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Post by cv10 on Aug 21, 2017 14:58:06 GMT -6
Turn 34: 9th November, 1915:Op Almost nothing of interest occurred. German A-Class DDs tried to raid the Dover straits and got hit by the Dover Patrol and the French batteries at Dunkerque. The Harwich Force found nothing to engage except a handful of minesweepers. Eventually the Germans go tired of my capers and sent their battleships after my cruisers. Due to my destroyers wasting their torpedoes on the minesweepers and getting wildly out of formation, I fled, with the 1/11th Destroyer Flotilla trying a torpedo run on the Germans: they did not launch any and one of them was sunk for its trouble. It seems my destroyers only like to torpedo my dreadnoughts: perhaps if my dreadnoughts started shooting back that would change...
At any rate, I think I'll repeat what I did for this op again, except I'll have the whole Grand Fleet just over the horizon.
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Post by cv10 on Aug 21, 2017 15:15:27 GMT -6
Turn 35: 23rd November, 1915:Plan A repeat of the last operation, with the exception that the Grand Fleet will be coming south in order to attack the German Fleet if it should come out. All but 3 dreadnoughts have crews that are elite, and if the German fleet does not come out, I will consider yet another attack on the German coastal fortifications.
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Post by cv10 on Aug 21, 2017 15:58:50 GMT -6
Turn 35: 23rd November, 1915:Op Again, not much to report. Bad weather for this turn greatly restricted visibility. The plan itself was scrubbed when it was found that the Germans had light forces in the Channel Approaches. Numerous sightings by my patrolling destroyers fail to pan out as they refuse to investigate contacts. Grand Fleet returned home after cruisers were sent looking for the Germans. Was unable to find them. As it turned out, the Germans have somehow mined the heck out of the waters near Sheerness. One destroyer was lost and two others badly damaged before patrols were recalled due to too many ships minesweeping the hard way.
Battlecruiser crews regress in quality in spite of six weeks of training. I intend to make their lives miserable with drill until they're up to snuff.
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Post by garrisonchisholm on Aug 21, 2017 19:31:40 GMT -6
The beatings will continue until morale improves!
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Post by cv10 on Aug 21, 2017 19:54:31 GMT -6
The beatings will continue until morale improves! Darn right they will! I just don't know why they continue to stagnate and regress. However since December has arrived, they won't be going out anyways. The days are too short and the weather too appalling. I will be sending out light cruisers, but that's about it. It will give me a chance to train my destroyers: some of them have terrible crews because of the flood of them that I've been getting. It's harder to train them, as there's a max number of ships that can be trained, and destroyers fill it up rather fast |
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Post by cv10 on Aug 21, 2017 20:14:13 GMT -6
Turn 36: 7th December, 1915:Plan This will be another minelaying operation. So I've been reviewing the paths that the High Seas Fleet have been taking when they come out, and I intend to try to focus my minelaying operations in these areas. HMS Princess Irene and HMS Shappo (a minelayer cruiser) will be laying a minefield just outside the German Defense Area (GDA). the 3rd Cruiser Squadron, made up of the new and fast C-Class Cruisers, will provide cover for the operation. In the meantime, the Grand Fleet will be on ready-alert this turn. Our destroyer squadrons will be getting some much needed training, along with our soon-to-be miserable battlecruisers.
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Post by cv10 on Aug 21, 2017 20:57:03 GMT -6
Turn 36: 7th December, 1915:Op Ordinary turn: minelayers sailed from port and laid minefield at about a 45 degree angle from Helgoland (I Quadrant if anyone remembers Algebra). Light cruisers screen the operation. No enemy forces encountered and it seemed like the Germans were content to stay in port. Was somewhat pleased to find out that two German destroyers were immediate victims of the minefield laid by HMS Princess Irene. Was less pleased to find out that as a result, it was detected and swept. Was even less pleased to find out that HMS Marlborough exploded in port at Scapa Flow. I still have 21 dreadnoughts and will get 8 more British and 5 more American dreadnoughts (6th Battle Squadron). However it's still annoying. If bad things happen to my BBs, why can't it happen to the crappy ones in the 1/1 Battle Squadron with their 10 inch-belts, 12 inch guns, and 20 knot speeds?!
