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...

Naval Projects - Stats

.

Before writing up a rule set, I think it well to draw up the characteristics of the ship classes - speed, protection, armament and such. The following table is a tentative scheme.

Some of the peculiarities of this table is that for reasons best known to Microsoft, it insists that I want things that I frankly don't.  Real helpful ... NOT!!
Other 'stats' are entirely tentative, especially the numbers handling of torpedoes and AA.

Speed is in hexes or squares depending on preferences. I have 4 light card sheets marked up in 60mm hexes, to give me a reasonably sized battle area. Each grid area can accommodate up to 3 destroyers, or one other vessel. The 'sea'  scale is approximately 60mm to 4,800m - about 1:80,000. Given the rates of movement - 2 and 3 grid areas the Turn - that suggests that, at 20 and 30 knots respectively, a Turn represents, very roughly, 15 minutes.

One could use a 100mm grid cell (such as my well-used table) If so, I suggest that each could accommodate up to 3 major units, or 6 destroyers of the scale I've been using. Having said that, later on I'll be looking once more at my 'Mighty Armadas', adding vessels to the battle squadrons. 

The secondary armaments of these vessels, and the primary armament of the carriers are purely notional. The models are too small to depict them. It is assumed that the battleships and cruisers carry 12 guns by way of secondary armament.

The battleships' and battlecruisers' secondaries are the same as a cruiser's primary armament, and have a range of just 6 grid areas. There being 12 such guns on these vessels, it is supposed that 6 may fire in each broadside. The question arises how many could fire forward or aft. I have assumed 6 twin turrets, along the sides of the vessel, but none able to shoot across the centre line. This is a purely arbitrary decision. They could all be mounted in single turrets, or in four triple turrets. 

The ranges I have shown in x/y/zhex format because EXCEL was playing silly  bu--- persons, and refused to accept that what I typed in was what I really wanted. They call this faffing around 'User Friendly.'  Wars have begun for less.

These ranges go to large calibre gunfire. As I like the idea of shooting 'per gun', that's the way I propose to go. Here's how it works:
Battleships, and Battlecruisers (Capital ships):
    Primary: 0-3 hexes, D6: 4-6 hits; 4-6 hexes, D6: 5-6 hits; 7-9 hexes, D6: 6 hits.
Ships fire 6 guns forward, 9 broadside, 3 aft - 1 D6 per gun.
    Secondary: 0-3 hexes, D6: 5-6 hits; 4-6 hexes, D6; 6 hits.
Ships fire 2 guns forward, 6 broadside, 2 aft - 1 D6 per gun.
If firing at the same target, the primary and secondary batteries may fire together. Use different coloured dice, or possibly, smaller dice for the secondary armament. However primary and secondary may shoot at different targets...

Cruisers and Fleet Carriers:
    Primary: 0-3 hexes, D6: 5-6 hits; 4-6 hexes, D6: 6 hits
Ships fire 4 guns forward, 6 broadside, 2 aft - 1 D6 per gun
    Secondary (Cruisers only): 0-3 hexes, D6: 6 hits 
Ships fire 2 guns forward, 6 broadside, 2 aft - 1D6 per gun.
Destroyers:
    Primary: 0-3 hexes, D6: 5-6 hits.
Ships fire 1 gun forward, 2 broadside, 1 aft.

Torpedoes are carried by cruisers (1 larboard and 1 starboard salvo of 3), and destroyers (2 salvos of 3 each side.

Anti-aircraft defences:

Capital ships and cruisers roll 4xD6 against incoming aircraft overhead or within 1 hex. A hit is achieved with a score of 5 or 6. A hit knocks 1 Strength Point (SP) from an aircraft stand. 
Destroyers roll 2xD6 for AA defence or in support of other vessels under attack.

Damage:

The damage to vessels is expressed in terms of Flotation Points (FP) lost. Once down to one-third or less of its starting FP, this happens:

• The vessel's speed is reduced by 1 hex;
• The vessel loses one primary turret (dice for which);
• The vessel loses one-third of its secondary armament, all round (i.e may shoot 1/2 gun forward or aft; 4/6 in broadside;
• The vessel must attempt to break off the action. It may still shoot at targets in range;
• An aircraft carrier can not fly off nor receive aircraft owing to a heavy list.

