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AusBG Battle Report
Sydney, October 6th, 2002

Well, that was some meeting. Along with Carl Zoller from the Midwest Battlegroup in the USA, we had

with VNS Richelieu

Bill Kirwan (Canberra)

with VNS Strasbourg

with RMS Littorio

with USS South Dakota and SS Millie

On a lovely spring day the 1st battle kicked off at 11:30. All the warships were quickly out of port and general battle was joined with a huge melee developing around the middle of the battle area. While the warships were engaged, USS Ashtabula (a 22 knot tanker) also launched on a convoy run with the Allied battleships providing distant cover.

The melee in the middle continued but a problem developed for the Allies - their 2 South Dakota class ships were slower than all the enemy battleships and the Axis could pull away whenever they chose. They needed some slow bait and following a hurried conference, USS Ashtabula was slowed down to make an even more interesting lure. The Axis engaged, determined to stop her but Ashtabula is a tough merchant with low freeboard and a large pump - she had every chance of making it home. Like bees to pollen, the Axis drifted in to engage and, while they were distracted, the South Dakota and Alabama engaged them in turn. One by one they were in trouble as the defenders savaged them. Ashley in South Dakota was sailing in his first battle and, while game, he needs practice, but Carl Zoller in Alabama was like a Pike feeding on baby ducks as he ripped into the Axis fleet.

In most of out battles a major warship can really take a pounding and keep on going, but this time it was different. Strasbourg engaged and a few salvos later she was reeling away fatally wounded, she circled till her quarter deck went under, rolled to port and sank by the stern in about 3 feet of water.

Richlieu went next. Engaging the slow tanker she got in hit after hit, most of Ashtabula's 25 hits (12 above, 7 on, 6 below) coming from the Richelieu. She paid a price for this though as Alabama engaged her closely and she soon she had to abandon the chase and flee for port lest she sink. Ashtabula was left to sail on with a gentle stream of water from her pump.

The remaining Axis battleships lost interest in Astabula despite everything the Allies could do to encourage them and she made it home, safe and sound.

Jean Bart had vanished and the Allied battleships took the opportunity to repair and reload as well while RMS Attilio Regolo burst from the Allied port on a "special run" to transport her high value cargo. Bouncing along at 40 knots no enemy battleship could get near her so instead Littorio waited at a buoy for Attilio to skip past. Powering in to run past Littorio, Attilio kept as far away as she could but not far enough. Littorio let loose salvo after salvo as Attilio spun around her at 10 feet range and one salvo at least must have connected. Attilio's pump kicked in and she started to roll as the water accumulated inside her. Time to return to port ! As she turned to flee, her motors started to cut in and out but then came good and she skipped across the waves and into the Allied port and safety, but her cargo was undelivered and the Axis got the campaign point.

Now it remained to see if the Axis could get their special run through and the German Light Cruiser the SP1 was primed for her mission. She was off and running as lunch time approached with Alabama, Lion and South Dakota in pursuit and Littorio and Richelieu running protection. So intent was Brian Evans on avoiding the Allied battleships he did not pay enough attention to where his defenders were and ran full tilt into the side of the Richelieu. Carl took the opportunity to pounce with Alabama and another Axis ship was suddenly circling out of control. SP1 sank by the stern in about 4 feet of water and we broke for lunch.

The first battle ran from 11:30 till 1 and the Allies won combat (having sunk Strasbourg and SP1 without loss themselves) and Convoy (with a single run from Ashtabula) but both sides had failed in their special runs so each got the others campaign point there.

The score for the 1st battle was:

Allied Total: 7 points
Axis Total: 1 point

Lunch complete, we replenished our vessels and set sail once more to contest for control of the pond. Ashtabula sailed largely unmolested as the Axis limited themselves to passing shots, not foolish enough to match speeds and engage while Carl was on the pond with Alabama. Ashley appeared to be in the grove a bit better as South Dakota set of in pursuit of the Axis but Carl was again decisive as he, with the help of HMS Lion, caught and crippled Littorio. Settling fast, Littorio ran for home but missed the port's entry point and had to circle back. Despite the best efforts of Lion and Alabama, who had arrived hard on her heels, she got into port with millimeters of freeboard to spare and was safe.

Bill now had Strasbourg ready and sailed into the teeth of the Allied fleet. Minutes later he was struggling to save his vessel as he again came of much the worse in against the USS Alabama and our guest from the Midwest Battle Group. She was too far from port to have any hope of getting back and Bill had to beach Strasbourg and leap to grab her quickly before she sank (for a "Declared sunk" result). She had been on the pond for less than 5 minutes.

The Axis were really hurting. Littorio has just made it home, Strasbourg was back in the body and fender shop, Jean Bart and Richelieu were each having their problems but they recovered. Jean Bart, Richelieu and Littorio came back out together and engaged the allied fleet. The battle raged back and forth across the pond, from the Allied port to the Axis and back again. Vessels retreated to replenish then re-emerged to battle on, balsa flew through the air and Ashtabula went out again to sneak in another convoy run.

