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Tabletop Gaming, Models, and Minis => Wargaming => Topic started by: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 16, 2019, 12:43:48 AM

Title: Cruel Seas
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 16, 2019, 12:43:48 AM
I've had this for quite a while but haven't actually got my copy on the table until now as I've been very slow in painting my ships (Still only got about 20% done).  First time playing for my opponent so we set up a simple scenario between the Royal Navy and the Kriegsmarine.  One side would be assigned escort duty and try to get an armed merchantman across the map while the other side would try to sink her.  My friend took the Germans and I got the Brits.  We rolled to see who would be the attacker and it ended up being the Brits.

Brits went in with 3 Vosper Is, two Vosper II torpedo boats and a Blenheim bomber against two German S-38 E-Boats, a Stuka, and the merchant.

The Germans were quite aggressive and surged forward with the S-38s.  They landed a long range hit with a 37mm on one of the Vospers.  The Royal Navy answered back with some very lucky 20mm hits on the E-Boat which managed to take out her 20mm gun mount and kill her bridge crew.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46944193755_94040dcc55_h.jpg)


(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47070964524_3d3c6a2acf_h.jpg)




Two Vosper Is were sent forward at full speed to draw fire from the E-boats while the Vosper IIs maneuvered around to get torpedo attack angles against the merchantman.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46944193715_79d2350d8f_h.jpg)


(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47070964434_82ca643be2_h.jpg)


Luck was with the RN today as the German gunners just could not land a hit while the Brits manning the 20mms found the mark repeatedly.  The first S-38 went down to repeated 20mm hits with barely a whimper.


The RAF wasn't as lucky.  Our Blenheim mid-identified his target and dropped his torpedo against one of the Vospers.  Fortunately, the shallow draft of the MTBs meant that the fish passed right under and steamed towards the merchantman anyway (but ended up missing).  The E-boats took a few potshots at the bomber as it made its attack run but never managed to hit it.


(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47808150172_a5a3eb3ca6_h.jpg)



The Luftwaffe fared much better and was the only bright spot for the Germans.  The Stuka managed to hit two MTBs, sinking one and heavily damaging the second.



(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47808150112_79d2350d8f_h.jpg)


The remaining E-boat closed in for the kill against the damaged MTB but a lucky hit from the 20mm on the Vospers took out the S-38's steering.  Sadly, led to the E-Boat slamming into the MTB at full speed and slicing her in two.  The collision further damaged rudder controls on the S-38 and she careened off away from the fight (and off the map).

The merchantman's 3" gun gamely banged away at the 3 remaining MTBs but the inexperienced gunners had trouble finding the range.  In return, she was hit repeatedly by torpedoes but all failed to detonate.  She finally surrendered after her engines were knocked out from concentrated fire from the 20mm guns on the Vospers.