Part 14: 18:35 - 18:50
Ordersquote:
Friedrich der Große: Close up to 6. III. Squadron and fall in line behind them. Increase speed to 23 unless ships in front can not make more. Target Ajax, if Ajax sinks or becomes combat ineffective, work down the line as the enemy turns.
3. II Squadron orders: [PREPARE TO EXECUTE GEFECHTSKEHRTWENDE TO PORT IN 15 MIN!
SHIPS NEAREST TO THE ENEMY LINE FIRE ON THE LEAD SHIPS; SHIPS FURTHER AWAY ON SHIPS BEHIND ENEMY LEAD SHIPS!]
4.II Sqaudron : Okay, two of my ships are to fire at one British Battleship, and my third is to fire on another one.
5.III Squadron:Course: The Konig, the Markgraf, and the Kronprinz are to maintain course; the Grosser Kurfurst is to make full speed and attempt to rejoin the battleline behind the Kronprinz. All ships are to execute gefechtskehrtwende to port in 15 minutes.
Targeting: Konig and Grosser Kurfurst are to target BB Centurion. Markgraf and Kronprinz to target BB Ajax. Launch torpedoes at enemy main line if effective range is achieved.
Damage Control: Maintain as minimal as possible damage control on the Grosser Kurfurst and the Konig - enough to extinguish the fires and push back the flooding.
1.IV Scouting Group : Turn around to heading 220, flank speed, send the v48 on a torpedo run, try to get the Stettin to cross the T behind the British battle fleet. Disengage Stettin if we attract attention.
3.IV Scouting Group: Execute torpedo attack against British battleships as soon as possible!
5.IV Scouting Group: Increase speed to max but maintain the current heading. Now, I don't want to shoot anything but if they shoot at me only return fire against it if I have a good chance of hitting. Conversely, I want to focus fire on the biggest thing shooting at me.
I Scouting Grp: hold course, speed 21 knots (match our target), and finish the enemy battlecruisers off. Derfflinger against Tiger, Von der Tann against Queen Mary
II Scouting Grp: Alter course to 270, slow to 17kts. Maintain minimum range of 8km from enemy ships if possible, and concentrate fire on nearest enemy contact. Let's not take too many unnecessary risks, but it'd be nice to pick off a destroyer or two if we can do so without jeopardising more important concerns.
1st Leader of the Destoyers: move to form the screen with 17, 18, and IX, and open fire on the Warspite if in range.
10.V Half-Flotilla:Attempt to line up on the tail of the BC's in front of us, and put some torps into their rear.
13. VII Half Flotilla :Heading: 280 degrees, Speed: 27 knots, Target: Launch torpedos to break up the British battle line when in range
17 IX Half Flotilla: Turn bearing 45 degrees. If we pass in front of the British Battleship line(the ones to the North of the fleet) fire half our topedo stocks.
18.IX Half-Flotilla: Come to 345 at best maintainable speed, then match course when north of HSF line and screen the big boys.
18:35
The British line continues its turn, and continues to fire on our ships.
The V28 fires off a torpedo at the Warspite, a range of about 16 kilometers.
18:36
Our ships continue to show impressive accuracy, as the Ajax is hit.
The British are none to shabby either, getting a hit on the Markgraf that takes out one of her turrets.
18:37
The Markgraf is hit again, this time tow 15 inch shells impact on the bridge, killing her Captain and taking out her fire control.
It also begins to rain once more.
18:40
The II Scouting group is picking a fight with two of the British battle cruisers, the Indefaticable and the New Zealand.
So far, neither side has managed to score a hit on the other.
18:41
The British line makes another turn.
This one reverses the course of the British ships, so that the line is now heading east.
18:43
The Frankfurt is hit by enemy shells, and her fore gun is damaged, the Captain orders a change in course and an increase in speed to try and get away from these two massive ships.
18:44
The Prinzregent Leopold becomes the next German ship to lose her Captain, as a third battleship takes a hit to the conning tower.
18:45
The G40 has strayed into the Royal Navy's destroyer screen, and has paid the price.
To the south, the British battle crusiers continue to exsist, although the Tiger is now looking the worse for it.
18:46
The Prinzregent Leopold takes another hit, this one damages her propulsion, and causes her crew to lose control - the ship starts to turn towards the enemy.
18:47
All of the lead Royal Navy ships are showing some form of damage now, as we land another hit on the Ajax.
Our own line looks little better.
As you can see, many of the 18.IX Half-Flotilla are now succumbing to their wounds inflicted by the Queen Elizibeth battleships.
18:50
Here is your map, for those of you with working rangefinders the distance between the two battle lines is about 12,500 meters.
Nah, I'm not that evil. Here is a closeup of our mess of a battle line.
Not that that's much better. Look at how neat the British are, while our line has been fouled by bad commands (both from you and me), torpedoes and damaged ships.
For scouts
Messages
II Scouting Grp to Scheer :
ENEMY BATTLELINE ALTERING COURSE TO 230. SCREENS REMAIN TO THE REAR OF THEIR LINE, COURSE 140.
17.IX Half flotilla to Scheer:
Acknowledged.
I Scouting Group to 10 and 9.V half-flotilla
1st SG ENGAGING ENEMY BATTLECRUISERS. TORPEDO ATTACK WOULD BE APPRECIATED
The battleship duel beings, and this turn is all about finding the range, the two lines are moving parallel to each other, and this could get interesting very quickly.
The British destroyers, for some reason, are hiding behind their parents skirts.