"Atlantic Dreams" (because it sounded better than "Cold, Wet, Celebrity death match" )

It is the afternoon of a clear day in the North Atlantic, late 1943.  The Tirpitz has come out to play "Tag, You're Dead!" with an Allied convoy but was intercepted by the Covering Force.

[Editor note:  Made updates on 12/23/2021 to fix a few minor issues as well as the far too many times that "Gneisenau" was misspelled.]

Scenario and setup information:

The "Dream" part of the title comes from my 'mashup' of history to allow the USS Alabama to be in the same time frame as the updated (and more importantly, up-gunned) Gneisenau.  Although the hoped for match ups are really:  Tirpitz vs. Alabama and Gneisenau vs. Renown.  All ships are represented by the correct figure - except the Gneisenau. (Does anyone make a model of the 'improved' version? ) and the US DDs  -- I think I wound up using Cravens because I didn't get my hands on any Mahans or Farraguts until after I had started the game.

 Order of Battle

-- German --

1x Tirpitz
     Id Tag: 1

1x Gneisenau w/  dual 15" turrets.  
     Id Tag: 5

1x Adm. hipper
      Id Tag: 4

2x DD  Von Roders
     Id tag: 2  Hermann Kunne Z19
     Id Tag: 3  Wilhelm Heidkamp Z21
 


-- Allies---


1x Alabama (using Massachusetts, Alabama is not painted yet)
     Id Tag:  D

1x Renown 
     Id Tag:  B

1x Baltimore
     Id Tag:  A

2x  US Mahan DDs 
      Id Tag: C   Madison 425
      Id Tag: E   Mayo 422

1x  US Farragut DD
     Id tag: F  Farragut


The physical playing surface represents the upper left (Northwest) hand part of a larger area made up of 4 rectangular quadrants, each one is conveniently the same size as the physical game table surface.  There is an Allied convoy in in the lower left (Southwest) quadrant, about to pass into the (Southeast) lower right quadrant.

 Game Firing / spotting scale:  normally  1" = 250 yds; but, on a table top  such as this scenario is using, 1" = 500 yards.  The rules use player estimated ranges to determine hits.  And I switched to centimeters for movement.  Movement rate: 1/2 cm = 1 Kt.  (moves are plotted in terms of knots. [ The rule system is CFA (aka Clear For Action) ]

SCROLLING: the board will scroll to the South and East ONLY to the length of one additional board's dimension, thus 84"  to the east and 48" to the South.  (So we're assuming the German Force know where the convoy is and the allied TF is the "deep cover force" that is intercepting them.

Goal of Axis forces is to get past the allied battle fleet and attack convoy without losing any of the capital ships: Tiriptz, Gneisenau.  (Loss of Adm. Hipper is painful but possibly survivable depending on H's mood :-)

Allied goal is to avoid getting the convoy engaged.  (I had not quite settled on a loss threshold for victory conditions. Obvious items would be:
* try really hard not to lose your capital ships.
* Germans actually hitting any convoy ships would guarantee a Tactical Loss.
* Loss of Capital ship and at least on Convoy ship, Decisive German victory (Unless Germans lose Capital ship, then we're back to Ugly Draw

....and I'll stop overthinking it at this point. If you choose to plays this, you can arrive at what works for you.  (But suggestions / comments are also welcome).

Full Disclosure, I hadn't actually set up a mechanism for applying damage to the convoy ships.  I was assuming that either the game would not run that long or the Allies would win.

The forces entered play area in two columns; one column has the larger ships, the other column has the DDs in it.  The Axis TF enters near the NW corner and the Allies enter from the SE corner

 Initial positions of the Allied (top) and Axis (bottom) Task forces.

Initial Position, Allied Ships.  Sailing West.

Initial position, Axis Ships. Sailing ESE

---------------------------< Action report: Turn 1 - 2:15pm >------------------

Forces spot each other and increase speed from the 15 kt baseline.

Adm. Hipper(4) takes a shot at ship A (Boston) but is way over -- about 5000 yards worth of "over".

Alabama(D) also take a ranging shot with her forward turrets but is short of Adm. Hipper(4) by about 8" (# of yards ?)

German DDs are not really in the right place if the entire German TF turns to starboard, so the Allies have the advantage of position for the moment.


 Situation after one turn:

The Allies first shots are short

And Axis shots are correspondingly long.

-------------[-----------< Turn 2 - 2:18pm >------------------------

German DDs start to pull ahead as they are trying to get over to the port side of the line of capital ships to better screen them from the US DDs.

More shots exchanged.  Almost everything misses.