The battle was fierce and all the ships were pumping when someone said "Lion, that's a nasty list you have got there" and all turned to look as the huge British battleship, HMS Lion, listed further and further to port. She looked like she was doomed but Michael Raue, never one to give up, turned her slowly towards the Allied port and poured on the power. Last time he tried this he fell a meter short, sinking just beyond the Allied port and it looked certain that she would fall short again, but instead she refused to go down as her hard working pump kept her up and her determined skipper conned her into port and the waiting arms of the Allies skippers. Safe but in a desperate need of patching.

Attilio launched for the Allied afternoon special run and this time she showed a great deal of respect for the Axis battlefleet, maneuvering violently away from them whenever they came close and waiting for the Allied battleships to pull the Axis away from critical buoys. This time if worked and while Attilio travelled much further than 6 laps would normally require, she returned home to the cheers of her crew without a single hit.

After a furious round of repairs Bill has Strasbourg ready again. As soon as she launched the 2 South Dakota class battleships made a beeline for her. Alabama came alongside and the duel was on again. She did better this time, or at least lasted longer, but eventually Carl's fire took effect and Strasbourg was again in trouble. Again Bill was force to turn away and as he did so South Dakota rushed in an added another nicely timed salvo to the wounded French battleship. Again Strasbourg had to be declared sunk as she was hurriedly beached before she could once more end up on the bottom of the pond.

Things were grim for the Axis with Strasbourg sunk and the Lion quickly repaired. Jean Bart, Richelieu and Littorio sailed together to do what they could. Again the battlefleets clashed and again the melee developed, but this time it was the turn of the Richelieu to turn back for port with a severe list and again the skippers turned to see if she would make it. To the delight of the Axis and the disappointment of the Allies she did, not by much, but she was safe. She was, however, so full of water that when Dave Howard used his lifter to pull her from the pond the front lifter broke and Richeliue's bow crashed down on the ground, her midships caprail snapped, he sides bulged out and and she broke her back. Nothing that was hard to fix with a bit of fiberglass but she was out for the day.

Littorio then had to retreat with a major gas leak and Jean Bart had to pull back with a jammed pump.

Not a single Axis battleship remained on the pond while the complete Allied fleet floated outside the Axis port, awaiting their return. When it was obvious that there was confusion in the Axis camp, the Allied pulled back to replenish. At the same time, seeing Dave Howard no longer had a ship to sail, USS Ashtabula was handed over to Dave to sail for the Axis and Jean Bart hastily launched to cover her - despite not having a working pump.

Allied battleships scrambled to get back on the water as Ashtabula steamed steadily around the course. The wind rose and Ashtabula did not care with her tiny superstructure and huge draft, but the Allied battleships were left behind as the gusts hammered them backwards. South Dakota had particular trouble as every time she got close to Ashtabula (and always upwind), Dave would stop the tanker and the South Dakota would be quickly pushed down on top of Ashtabula, so close the South Dakota's guns could not depress enough to hit Ashtabula's hull. Time and again South Dakota would close and time and again Ashtabula would stop and let the wind drive the Allied Battleship right up against her - rendering her guns useless.

Eventually Alabama arrived and forced Ashtabula to maneuver, but she was now so close to home even Carl's gunnery could not kill her fast enough as she sailed into port, pumping, but in no danger of sinking.

That just left Jean Bart. Without a pump she did not have much of a chance, but neither that, nor a malfunctioning rudder servo was enough to deter Brain as he took his battleship out again against the Allied fleet. He did his best, but there was never any doubt as to the result. Her hull shattered by the fire of three Allied battleships, Jean Bart slipped beneath the waves and the Axis force was totally spent.

With not a single Axis ship in any condition to sail we called it a day at that point. (a bit after 3pm)

The score for the afternoon battle was:

Allied Total: 8 points
Axis Total: 0 points

The score for the meet as a whole was

A well done to everyone involved as the battle was fast and furious and wounded ships repaired and re-engaged without hesitation. Without a doubt the deadliest skipper was Carl Zoller, our guest from the Midwest Battlegroup who, at the helm of a totally unfamiliar ship cut a swath through the opposing fleet. A most impressive performance and a complete vindication of the claim that there are no killer ships, only killer captains.

Thanks to all who came and made the day such a special occasion and now off to "practice, practice, practice" till I can handle my USS Alabama as well as Carl did at this meet.

Till next time

Richard Simpson

p.s. To the rest of our American cousins, please feel free to stop by. We are happy to arrange a battle whenever one of you can make it (and provide a boat). This meet was lots of fun.

p.p.s. To the folks of the MBG, thanks for lending us Carl. We sent him home with a momento to help him remember his trip. We hope you all enjoy it.

AusBG Battle Report Sydney, October 6th, 2002

AusBG Battle Report
Sydney, October 6th, 2002