Author's note: I hope these short posts are okay with readers. I could go into detail about every mining operation, but for the most part they are the same, and it seems rather silly to drone on about them. Here's hoping for a fleet action come spring. Turn 37: 21st December, 1915:Plan It seems that Jerry does not want to have a peaceful Christmas, as the Room 40 fellows have detected an enemy operation. The Admiralty has not recommended any operations in the spirit of the season. However I can' allow the Germans to be naughty on Christmas without at least trying to give them some coal for their behavior...Wait a minute, I'm not supposed to be supplying their fuel needs! Well IIRC on Nikolaustag, if children are bad, they get a stick for their parents to hit them with (In Austria they get whipped by demonic Krampus and taken off to his lair [is it just me or do these sound like really dark holiday traditions?]). At any rate, the Battlecruiser Force and the Grand Fleet will act as the stick that we will use to pummel the Germans for interrupting Christmas.
At any rate we will preempt the Germans will the whole Battlecrusier Force and Grand Fleet. The 3rd Destroyer Flotilla (I'm just going to call them the fast cruisers now) will sail to help us with our scouting. Since we British have been good this year (I.E. not pillaging Belgium), Father Christmas has granted us the services of 14 submarines, which have been stretched out from Horn's Reef to Texel to spot the Germans. Here's hoping that this is not some lame A-Class DD raid from the Belgian Coast. If it is, we will attack the forts on the Belgian Coast yet again. I'm feeling a bit jaded and blowing stuff up is fun!
To C-In-C Grand Fleet
"The Navy has neglected to get Britain a gift for Christmas, See what you can do."
Balfour
Submarine Deployment: C-Class deployed to cover the Channel
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Post by cv10 on Aug 21, 2017 21:25:12 GMT -6
Turn 37: 21st December, 1915:Op
Nothing of importance was found or spotted. My fast cruisers found a hand full of minesweepers and patrol destroyers. They were sunk, but HMS Aurora took a torpedo and was sunk. Lousy weather with visibility never better than 8,000 yards. Admiralty frustration with the inaction at peak levels.
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Post by cv10 on Aug 21, 2017 21:40:45 GMT -6
1915:Year in Review
So we bid farewell to 1915, and may we look upon her kindly. This has been a year of good news and bad news. Let's start with the bad news. We have two fewer dreadnoughts, neither of them lost in battle. A dreadnought lost in battle is a waste, but a dreadnought lost to mines or internal explosion is a dreadnought that died without inflicting any damage in return. In addition our submarine fleet has suffered pretty heavy losses, with 5 subs lost in the last 2 months alone. Finally, it seems the Germans have the minelaying game figured out, as we've suffered pretty heavy losses due to them. Good news: the Germans are down 5 dreadnoughts, have no battlecruisers (Lützow may have arrived), and have had their light forces eroded a bit.
Losses Up to this Point
British: 5BB, 1 BC, 2 B, 4 CA, 7 CL, 17DD, 9 SS,
German: 5BB, 4 BC, 7B, 3CA, 16CL, 46DD, 1SS
Who's doing better in terms of losses: I think that I'm doing better. I only lost 2 BB this year, and neither were because I handled them poorly. I did mishandle the pre-dreadnoughts, and the CA fiasco was also my doing, but these ships are not critical to the success of my fleet. I'm more alarmed by my submarine and light cruiser losses. I'm ahead in the BB/BC category, and that's important because I can replace my losses, the Germans can't.
Here's hoping that we can finally break the Germans in 1916. |
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Post by cv10 on Aug 21, 2017 22:00:49 GMT -6
Turn 38: 5th January, 1916 Admiralty requested raid on edge of German Defense Area. 1/11th Destroyer Squadron sortied from Harwich to raid enemy coastal patrols. HMS Marne strikes mine on the Broad Fourteens and successfully returns to base at Harwich. 1/11th raids perimeter of GDA and sinks 1 minesweeper and 1 patrol destroyer. Crew of patrol destroyer rescued by HMS Mandate in spite of heavy fire from German shore batteries on Borkum. Protest lodged with Germans via Swiss Embassy. Commander Edward Lawrie recommended for Distinguished Service Order for having brought his ship under heavy fire for mercy mission. While risking his ship for such a purpose might be questionable, it certainly shows the characterisitcs of courage and humanity that are desirable in our naval officers. In addition, the International Committee of the Red Cross have awarded Commander Lawrie and the crew of HMS Mandate with medals for their bravery. Instructions on propriety of wearing them with uniform pending, but endorsed.
