-
We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.
oops! maybe the maths calculating boffins were having a cup of tea and forgot the Far East! What about the yellow peril! The Japs have not be twiddling their thumbs! Egad! Arn't they building something called a super battleship?
The First Clash or Arms - Battle of Westerland
The British strategy on outbreak of war with Germany was one of close patrol and engagement. The German fleet needed to be taught a lesson - and quickly. If German ships were allowed to break out of the Norht Sea, it could take months before they were defeated - month in which dozens of merchant ships could be sent to the bottom.
The Home Fleet would patrol the German seaboard, conducting aggressive raids, and daring the smaller German navy to come to battle. RAF Bomber Command would make life difficult for the German ports of Kiel and Wilhelmshafen. If the Germans attempted to come to combat, they would be sunk; if they did not, they would be bottled up in the Baltic.
So it was that on 30 August 1936 the Home Fleet sortied. The Air Squadron had orders to conduct raids on German shipping, and, if undefended, ports. At the first sign of enemy attack, the Battle Squadron would sail and engage, hoping to seal the fate of the two German battleships Bismarck and Tirpitz.
On the morning of September 1st, the Admiralty received reports from the previous night's Bomber Command attack on Wilhelmshaven that the port was packed with transport ships - exactly the craft needed for the Germans to invade Norway, Sweden or even England.
The Air Squadron was ordered to attack the port the next day, and took up station a hundred miles north of the target, off the Danish peninsula of Westerland. It was a bold move by anyone's standards - except perhaps those of the First Sea Lord, Winston Churchill.
As soon as the last Swordfish had cleared the decks, however, a Skua on reconaissance duty radioed news that made every sailor's stomach churn. The German fleet had sortied and was heading directly for the fleet!
Pausing only to launch the handful of 'bombed-up' Blackburn Skuas that had been intended for the second wave of the attack, the carriers made steam westward. Planning for a forced move, and to protect the Swordfish from ambush by German fighters on their return leg, the rendezvous between carriers and the Swordfish squadrons lay fifty miles west.
The Skuas had been intended as the second wave on the attack on Wilhelmshaven - a hybrid fighter/bomber design, each carried a 500lb bomb, and it was twenty of these together with the Sea Gladiators of no. 806 squadron from Ark Royal that were the first British units to enter combat against the German navy.
This first wave succeeded in its most important goal - slowing the Germans down. Unwilling to risk dive-bomber attacks on its battleships, the German admiral ordered evasive action, and the air attack held up their advance for almost an hour.
By early evening the Air Squadron had stopped to recover the Swordfish, whose attack had inflicted few casualties. The cruisers Surrey, Glasgow and Achilles, though massively outgunned, made a running battle with the German fleet, firing salvos at maximum range and then heading away at flank speed to evade the massive guns of the Bismarck and Tirpitz. The results were inevitable: the cruisers were caught by a salvo. Glasgow was engulfed in flame within minutes, while Achilles' engines and rudder were wrecked, making her a sitting duck target. Only Surrey, with two turrets out of action, managed to limp away.
The battle continued through the night, with the re-armed Fleet Air Arm bombers sent off immediately to engage the enemy fleet at dusk. The confusion of the night worked mainly to the advantage of the British, as German gunners were less willing to engage a half-sighted target than the British pilots.
Torpedos found the German cruiser Deutschland and the ancient battleship Schleisen. A bomb from a lucky Skua hit the bridge of the Tirpitz, killing the captain and rendering her useless for several hours.
In the small hours of the morning, the fleets disengaged; but, with the Tirpitz's damage under control, the Germans made a run for the carriers, desperate to score a kill before the arrival of the british battlefleet.
The Air Squadron's exhausted pilots hurled their planes at the enemy ships once more, scoring noticeable success. A Swordfish from Furious finished off the Deutschland. And for the first time Swordfish were able to make a run on Bismark herself. A torpedo struck the bows, disabling the forward turret, and another amidships, causing a slow, but significant, leak.
