Movement in turn – firing in turn results applied at the end of the turn.

 

Languid – 2 x shots from the 6”, 4 x shots from the 4" = 1 hit,  = 2 points of damage, but as it directly struck the aft casemate that gun is considered destroyed.

Hits 1 out of 6

Swank – 2 x shots from the 8”, and 4 x shots from the 6” – 2 heavy hits/1 x medium = 21 points of damage = effect

Hits 3 out of 6

 on Languid

Lose 3” speed

Languid taking hits and loosing a funnel!

Special effect rolls

1 = Engine room hit.  Loss of steam – speed reduced by 50%

14 =  Fire control hit.  Only Secondary and QF armament can fire

16 = Raging fire started - Roll 1 D6 to locate: 1,2=Forward; 3,4=Amidships; 5,6=Aft. See Fire Fighting Rules.  Fired located forward

17  = Searchlights destroyed + 2 extra Damage Points

 

 

Languid fires torpedoes 

Turn 2

Languid turns to starboard at half – speed, and fires torpedoes.  Swank turns to port and fires.  One hit = 8 points.

1 hit out of 4

One extra special effect hit

 

13    = The Officers Mess wine cellar destroyed!  Consternation ensues – the ship ceases fire for a turn

 

Turn 3

Languid's torpedoes miss!

Languid attempts to fight the fire.  A 1 = explosion.  Languid sinks.

 

Summary  - accurate fire from the Swank overwhelmed the Languid - but it was never going to be an equal fight.

The scene will now move to a sortie from Red/White/Blue against the harbour defences...

Summary - in testing the rules there is a need to assess the special effect hits and the hit rates,  This scenario will be replayed with two other firing methods - a ranging method and traditional D6.  It will then be replayed with two other rules sets, but it is difficult to simulate the outdoor sea state, indoors.