USN Vs IJN Cruiser Bash
Prelude to battle
The United States Navy forces for the battle consisted of:
USS Pensacola – Pensacola class heavy cruiser
USS Wichita – Unique heavy cruiser
USS Columbia – Cleveland class light cruiser
The Imperial Japanese Navy forces for the battle consisted of:
Maya – Takao class heavy cruiser
Kinugasa – Aoba class heavy cruiser
Agano – Agano class light cruiser
I haven’t even checked the points cost of these ship, simply grabbing 2 heavy and 1 light cruiser for each side. The table used is pitifully small, but that meant action commenced immediately.
The rules used are Warlord’s Victory at seas.
The two sides deployed in the corners and mirrored each other with the heavy cruisers in a line and the light cruisers out on the flank.
Turn 1
The US won priority and moved their heavy cruisers directly towards the oncoming Japanese. The Columbia turned a little to port to move to intercept the Agano.
The Japanese turned their heavy cruisers to port to bring more of their guns to bear on the US heavy cruisers. The Agano moved away from the heavy cruisers.
The USS Pensacola opened the firing of the battle directing her fury towards the Kinugasa and scoring 4 points of damage. The Kinugasa’s return fire done a paltry 2 points of damage. The USS Wichita also focused her fire on the Kinugasa, however she only caused one point of damage.
Maya had her attention squarely on the USS Columbia but only caused 2 points of damage on the American light cruiser. Ignoring the incoming heavy fire, Columbia fired on her opposite, the Agano causing a single point of damage. The Agano’s fire control proved hopeless and her return fire failed to find her target.
Turn 2
The Japanese seized the initiative the Heavy cruisers continuing ahead with a slight turn whilst the Agano continued on her lonely course. The US heavy cruisers turn slightly to bring their full broadsides to bear on the enemy, whilst the Columbia turns away from the Agano, again presenting her full broadside to the approaching enemy ship.
Agano targets Columbia and whilst managing to find her target this time, scores only one point of damage. USS Wichita continues the bombardment of Kinugasa scoring a 5 hits one of which triggers secondary explosions, crippling the Kinugasa.
Columbia ends the turns firing landing hits on the Agano and causing 4 points of damage.
Maya started turn two’s firing scoring hits on the Pensacola and causing 8 points of damage but no critical hits! Ignoring the heavy hits, Pensacola continues firing on the Kinugasa but scoring only two points of damage on the enemy. Kinugasa returns fire scoring 3 more points of damage on the Pensacola but again no critical hits.
Turn 3
The US regain the initiative, Columbia moves to keep Agano in her broadsides whilst the heavy cruisers turn slightly to keep their opposite numbers within broadsides.
Sensing an opportunity the Agano moves between the Columbia and the US Heavy cruisers, positioning herself perfectly for a possible torpedo attack on both elements of the US flotilla. Kinugasa inches forward whilst Maya moves to shield the stricken cruiser.
Attempting to avenge the loss of the Pensacola, Columbia fires at the Agano and causes 4 points of damage to the light cruiser but not managing any critical hits.
Maya opens fire on the remaining US Heavy cruiser, causing 3 points of damage and a critical hit on the Wichita’s weapons.
Rounding out the turns firing the Kinugasa targets the Wichita but fails to find her mark, the crew distracted by the damage done to their ship!
Wichita fires on the onrushing Maya scoring only 3 points of damage to the Japanese heavy cruiser. Agano takes full advantage of her position and unleashes the deadly long lance on both sides.
Note – It was only after the game I realised I couldn’t have fired the torpedoes in both directions at once.
The long lances speared through the water towards the Pensacola first. Explosions rippling down the side of the American cruiser, her hull shredded by the wave of torpedoes the once proud warship quickly slips beneath the waves.
Columbia is far luckier, sustaining 11 points of damage and a critical hit to her engines but survives the onslaught.
Turn 4
Desperate to avenge the loss of the Pensacola the US take the initiative and Wichita moves to get a clear line of sight on the damaged Kinugasa whilst Columbia moves on a parallel course to the rear and port. Agano swings around lining up on the opposite course to the Columbia. Maya turns to keep Wichita in her broadsides whilst Kinugasa keeps limping forward, making for the edge of the board and escape.
Wichita opens fire on the devastated Kinugasa and finishes the crippled ship off. Maya returns fire on Wichita, taking 5 points of damage off the American warship and scoring yet more critical hits to her weapons and damaging A turret.
Columbia and Agano trade shots, taking little damage in the exchange.
Turn 5
The final turn of the game looms.
The paired off ships continue to wearily circle each other, both sides having now lost a heavy cruiser and sustained damage to their remaining ships.
Maya opens fire on the Wichita and although scoring just a single hit, the hit proves critical and fires begin to take hold on the American cruiser.
Wichita immediately returns the favour, scoring 4 points of damage to her adversary, two of which prove critical, cutting down the crew and setting the Japanese warship ablaze.
Agano’s gunners round the game out by once again failing to score a hit on the Columbia whilst her opposite number scores two hits but nothing critical is damaged on the Japanese light cruiser.
With the remaining heavy cruisers on both sides on fire, the surviving ships limp away to fight another day.
Conclusion
Well the first thing to draw from this battle is I often forget some rules and even the existence of light guns!
That being said, the erroneous firing of torpedoes on both sides of Agano wouldn’t really have affected the outcome of the game. The priority target was sunk, and the secondary target, although heavily damaged, wasn’t crippled or critically damaged. If I’d remembered the rules properly Agano would have targeted Columbia with Torpedoes in the following turn anyway.
Long Lance torpedoes are horrific! Usually I play as the Regia Marina against the Royal Navy where in order to get an effective torpedo strike in, you have to manoeuvre incredibly close to your target. The extra range of the Long Lance is incredible.
Looking forward to the next game which I think will be against my arch nemesis, and father - Jim!