Play Test Action:

1.Convoy:

Somewhere in the dangerous seas north of the Great Southern Continent a convoy of three merchant vessels ply their trade carrying vital supplies to their destination, Ra'esharn. The escort comprises the Cruiser RNS Apollyon and three destroyers of the 8th Flotilla: R81, R82, and R83.  It is well the convoys has such protection, for the much feared commerce raider, SNS Banshee has recently arrived in these waters, and on the prowl for just such prey. The vessels are;

Ra'esharn:
RNS Apollyon Cruiser 12FP
R81 Destroyer 6FP
R82 Destroyer 6FP
R83 Destroyer 6FP
MS Shelby Wright 6FP
MS Tramper 6FP
MS Black Pig 6FP

Saabia:
SNS Banshee Battlecruiser 18FP

The escorts spy the battlecruiser approaching on a converging course. As the escorting destroyers swing to port to engage, the raider alters course slightly to port itself to bring its broadside to bear. As the target is just within range of its secondary armament, that, too chimes in. At medium range, the primaries hit on 5s or 6s, the secondaries on a 6. The lead destroyer, R82, takes 3 heavy gun hits, and a further damaging hit from the battlecruiser's secondaries - the 6.

A mistake, here: I adjudicated 5 hits on R83, when
at that range, Banshee scored but 2 hits. That put R83
out of the action when it might have remained to do 
some damage.

Such blows - 4FP out of 6 - are enough to force R82 to break off the fight, burning, its forward turret out of action, and speed reduced to 3 hexes. As R82 crawls off, R81 closes the range, whilst R83 swings off on a westerly course. In between, aiming straight towards the enemy surges Apollyon, closing the range. Boldly closing to within torpedo range (3 hexes) R81 takes heavy damage from the battlecruiser's forward big guns, whilst the latter's secondary broadside engages R83.

The damage to R81 is very nearly mortal - 4FP lost - but not before R81 releases its larboard torpedoes. Three dice represent 3 torpedoes in the pattern. Each requires a 6 to hit. But if a 6 is rolled, it takes 6FP from the target. 

One of the 3 torpedoes strikes! At once the battlecruiser's FP is reduced from 18FP down to 12FP.
(Aside:
1. I think I'm on to something, here. One possible amendment is that if a hit is scored, any 5s also rolled in the pattern also add to the damage. A 5, be it noted, would merely augment a hit; it's not good enough for a hit itself. More on this later.
2. The battlecruiser is facing end on. Possibly the chances of a hit ought in someway to be reduced.)

Having released its torpedoes, the wounded R81 also crept out of the fight. Now was the turn of the cruiser Apollyon, which brought itself under the cover of the destroyer attacks to within range of its primary armament. The Ra'esharn ship at once struck two quick blows. Banshee was down to 10FP (8SP lost). Much more damage, and it would have to call off the action.

Retribution was swift - and dire. Swinging to port, and shortening the range, Banshee slammed 7 hits upon Apollyon. 


Apollyon returned the compliment as best it could with its lighter guns, and, with three hits brought Banshee close to the point that it would break off the action: just 7FP remaining.



Gallantly keeping up the close range fight, Apollyon continued to score damaging hits on Banshee. But Banshee had well and truly got the range now. It took four hits, enough to persuade it to draw off, the convoy itself undamaged. But Apollyon vanished in a maelstrom of shellfire from the Banshee's heavy guns.  



Limping away, a mere 3FP keeping it afloat, Banshee had time for one last salvo from its 'Y' turret guns
at the distant convoy. The hit upon MS Shelby Wright did a little damage, but not enough to prevent it continuing its voyage.



It is hard to know who won this action. Ra'esharn lost a cruiser sunk, and three destroyers badly damaged (though still with their torpedoes). But so much hurt had Banshee received, that its commerce raiding cruise was done.

