Post by Toyama on Apr 10, 2017 17:13:52 GMT
After having so much fun in the Atlantic, we wanted to play another game of War at Sea Off the Grid. When studying the history of WW2, we came upon this naval battle which fitted nicely in the timeline of this thread (although it doesn't advance the campaign a bit):
Battle of Calabria - 9 july 1940
This battle was not a staged campaign but more of a chance encounter between two heavily escorted convoys.
In preparation for the upcoming North Africa campaign, an Italian convoy transporting 2190 troops, 72 M11 tanks, 232 vehicles, 10,445 tons of supplies and 5720 tons of fuel left Naples on the way to Benghazi. Several ships joined along the way; in the end the convoy consisted of two battleships (Giulio Cesare and Conte di Cavour), eight light cruisers and another 16 destroyers, amongst others.
Meanwhile, the Allies were involved in a similar convoy action. This fleet sailed from Alexandria bound towards Malta and was protected by the battleships Warspite, Royal Sovereign and Malaya, the aircraft carrier Eagle, dozens of destroyers, aircraft and what not.
When the two convoys met, a unique naval battle evolved with large numbers of ships on both sides - which was rarely seen in the Mediterranean during WW2.
Battle report:
Forces (150 pts each side):
Italy: Giulio Cezare, Bolzano, Trento, Duca d'Aosta, Luca Tarigo, Camcia Nere, Pegaso, Ascari, MTB, Leonardo da Vinci, Picchiatelli, SM.79 Sparviero, Airone.
UK: HMS Warspite, HMS Kent, HMS Ajax, HMS Sheffield, HMS Eagle, HMS Saumarez x2, HMS Cossack, Vospers MTB, Swordfish Mk. II (unfortunately not more, as only the Eagle was present at the time).
Rules: A straightforward pitched battle. The first player to sink 100 points wins the game (no objective markers).
As the Italians were sailing without flagship, initiative during the first few turns was won by the British fleet. Both fleets carefully approached each other. Already in turn 1, after shrugging off the carrier's pityful air defense, the combined Italian land-based airforce landed 3 hits on HMS Eagle, crippling it.
(end of turn 2)
Angered by this early set-back, HMS Warspite fired her main batteries directly ahead despite the -1 to hit penalty (Off the Grid - Heading rule) and with this single salvo sank Duco d'Aosta at range 4. With secondary fire and helped by the cruisers, several of the Italian destroyers were crippled as well.
After rearming and refuelling, the assorted Italian bombers went for their next kill, putting an end to the already heavily damaged HMS Eagle. Forseeing the carrier's demise, the squadron of Swordfish already was redeployed to the North African land base, refuelling so to be ready to sink the Leonardo de Vinci in the ensuing turn.
(putting the HMS Eagle out of her misery)
While turns proceeded, a battle of attrition was being fought.
Although the Airone was easily vitalled by cruiser anti-air, the remaining Italian bombers were effectively exploiting the lack of British fighters and scored hit upon hit on the British cruisers crippling and sinking one after the other. On allied side, HMS Sheffield and Kent were among mid-game casualties. On their turn, the Italians lost the Trento prematurely to the Mediterranean depths.
In the end-game, it came to a stand-off between the two opposing battleships. While downing a fair amount of cruisers and destroyers, HMS Warspite had already accumulated 3 hits, whereas Giulio Cesare was still hardly scratched. Although the Warspite's main guns now started scoring hits on the Giulio Cesare , it was too little too late. The assorted Italian force consisting of the battleship, Bolzano, 2 destroyers and 2 bombers squads was more than Warspite could handle. Finished by a lucky torpedohit from a crippled destroyer, the Warspite disappeared beneath the waves, bringing the Italian score over 100 victory points. An Axis victory.
(last stand of HMS Warspite)
Epilogue:
The stand-off between the Giulio Cezare and the Warspite is historically accurate; the outcome of the battle as described in the batrep is not.
In reality the fleets were fairly even. Both battleships survived the confrontation. The Italian land-based aircraft, although superior in numbers, dealt little damage. Although both sides suffered damage to a fair amount of ships, few ships were actually sunk. The cargo ships on both sides reached their destiny harbours safely.
