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Post by klavohunter on May 27, 2017 11:39:47 GMT -6
LOL!
You have intrigued me. Th way SAI focuses on one war, with you getting to choose operations and set your own strategy, unlike the fairly random battles of RTW... I do like what I see!
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Post by cv10 on May 27, 2017 18:22:34 GMT -6
Turn 7: October 27, 1914. Operation Not really much to report. My ships sailed in good order, and the minefield was laid without incident. I conducted a sweep of the German minefield edge, and sank several fishing trawlers acting as minesweepers. One of my destroyers got separated and was fired upon by the enemy (the ships engaged were not sighted), but made it home. A search failed to find the offending vessels, and the Light Cruisers returned to Scapa Flow. While on their way home, a storm brewed, and several of my destroyers and one cruiser were damaged by the weather.
Above: Minefield laid in position As I predicted, the Admiralty was not pleased by my mishandling of the dreadnought refits. While I thought the result would have been worse, I don't expect that this will be tolerated for long. In other news, two battlecruisers returned from the yard. Next turn, I'll get another six back, so if I don't get fired in the next two turns, I think I'll get to keep my job!
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Post by Airy W on May 27, 2017 22:38:56 GMT -6
Here's hoping the Huns don't have stormtroopers in London by the time they're done.
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Post by cv10 on May 27, 2017 22:47:53 GMT -6
Here's hoping the Huns don't have stormtroopers in London by the time they're done. The Belgians are keeping the German Army busy at the Yser and the Hun also seems tuckered out from the Race to the Sea, so I consider amphibious operations unlikely. I also doubt that Moltke the Younger has the imagination to organize a landing. Yet with my command skills I feel compelled to say: God defend dear old Blighty, because no one else can!
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Post by marcorossolini on May 29, 2017 6:16:19 GMT -6
Loving this. And great discussion about Massie. Great War at Sea is one of the best books on the course of WW1 at sea. (Though I'd have loved him to discuss the skirmishes that took place elsewhere in the Baltic and Blacksea). "There's something wrong with our bloody admirals today" Anonymous captain watching his ship enter drydock.
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Post by Airy W on May 29, 2017 8:05:10 GMT -6
XD
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Post by cv10 on May 29, 2017 8:55:53 GMT -6
"There's something wrong with our bloody admirals today" Anonymous captain watching his ship enter drydock. The Chronicle Special Report: November 1st, 1914
Mr. Churchill has announced in Parliament that Admiral Battenberg has submitted his resignation as 1st Sea Lord on grounds of poor health. However confidential sources indicate that the former 1st Sea Lord resigned over the public concerns about his German heritage, and over the initial actions of the fleet thus far in the war. Admiral Fisher, himself having held the post previously, has been recalled to active service to reassume the role. While we of this paper regret that Admiral Battenberg has given in to the public hysteria, we cannot help but express our confidence that with the arrival of Admiral Fisher, the conduct of the naval war will improve.
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Post by director on May 29, 2017 10:34:18 GMT -6
The resignation of Battenberg and the name changes to Moutbatten (Windsor for the royal family) reflected the mood of the times. To get Britain into the war and get approval for a big, conscripted army it was necessary to demonize the enemy. The Germans certainly did a lot to help that process along.
Hopefully there won't be military 'complications' from putting the battle fleet in drydock en masse. You can ride out the political consequences, I think - Battenberg should leave his successor two envelopes(*) - but if and when the Germans come out you may have to take a few more chances than Jellicoe did at Jutland. Successful chances, that is.
(*) Once upon a time a team did poorly and the coach was fired. The new coach was unpacking his belongings in the office when he found two sealed envelopes in the desk, marked 'First Crisis' and 'Second Crisis'. He put them aside and thought no more about them.
The first year began well and then turned sour: injuries, a few games lost that could have been won, reports of controversy in the locker room. The press began speculating whether the new coach should be immediately let go. The coach remembered the envelopes and opened the first one. It said, 'Blame it all on me'. He did, and it worked: everything bad was just a holdover from the previous coach or the pains of transition, and the future was bright. Everyone backed off, they won a few games and the year ended on a positive note.
The second year went the same: early success and then a string of heartbreaking close losses due to clear mistakes by coaches and players. The drumbeat of criticism grew and the calls for his firing got louder. In desperation the coach opened the second envelope. It said, "Welcome to the worst sports town in the world. Prepare two more envelopes."
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Post by cv10 on May 29, 2017 13:21:43 GMT -6
Turn 8: 10 November, 1914: Planning Not to be pithy, but this operation will be yet another mining operation (YAMO). I will be laying this field between the last one laid, and the one at Oyster Ground. In addition, the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron and supporting destroyers will sortie yet again and try to find German light units or patrol vessels. In addition to the light forces and minelayers sailing out, four Submarines are being posted to the edges of the German Bight.