Air Attack:

Force Q was sent, without air escort, to incept a reported invasion convoy west along the southern Kiivar coast. Lacking carriers, Force Q comprised:

KNS Avian Raptor Battleship 24FP
KNS Buteos Battleship 24FP
K1 Destroyer 6FP
K2 Destroyer 6FP

Unfortunately shortly after daybreak of 14 March, the Ra'esharn aircraft found them. Five squadrons of bombers and torpedo bombers swept into the attack. Two squadrons took on the lead battleship, Buteos; three attacked the Admiral's flag aboard Avian Raptor. The attackers ignored the destroyers.

This account will be pretty brief. Beginning with the leading squadrons, the AA from Bureos and K1 - 6 dice - met the incoming. Requiring 5s and 6s to hit, they scored one hit only. That reduced the attacks upon Buteos to 5 dice out of 6. Again, requiring 5s and 6s to hit, the aircraft scored 1 hit. But the PIP scores on the hit dice reduce the target's FP by that amount. Buteos FPs are reduced by 6 to 18FP.

The attacks upon Avian Raptor were heavier. Flak accounted for 2SP from the incoming squadrons, but they still had 7SP to attack with. The seven dice yielded one 6 and one 5 - two hits, resulting in 11FP damage to Avian Raptor.

A few points to consider here.
1.  I am considering making bombing more chancy: Just 6's scoring hits, but when any 5s are scored in the same roll, they add to the damage. In this particular play test, the result would have been exactly the same. Just to increase the carnage, if two sixes are rolled, then any additional fives and fours add their pips to the damage.

The idea here is to make successful torpedo or bombing attacks a 'lowish' probability of success (somewhere less than 50-50), but potentially devastating when they do succeed.

2. A. I am in two minds whether or not to designate aircraft into fighters, bombers and torpedo bombers. They could be distinguished by the height of their stands: e.g. low level torpedo bombers 4-5cm, medium level bombers 6-7cm, top cover fighters 9-10cm. Now, I have just 4 stands to a carrier, standard. The standard mix would be 1 fighter stand, 2 bomber stands and 1 torpedo bomber stand.
Fighters fight aircraft; bombers attack ships. 

Fighters are there to intercept incoming bombers; I'm not sure whether their function also included escorting bomber to their targets.  Some research perhaps required here.

2.B. The other thought is to consider aircraft types as 'below the grain'. In the following picture, 6 incoming Ra'esharn squadrons have been intercepted by two from the Saabia carrier. The two Saabian squadrons neutralise two of the Ra'esharn squadrons, but lose three SPs 'shot down', to Ra'esharn's none:

Saabia intercept roll 1.1.1.2.3.4
Ra'esharn aircraft roll 1.1.3.5.6.6

Despite the lopsided result, two of Ra'esharn's aircraft stands are in effect neutralised. 

Four stands - squadrons - remain to carry out the bombing attack - 12 SP. But Saabia has 10 points of anti-air to come: 2 from the destroyer; 4 each from the carrier and the battleship. First, the attackers select their targets. He sends 3 squadrons in against the most valuable - and fairly vulnerable - carrier, and one against the battleship. He ignores the destroyer.

Battleship vs Squadron: 4AA Roll 1.2.4.4. = no hits at all! 
Squadron vs Battleship: 3SP Roll 1.3.4. = no hits either. 
OK, fairly dismal, let's have a look at what happens to the carrier. 

Ships vs Aircraft: 6AA Roll 1.2.2.5.6.6. = 3 SPs shot down! Great shooting!
That leaves Ra'esharn with just 6 SPs to attack:
Aircraft vs Carrier: 6SP Roll 1.1.2.5.6.6 = 2 hits, with the 5 adding to the damage.
The Carrier loses 6+6+5 = 17FP of damage - which, glancing back at my 'stats' means the carrier has been sunk. Perhaps the carrier ought to be given 18FP instead.

A 18FP Carrier reduced to 6FP or less can not fly off or receive aircraft on account of fires and a heavy list.

Result of this action:
Ra'esharn lost 3SP of aircraft - in effect, a stand.
Saabia lost 3SP of aircraft, and the carrier sunk, or possibly seriously damaged. 
If the remaining airborne aircraft stand have  no alternative landing place, it will be lost as well.

At the moment I am inclined not to differentiate between aircraft types.

Battle of the Saucer Bay -

I think I might leave this for another posting. This one's long enough already. 
To be continued.

Naval Projects

'Mighty Armadas' warships, merchants and 
a seaport.