While both sides claimed victory, the history books recorded the battle to be (arguably) undecided.
Battle of Calabria - 9 july 1940
This battle was not a staged campaign but more of a chance encounter between two heavily escorted convoys.
In preparation for the upcoming North Africa campaign, an Italian convoy transporting 2190 troops, 72 M11 tanks, 232 vehicles, 10,445 tons of supplies and 5720 tons of fuel left Naples on the way to Benghazi. Several ships joined along the way; in the end the convoy consisted of two battleships (Giulio Cesare and Conte di Cavour), eight light cruisers and another 16 destroyers, amongst others.
Meanwhile, the Allies were involved in a similar convoy action. This fleet sailed from Alexandria bound towards Malta and was protected by the battleships Warspite, Royal Sovereign and Malaya, the aircraft carrier Eagle, dozens of destroyers, aircraft and what not.
When the two convoys met, a unique naval battle evolved with large numbers of ships on both sides - which was rarely seen in the Mediterranean during WW2.
Battle report:
Forces (150 pts each side):
Italy: Giulio Cezare, Bolzano, Trento, Duca d'Aosta, Luca Tarigo, Camcia Nere, Pegaso, Ascari, MTB, Leonardo da Vinci, Picchiatelli, SM.79 Sparviero, Airone.
UK: HMS Warspite, HMS Kent, HMS Ajax, HMS Sheffield, HMS Eagle, HMS Saumarez x2, HMS Cossack, Vospers MTB, Swordfish Mk. II (unfortunately not more, as only the Eagle was present at the time).
Rules: A straightforward pitched battle. The first player to sink 100 points wins the game (no objective markers).
As the Italians were sailing without flagship, initiative during the first few turns was won by the British fleet. Both fleets carefully approached each other. Already in turn 1, after shrugging off the carrier's pityful air defense, the combined Italian land-based airforce landed 3 hits on HMS Eagle, crippling it.
(end of turn 2)
Angered by this early set-back, HMS Warspite fired her main batteries directly ahead despite the -1 to hit penalty (Off the Grid - Heading rule) and with this single salvo sank Duco d'Aosta at range 4. With secondary fire and helped by the cruisers, several of the Italian destroyers were crippled as well.
After rearming and refuelling, the assorted Italian bombers went for their next kill, putting an end to the already heavily damaged HMS Eagle. Forseeing the carrier's demise, the squadron of Swordfish already was redeployed to the North African land base, refuelling so to be ready to sink the Leonardo de Vinci in the ensuing turn.
(putting the HMS Eagle out of her misery)
While turns proceeded, a battle of attrition was being fought.
Although the Airone was easily vitalled by cruiser anti-air, the remaining Italian bombers were effectively exploiting the lack of British fighters and scored hit upon hit on the British cruisers crippling and sinking one after the other. On allied side, HMS Sheffield and Kent were among mid-game casualties. On their turn, the Italians lost the Trento prematurely to the Mediterranean depths.
In the end-game, it came to a stand-off between the two opposing battleships. While downing a fair amount of cruisers and destroyers, HMS Warspite had already accumulated 3 hits, whereas Giulio Cesare was still hardly scratched. Although the Warspite's main guns now started scoring hits on the Giulio Cesare , it was too little too late. The assorted Italian force consisting of the battleship, Bolzano, 2 destroyers and 2 bombers squads was more than Warspite could handle. Finished by a lucky torpedohit from a crippled destroyer, the Warspite disappeared beneath the waves, bringing the Italian score over 100 victory points. An Axis victory.
(last stand of HMS Warspite)
Epilogue:
The stand-off between the Giulio Cezare and the Warspite is historically accurate; the outcome of the battle as described in the batrep is not.
In reality the fleets were fairly even. Both battleships survived the confrontation. The Italian land-based aircraft, although superior in numbers, dealt little damage. Although both sides suffered damage to a fair amount of ships, few ships were actually sunk. The cargo ships on both sides reached their destiny harbours safely.
While both sides claimed victory, the history books recorded the battle to be (arguably) undecided.