One salvo of fire was exchanged as the German battleships came over the horizon. Shells from the Surrey's remaining turret struck the crippled Schleisen, sinking her. But the weight of fire was on the side of the Kriegsmarine. The carrier Illustrious miscalculated her turn, and was straddled by a salvo from the six functioning guns of the Bismarck. A 16" shell penetrated her deck and struck an aviation fuel bowser, causing her immediate immolation.
The British strategy on outbreak of war with Germany was one of close patrol and engagement. The German fleet needed to be taught a lesson - and quickly. If German ships were allowed to break out of the Norht Sea, it could take months before they were defeated - month in which dozens of merchant ships could be sent to the bottom.
The Home Fleet would patrol the German seaboard, conducting aggressive raids, and daring the smaller German navy to come to battle. RAF Bomber Command would make life difficult for the German ports of Kiel and Wilhelmshafen. If the Germans attempted to come to combat, they would be sunk; if they did not, they would be bottled up in the Baltic.
So it was that on 30 August 1936 the Home Fleet sortied. The Air Squadron had orders to conduct raids on German shipping, and, if undefended, ports. At the first sign of enemy attack, the Battle Squadron would sail and engage, hoping to seal the fate of the two German battleships Bismarck and Tirpitz.
On the morning of September 1st, the Admiralty received reports from the previous night's Bomber Command attack on Wilhelmshaven that the port was packed with transport ships - exactly the craft needed for the Germans to invade Norway, Sweden or even England.
The Air Squadron was ordered to attack the port the next day, and took up station a hundred miles north of the target, off the Danish peninsula of Westerland. It was a bold move by anyone's standards - except perhaps those of the First Sea Lord, Winston Churchill.
As soon as the last Swordfish had cleared the decks, however, a Skua on reconaissance duty radioed news that made every sailor's stomach churn. The German fleet had sortied and was heading directly for the fleet!
Pausing only to launch the handful of 'bombed-up' Blackburn Skuas that had been intended for the second wave of the attack, the carriers made steam westward. Planning for a forced move, and to protect the Swordfish from ambush by German fighters on their return leg, the rendezvous between carriers and the Swordfish squadrons lay fifty miles west.
The Skuas had been intended as the second wave on the attack on Wilhelmshaven - a hybrid fighter/bomber design, each carried a 500lb bomb, and it was twenty of these together with the Sea Gladiators of no. 806 squadron from Ark Royal that were the first British units to enter combat against the German navy.
This first wave succeeded in its most important goal - slowing the Germans down. Unwilling to risk dive-bomber attacks on its battleships, the German admiral ordered evasive action, and the air attack held up their advance for almost an hour.
By early evening the Air Squadron had stopped to recover the Swordfish, whose attack had inflicted few casualties. The cruisers Surrey, Glasgow and Achilles, though massively outgunned, made a running battle with the German fleet, firing salvos at maximum range and then heading away at flank speed to evade the massive guns of the Bismarck and Tirpitz. The results were inevitable: the cruisers were caught by a salvo. Glasgow was engulfed in flame within minutes, while Achilles' engines and rudder were wrecked, making her a sitting duck target. Only Surrey, with two turrets out of action, managed to limp away.
The battle continued through the night, with the re-armed Fleet Air Arm bombers sent off immediately to engage the enemy fleet at dusk. The confusion of the night worked mainly to the advantage of the British, as German gunners were less willing to engage a half-sighted target than the British pilots.
Torpedos found the German cruiser Deutschland and the ancient battleship Schleisen. A bomb from a lucky Skua hit the bridge of the Tirpitz, killing the captain and rendering her useless for several hours.
In the small hours of the morning, the fleets disengaged; but, with the Tirpitz's damage under control, the Germans made a run for the carriers, desperate to score a kill before the arrival of the british battlefleet.
The Air Squadron's exhausted pilots hurled their planes at the enemy ships once more, scoring noticeable success. A Swordfish from Furious finished off the Deutschland. And for the first time Swordfish were able to make a run on Bismark herself. A torpedo struck the bows, disabling the forward turret, and another amidships, causing a slow, but significant, leak.