Reading about a lot of interesting naval projects, and reviewing a couple of my own, has induced me to thinking about putting some 'finish' to my own efforts. In particular, I've been thinking about two projects that have occasionally featured in this blog, both relating to the naval adjunct to my long neglected 'Jono's World' Army Men project. One of these involved my small collection of 'Mighty Armadas' toy ships, the other my home made, scratch-built, balsa navies.

A Saabian task force of cruiser, aircraft carrier
and battleship under attack from Ra'esharn 
carrier aircraft.

Balsa Navies:

I think today we'll talk about the teeny-tiny balsa navies. This idea began 40-odd years ago when thinking to devise a game not so very dissimilar to the Milton Bradley Axis and Allies board game that came out later. For many years this project lay dormant until one Jono turns up at the club with a fascinating project of his own. Though it began a rather on-occasionally/off-most-of-the-time Army Men project, it was the naval side of his conception that intrigued me most.

My adaptation of Jono's original map. Saabia (my
spelling, I discover) lies to the east of the island 
empire of Ra'esharn. Omez is an 'ally' - more
like a vassal - of Ra'esharn

Now, I could have bought a whole bunch of model warships of roughly the size that I was beginning to have in mind.  In fact I still have some I 1:4800(?) scale WW2 vessels. But I never really liked them much. However I might admire the model vessels of this scale, I find my 'toys' a whole lot more engaging. The tiny metal models look characterless somehow.

Classes and Sizes:

Right from the start, there was to be a limited number of classes:

• Fleet Aircraft Carriers
• Battleships
• Cruisers (all one class)
• Destroyers
• Submarines
• Unarmed Merchants
• Landing craft

All vessels within a particular class would be identical. There developed, however, a single exception. 

The small Kiivar Navy. Carrier 01, KNS Condor
is the largest of the class of fleet carriers. The more 
colourful vessels belong to the navy of the  Saabian 
Archipelago.

Fleet Carriers:

The flight decks are 60mm long by 20mm. The bridge tower slightly projects from the starboard side. 
Each vessel carries 4 'flights' of aircraft (of which, more later). At the moment I am undecided whether to divide the aircraft into fighters, bombers and torpedo bombers (ratio 1:2:1) or just make them simply 'aircraft'. 

Ra'esharn fleet carrier and battleship. The ruler shows 
the sizes of the 'models'/'toys'.

Discovering an wooden offcut of suitable dimensions, but slightly larger than the standard size, the depleted Kiivar Navy received it as its sole carrier, KNS Condor, carrying 5 - possibly 6 - flights. Apart from the added carrying capacity, it rates the same as the other fleet carriers.

Battleships:

These were to 60mm long by 15mm beam. Their 9 main guns are housed in triple-gun turrets, 'A', 'B' and 'Y'. Secondary armament is not depicted in this scale, but is assumed to comprise 12 guns similar in calibre to the cruisers' main batteries.

Ra'esharn 1st Battle Squadron, Admiral 
Hideo Sokituya commanding.

Battlecruisers:

You will observe this was not originally one of the range of classes. I never did build two of the six battleships the Saabian Navy was supposed to have. But just on a week ago, unearthing a couple of interesting balsa offcuts seemed to suggest they could almost supply their place. They were just a little bit smaller than the standard battleships.

Battlecruiser SNS Scylla

As the idea had already long ago crossed my mind anyhow, battlecruisers they became: SNS Scylla and SNS Charybdis. The design is markedly different from the other battleships, and much influenced by Japanese naval architecture of the 1930s and '40s. 

Had I thought more about them, I would probably have opted for twin turrets instead of triples - basically a battleship with reduced primary armament. However triple turrets they got, and, instead of 24 Flotation Points for battleships, they will probably get 18FP. In all other respects, except speed, they are the same as the battleships. 

It might be interesting to see how one of them fares against three Ra'esharn cruisers.

Cruisers:

These were never going to be more than the one class, and probably more cognate to the light cruiser at that. These craft have 3 twin turrets - four being rather impractical in my ship designs. Their primary armament is similar to the battleships' secondaries. The cruisers' secondary armament comprises calibres used by the destroyers.

Ra'esharn Cruiser Fleet.

