Action at Cleaver Bank, 14 June 1918

[andyhall]

This fictional action takes place during the latter months of the First World War, after battleships from the United States had joined the Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet and began to take part in operations in the North Sea to keep the German High Seas Fleet blockaded in port. In this action, five American battleships are supported by light cruisers and destroyers of the Royal Navy.

On June 14, 1918 the Sixth Battle Squadron, consisting of five American battleships under the command of Rear Admiral Hugh Rodman, encountered a force of six German battleships and battle cruisers probing the British defenses in the middle of the North Sea near Cleaver Bank. British signals intelligence, that had been so successful for most of the war in tracking German naval movements, had missed Vice Admiral Friedrich Boedicker’s sortie the day before, allowing him to catch the Americans off guard and without nearby support.

This battle was gamed using Steam and Iron: The Great War at Sea by Naval Warfare Simulations. See full After Action Report in PDF format below.

Cleaver-Bank-AAR-2.pdf (743.08 KB)

[randomizer]

Nice, thanks for sharing. "Rodman, you're cut, report to the minors immediately". Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt will not be amused.

The full AAR is imaginative, thought provoking and a great read.

[andyhall]

"Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt will not be amused."

It's rumored that Josephus Daniels took to drinking after that, too.

[vonfriedman]

An excellent battle report indeed.
Perhaps Rodman should have kept his ships at a greater firing distance. Was he unable to do so owing to inferior speed? US battleships had alternative engines, while the opponents had turbines.