In the meantime, the battlecruiser squadrons will continue to conduct drills. Crew quality for the big ships is pretty good for having been in the yard, with crews being at either 0 or 1. Next turn, HMS Tiger will arrive and I'll have a pretty formidable Battlecruiser Force again. It was depleted a bit by the loss of HMS Princess Royal, and then the deployment of HMS Invincible and HMS Inflexible to the South Atlantic, plus the need for the Admiralty to maintain a few of them in the Med. Sea to support our French allies. In addition, several destroyer Flotillas will be drilling as well.
A final note on fleet composition, the 1/10 Destroyer Flotilla has been reassigned to the Battlecruiser Force and rebased to Edinburgh. The 1/10 has 4 M-Class Destroyers, which have a top speed of 34 knots, and are therefore much better suited to escorting the battlecruisers. Once I have enough of them (I get a bunch), I transfer all the flotillas of the 1st Destroyer Squadron elsewhere.
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Post by cv10 on May 29, 2017 14:24:56 GMT -6
Turn 8: 10th November,1914: Operation
This turn ended up being a lot more exciting than I had anticipated. The Minelayers sailed out and reached their objective without incident, and a line of mines was laid. In the meantime, the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron sailed south, and was nearing the eastern British minefield when reports of German light cruisers were reported by norwegian coasters (intercepted by our wireless operators as the messages were uncoded). The 1st Light Cruiser Squadron sailed north-east to intercept them. However, the light cruisers were not where I thought they would be. I thought that they would head north-west to raid the Northern Patrol, yet they headed south. So my cruisers sailed south to see if the Germans could be found. As it turns out that they were still out, but unfortunately, they were not alone.
As it turns out, SMS Derfflinger was out with them, and my light cruisers blundered right into it. I tried to sail to the north to escape, however the Derfflinger had both the speed and and the guns to sink my entire squadron. HMS Yarmouth was hit by a 12 inch shell and went dead in the water. As such, I decided to take a leaf out of the German book and launch a death-or-escape torpedo run on the Derfflinger, which was lacking in close escort. My cruisers and destroyers laid a smoke screen and charged at the Derfflinger. HMS Southampton (our poor flagship) was mortally damaged, but two torpedo hits were achieved, and the Derfflinger retired south towards home.
The torpedo attack took place in the area circled in black I attempted to engage the German light cruisers that remained, however my cruisers were pretty shot up, and my force cohesion had deteriorated during the action, so I retired to the North, with my ships making it home, minus HMS Southampton and HMS Lucifer, which was also sunk. While it is a shame I didn't sink the Derfflinger, I'll take heavy damage to her and the survival of the bulk of my forces. The loss of HMS Southampton is regrettable, but there will be more light cruisers. However I am a bit unsatisfied with how this is going so far. All of the battles fought right now have been only marginal victories, and it would be nice to at least get one clear-cut victory.
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Post by fredsanford on May 29, 2017 15:29:41 GMT -6
One thing I like about the SAI campaign is the tension in each turn. You think it may be just another routine minelaying mission, but you never know.
I think you're actually in a really good position strategically. Crippling the German BC force early is a huge advantage.
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Post by cv10 on May 29, 2017 16:02:11 GMT -6
One thing I like about the SAI campaign is the tension in each turn. You think it may be just another routine minelaying mission, but you never know. I think you're actually in a really good position strategically. Crippling the German BC force early is a huge advantage. After this encounter, I'm inclined to leave at least part of the Battlecruiser Force on standby each turn so it can be activated. It would have been nice to sink her. I also intend to get more destroyers for the BC Force. A massive destroyer attack likely would have carried the day. Once I get the flood of M-Class destroyers, I'll be sitting pretty. I agree that I'm in a good spot strategically speaking. I'm back up to 10 operational BBs, and I'll get a bunch more next turn (a large number of them repaired 1 week's worth of damage, plus HMS Emperor of India arrives). Crew Quality is good, and none of my big ship crews seem the worse for being in the yard. Plus, British naval intelligence gets better as the war goes on, so I'll have a much better idea of what Harry Hun is up to. Once February arrives, I hope to give him a damn good British-style thrashing!
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Post by theexecuter on May 29, 2017 16:04:34 GMT -6
Welcome to being the blockading force. You don't need a clear cut victory. Whittle him down and make him pay for his mistakes. Or hope for an Admiral Villeneuve on the German side...
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Post by garrisonchisholm on May 30, 2017 11:44:29 GMT -6
When I read about Villeneuve I feel sad for him. He really seemed out of his element. Nelson's year-long hounding (an astonishing display of prescient leadership and English seamanship) really rattled him.
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Post by cv10 on May 30, 2017 15:59:09 GMT -6
Turn 9: 24th November, 1914: Planning So after the last turn, six dreadnoughts finished up their refits and returned to the fleet. In addition, HMS Tiger arrived from John Brown and Company's shipyard on the Clyde. Another 8 dreadnoughts will finish refits and repairs in the next two weeks, and HMS Emperor of India will finish her final sea trials and join the fleet as well.
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