Cruisers will also carry torpedoes. Possibly the larger vessels should get them too, but I'm disinclined to give them any. 

A Saabian Task Force at sea: Battleship, Carrier,
Cruiser flanked by 2 Destroyers.

Destroyers:

All destroyers are the same, not much in the way of guns, but with torpedoes (4 launchers to the cruisers' 2) and the primary submarine hunters. With just 2 single gun turrets on my models, they are not meant to take on larger craft unless they can get in really close. Possibly a flotilla of three could take on a cruiser.

Submarines:

This part of the project is still in its early stages. The 'figure' design involves thin card for the hull (so that surface vessels in the same grid area can be placed atop them) with a small conning tower to give a certain three-dimensionality. I am not planning large submarine fleets - maybe just 3 or 4 per navy. 

Merchants:

I've made 10 of these. They are generic only, and might serve in any navy. If ever I make a game board large enough for the whole war by land and sea (yeah, right: that's gonna happen!) then probably the merchant fleet will get expanded ... maybe to 15 or 18 vessels. You need merchant ships for convoy actions!

Landing Craft:

I have made a few tiny examples (8 so far) based on the Higgins boats design. These are about 20mm long by 5mm wide ( a couple are slightly larger). Of course, we'll have to 'do' a 'Battle of the Coral Sea' action, as well as some of the Guadalcanal naval clashes. Like the Merchants, they will be generic. It is unlikely to find enemies trying to land on the same beaches!

Aircraft mounts. The aircraft are simple 3-piece 
designs cut from beer mat or similar. The wing span 
is about 10-12mm.

Aircraft: 

These will be mounted on stands of 3 aircraft, each stand representing a 'flight' in my parlance, but more cognate to a squadron. Except for KNS Condor, each carrier will house 4 'flights' - 1 fighter, 2 (dive)-bomber, 1 torpedo bomber. Condor will have 2 flights of each type. So far, that is assuming that the aircraft will be so divided. It may be simpler just to call all aircraft the same. In the above pic, the defending aircraft (white) might eliminate, or at least neutralise, two of the attacking 'flights', leaving four to carry out their attacks - if they survive the ship-borne AA...

The stands so far mount cardboard (actually, beer mat) aircraft glued to roughly oval clear plastic surfaces. These are mounted upon cotton bud tubes held up by bent paper clips. I recently bought from the local Two-Dollar shop some flat wooden necklace beads which I'm hoping will provide a more stable platform. 

The Surface Navies: 

Kiivar (the Good Guys):

1 large Fleet Carrier
- 6 aircraft  'flights' 
2 Battleships
3 Cruisers
6 Destroyers (K41-K46)

Surprise 'Pearl Harbour' type attacks destroyed much of the Kiivar surface fleet, leaving behind a single task force. This, of course, provides some useful play-test back history...

Saabia (the Ally):

3 Fleet Carriers
- 12 aircraft 'flights'
4 Battleships
2 Battlecruisers
8 Cruisers
12 Destroyers (S1-3, S14-16, S27-29, S31-33)

Ra'esharn (the Enemy):

4 Fleet Carriers
- 16 aircraft 'flights'
8 Battleships
10 Cruisers
16 Destroyers (R11-14, R25-28, R31-34, R45-48)

All these vessels have been built, two battlecruisers and eight destroyers this last week, the rest more than 10 years ago. I've yet to make Kiivar's K46.

At any rate, here's the whole box:

The three navies: Kiivar (top left), Saabia and the Black Ra'esharn.
Merchants and Higgins boats at top right. The sole aircraft you see is from
a model of HMS Ark Royal. Not sure where the others are. 

To be continued:
Towards a rule set, and ship 'stats'. 

Samurai Swords - a recommendation.

 I don't know how many readers have encountered 'Little Wars TV', but there is one recent outing that caught my eye and my interest. Unusually, it concerned a board game, to wit, the formerly named Shogun, then Samurai Swords and finally Ikuza. The video offers a review and a whole game in a little over 40 minutes.

Interestingly, they also offer access to some of their own 'House Rules'. One of these concerns the placement of two neutral fortified castles at the outset of the game, one at Osaka (Karachi on the board map), and the other at Kyoto (Yamashira). These province cards are not dealt, but possession of these provinces may be gained by conquest - which means, one has to fight for them. This addition I like - a lot!

