Action of Ile de Batz – 1943
5 Minesweepers, M9(Flag), M10, M12, M84, and M153, patrolling off the Brittany coast were intercepted by 3 Hunt III class small destroyers of the Royal navy, Wensleydale, Marbreak and the Polish Glaisdale(Flag). The action started when both sides spotted each other simultaneously at a range of ~4500yds. After sounding ‘Action Stations' both sides opened fire 2 minutes later, the M9 with a well placed star-shell barrage illuminated all 3 Allied vessels, allowing the M10 to land a withering barrage of 105mm shells on the Glaisdale knocking out the forward mount and starting what became a massive fire in the boiler room, which rapidly spread and knocking out signals to the remaining vessels.
Wensleydale's return fire knocked both mounts on the M12 starting 3 fires in ready-use ammo, which rapidly got out of control, weakening the hull, and causing it to fail, breaking the ship in two. The allied ships launched their torpedoes at a range of ~3500yds then performing a simultaneous turn away from the Germans. Marbreak and Glaisdale torpedoes went towards the M9 and M10, Wensleydale's went towards the M84 and M153 who had lest formation and turned more towards the west to open their rear gun arcs, after the Allied turn. M9's luck ran out when one of Glaisdale's 2 torpedoes impacted amidships and the small ship immediately succumbed to the massive damage.
While M10 picked up survivors of her doomed sisters, and with M84 and M153 in hot pursuit, Marbreak and Wensleydale made smoke and retired. While to the south the Torpedo boats T24 and T25 arrived to investigate the commotion. Spotting the now DIW and burning Glaisdale, stern twin mount still defiantly firing, T24 and 25 proceeded to pound the unfortunate destroyer while passing in pursuit of the other British destroyers. After about a 10min pursuit, the torpedo boats turned back, after receiving warnings of possible British heavy units further offshore, and the short action was over.
The final toll was 3 ships sunk M9, M12 and Glaisdale, Wensleydale seriously damaged, with M10 and M84, and Marbreak lightly damaged.
This was played using Seekrieg V at Conquest Sacramento Sunday, and lasted about 4 hours.
It started off badly for the Brits (who had a 12 to 10 advantage in guns with superior fire-control shooting slower targets) when Steve Taylor (running M9, 10, and 12) scored heavily in the first 2 turns of firing (needing to roll low, he rolled 01 both turns for M10 getting 3 hits each). Jeff Romero captaining the Brits, couldn't make a damage control roll to save his life, and the initial fire on Glaisdale is what eventually sank her, even with the additional pounding the T24 and T25 gave. Jeff did hit the M9 with a torpedo, doing 1022 damage with a good roll, to a ~500 point ship that already had 150 damage to it… Tim Smith commanded the M84 and M153, and the late-arriving torpedo boats (I gave them a 10% cumulative chance each turn, after battle commenced, it took until it was 70% for them to arrive).
Steve had played before (he's the home of the San Felipe Naval Militia, where I have run several SkV games before). This was Jeff's first try at Seekrieg, though he has played many naval games before. Tim was a novice at ship games; unless counting the A&A War at sea games we played a couple weeks ago… And a good time was had by all, if the cheers and groans of good and ill fortune count…
Hal Smith
