Triple Alliance vs Triple Entente IntroductionIt is assumed that a war between the two alliances breaks out on August 3rd 1914. [Historically nor Britain, nor Austria-Hungary nor Italy were yet at war. The former because the ultimatum that Britain sent to the German Empire, following its invasion of Belgium, has not already expired. War against Austria was declared by France and Britain on August 12th. Italy remained neutral until 1915. ]
It is hypothesized that the mobilization of all the armed forces and fleets had already been underway for several days and that the opposing military intelligences had striven to gather all possible information about it.
One thing was known to everyone. The French would have transported many troops from North Africa to the motherland as soon as possible. It was the XIX Army Corps, composed of four infantry divisions and other troops.
Since the French fleet would have done everything to allow these troops to be safely transported, the Triple Alliance would have had the opportunity to fight a decisive battle near the coast of North Africa in the first days of war.
This scenario starts at 1 am of August 4th. The Triple Alliance has planned a foray in the ports of Bona and Philippeville to lure the French fleet in a decisive battle in those waters. [Historically this raid was carried out by
Goeben and
Breslau alone.]
The French fleet of the Mediterranean, which includes all its most recent ships, has already sailed from Toulon [as it happened in reality] directed to North Africa, where some fast, big merchant ships are ready to embark the first echelons of the XIX Army Corps. [Historically these troops crossed the Mediterranean between 4 and 15 August, thus being able to take part in the decisive battle of the Marne.]
As it happened in reality, two of the four French dreadnoughts had been sent to the Baltic in late July to escort there the French President in his visit to the Czar. When the crisis broke out, these ships were summoned to return as soon as possible. On July 29th, while steaming down the English Channel, the French ships exchanged salutes with the British fleet, which was moving to its base of Scapa Flow.
It is therefore doubtful if these two powerful battleships will be able to reunite with their consort, where Admiral de Lapeyrère has hoisted his flag at the head of the main force, composed by the dreadnought
Courbet and by five (possibly six) pre-dreadnoughts of the
Republique and
Libertè classes. [Historically the dreadnought
Jean-Bart arrived in the Mediterranean after this date]
A second French force is composed by the six (possibly five) pre-dreadnoughts of the
Danton class and a third lesser force is composed by four (possibly five) older battleships manned by reserve crews.
Each of these forces includes several armored cruisers as scouts and various support destroyers.
In the meantime, the united fleets of the Triple Alliance sail from their bases in Sicily and Southern Italy directed towards the coasts of Algeria, with the primary aim to secure the "naval control in the Mediterranean through the swiftest possible defeat of the enemy fleet" and the secondary aim to carry out "actions directed against possible troop transport from North Africa" [the quoted sentences are taken from the Naval Agreement of the Triple Alliance, signed in 1913].
The vanguard of this fleet, under Rear Admiral Souchon, is composed by the German battlecruiser
Goeben and the light cuiser
Breslau. Two more German light cruisers were envisaged in the naval agreements, but it is uncertain if they are available.
The main force, under the direct command of the Commander in Chief, the Austrian Admiral Haus, is composed by the six (possibly five) Austrian and Italian dreadnoughts, three (possibly two) Austrian pre-dreadnoughts and by two Austrian armored cruisers plus escorting destroyers.
A second force, under the command of the Duke of Abruzzi, consists in four (possibly three) Italian fast pre-dreadnoughts and half a dozen armored cruisers plus light cruisers and destroyers.
As it happened in reality, the British are delayed both by late exchange of diplomatic notes and by misunderstanding in wireless communications with their ally, so much so that the light cruiser
Dublin has been sent to Bizerte to establish contact with the French.
Two (possibly three) British battlecruisers are speeding towards the Western Mediterranean from Malta, while four armored cruisers, plus some light cruisers and destroyers, are ordered to patrol the Eastern Mediterranean. [Historically
Indomitable,
Indefatigable and
Dublin met
Goeben and
Breslau, which had briefly bombarded Bona and Philippeville at dawn and were retreating towards Sicily. Since the British ultimatum to Germany had not yet expired, the British ships limited themselves to give chase but the
Goeben was faster.]
It is possible that the old British battleship
Albion and the armored cruiser
Cornwall, which historically were in Gibraltar, also are ordered to sail.
It is assumed that at daybreak of August 4th the French fleet, divided into three groups, is patrolling off the eastern coast of Algeria, while the British battlecruisers are struggling to join them in the morning. The fleet of the Triple Alliance, divided into three groups, is approaching from the East.
AARGoeben and
Breslau approach almost undetected the ports of Bona and Philippeville, where
Breslau sights a group of French transport ships waiting to embark the troops. In a short time all of them are sunk.
In the meantime the cruisers of the main force of the Triple Alliance sight the French main force, directly commanded by de Lapeyrère, which includes the new dreadnoughts
Courbet and
Jean-Bart: this latter has somehow managed to arrive on time.
The Austrian admiral has the lee gauge and with his superior firepower is able to inflict serious damages to the French dreadnoughts and to cripple some of the older battleships.
The Duke of Abruzzi is ordered to join the fight with his battleships, while keeping a cruiser squadron to the West, to be on guard against any surprises.
And indeed some time later the other two French forces are sighted on different bearings. Most menacing appears the force coming from NW, composed by the powerful pre-dreadnoughts of the
Danton class. To fend off this attack all the Italian destroyers are sent to attack them, covered by a division of fast armored cruisers. At the cost of a pair of destroyers the
Dantons reverse course for a while, enabling the Triple Alliance fleet to complete the destruction of most of the pre-dreadnoughts of the French main force, with the aid of
Goeben and
Breslau.
Unfortunately the armored cruiser
Pisa, which was detached owing to heavy damage, closes too near to a sinking French ship assisted by a French destroyer and she is fatally torpedoed. The Austrian dreadnought
Tegetthoff is also torpedoed during a daring dash of French destroyers but she is able to limit flooding and to keep a reasonable speed, keeping so a safe distance from the other French battleships coming from W and NW.
After noon, having spent almost all its ammunition, the Triple Alliance fleet retreats towards Sicily without too much difficulty, despite the precarious situation of various badly damaged ships.
The British BCs were too late to enter into the battle and later they were rather cautious. [Historically Admiral Milne had received orders to "to husband the Naval force in the Mediterranean", in other words to avoid losing his precious battlecruisers.]
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The files of this scenario may be found on the thread "Custom Scenarios".
A sincere thanks goes to
bcoopactual, who designed a splendid flag for the Triple Alliance.
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Everything suggests that a Mediterranean campaign based on the same hypotheses could be interesting.
The British should try to supply Malta, as happened in the 2nd World War. The French should keep communications with North Africa open. The Italians should send some convoys to Libya. Both sides should plan raids against the enemy coast.
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