One difference from the version of Shogun that I have. The present version is a four-player game. The original had 5 players.

But, without more ado, here it is:
https://www.google.com/search?q=little+wars+tv&oq=Little+Wars+TV&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgBEAAYgAQyBwgCEAAYgAQyBwgDEAAYgAQyBwgEEAAYgAQyBwgFEAAYgAQyBwgGEAAYgAQyBggHEEUYPNIBCDc2NTRqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:7ae41b4d,vid:GND-bKfncWg,st:0

Enjoy.

Sengoku - Fourth Kawanakajima (Phases IV and V)

Kosaka's 'Operation Woodpecker' force 
approaches the guarded river crossings.

The Fords of Armenomiya

As the battle raged in the plain to the north of the Chikuma river, what was happening to the 'Operation Woodpecker' force led by Kosaka? Ascending Mt Saijo and finding the encampment there abandoned by the Uesugi army, they could hear the sounds of battle in the distance. Marching quickly to the fords of Amenomiya, Kosaka's men found that Kenshin had left small rearguard covering the river crossings under one Amakasu Omi-nokami Kagemochi, one of his staunchest commanders. 

Opposing Forces:

Kosaka's 'Operation Woodpecker' flanking force:

1 Mounted Samurai yari (spears) = 3SP
2 Foot Samurai yari @4SP = 8SP
1 Foot Samurai yumi (bows) = 4SP
6 Ashigaru yari @3SP = 18SP
2 Ashigaru yumi @ 2SP = 4SP
1 Ashigaru tepo (arquebusier) = 2SP
3 commanders: Kosaka (mounted), Saburohei (mounted), unnamed (foot)

Totals 
12 units; 5 activation dice (3 commanders, 12 units)
39 Strength points: Exhaustion Point, -13; Rout Point, -20

Kagamochi's rearguard covering the fords. The bowmen
and arquebusiers lurk in the woods on the far bank.

Kagemochi's Rearguard: 

1 Mounted Samurai yari = 3SP
1 Foot Samurai yari = 4SP
3 Ashigaru yari @3SP = 9SP
2 Ashigaru yumi @2SP = 4SP
1 Ashigaru tepo = 2SP
3 commanders: Kagemoshi (mounted), 2 others, (foot)

Totals: 8 units; 4 activation dice (3 commanders, 8 units)
22 Strength Points: exhaustion, -7; Rout, -11

Before continuing, a comment upon the activation dice. My standard practice is to allocate the number of commanders equal to the whole number of 6 stands making up the army. According to this practice, the Takeda force would have had two commanders, including Kasaka hinself; and the Uesugi rearguard just one. By going along with the Command & Colours scenario, this meant that even with just an average activation roll, Uesugi would be moving all but one unit. With an extra activation die, Takeda's larger force was almost as flexible. On the other hand, the loss of a single unit would cost Takeda one of his activation dice.

This action turned out in effect almost a straightforward IGoUGo action... almost. 

A strong force covers the middle ford.

The lone unit of ashigaru bowmen covering the west ford
is facing overwhelming numbers of Takeda men rapidly
advancing.

Takeda attack towards the middle ford.

Takeda spearmen overwhelm the bowmen in the woods,
and press on to encounter commanded ashigaru on the riverbank

Winning back-to-back activation rolls, Takeda men
press on to attack the defenders of the ford. Both sides take losses.

On west flank, Uesugi men rush across the ford
to reinforce the beleaguered bowmen

Uesugi reserves cross the uncontested east ford
to fall upon the Takeda right. Around the middle ford,
units of both sides becoming depleted.

West ford again: outnumbered Uesugi men push
back the leading Takeda units. The latter have some hard
fighting in store to force the crossing! 

Determined Uesugi resistance also throws back 
Takeda from the middle ford. For the moment,
Uesugi have the numbers here!

Fierce fighting continues at the West ford. Although 
a Takeda ashiguru unit is thrown back with loss, the 
Uesugi bowmen are finally overrun. The remaining defenders 
are in danger of being cut off from the river crossing.