One salvo of fire was exchanged as the German battleships came over the horizon. Shells from the Surrey's remaining turret struck the crippled Schleisen, sinking her. But the weight of fire was on the side of the Kriegsmarine. The carrier Illustrious miscalculated her turn, and was straddled by a salvo from the six functioning guns of the Bismarck. A 16" shell penetrated her deck and struck an aviation fuel bowser, causing her immediate immolation.
got beaten hah?
that happened to me once, but i was on germans side. their battleships usually win the BB battles
that happened to me once, but i was on germans side. their battleships usually win the BB battles
Ouch, that's a little problem i've encountered too. The AI always seems to get just close enough to attack the flat-tops in the North Sea. And then a storm comes in and blinds the flat-tops. Carnage.
Al Merko said:
Indeed. A German tactical victory. But there's another half of the battle to post this afternoon
Bloody Germans sinking a carrier like that… this can’t be allowed to go on, I presume it is time to issue the order to sink the Bismarck and Tirpitz no matter what the cost might be. Looking forward to see the big guns arrive and teach the Germans why the Royal Navy rules the waves
The End for the Bismarck
British spirits were dampened by the outcome of the battle. A new carrier and several cruisers, with several more crippled, and for one small pocket battleship and an antique. The Home Fleet's battle squadron sailed into the area to find the seas deserted
But the battle was far from over.
The German fleet had been ordered to take port in Wilhelmshaven. In retrospect this was a poor choice. The port had been under bombardment from the air for a week.
Since before the War, Bomber Command had been preparing for an attack on German naval bases within reach of basesin East Anglia. The British Government was anxious not to take the first steps in 'terror bombing' of civilians in the event of war, so lists of alternative military targets susceptible to attack from the air had been drawn up. Top of the lists were the harbours of Wilhelmshaven and Kiel. British navigators had even been sent on 'sightseeing tours' of Northern Germany in peacetime to help orientate themselves!
The raids were made by Bomber Command Whitley and Stirling 'heavies', bombing at night at high or medium level, and Bomber Command and Coastal Command Wellington and Beauforts at high or low level during the day. During this period the port was completely closed to traffic, and the city as a whole - but most particularly the harbour area - felt as if it were under siege.
Yet this is where the German High Command ordered the fleet. Explanations differed. Perhaps it was a misunderstanding, or laziness in a signal. Perhaps it was an attempt, underestimating the damage the British carriers had inflicted on the fleet, to bolster the port's AA defences. Perhaps it was confidence in the anti-torpedo defences. Perhaps it was that, with the arrival of additional Flak batteries from across the region, there was no better-defended place for the ships to go.
Most of the remaining German ships were relatively unscathed. Damage to the Tirpitz was essentially superficial, once the Bridge Crew were replaced by their seconds and the communication tubs restored.
However, the Bismarck was in a considerably worse way. Both Bismarck and Tirpitz had 'torpedo baffles' designed to disperse the energy of torpedo hits. Two torpedos had hit Bismarck and neither had inflicted critical damage. The first, to the bows, had damaged the hydraulics to the foremost turret, putting it out of action. The second torpedo, amidships, was more problematic. The inner armoured skin of the hull had cracked, but not collapsed, creating a slow leak into the central underwater compartment of the hull. Under normal circumstances it would have been a disability, and a brief repair in drydock. But The Bismarck had been sent to recuperate in a firestorm.
The presence of the capital ships in harbour caused the RAF to redouble their efforts. Torpedo bombing was proving unsuccessful, as the Fleet Air Arm Swordfish had found: the harbour was well-protected by torpedo nets, anti-torpedo booms, and flak trained on the approached. High-level bombing, particularly at night, was inaccurate. However, at dawn on 7th September, three squadrons of Wellingtons made a raid aimed at he Bismarck herself.
