Part 9: 17:20 - 17:35
Ordersquote:
MBF - Continue course and heading.
1.IV Scouting Group : Right let's chop back on the throttle a bit, monitor and identify the contacts to the north but do notengage until night, when we will set up our torpedo boat for a run
4.IV Scouting Group L Turn to 340, speed 23 knots. There seem to be a couple of
enemy ships nearby, so fire on one of them - ideally the one moving
NE. Guns only, no torpedoes.
Scouting Group 5.IV : Turn to 315 degrees on the rudder which should mean I'm traveling pretty much straight NW. Max my speed.
I Scouting : Continue to flee, same course (070), maximum speed, once we get out of range of enemy forces alter course to 005 but still max speed
II Scouting :Turn to heading 010, maintain speed at 27 kts. Engage enemy cruisers, prioritising the cruiser heading south eastwards
12.VI Half Flotilla : G37 is to stay on bearing 015, increase speed to 34 knots or maximum sustainable speed, and maneuver evasively. Try to find the end of the Grand Fleet and stay afloat till nightfall.
10.V Half-Flotilla : Maintain heading, but increase speed by a couple knots. It looks like all the action is on the other side of the Battleships, so I want to move the screen towards the front-right of them.
13. VII Half Flotilla -- Maintain course and speed. Target
any enemy vessel larger than a rowboat.
17 IX Half Flotilla: Turn bearing 210, launch torpedoes against enemy battle crusiers, thenform up to screen Scouting I
17:25
The battle line I have formed is a little ragged, but this should help confuse the British range finders.
17:29
Finally, at a distance of 32 kilometers, the main fleet gets sight of three British battle cruisers.
These ships are thought to be the Tiger, Princess Royal and Queen Mary. they are still out of range of our guns.
This doesn't stop the guns of the entire line of battle cruisers swinging to face this threat. Waiting for them to stray into range.
17:35
You see that the gun duel between the battle cruisers is continuing, but they are now the only sounds of combat that you can hear, and they are not hitting each other. You also see the smoke from four more battleships, also heading south, and assume that these are the Queen Elizabeth battleships.
Here is your battle map, now with enemy ships!
For 1.IV scouting and II scouting
17:22
The Queen Elizabeth battleships are now heading southwards, and have returned to formation, with the exception of the Barham.
17:23
The two remaining battle cruisers continue to flee their British counterparts, but they are still in range, and the Von Der Tann takes another hit, this one takes out a 15cm gun and damages a couple of flack guns.
17:25
The ships of the 17.IX half flotilla close to try a torpedo attack, but soon come under fire from the smaller guns of the British battle cruisers.
17:27
Smoke on the horizon tells the G37 that trouble is coming, the she has identified another five battleships in line, making a total of 23 of the British dreadnoughts.
Luckily for her, no one seems to be targeting her at this time. This may be due to the rain, which has reduced effective gunnery range to just under 13km.
17:35
The gunnery duel between the ships continues, but no more hits are scored on either sides.
Here is your battle map.
for the northern ships
Messages
G37 to all ships:
CAN CONFIRM GRAND FLEET MAKING 19 KNOTS HEADING SOUTH-SOUTH EAST. COUNT 14 DREADNOUGHTS AT THIS TIME. WILL CONTINUE RECONNAISSANCE UNTIL OTHERWISE ORDERED.
Sheer to (12. VI.):
REPORT OWN POSITION. PERMISSION TO DISENGAGE GRANTED. CONTINUE TO SHADOW ENEMY IF POSSIBLE.
Sheer to (Fleet):
PREPARE COURSE CHANGE TO 300 IN 15 MINUTES STAY IN BATTLELINE AND NO SCREW UPS THIS TIME
1st Leader of the Destoyers to Sheer:
RAIN AT ROSTOCK FLEET'S POSITION. I AM SCOUTING ENGAGING ENEMY BEARING 270
I Scouting to All
BC losses suggest English heavy guns lethal at medium to close range. Keep the range open or end up like Hipper.
4.IV Scouting to Friedrich Dr Grosse, Stettin:
MOVING NNW AT 23 KNOTS. SIGHTED TWO ENEMY SHIPS NW OF ME, MOVING NNW AND NE. ENGAGING.
II Scouting to 1.IV Scouting and 5.IV Scouting:
ADJUSTING COURSE 010 ENGAGING ENEMY CRUISERS. SUGGEST YOU DO LIKEWISE AND FOLLOW BEHIND. FURTHER SHARP COURSE CHANGES SHOULD BE INTERPRETED CONFIRMATION OF NEW ENEMY CONTACTS.
Lost Messages
Sheer to (II Flotilla):
REPORT POSITION AND CONTINUE TO SHADOW ENEMY. DO NOT ENGAGE UNLESS FIRED UPON.
10.V to 14.VIII: INCREASING SPEED TO MOVE TO FRONT OF BATTLESHIPS. SCREEN WILL BE NEEDED THERE.
This is pretty much the end of the first phase of the battle, the battle cruiser duel - and the British have defiantly won this one.
Now however, the main fleet has seen the enemy, and we can bring a massed number of guns on the enemy, and If Scheer plays his cards right, the southern section of the British fleet could be destroyed before the main section gets into range.