Kosaka joins the wing attacking the middle ford, and sends 
foot samurai into the flank rear of the Uesugi horse.

Overall situation. Stout resistance by Uesugi's 
men are holding the fords still, but
at a cost. The two archer units and the arquebusier have been destroyed
and 13SP lost. Takeda losses amount to maybe 8SP, having lost one unit only.

Despite taking the fight to their opponents and stoutly 
holding the fords, losses among Kagemochi's rearguard 
(13 SP) are such as to bring on a collapse. The remnants
break and flee. 

This was a very quick and decisive victory for the Takeda forces, but they had the numbers, of course. The Samurai Battles scenario notes comment: 'The fighting was fierce as the Uesugi rearguard was almost wiped out trying in vain to stop the crossing.' 

After the strange turnup of events of the morning, could Kansuke's 'Operation Woodpecker' plan after all come off? 

'Operation Woodpecker'

Takeda (Red) and Uesugi (Blue) face off. But
who is that crossing the distant river?

After all the heavy fighting of the morning, gradually forcing the enemy back and driving them out from successive lines, the Uesugi army was not prepared to see the sudden Takeda incursion into their right flank - over the very fords they had crossed a few hours before. The surprise was perhaps not altogether complete, for, before Kasaka's pincer move could fall upon the Uesugi flank, the whole wing turned about to take the fight to their enemy.

Perhaps wounded or winded during the recent actions
(see previous post) Uesugi Kenshin conducts the rest of the battle
from his pavilion.

Opposing forces:

Takada Main Army:

1 Mounted Samurai yari = 3SP
1 Foot Samurai yari = 4SP
5 Ashigaru yari @3SP = 15SP
2 Ashigaru yumi @2SP = 4SP
1 Ashigaru tepo = 2SP
3 commanders

Totals:
10units, 4 activation dice (3 commanders, 10 units)
Strength points: 28SP; exhaustion at -10SP, rout at -14SP.

Kosaka's Flanking Force: 

1 Samurai yumi = 4SP
1 Samurai yari = 4SP
2 Ashigaru yari @ 3SP = 6SP
1 Ashigaru yumi = 2SP
1 commander (Kosaka)

Totals:
5 units, 2 activation dice (1 commander, <6 units)
Strength Points: 16SP; exhaustion at -6SP, rout at -8SP.

Note: 
As the two wings of the Takeda army were separated but the Uesugi army between, I rolled separate activation dice for them. This had some interesting effects, as you will see.

Kosaka's flanking force ready themselves to fall upon
the Uesugi flank

Uesugi Army

2 units Mounted Samurai yari @ 3SP = 6SP
1 unit Foot Samurai yari = 4SP
3 units Ashigaru yari @3SP = 9SP
2 units Ashigaru yumi @2SP = 4SP
1 command pavilion = 4SP (Uesugi Kenshin)
3 commanders (including Kenshin in his pavilion)

Totals:
9 units; 4 activation dice (3 commanders, 9 units)
27 Strength Points, exhausted at -9SP; rout at -14SP 

Having scattered the small force guarding the Chikuma river fords, Kosaka's flanking force gathered themselves to fall upon the Uesugi right flank. Observing the developing threat, Kenshin at once directed his right wing four units to counter-attack before that threat could properly develop. At once Kosaka's force found itself in a desperate fight along the riverbank.

This, of course, left a gaping void on the Uesugi right. Kenshin's plan, then, was to concentrate the other half of his army against the Takeda right. Having the first move, and a great activation roll to begin with (for the whole battle, the whole army was able to move), Uesugi were able to bring almost their whole army to bear against only parts of their more numerous foe.

In response Takeda Shingen was inclined to leave Kosaka to look after himself, and to concentrate the whole of his main army against the Uesugi left. The manner of the latter's oblique attack meant that Takeda's men were arriving arriving in disjointed and piecemeal fashion, especially as the separate forces rolled such that 5 and 2 units respectively could move, shoot or fight.

Wresting from their adversaries the initiative, Takeda were able quickly to bring the whole of the Uesugi left wing (ignoring Kenshin's ciommand post) into action. And then disaster struck. Leading an attack upon the enemy mounted samurai, the Takeda right wing commander, one Michi-no-Senshi was struck down, never again to rise. His ashigaru unit took some loss, but Takeda were now at least in a position to contain the Uesugi left.