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Post by garrisonchisholm on Aug 21, 2017 23:47:21 GMT -6
Turn 38: 5th January, 1916 Admiralty requested raid on edge of German Defense Area. 1/11th Destroyer Squadron sortied from Harwich to raid enemy coastal patrols. HMS Marne strikes mine on the Broad Fourteens and successfully returns to base at Harwich. 1/11th raids perimeter of GDA and sinks 1 minesweeper and 1 patrol destroyer. Crew of patrol destroyer rescued by HMS Mandate in spite of heavy fire from German shore batteries on Borkum. Protest lodged with Germans via Swiss Embassy. Commander Edward Lawrie recommended for Distinguished Service Order for having brought his ship under heavy fire for mercy mission. While risking his ship for such a purpose might be questionable, it certainly shows the characterisitcs of courage and humanity that are desirable in our naval officers. In addition, the International Committee of the Red Cross have awarded Commander Lawrie and the crew of HMS Mandate with medals for their bravery. Instructions on propriety of wearing them with uniform pending, but endorsed.
Hear hear! That's the Christmas spirit. |
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Post by cv10 on Aug 22, 2017 10:25:51 GMT -6
Turn 39:18th January,1916:Plan Naval Intelligence has reported that the Germans intend to run a bombardment mission off the British East Coast. No information was given as to force composition, however Naval Intelligence has also determined that the battlecruisers SMS Lützow has joined the German fleet. In addition, the Germans have at least 12 dreadnoughts ready for action, and 1226 ops points. As such, the possibility must be considered that this operation will involve the High Seas Fleet or the SMS Lützow. As such, we will be dpolying our forces accordingly. The Battlecruiser Force will sortie all 7 of its ready Battlecruisers (two are in the yard). This should enable us to take on the Lützow or a force of German cruisers should that be all they sortie. In addition, the Harwich Force will be sending out 4 cruiser squadrons to aid in locating the Germans.
The Admiralty has requested a sortie of the Grand Fleet for this period of time anyway, and since we're already preempting the German operation, I've agreed to do it. At the very least the Grand Fleet can reach the objective point and make the Admiralty happy. We currently have 21 dreadnoughts, and a fleet action would be very desirable, but I think one is highly unlikely. Our submarine force will set up a picket line in order to try and detect the German fleet. However with the weather being so poor lately and the days so short, I won't hold my breath.
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Post by cv10 on Aug 22, 2017 11:17:15 GMT -6
A Teaser:The Fruits of Last Turn
To Admiral Sir George Callaghan, Commanding Officer of the Grand Fleet
Sir,
By the order of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, I am hereby directed to order you, to prepare your fleet for either amphibious operations with regards to capturing Heligoland, or operations within the Baltic Sea in conjunction with the Imperial Russian Navy. Operational details shall be left up to you. Given that both will involve the seizure of Advance Bases, the Royal Naval Division (Major-General A. Paris RM commanding) has been placed at your disposal and is currently be concentrated at Plymouth, and will be posted up to Edinburgh as soon as possible. While you will have command of the sea operation, I don't need to highlight the importance of obtaining the agreement of Major-General Paris regarding any landing by the Marines and Sailors under his command.
I have the Honor to Be,
Admiral Sir Henry Jackson, First Sea Lord
Signed in the presence of Captain Sievey, 10th Earl of Barra
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Post by cv10 on Aug 22, 2017 14:03:38 GMT -6
Turn 39:18th January,1916:Op The turn began with good, clear weather, and in spite of the rapid nightfall, we had good conditions for the operation. So right off the bat, Room 40 reported a German battlecruiser heading to the Northwest (perhaps on a vector to raid the Northeast Coast of Britain). I had my battlecruisers and the Grand Fleet set a course to intercept, while the Harwich Force maintained a position sweeping up and down the East Coast. We did not find any Germans, however one of our coastal batteries reported that it was taking fire from German ships. The poor wireless operator was so excited, he forgot to radio which of the numerous shore batteries he was reporting from. As such, The Grand Fleet continued down to its objective, while the Harwich Force went north hunting for the Germans. In the meantime, the Battlecruisers headed Southwest towards the Wash.