Boston draws first blood, starting a fire on Adm. Hipper with it's lone 8" hit.

(And the referee loves fires because they make for great pictures! :-)

Ruh-Roh! That was close...

Boston lands one! Admiral Hipper is on fire.

------------------------< Turn 3  >--------------------------

 The German DDs cross in front of the large ships to get on their port side.  This was part of a larger nefarious scheme to confuse the Allies I think the Germans were planning to continue steaming ESE for a while to lull the Allies and then try a sharp turn to Starboard and then cut in front the Allied TF as the allies continued sailing more or less west. and see if they could cross their T and then get 'behind them' to the SE some how to get at the Convoy.  The command thought it was worth the risk of not having any screening forces facing the enemy's DDs. for the moment.

Some how Boston(A) get a direct angle "Crossing the T" on German column and even though only her forward turrets can be brought to bear and it's falling shot, Boston(A) lands all 4 8"AP shells on Gneisenau.  (She was really aiming for Hipper of course).

The Boston's gunner officer comments: "Welcome to the North Atlantic, buddy!"
But the Gniesenau's officers and crew shrugs their shoulders and sails on after all 4 shells bounce of the top of boiler rooms and the helm with only minor splinter damage.

Admiral Hipper(4) is still on fire.

Axis viewpoint (pardon mess in background, it's a Basement :-)

Allied View point.

-----------------------< Turn 4 >------------------------------------------

The Allied ships turn to a WSW course to cut off the Germans from an anticipated course headed further south.  And the German capital ships oblige them and make the Allied commander feel good about his self by doing exactly that, but leaving the German DDs headed NE.  (Which perhaps could have been a hint to the Allies about what happened next).

Finally a more satisfying exchange of fire.  (Satisfying meaning most ships that fired actually hit).

Adm. Hipper(4) finally hits the Boston(A) and destroys a 40mm mount but doesn't otherwise make much of an impact.

Gneisnau(5) vs. Renown(B) -- the real reason for this entire affair:

The German 15" /47 is nothing to trifle with. That one shell from Gneisenau makes a Big hole in Renown's midsection, and kills one of the DC Parties, plus minor speed loss due to flooding.  Renown returns the favor, but we've seen the 15" /42 before.  And Gneisenau has much better armor.  Renown's only real answer is hopefully her FC radar. The Referee  starts the inevitable second guessing, wondering if it would have been better to just have gone with 'standard' and predictable:  Gneisenau vs. a King George V BB. Both ships being very well armored but under-gunned.

Alabama better hit something soon or more things will go further South than Alabama for the Allies besides the the German Forces.

Adm Hipper(A)'s Damage control teams finally manage to put that darned fire out.

 

Allied View point - "Head them off at the Pass! "

"We'll just confuse them for a moment, Heh, Heh, Heh." (Those are Alabama's 16" splashes)

---------------------< Turn 5 >-----------------------

Allied TF moves straight ahead to cut off the Axis TF from further movement to the SE. 

Ruh-Roh!  Surprise!

The Axis TF makes an unexpected (to the Allies anyway) sharp turn to port to resume a NE bearing...leaving the Allies very much headed in the wrong direction and realizing that they had been had.

However the Allied ships make up for it by better gunnery (partially attributable to functioning FC Radar)

Renown(B) scores 2 hits on Gneisenau(5) removing #4 4.1" mount and her Search radar, while only taking one in the Bow in return.  The referee feels hopeful again that the lineup was not a mistake.

Out of no where, Alabama(D) scores 2 hits on Tirpitz(1).  Only one penetrates, in the stern, but it makes a big hole, especially considering that the lone hit in return from Tirptiz(1) bounced off of Alabama's(D) B Turret.  Maybe the "Lucky A" is back?

Boston(A) and Admiral Hipper(4) exchange single hits for minor or no damage.

Boston(A) also takes an experimental swipe with her secondaries at the rear German DD, Wilhelm Heidkamp(3) but is short by a good 2500 yards.

"What the....uh oh...." (Allied perspective)

Ha! Fooled them!  (Axis Perspective)

-------------------------------< Turn 6 >----------------------------

All of the DDs start a mutual turn towards each other in preparation for a session of Mutual Assured Destruction after which the survivors will launch torpedo attacks on enemy capital ships.  The Referee suddenly grasps exactly what Light cruisers bring to a battle. An image of a Really Large Fly Swatter is what comes to his mind.  Allies made an urgent course corrective by turning back to starboard. Looks like we're going to see a classic "Swan processional" gun battle duel. And indeed almost everyone hits something this turn.

Boston(A) bounces a shot of of Adm. Hipper's(4) X turret.

