Upon the other side of the world from where events were developing in Europeia, in the Golden Empire of Khitai, the remote naval stations of Ruberia and Azuria began to receive word. A return home, especially for the Azurians, under-resourced at Tsingting (Qingding) was clearly indicated. Without access to the refuelling, revictualling and repair resources available to the Ruberian navy at Bong Gong, the Azurian Est Asien Escadron commander concluded that, apart from detaching a merchant cruiser commerce raider, his battle squadron would as soon as possible take the long voyage home. This would be no easy undertaking, as the high seas in the Great Western Ocean would be swarming with Ruberian naval units.
Even crossing the Halcyon Ocean from Khitai to the Vespuccian coast would be fraught with hazard owing to the presence of the Ruberian Far East Squadron. Not that he thought the latter as strong as his own force, but a fight could prove compromisingly damaging. Nevertheless, having formed his resolve, Vice-Admiral Comte Maximilien de la Spée ordered his squadron to sea on the moonless night of July, under cover of a minor storm. Under Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher Redick, the pursuing Far East Squadron was already at sea...
Ruberia Far East Squadron: Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher Redick
HMS Calamity Jane (flag).
Pre-dreadnought Flotation 15/5
Main guns 10-inch:- Range (hex)
- Broadside:5/4/3/2/1 Dice
- Fore/Aft: 3/2/2/1/1
Secondary 4.7-inch: 4/3/1
HMS Empress Eugenie,
Protected Cruiser Flotation 10/3
Main guns 9.2-inch
- Broadside: 3/3/2/2/1/1
- Fore/Aft: 1/1/1/1/1
Secondary 6-inch: 5/4/3/1
Torpedo tubes: 4
HMS Nantwich,
Light Cruiser Flotation 8/3
Main guns 6-inch
- Broadside: 4/3/2/1
- Fore/Aft: 2/2/1/1
Secondary 2.2-inch: 2/1
Torpedo tubes: 4
HMS O.K. Fjord
Armed Merchantman Flotation 6/2
Main guns
- Broadside: 2/1/1
- Forward only: 1/1
Secondary: 1/1
Note: secondary guns of both fleets shoot broadsides only.
 |
Est Asien Escadron. ANS Villeneuve
supposedly carries the Vice-Admiral's flag |
Azurian Khitai Station - Est Asien Escadron: Vice-Amiral Comte Maximilien de la Spee
ANS Villeneuve (Flag):Pre-dreadnought Battleship Flotation 18/6
Main guns 12-inch.
- Broadside: 7/6/5/4/3/2/1
- Fore/Aft: 4/3/3/2/2/1/1
Secondary 6-inch: 3/2/2/1
Torpedo tubes: 2
ANS Chevalier Blanc:
Pre-dreadnought Battleship Flotation 14/5
Main guns 13.4-inch
- Broadside: 3/3/2/2/1/1
- Fore/Aft: 2/1/1/1/1
Secondary broadsides:
- 9.4-inch: 2/1/1/1/1
- 5.4-inch: 3/2/2/1
Torpedo tubes: 2
ANS Armand Reclus
Armoured Cruiser Flotation 8/3
Main guns 7.6-inch
- Broadside: 3/3/2/2/1/1
- Fore/Aft: 2/1/1/1/1
Secondary 6.4-inch: 3/2/2/1
Torpedo tubes: 4
As the intentions of the
Est Asien Escadron were unknown, Rear-Admiral Redick kept his own polyglot force - a battleship, two light cruisers and an armed merchantman - patrolling the East Khitai Sea for several days, until word arrived that the Azuria Squadron was far into the Halcyon Ocean, bombarding Ruberian island colonies. This had the look of the Azurian admiral trailing his coat. Anticipating the Azurian move to the Great Western Ocean and home to metropolitan Azuria, Redick at once ordered a course for Cabo de Hornos. He hoped to anticipate the Azurian squadron before it reached the Cape.
Apprehending disruption and destruction of seagoing communications and trade, the Admiralty in Ruberia sent to Sir Christopher instructions to find, engage and sink the importunate Azurian squadron. That at least confirmed the Rear-Admiral in his resolve.
Reaching the Cape, around which the Azurians must pass to enter the Great Western Ocean, Redick learned from radio traffic and communications with the shore that the Azurians were believed still to be in the Halcyon. This was soon confirmed when messages were received that the Azurians had been in contact with the Vespuccian shore some hundreds of miles north in order to refuel and revictual for the long journey home. At once he raised steam and sailed north not far out of sight of the coast, his flagship flanked at some distance port and starboard by his cruisers, combing a rather stormy sea for the enemy.
A couple of days later, the weather clearing, lookouts aboard
HMS Nantwich descried smoke several miles distant off the starboard bow. At once Redick altered course to the Nor'nor'east to investigate. It was not long before his suspicions were confirmed. Here was the enemy.
For his part, the Vicomte Vice-Amiral was inclined to welcome the action. Whatever would be hunting him in the Great Western Ocean, getting rid of the squadron before him would hardly hurt his chances.
Though his three ships faced four, his were on the whole the more powerful, particularly if he could keep the Ruberians at anything over mid-range of his guns. He could almost discount the armed merchantman...
Aside, here:
A certain amount of calculation indicated only a very marginal Azurian edge in flotation points, and that if the range got close, the Ruberians might even have a very slight advantage. This was not going to be a completely one-sided action (I thought). I also gave the
Villeneuve 12-inch main guns about equivalent to the British Mark IX - a significant improvement upon the Mark VIII, but improved upon further by the Mark X.