The Grand Fleet reached its objective and headed south. The idea was that we would have a search triangle where one unit would be heading north, one to the southwest, and one to the southeast. It was at the stage that the Grand Fleet's scout cruisers got lost during the night. This was a cause of great annoyance, as I'd rather have a few light cruisers blunder into a torpedo flotilla than the Dreadnoughts. However my frustration was greatly eased when HMS Carysfort reported that she had made contact with the Germans.
The first shots were fired shortly thereafter. My fleet headed ever slightly to the Northwest to bring their full broadsides into play and to ensure (with only 7 hours of daylight) that the sun would be in the eyes of the Germans. So the start of the action did not go well for us. German gunnery was as accurate as its always been, which is to say excellent. While my gun crews were equally good, the 1st and 2nd Battle Squadrons lagged behind the 5th and the 4th, and as a result, those squadrons began to absorb more hits. HMS Warspite herself took 4 in the first 15 minutes of battle. In order to throw off the Germans a bit, the 5th Battle Squadron turned west to try and open the distance a bit, where our bigger guns could smash away without suffering as many hits from the Hun.
However I guessed that the only way to ensure that the 5th and the 4th did not get trashed was to get the 1st and 2nd Battle Squadrons into the fight. At this juncture, I made a gamble. the 1/2 Battle Sqaudrons and the dreadnoughts behind it were detached to move to the south and engage the High Seas Fleet (by this point in time heading directly east) from starboard while the 5th, 4th and 2/2 Battle Squadrons kept to the North and engaged it from port. In the meantime, the Battlecruiser Force was ordered to 23 knots and told to close with the Grand Fleet, though I had no real idea what I would do with it: it just seemed like the thing to do. At this point, SMS Lützow had not been spotted (it had not come out as it turned out) so I might have been thinking that they could engage it if it should suddenly appear.
In the meantime, the Southern Force managed to turn two more dreadnoughts into burning hulks, and once again my light forces proved their inability to fire torpedoes with anything approaching accuracy, as they scored no hits (they even missed my own ships!). With night falling and the weather worsening, all fleet units began to return to their respective bases. This is where the only other bad thing to happen to the British occurred. HMS Warspite had taken in excess of 20 heavy hits, and with the worsening weather (rain and heavy wind), even a slow 5 knot speed could not prevent her damage control parties from being overwhelmed. The ship was abandoned, and the crew evacuated. Aside from that, everything made it home in good order.
Overall I'm pleased: could it have been better? Yes. However it's still more than acceptable to the Admiralty and the nation. |
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Post by cv10 on Aug 22, 2017 15:39:06 GMT -6
In my opinion, the High Seas Fleet has been finished as a threat to the United Kingdom. After this operation today, it will never be able to muster more than 11 dreadnoughts, and that will be by 1918. In the meantime, I'll have plenty of reinforcements. IRL, such losses would almost inevitably have led the Kaiser to forbid it to go to sea anymore. In addition, the Germans would not have been able to prevent the British from operating in the Baltic alongside the Russians if they really wanted to.
As such, I've decided to conclude this AAR. While I could go on and try to destroy what's left of the German fleet, it would make little difference. Even if the Germans had lost every dreadnought they had, their coastline would have most likely been protected by their light forces, which were the bane of my dreadnoughts in this match. Destroying half it's operational strength IRL would have enabled the British to probably do everything they felt they could do if the German fleet had been nobbled. This AAR was started on the 5th of May, 2017 and as such, It has been going on for 3-4 months and as, as of this moment 8,277 views. I'd like to thank all of my readers for their time, and I hope it was not too boring. In particular, I'd like to thank the following people (in order of appearance):
skwabie , babylon218 , theexecuter , marcorossolini ,srndacful , zardoz , Airy W , Enderminion , bcoopactual , director , boomboomf22 , JagdFlanker , vonfriedman , archelaos , konstantinua00 , fredsanford , joebob73 , oaktree , klavohunter , garrisonchisholm , Noname117 , williammiller, rimbecano and aeson for having commented in the AAR. Community participation makes an AAR much more enjoyable.
Here's a health to the King!
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