Part 13: 18:20 - 18:35
Ordersquote:
Friedrich der Große: Maintain heading and speed, target Queen Mary
3.II Sqadron orders: The Barham appear to be going down, switch targets to the enemy Battlecruisers that are in range until enemy main line is within distance and can be shot at, avoid firing on the same bloody ship!
Orders for 5.III Squadron: Ships are to maintain course and target the BB Warspite. When in range, switch target to lead ships of the enemy main battleline. Konig and Grosser Kurfurst are to target lead ship; Markgraf and Kronprinz to target the second ship. Fire one wave of torpedoes if the main battleline or the line of Queen Elizabeth's enter effective torpedo range.
On the Grosser Kurfurst, devote maximum assets to damage control until enemy battleline is within range. After which, damage control should be no more than required to halt further flooding and extinguish current fires.
I Scouting Grp: Shift fire to Tiger, or whichever battlecruiser is closest to me, while still in range.
What I do then depends on the speed I can make. If both battlecruisers are still capable of at Least 25 knots, carry on current heading and speed, altering to 045 should I come under fire from the Grand Fleet, to do my actual job of reconnaissance. There's five more British battlecruisers around and they need finding.
If they are not, turn to 090, slacken to 22 knots, and form up with the battleships.
II Scouting Grp: Adjust course to 300, increase speed to 23 kts. Concentrate fire on nearest enemy destroyer or cruiser within 10km (if any), or return fire if engaged. If engaged by enemy battleships, break off to 010 degrees, maximum speed.
3.IV Scouting Group: do everything possible to sink the Warspite!
10.V Half-Flotilla- Continue the manoeuvres to form up on the other side of the battleship line. If there are targets of opportunity, fire a torpedo, but only if there are no friendly ships beyond the target.
13: Half Flotilla: Course: 230 degrees Speed: 24 knots
18.IX Half-Flotilla: Come to 095, make immediate torpedo attack against the QE BBs when we have the range.
1st Leader of Destroyers- Rostock if possible to open fire on Warspite
18:21
Being on a British Battle cruiser suddenly becomes a very unhealthy place to be.
In quick succession, all three of these ships are hit by our fire, they are already full of holes, and we have their range, adding to the damage at a frightening rate.
The massive shells from the battleships fly through the air with a roaring sound, and the sound of explosions and splashes of water is near constant.
18:22
The 18.IV Half-Flotilla strays to close to the Queen Elizabeth battleships, and the V30 is hit, and the rest scramble to get out of the way of the huge vessels bearing down on them. Orders to fire torpedoes are given, but the range and angle are unlikely to allow any to be fired.
18:24
The G40, along with the other northern scouting units, continue to see the British fleet in all its glory.
With our own battleship in sight, the British ignore these smaller targets completely and steam ahead at full speed.
18:25
The sea around the Queen Mary all but boils with the amount of shells landing near her. She breaks formation in an attempt to throw off our firing solutions.
While this happens, the Barham slowly settles into the sea.
18:26
A minute later, she has gone down, and the water around her is filled with wreckage and lifeboats.
Her sisters have done a good job at pounding the ships of the 18.IV Half-Flotilla, most of which now show some damage, and two are crippled.
The Grosser Kurfurst is having major problems controlling the fires raging on the ship, the Captain has ceased firing, but with over one in five of the crew out of action, he needs to take more drastic measures, and orders his ship out of line and to slow down to try and free up more men to help save the ship. She is not in any danger of sinking, but the fire could reach the ammunition stores at any time - fully 14% of the ship is on fire.
Chaos also rules further down the battle line, as one of the half-flotillas attempts to get closer to the battle cruiser has forced the 1.I Squadron to do a 360 degree turn - completely destroying the remains of a coherent line.
18:27
The British battle ships adjust their course. Most likely to better get their range on our ships.
18:28
The King George V opens fire on the Konig.
The shells find their target, and the Konig's torpedoes and one of her guns are destroyed. This is a impressive start to the gunnery of the British Battleships.
Seconds later, another two shells strike, and this time one of her turrets is knocked out of action. Then yet another shell strikes and another of her 30.5cm turrets is rendered inoperable.
18:29
The S35 is hit hard and begins to sink.
18:32
Several minutes of ineffective firing on both sides follow, the ships of the 5.III Squadron begin to turn their guns towards the King George V.
Meanwhile, the emergency measures put into place on board the Grosser Kurfurst are beginning to take effect, the fire is now coming under control, but nothing can be done about the loss of two turrets.
18:34 and 42 seconds
Rounds from one of the 5.III Squadron strike the King George V
The ship explodes! The shells strike the ammunition stores and set them off. The Battle ship rapidly begins to sink.
Those are the British ships history has told us to expect! And once more, the game gives us a fantastic end of turn.
Main Fleet :
Scouts :
Messages
II Scouting Grp to Scheer, 1.IV and 4.IV Scouting Grps:
ENEMY SCREENS SPOTTED TO REAR OF BATTLELINE, MATCHING HEADING. WILL ENGAGE IF PRACTICAL. REQUEST SUPPORT NEARBY SCOUTING ELEMENTS. BATTLELINE HEADING 140 TO NNW OUR LINE.
Scheer to (fleet)
PREPARE TO EXECUTE GEFECHTSKEHRTWENDE TO PORT IN 15 MIN 4.II. LEADS LINE AFTER TURN
Scheer to (fleet):
SHIPS NEAREST TO THE ENEMY LINE FIRE ON THE LEAD SHIPS; SHIPS FURTHER AWAY ON SHIPS BEHIND ENEMY LEAD SHIPS
Scheer to (Rostock, Regensburg, 17.&18. XI. Half-Flotilla):
17 and 18. IX. ATTACHED TO FIRST LEADER OF DESTROYERS, FORM SCREEN NORTH OF HSF
Lost Messages
5.III Squadron to Scheer
Grosser Kurfurst has taken heavy damage. Request she be removed from lead element until damage can be controlled. Awaiting orders
The opening engagement goes well, with us claiming two battleships in fifteen minutes. The lines are turning to run parallel to each other, which is when the real damage will be dealt.
To the south, we seem to be seeing stalemate amongst the battle cruisers, and our scouts are giving us a good picture of the enemies deployment.