Renown(B) lands to more hits on Gneisnau(5) eliminating #3 Secondary and putting aother hole in the bow, reducing G's all important max speed. Gneisnau(5) is starting to ride a bit lower in the water.

Renown(B) also starts to pick on one of the approaching German DDs, hitting the Wilhelm Heidkamp(3) with a 4.5" HE shell that does a surprising amount of damage - a noticeable fireball appears, after the shell penetrates into B Turret.  Observers on Renown wonder if the German gun crew was keeping too much lose ammo in the turret or ready room.

Alabama(D) is back in the game!  The "Lucky A" lands two more hits on Tirpitz(1) and Tirpitz(1) is starting to look a bit worse for wear.  One shell bounces off of B Turret but the other one goes into the Search Radar mount and does a lot of damage to the mid-upper superstructure.

Alabama(D) also takes a moment from her busy schedule to pick on the other German DD.  The Hermann Kunne(2) takes a 5"/38 HE shell in X Turret which renders it useless.

The referee starts fidgeting again mumbles something like "..but it was looking so balanced there...for a minute..."

The Germans strike back!

Adm. Hipper(4) hits the Boston, starting a Fire.

Gneisenau(5) Hits Renown(B) in the lower superstructure, causing general damage to the interior.

German ships also notice that the US DDs are become a threat, Gneisenau(5) puts two 4.1" HE shells into the Mayo(E), one shell explodes in Mayo's stern, and luckily for the Mayo, the other one bounces off of one of the few armored locations her after (X & Y) Magazine.


Damage control efforts, while ongoing bear no fruit at the end of this turn.

Allies, thinking things are perhaps "coming under control"

Axis, thinking things are "going according to nefarious plan"

--------------------------< Turn 7 >-----------------------------

So...all of the capital ships sailed straight ahead, and the shock must have been too much for their sophisticated fire control systems, because everyone missed...

Except the Alabama(D) who pumped two 5 inch shells into the Mayo(E) -- not one of the "Lucky A"s finer moments.  Especially when the lookout reports that the Mayo(E) is going down by her stern (you guessed it, one of the shells hit there) and the Mayo's captain can be heard muttering over the TBT "Lucky A? Lucky my @ss!...Lucky for who??? "

However in the current round of "Midget Cage Match" the DDs all managed to hit each other:

Herman Kunne(2) hits Madison(C) in Y turret which has to be abandoned due to smoke and splinter damage.

Wilhelm Heidkamp(3) hits Mayo in the midships area destroying the captains quarters (of course). And more importantly in the Helm area causing a partial loss of steering ability.

Madison(C) returns the favor wiping out B Turret and putting a big fat hole in Herman Kunne's(2) Bow.

While Mayo(E) does more interesting damage to Wilhelm Heidkamp(3) as a shell lands in #1 boiler Room and another one hits the Wilhelm. Heidkamps' Bow the cumulative result, reduces Wilhelm Heidkamp's speed well below half of maximum. 

At this point, Wilhelm Heidkamp(3) is looking pretty low in the water and her wake is almost non-existent. Herman Kunne(2) is not looking so great either. Several of her turrets are billowing smoke and the gun barrels are pointed in all the wrong directions.  The German DDs definitely took a beating in this round. Mainly because the US 5" /38 appears to be the Naval equivalent of the Colt. 45.  [ Just ask the crew of the Mayo :-) ]


The Boston's fire is still burning Brightly.

Allies view of Situation

Axis view of Situation

Mayo, leaking oil and getting ready to roll over into to her watery grave.

-------------------< Turn 8  >=------------------------------

the Allies are turning to starboard to close with the Axis fleet because, while it might impair gunnery a bit, if they don't start turning now they'll fall behind and be unable to screen the convoy.

Spectacularly bad Shooting happens.  The referee whines "But I could have gone to the Renaissance festival!"

Only Renown(B) and Alabama(D) hit anything.

But Madison(C) and Wilhelm Heidkamp(3) fire torpedoes

Renown(B) hits Gneisenau(5) with three AP shells...and Gneisenau(5) promptly shrugs them all off, as the hits were on the heavily protected engine & Boiler rooms and a turret.

Hits from Alabama(D) on Tirpitz(1) are also shrugged off with equal nonchalance.

So we'll just have to wait for the torpedo results next turn for our next dose of gaming entertainment.

The programmer is sulking in the corner, wondering why he put all of this effort in to coding the supporting software and whines "But I too could have gone to the Renaissance festival!"

The Boston is still on fire but sadly, S'mores have not been invented yet.

