Naval Projects Playtest: Battle of Saucer Bay

Possibly one of the most fascinating small scale naval actions of World War Two was that which pitted what was then termed a 'pocket battleship', Admiral Graf Spee, against three British/ Commonwealth cruisers. Not much better protected than the heavy HMS Exeter and the lights HMS Ajax and HMNZS Achilles, the panzerschiff carried a far greater weight of firepower - as many 5.9-inch as the 6-inch guns on each of the light cruisers to complement its 11-inch main armament. Just as in chess I am fascinated by equal but asymmetrical end games, so it is with any other battle. What I think I'm edging towards is to say that asymmetrical actions of this type can provide fascinating scenarios for playtesting.

The 'Battle of Saucer Bay' purports to be an encounter between a Saabian battlecruiser commerce raider returning from a profitable cruise, and three Ra'esharn cruisers - a small squadron that is part of a large scale effort to end the raider's depredations. Readers with long memories might recall a similar encounter using my 'Mighty Armada' toys: https://archdukepiccolo.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-fox-and-hounds-battle-of-river.html
The keen eyed reader will also observe certain similarities between the ultra-simple rule set used for that action, and the more elaborate system I am developing.

First sighting: distant smoke to the north...

This action featured the following vessels:

Saabia:
SNS Circe - 18 Flotation; Speed, 3.
Primaries 9 hex range
Secondaries 6 hex range

Ra'easharn: 
RNS Salamander
RNS Axolotl
RNS Amphiuma
All have 12 Flotation Points, Speed, 3.
Primaries 6 hex range
Secondaries 3 hex range
Strictly speaking, all three ought to have a torpedo salvo available on each beam, but for this scenario, they were not issued (a Ra'esharn Admiralty oversight, that is to say: I forgot about them).



In the early morning, approaching the coast of the Great South Continent, SNS Circe spied smoke on the northern horizon. Soon discerning that there were three sources of this miasma, the Saabian raider increased speed, imagining a convoy, possibly with only a light escort. Closer examination of the prey revealed them to be three Ra'esharn cruisers of the Urodela class (this is just narrative swank, of course, all cruisers in this world being precisely the same). Figuring that sending 3 major units to the bottom of the sea was at least as useful to Saabia's naval war effort as raiding trade routes, Circe closed to within range of its main guns, swung to port onto a westerly bearing, and opened fire at 27,000 yards range (I have yet properly to determine 'ground scale' - something I'll have to work on).



Circe's gunnery quickly found the range of the lead Ra'esharn ship, SNS Salamander. Three hits scored - and the squadron was still well short of the range of their own primary armaments.

Determined to engage the big raider, the Ra'esharn cruisers bore in. Just as Captain Tarquin gave the order to open fire, a devastating salvo arrived from Circe. Five more damaging hits the big guns scored, with the secondary guns adding another. Smoking from several fires, 'B' turret knocked out, 4 of the 12 4-inch secondaries out of action, Salamander began to break off the action. As the battle trended to the west, Salamander turned to port, to crawl out of the action at reduced speed.



Not before Salamander and the following Axolotl got off salvoes - inaccurate ones -from their forward guns. 

Now, the two remaining cruisers swung off to starboard on a due westerly course, just as Circe elected to close the range. This probably wasn't a very smart decision, though for the moment, the Ra'esharn ship still had only their main guns engaged. The sudden changes in course, seemed to have upset the Ra'esharn range-finding - just one hit being registered upon Axolotl. 

In return, all three enemy cruisers scored telling hits upon Circe, even the retreating Salamander, scoring two hits of their own. This rather induced Circe to turn away to increase the range. Turning onto a 210-degree bearing, took two more hits, one from Salamander just before it disappeared out of range. 

Circe engaged Amphiuma with its after guns, scoring two hits from 'Y' turret, and one more - a very lucky shot - from the secondary weapons. 

At this point, this was the state of the combatant ships:

SNS Circe: 7 hits taken => 11FP remaining;

RNS Salamander: 9 hits taken => 3FP remaining out of 12. Speed reduced to 2, 1 turret out of action, and 2/3 of secondary guns also knocked out.
RNS Axolotl: 1 hits taken => 11FP remaining out of 12.
RNS Amphiuma: 3 hits taken => 9FP remaining out of 12.



Having increased the range beyond the enemy's range, Circe once more bore due west. Determined to take the fight to the big raider, the cruisers altered course to close the range. This left only their forward main guns in action - and they were taking time to find their target. For their part, Circe shoved two more big gun shells into Amphiuma. 

At this point I seem to be missing a picture, as Amphiuma took several more hits that knocked out its 'A' turret and reduced its speed, leaving it to withdraw from the action. Circe closed in to the short range of its own big guns to finish off the relatively undamaged Axolotl, scoring two hits with its forward guns. This was probably not the smartest move the raider's captain might have taken, as he could bring to bear only 6 forward main guns and a single secondary. Two hits were all he managed.



But Axolotl could bring into action his 6 main guns, and 6 secondaries as well. The potential for heavy - possibly crippling - damage suddenly dawned upon the Circe's crew. It was a complete frost (ain't that always the way?!). The primaries requiring 5s to hit, and the secondaries 6s, they might have expected to score 3 hits. Instead, obviously unsettled by the Circe's aggressive approach, Axolotl's gunnery scored nothing. Woeful. Amphiuma did better, one shell from 'Y' turret arriving aboard Circe.



As Axolotl continued westward, Circe turned to starboard onto a 030-degree bearing. Out of arc of Y turret, only the forward main guns could be brought to bear. That was rather unlucky for Amphiuma, as four out the six struck home. Badly damaged already, Amphiuma could not survive such blows. Down she went. Axolotl achieved a poor revenge with a single hit aboard Circe, but perhaps that was enough to end the action. Turning slightly to port, onto a 330-degree bearing, Circe sent one last, long range salvo after Axolotl. The one hit achieved persuaded neither to try conclusions. As Axolotl turned onto a 090-degree course, to join the crippled Salamander, Circe carried on its northerly course.



The battle was over.

Damage:

RNS Salamander - 9FP: withdraws from action, speed reduced (2 hexes), 'B' turret knocked out, along with 4 of the 12 secondary armament.
RNS Axolotl - 4FP: fairly superficial damage
RNS Amphiuma - 12FP : 0FP, sunk. I'm inclined to enact that a vessel reduced to 0SP is not sunk, but remains dead in the water, with all weaponry knocked out. It would take a further loss of FP to sink it. At the moment, just something to think about.

SNS Circe - 11SP damage. Still under full power and all guns intact, but with just 7FP remaining, not anxious for another battle.

Both sides break off the action at this point.  Any more damage would compel the battleship to cry off anyhow, but if it could keep the action at long range, might have inflicted heavy damage on the remaining cruiser. Both sides, of course, claimed the victory.

A rough diagram of the action. Another time 
I might put together the chart as it happens.

  
Well, that was interesting from a play test point of view. It seems that the Battlecruiser had the edge over three cruisers, which is as it should be, I think. However, with a bit of luck - and maybe with torpedoes issued, the lighter craft might have a whisker of a chance. But if there was a hunt on for SNS Circe, methinks it would remain with very problematical chances of escape.

Next time: a more 'formal' arrangement of the rule set, with some corrections to the 'Stats' chart.
To be continued...