Normally the 'Wimpey' was a level-bomber, with a reputation as a slow but very sturdy plane. The attack plan involved a long, shallow dive, keeping the plan above the low flak, and releasing 2 x 2000lb bombs (the heaviest availalbe) at minimum range, on the Bismarck at anchor. It was not a mission for the faint-hearted, and losses among the planes that made the run were heavy. A total of four bombs hit the Bismarck, one of which failed to detonate, and a further two very nearby. Even a 2,000lb munition could cause limited damage, but at least one seems to have hit amidships near the existing slow leak, causing water to pour in to the central compartment. Possibly damage and possibly due to repair work, the underwater compartmentalisatiion was flawed and the ship began to lose buoyancy. In spite of heroic efforts by her crew, hampered by the continuing heavy bombardment, there was no way to save the stricken ship and by the time an RAF Recon Spitfire buzzed the harbour at dawn she was clearly settled on the bottom, only her superstructure visible above the waterline.
British spirits were dampened by the outcome of the battle. A new carrier and several cruisers, with several more crippled, and for one small pocket battleship and an antique. The Home Fleet's battle squadron sailed into the area to find the seas deserted
But the battle was far from over.
The German fleet had been ordered to take port in Wilhelmshaven. In retrospect this was a poor choice. The port had been under bombardment from the air for a week.
Since before the War, Bomber Command had been preparing for an attack on German naval bases within reach of basesin East Anglia. The British Government was anxious not to take the first steps in 'terror bombing' of civilians in the event of war, so lists of alternative military targets susceptible to attack from the air had been drawn up. Top of the lists were the harbours of Wilhelmshaven and Kiel. British navigators had even been sent on 'sightseeing tours' of Northern Germany in peacetime to help orientate themselves!
The raids were made by Bomber Command Whitley and Stirling 'heavies', bombing at night at high or medium level, and Bomber Command and Coastal Command Wellington and Beauforts at high or low level during the day. During this period the port was completely closed to traffic, and the city as a whole - but most particularly the harbour area - felt as if it were under siege.
Yet this is where the German High Command ordered the fleet. Explanations differed. Perhaps it was a misunderstanding, or laziness in a signal. Perhaps it was an attempt, underestimating the damage the British carriers had inflicted on the fleet, to bolster the port's AA defences. Perhaps it was confidence in the anti-torpedo defences. Perhaps it was that, with the arrival of additional Flak batteries from across the region, there was no better-defended place for the ships to go.
Most of the remaining German ships were relatively unscathed. Damage to the Tirpitz was essentially superficial, once the Bridge Crew were replaced by their seconds and the communication tubs restored.
However, the Bismarck was in a considerably worse way. Both Bismarck and Tirpitz had 'torpedo baffles' designed to disperse the energy of torpedo hits. Two torpedos had hit Bismarck and neither had inflicted critical damage. The first, to the bows, had damaged the hydraulics to the foremost turret, putting it out of action. The second torpedo, amidships, was more problematic. The inner armoured skin of the hull had cracked, but not collapsed, creating a slow leak into the central underwater compartment of the hull. Under normal circumstances it would have been a disability, and a brief repair in drydock. But The Bismarck had been sent to recuperate in a firestorm.
The presence of the capital ships in harbour caused the RAF to redouble their efforts. Torpedo bombing was proving unsuccessful, as the Fleet Air Arm Swordfish had found: the harbour was well-protected by torpedo nets, anti-torpedo booms, and flak trained on the approached. High-level bombing, particularly at night, was inaccurate. However, at dawn on 7th September, three squadrons of Wellingtons made a raid aimed at he Bismarck herself.
Normally the 'Wimpey' was a level-bomber, with a reputation as a slow but very sturdy plane. The attack plan involved a long, shallow dive, keeping the plan above the low flak, and releasing 2 x 2000lb bombs (the heaviest availalbe) at minimum range, on the Bismarck at anchor. It was not a mission for the faint-hearted, and losses among the planes that made the run were heavy. A total of four bombs hit the Bismarck, one of which failed to detonate, and a further two very nearby. Even a 2,000lb munition could cause limited damage, but at least one seems to have hit amidships near the existing slow leak, causing water to pour in to the central compartment. Possibly damage and possibly due to repair work, the underwater compartmentalisatiion was flawed and the ship began to lose buoyancy. In spite of heroic efforts by her crew, hampered by the continuing heavy bombardment, there was no way to save the stricken ship and by the time an RAF Recon Spitfire buzzed the harbour at dawn she was clearly settled on the bottom, only her superstructure visible above the waterline.