Allied view,  (Sorry about the shiny oil slick, downside of using garbage bag material)

Unleash the Torpedoes!!! (Axis viewpoint)

----------------< turn 9 >-------------------------


Perhaps in an effort to make up for the lackluster performance during the last couple of  turns....all hell breaks Loose.


Adm. Hipper hits Boston(A) with two more 8" rounds starting yet another fire and putting yet another dent in Boston's Conning tower.

Boston returns the "favor" but with slightly better results: The first shell penetrates B Turret and temporarily puts it out of action, the second shell starts a fire.

Probably what would have been one of the most impactful hits of the game is delivered by Gneisenau(5) to Renown(B):  The first 15"/47 shell penetrates Renown's #1 Engine room reducing her speed by 7 knots.  The second shell,  more importantly (although not immediately apparent to the Germans), is a penetrating Bridge Hit. Limiting Renown to the same course, speed (except for reductions) and Target for the next 3 turns.


Then, as a bonus, almost all of the remaining DDs are immolated.

Respectively,  Tirpitz(1) and Gneisenau(5) put a bunch of secondary and tertiary rounds into Farragut(F)... Gneisenau(5)'s three 5.9" rounds start a Fire, wreck the midships superstructure and adds some unwanted and unneeded ventilation in Farragut's #2 Engine.
    Tirpit(1) piles on as well, her 4.1" round goes in and out of the Sonar room, while two 5.9" rounds do more damage amid ships and more interestingly jam Farragut's Rudder in place. (Or at least, it would have been interesting had Farragut had not started to list significantly to starboard, causing her Captain to give the order to abandon ship).

Madison(C) takes one hit by Adm. Hipper(4) 5.9" secondaries that starts another fire and appears to survive the turn (and the game for that matter).  This in return for Madison(C) hitting Adm. Hipper(4) with a Torpedo that unfortunately performs as expected for a US Torpedo in 1943, it is a Dud :-(

And the Hermann Kunne(2) will go down fighting, landing a couple of hits on Alabama(D) one shell does slightly more than scratch some paint from the Stern. the other one bounces off of B Turret.

Now for the British contribution to "paperwork reduction"...
Renown(B) pumps (4) rounds into ship Hermann Kunne(2):  Two of them wipe out 37mm and 20mm AA mounts the third one creates more havoc and chaos amidships and the last one ventilates the #1 Engine.  The resulting explosions are enough to get Hermann Kunne(2) to list heavily to port and the crew starts to abandon ship......but not before Hermann Kunne(2) gets torpedoes into the water.

Farragut(F) and Baltimore(A) combine to fill Wilhelm Heidkamp(3) full of holes
First the Farragut takes out the A turret and some AA mounts
Then the Boston lands hits which: take out #2 Torpedo Bank  and start a Fire.
.....and (3) obligingly slips beneath the waves. (Hey, at least the fire was finally put out).

Alabama(D) gets what could be a "tactically interesting" hit, putting a 16" round through the Main Director of the Tirpitz(1) .

Damage control efforts this turn are successful in a useless sort of way: Both the Boston(A) and Tirptiz(1) fix their Search Radar. But Boston's fire is still burning.

Allied view point after final game turn.

Balanced view point at the End.

Axis view point after last Game Turn.

And Then...
mysteriously...
just when both sides are fully engaged and things are finally getting interesting, they mutually decide to break off contact....



"Bobby! ... David!.....Time for Dinner! "

"Awwwww Mom! Our game was just getting really fun!...."


-----------------------------------------< the end>----------------

=============< Lessons Learned >============


One.  NEVER pickup a game just when things are getting interesting. Interesting as in Capital ships have taken crippling hits with torpedoes in the water.  I needed the table to get ready for a prior gaming commitment but I very much regret picking up this game.  It was going pretty well, I had just figured out some things about how to maneuver ships in a way that made sense and didn't have them mysteriously drifting apart.

And overall, I thought that the maneuver part of the game went rather well for a change.  Columns of ships did things that made sense.  I think it helps having an off board objective.

Somehow really need to ensure that the can be map scrolled.  It prevents "cage match syndrome" -- where ships wind up unnaturally close to each other and don't have room to maneuver properly.  Also it allows the forces to move more 'naturally', as if they actually were in an ocean which matters since that's what we are supposed to be simulating. Also it allows for potentially off board objectives to be specified.

I think both sides would have benefited from the presence of a Light Cruiser.   The DDs could use a bit of help, especially the Allied DDs since they are the only ships that are carrying torpedoes.

  For the Allies some thing less imposing than an Brooklyn probably.  Perhaps something British?

Really, Really need to get a hold of smaller torpedo markers!