Part 11: 17:50 - 18:05
Ordersquote:
3.II Squadron: Battleships Deutschland, Pommern, Schlesien
Turn bearing to 270, 18 knots, fire on approaching Battlecruisers/battleships as opportunity presents itself!
5.III Squadron: Turn to heading 270 and maintain current speed. Prior targeting orders stand.
Friedrich der Große:
Remain in battleline, make turn to 270 when ship in front makes it. Engage closest target when in range.
1.IV Scouting Group : Turn towards the enemy line. Send the v.48 towards the enemy battle line at flank speed once it becomes dark and unload all torpedoes. Stettin will remain as a picket vs. incoming cruiser.
2.IV Scouting: Turn to WNW at best speed in company.
3.IV Scouting Group : München and S54 keep prosecuting torpedo attacks on British Battleships.
4.IV scouting group: Turn right to 30, maintain speed. Try to get my destroyer to cover my
left flank. Fire on those enemy cruisers if I get a chance.
5.IV Scouting Group : Reduce speed to 10Knots due to Battleships coming into range of view.
1st Leader of Destroyers - turns to 270 with the main fleet.
II Flotilla: Ships damaged *worse* than 'yellow' and out of torpedoes will turn to
153 and head for port independently. All other ships to come to 045, speed 27 kts, then fall into roughly staggered line with the scouting groups to our NE and match speed. Engage targets of opportunity with guns.
I Scouting Grp : turn to 055 speed 26 knots for long enough to cross the wake of the BBs, then 005 (turns in succession, not that it matters much for two ships) maintaining speed for the remaining time.
II Scouting Grp : Turn to heading 310, slow to 20kts. Fire on enemy cruisers if range closes to 10km or less.
10.V Half-Flotilla : Execute the turn to heading 270, and thread the ships between the elements of the Battleline. If any enemy ships come into range, initiate a torpedo attack, but only after clearing the Battleline, so that we don't hit our own ships.
13. VII Half Flotilla : Bearing: 270 degrees Speed: 18 knots
17.IX Half Flotilla: turn bearing 270 degrees.
17:50
The Barham opens fire on our battle line, seemingly targetting our flagship.
17:53u
The battleship Rheinland becomes the first of our battleships to open fire on the enemy, firing on the Barham.
But the rest of the 2.I Squadron is soon firing as well.
While thier first shots are inaccurate, they will improve.
17:56
Most of the battle line is now firing on the lone battleship they can see. And their fire is getting closer and closer to the Barham
17:58
With this much firepower raining down on the enemy, its only a matter of time until she is hit, and that happens with a shot midships.
Although, with 19 ships opening fire on her, its impossible to tell who landed the hit.
The turning of the battle line is going well, if slowly.
I'm attempting to get everone into a better line than before.
18:01
The lead ships in the battle line switch their targets to the other Queen Elizibeth class battleships, and their first salvoes are fairly accurate.
Of course, their return fire is not that inaccurate itself.
18:04
The Konig is the first battleship to take a hit, but the damage is only light from the 15 inch shell that strikes her. But this means the enemy has their range.
Map
For scouts :
17:59
To the north, the 2nd Leader of Destroyers spots the battlecrusiers that fled north, as well as maintaining contact on the whole british battle line.
Here is your map
17:50-18:05
There is no firing between your ships, and you keep an eye on the enemy formations. Some destroyers have come into sight protecting the rear of the british battle line, but little else has changed
Here is your map
Messages
4.IV Scouting group to fleet:
HAVE SIGHTED ENEMY BATTLESHIPS WARSPITE MALAYA VALIANT BARHAM NW OF ME BEARING 150. AT PRESENT COURSE WILL CROSS BEHIND OUR LINE. TURNING 30 TO SHADOW.
5.IV Scouting Group to Sheer
Thar be battleships directly NE of the battleline. They are sailing in a direct line towards the main line of battleships
Scheer to I Scouting
REGROUP EAST OF HSF AND HEAD NORTH TO SHADOW ENEMY MAIN BODY SEND CONTINUOUS REPORTS ONCE CONTACT IS ESTABLISHED DO NOT ENGAGE UNTIL HSF DOES
Scheer to Fleet
CONTACT WITH ENEMY MAIN BODY EXPECTED WITHIN 45 MINUTES PREPARE GEFECHTSKEHRTWENDE TOWARDS THE ENEMY IF NECESSARY TO CROSS THE T
Lost Message
3.II Squadron to 4.II Sqaudron
TURNING 270 IN SUCCESSION - ENGAGE AND SINK APPROACHING BATTLECRUISERS / BATTLESHIPS IF POSSIBLE - PROCEED NORTH / NORTH-WEST - STAY IN LINE FORMATION - 18 KNOTS
The Turn goes in, and its looks good to cross the British T, but these ships are arriving quickly, and we have yet to finish off the wounded ships of the advance force yet.