...

It was becoming plain that Uesugi's gamble had failed. Two desperate battles were being fought: one close by the river, the other at no great distance from Kenshin's tent. But not all Takeda were engaged. True, Saburohei had five units in action on the right, with an extra body of ashigaru yari in reserve close to hand. Kosaka was at least hold his own, and even driving the enemy back in places. 

But there was a strong reserve, distant from the action - four units under the command of Nobukie.

Even though Uesugi managed to grab back the initiative, scoring big activation rolls into the bargain, there was little enough that they could do to overcome the superior numbers they had to face. A samurai unit even threw back a unit of bowmen and threatened to break through the embattled Uesugi line.

Nor was Sutorenjia Mukōhadan able to stem the oncoming Takeda flow from the river bank. Although at one point his mounted samurai had driven a unit of ashigaru almost into the river itself, the whole right wing was gradually being forced back. 

Uesugi Turn 2 activation roll. Halved = 9 units
the whole army.

Turn 3: Uesugi win back the initiative (6-2) and roll
19 = 9 units again. 

Turn 3: Takeda roll: 8+5. The main army can
activate 4 units; the flanking can move 2.

From the above sequence, one might well infer that Uesugi were putting up a whale of a fight, the whole army engaged. For their part Takeda's counterpunching was everywhere disjointed and piecemeal. The activation rolls were well and truly in Uesugi's favour. Of course, Kosaka was never going to activate more than three of his five units in any one turn, and that was what was keeping in balance the battle of the riverbank. 

On the other hand, Takeda's combat dice were pretty effective. Uesugi had on this front already taken at least 3SP losses, but, unable in their own turn to bring more than two units into combat, so had Takeda.

Takeda were a deal better off on their right. Ignoring Kenshin's command post, 4 activation points were enough at least to engage all the available Uesugi units.  They quick dispatched a body of spearmen, then of bows. Having disposed of the latter, a unit of foot samurai were able to strike the rear of enemy samurai already engaged in from by Takeda's mounted warriors.

All the while, Nobukie was holding back his reserve of four units. of course, with more favourable activation dice, nothing would have held him back. But the truth is, Takeda were doing fine without him.

Turn 4, and the initiative swung back in Takeda's favour. The activation dice: fair, bearing in mind that the loss of a commander had reduced the activation dice to 3 for the main body. Five units could act. But Kosaka could activate none at all! One, halved, rounded down equals zero. Too bad.

But the fact was that Uesugi's losses had well and truly sunk the army well beyond its exhaustion point. If Kosaka was unable completely to breakout from the river line, Soburohei was completing the destruction of the Uesugi left. The addition of ashigaru spearmen finally annihilated the last of the surrounded foot samurai. Apart from Kenshin himself, the only surviving unit available was the embattled mounted samurai, far distant from his command post.  

Fighting hard, the mounted samurai had inflicted heavy losses upon their enemies - two of the three Takeda units facing them already much depleted. But if the chronicles were later to relate the valour of this unit, and the heroic defence along the river bank, the Uesugi army was done. The collapse was sudden and total, as the remains of Uesugi Kenshin's army broke and fled, hotly pursued by  the Takeda army.

The Uesugi defeat was total. The loss of 14 Strength Points - 6 in that last turn - brought their army to their rout point. Takeda losses were 10 overall, 4 from Kosaka's flanking force, and 6 from the main body. Neither had been reduced to its exhaustion point. 

Overall, the early Uesugi success had been hard fought and indecisive. Once Takeda's two wings were able to cooperate - as originally planned for a different location - the Uesugi forces were outnumbered, and, despite a valiant defence, finally overwhelmed. 

In these last battles, the number of commanders meant that for the most part almost the whole army might be activated in any given turn. That was certainly the case with the Uesugi army in that final phase of the battle. On the other hand Takeda was unlucky with its activation rolls, barely half the army activated in each turn. Had I thought it through more, I might well have dropped the unnamed commanders from the activation dice roll count. But then we would not have got that strenuous battle put up by Uesugi until their final collapse.

Next time: something completely different...