The Baltic run
Unsurprisingly, the German navy sought to find safer harbour for its remaining ships.
Bomber Command reported late on 8 September that the bays for Tirpitz and her escorts were empty. The Home Battle Squadron immediatley made to engage the ships, which were thought to be making the short dash to the Kiel Canal.
The battleship Schleswig-Holstein was forced to reduce steam by an early salvo. The British Battle Squadron passed her in line astern, each of six ships giving her the benefit of one or two broadsides, until a shell hit her magazines and she exploded.
However, there was little time to engage before the German fleet re-entered coastal waters. The leading cruiser, HMS Penelope, stumbled on a mine just three miles ahead of the Prince of Wales - and there could be no clearer signal that the fleet should turn away.
The great ships had to content themselves with 'mopping up' a few scattered escorts before returning to station.
Unsurprisingly, the German navy sought to find safer harbour for its remaining ships.
Bomber Command reported late on 8 September that the bays for Tirpitz and her escorts were empty. The Home Battle Squadron immediatley made to engage the ships, which were thought to be making the short dash to the Kiel Canal.
The battleship Schleswig-Holstein was forced to reduce steam by an early salvo. The British Battle Squadron passed her in line astern, each of six ships giving her the benefit of one or two broadsides, until a shell hit her magazines and she exploded.
However, there was little time to engage before the German fleet re-entered coastal waters. The leading cruiser, HMS Penelope, stumbled on a mine just three miles ahead of the Prince of Wales - and there could be no clearer signal that the fleet should turn away.
The great ships had to content themselves with 'mopping up' a few scattered escorts before returning to station.
So you get your own back, to some degree. I like how you bring mines into the story even if they are not modled in the game.
stnylan said:
Equally the game has no way of modelling the fifty-mile dash between Wilhelmshaven and the Kiel Canal. In reality I suspect the RN would have been lucky to get any shots in at all, even if they'd dared put capital ships so close to the enemy coastline.
Also I didn't particularly want the kill of the Penelope credited to the Tirpitz, when the only rationale for the battle is the Tirpitz running away as fast as possible.
@Veldmaarschalk: Thanks
SH, I'm sure this has been discussed elsewhere, but I don't get around outside of AARLand...Sir Humphrey said:
Is this deficiency (or the constant turret breakdowns, etc.) reflected in HOI?
Just curious..
Looks like a great start, TheLand!
Rensslaer
Operation Antelope: The End of the Tirpitz
The RN's policy of 'Close Patrol' continued intermittently through the winter of 1939-40. Given the evident perils of land-based aircraft, the Home Fleet conducted patrols in a zone extending from the neutral Dutch shore about two hundred miles northward. This approach had twin advantages: firstly, air cover could be provided by the RAF's own Spitfires, and it prevented the fleet being spotted by shore-based spotters.
A minor skirmish in October caught the Graf Spee and its escorting cruiser unawares on the Fleet's guns, returning from a patrol. But it would be a long, cold winter until the Royal Navy was finally able to nail the Tirpitz.
Operation Antelope, of January 1940, was designed to end the German naval threat once and for all. It rested on close cooperation between the RAF and the Navy, once again. The North Sea ports would be subject to a reconnaisance in force from the RAF. Whichever was found to contain the enemy fleet would be subject to round-the-clock bombing, to drive the ships out to see into the waiting Home Fleet.
Operations kicked off with the transport fleet in Wilhelmshaven. Using modified torpedos with a shortened arming circuit, The Fleet Air Arm was able to drop the 'right' side of the torpedo nets and booms and inflict some damage on the assembled ships.
But the real event came when the Tirpitz stumbled on to the waiting battlefleet. She was returning to port after a patrol of the Norwegian coast, in the company of the cruiser Karlsruhe and a number of U-boats.
The U-boats encountered the Fleet's screening destroyers shortly after dusk. They naturally submerged and scattered. Tirpitz, assuming that she had encountered the Channel Squadron carrying out anti-submarine patrol, continued on her run south, relishing the prospect of a few easy kills.