The Ruberian squadron had formed a line abreast as they steamed northward up the coast, the better to discover an enemy force coming the other way. Calamity Jane and the armed merchant formed a central column, with Empress Eugenie and Nantwich flung far out to port and starboard respectively.
In contrast, not especially seeking out a foe, the three Azurian vessels stayed in a battle line, ready for what might come. The small armoured cruiser, Armand Reclus led the line, Amiral Spee's flag fluttered from Villeneuve's forward mast. Chevalier Blanc formed the rear.
Sighting the enemy, the Ruberian line drew in towards the centre, both sides seeking to close the range. The first salvoes, between Armand Reclus and the Nantwich and Calamity Jane were largely ineffectual, apart from a ten-inch shell that landed squarely upon the bridge of the Azurian cruiser. It's command and control for the moment knocked out, Armand Reclus carried on its southerly course, as the battleships altered course west of south. It was to be some time before Armand Reclus returned to the action.
Now it was two ships against four, but the Azurian were both battleships, against one, with much smaller craft attached. Finding the range more quickly than the Ruberians, the two battleships landed serious blows upon Calamity Jane and O.K. Fjord. The armed merchant's guns far outranged by the enemy, its captain, Lt-Cdr James Smith-Blogg steered bullheaded toward Villeneuve, determined to contribute something more than mere attendance to the action.
On fire astern, to begin with, O.K. Fjord took hit after hit, but not only got close enough to fire off its main guns with some prospect of scoring a hit, actually did score - a damaging hit into the bargain. But drawing the attention of the more powerful secondary guns of both battleships, the armed merchantman simply disintegrated under the barrage. O.K. Fjord went down, taking with her gallant captain and most of her crew.
During the course of these exchanges, the opposing forces were steaming past each other. The Ruberians were still in the process of forming its battle line, Nantwich yet to reach its station.
.....
The range had opened out, as well, not even Calamity Jane's old ten-inch guns able to reach the Azurians, whilst the latter added to the fires that had already begun aboard Calamity Jane.
Determined to put an end to the enemy squadron, Amiral Spee ordered closer action, in the expectation that his superior gunnery should carry the day. This risky manoeuvre had the effect of the Ruberians 'crossing the 'T', but with neither side could achieve any hits. Far to the south, Armand Reclus was still in range of its guns, but also without success.
The manoeuvring had the effect of the rival squadrons circling each other, to the point at which both sides had reversed their courses. Failing to profit from Amiral Spee's risky charge, Admiral Redick apprehended that the enemy could cross the 'T' astern of his column. He ordered a course change slightly westward of due south. The rapidly closing range left
Nantwich exposed astern, yet to complete the turn of the column. Salvo after salvo punched two holes below the waterline, and a critical hit in the upper hull below the forward gun turret. Ablaze and dead in the water,
Nantwich proved an easy target for a torpedo from
Villeneuve. Admiral Redick was down to two ships - but they were the strongest two.
For all the punishment it took,
Nantwich had let
Chevalier Blanc know it was in a fight, landing two heavy blows of its own. One struck under the stern, though the damage to the steering was speedily resolved. The other, more serious, struck the upper hull under the forward turret, causing fires that only quick action kept clear of the magazine. Flooding the magazine had the effect of reducing the gun of one shoot only, no further ammunition immediately available. The other two ships also started minor fires aboard the two Azurians.
Settled upon their southerly course, the Ruberians set off after the Azurian cruiser, still steaming southward, its command and control still compromised. The Azurian battleships had to turn after them, but now had the Ruberians between them and their goal, the Cape.
As Armand Reclus finally came under proper command, she about faced to join the main squadron. By now the action was becoming something of a chase, as the Ruberians continued on their own course for the Cape. As Villeneuve turned after them, she scored several hits upon Empress Eugenie, until then unscathed apart from an inconsequential hit several minutes into the action. For the next hour, Eugenie received strike after strike, hull holed, command tower hit, fires everywhere. When the ranged closed, she fired off a torpedo to no effect. Gradually, Eugenie slowed, Calamity Jane, having taken much less damage, pulled away.
Nothing could save Empress Eugenie, and Admiral Redick took the realistic, if rather ungallant, course, and was not going to try. Dead in the water, Empress Eugenie took a torpedo from Armand Reclus under its quarter, turned turtle, and went down by the stern. By then Calamity Jane was well to the south, well out of range, and disappearing into the gloom of a late afternoon.
That was a fairly easy victory for Amiral Maximilien de la Spee: three enemy ships sunk for no apparent loss. But he was less sanguine when he received his captains' reports. His flag vessel had taken some damage to secondary armament, and a hole on the waterline, though, apart from the damage to the bridge,
Armand Reclus had got off lightly. More worrying was the state of
Chevalier Blanc. Right at the close of the action,
Empress Eugenie had hit the forward main turret causing the flooding of the magazine.
Chevalier Blanc was in no battleworthy condition - and there was a whole ocean between them and home....
As this is a type of 'mini-campaign' within a larger one, it has become a matter of the extent to which battle damage is carried forward, absent any dockyard facilities for repair. The solution I have decided upon is that all critical damage is resolved at sea - sufficiently to restore the functions 'after a fashion'. However, some damage has to be carried forward, and I have decided upon restoring just half of the lost Flotation Points. So here's the damage:
The
Villeneuve,18FP, lost 7FP during the battle. 4FP restored, now stands at 15FP . To tabulate:
Villeneuve: 18FP - 7 + 4 => 15FP
Chevalier Blanc: 14FP - 10 + 5 => 9FP (Woo - that's bad!)
Armand Reclus: 8FP - 2 + 1 => 7FP
And the surviving Ruberian battleship?
Calamity Jane: 15FP - 6 + 3 => 12FP
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