Sadly for the Tirpitz, the Battle Squadron lay almost exactly in her path, and reports of an approaching capital ship were relaid by the destroyers. The Squadron, anticipating the Tirpitz, split three ways; Prince of Wales and King George V deployed south, while Royal Sovereign and Royal Oak made revolutions West, and Resolution and Ramillies headed East.
The plan was that Tirpitz would engage the two newest ships, and be forced to break off by superior firepower; they would be able to deploy their broadsides against Tirpitz's first two turrets.
Tirpitz would then have to turn, and, distracted by being engaged, would not detect the waiting battleships until it was too late.
The plan worked like a dream. Tirpitz detected the two battleships in her path at a range of 15 miles, as their first salvos fell around her. She veered West, returning fire.
Royal Oak and Royal Sovereign engaged at a range of just three miles, firing broadsides direct into the Tirpitz at point blank. Even the strongest armour would have been unable to deal with such concentrated fire, even from older battleships. No-one will know what caused the destruction of the Tirpitz, because it occurred too suddenly. Eyewitnesses recall variously a 'sheet' or 'spout' of flame, either shortly before or shortly after the first salvo hit home, followed by either two or three loud explosions. After that there was nothing left.
The RN's policy of 'Close Patrol' continued intermittently through the winter of 1939-40. Given the evident perils of land-based aircraft, the Home Fleet conducted patrols in a zone extending from the neutral Dutch shore about two hundred miles northward. This approach had twin advantages: firstly, air cover could be provided by the RAF's own Spitfires, and it prevented the fleet being spotted by shore-based spotters.
A minor skirmish in October caught the Graf Spee and its escorting cruiser unawares on the Fleet's guns, returning from a patrol. But it would be a long, cold winter until the Royal Navy was finally able to nail the Tirpitz.
Operation Antelope, of January 1940, was designed to end the German naval threat once and for all. It rested on close cooperation between the RAF and the Navy, once again. The North Sea ports would be subject to a reconnaisance in force from the RAF. Whichever was found to contain the enemy fleet would be subject to round-the-clock bombing, to drive the ships out to see into the waiting Home Fleet.
Operations kicked off with the transport fleet in Wilhelmshaven. Using modified torpedos with a shortened arming circuit, The Fleet Air Arm was able to drop the 'right' side of the torpedo nets and booms and inflict some damage on the assembled ships.
But the real event came when the Tirpitz stumbled on to the waiting battlefleet. She was returning to port after a patrol of the Norwegian coast, in the company of the cruiser Karlsruhe and a number of U-boats.
The U-boats encountered the Fleet's screening destroyers shortly after dusk. They naturally submerged and scattered. Tirpitz, assuming that she had encountered the Channel Squadron carrying out anti-submarine patrol, continued on her run south, relishing the prospect of a few easy kills.
Sadly for the Tirpitz, the Battle Squadron lay almost exactly in her path, and reports of an approaching capital ship were relaid by the destroyers. The Squadron, anticipating the Tirpitz, split three ways; Prince of Wales and King George V deployed south, while Royal Sovereign and Royal Oak made revolutions West, and Resolution and Ramillies headed East.
The plan was that Tirpitz would engage the two newest ships, and be forced to break off by superior firepower; they would be able to deploy their broadsides against Tirpitz's first two turrets.
Tirpitz would then have to turn, and, distracted by being engaged, would not detect the waiting battleships until it was too late.
The plan worked like a dream. Tirpitz detected the two battleships in her path at a range of 15 miles, as their first salvos fell around her. She veered West, returning fire.
Royal Oak and Royal Sovereign engaged at a range of just three miles, firing broadsides direct into the Tirpitz at point blank. Even the strongest armour would have been unable to deal with such concentrated fire, even from older battleships. No-one will know what caused the destruction of the Tirpitz, because it occurred too suddenly. Eyewitnesses recall variously a 'sheet' or 'spout' of flame, either shortly before or shortly after the first salvo hit home, followed by either two or three loud explosions. After that there was nothing left.
Rensslaer said:
HOI2 models the King George V as identical to the Bismarck and to half a dozen other battleship classes ... keeping it simple