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Thread: A Pair of Torpedo Alley Games

  1. #1

    Default A Pair of Torpedo Alley Games

    Another round of games were held at Baltic Bob’s Lastner Meadows airfield with Robert aka RJG173, Wrong Way, Baltic Bob and myself. Robert and I both enjoyed Karl’s account (Jager) of the Cuckoo scenarios at Origins so we play two games. Robert’s first one was a British attack on German shipping and his second was of a German attack on British shipping.

    AAR #1: Cuckoo on Attack
    We didn’t have a Cuckoo ready for the game (Robert is working on one) so I used my RAF BE12 as the torpedo plane and attached a makeshift torpedo on it for visual effect. My escort was Wrong Way in a Sopwith Camel to my starboard flank.
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    Our opposite number was Robert in a Brandenburg W12 and Baltic Bob in a Junkers C.LI flying cover for the ship.
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    Boom card causes damage equal to half of original value for the bombers but total damage for everyone else. No altitude rules.

    As both sides approach, the Junkers heads over to aid the Brandenburg take on the BE12.
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    The Camel swings left and does an excellent job of screening the BE12 as it heads for the ship. The Camel suffers rudder damage in the exchange.
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    But the BE12 has a clear approach to the ship and the fish is in the water!
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    The Camel continues to mix it up with the Germans and suffer further rudder damage for his efforts.
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    Meanwhile the ship moves full steam ahead to try to avoid the torpedo.
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    And it looks like the BE12 took a bad angle of attack and just misses the ships stern.
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    The Brandenburg gets some shots on the defenseless BE12 as it slips by and heads for home.
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    The Camel took the most damage with the remaining planes with minor damage.
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    So the victory goes to the Germans for keeping their ship afloat.

    AAR #2: Gotha on Attack
    This scenario was a repeat of AAR #1 but reversed the roles of attacker and defender.

    Robert flew the Gotha WD-11 with torpedo with a nose gunner. Baltic Bob flew his Junkers C.LI again.
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    Wrong Way on the right was flying his camel again and I was in a Sopwith Pup.
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    The Camel takes on the Junkers while the Pup heads for the Gotha.
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    The Pup and Gotha exchange fire.
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    But the Gotha shrugs off minor damage, it proceeds forward dropping its torpedo as the Pup turns too late to intercede.
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    As the torpedo makes it way, the Junkers closes in as well.
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    Both Huns blast away at the ship’s deck as the torpedo ominously approaches its target.
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    And the torpedo finds its mark taking out the ship while the Pup fires ineffectually at the Gotha’s tail.
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    As the Brits approach, the Pup suffers yet another gun jam and along with the Camel watches helplessly as the Huns escape.
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    Thus ends the second scenario with another victory for the Fatherland and the Robert and Baltic Bob team.

    All agreed these torpedo scenarios were a nice change of focus for our WOG games. Thank you Karl again for a very creative scenario.
    Last edited by CrashCraig; 07-01-2022 at 05:14. Reason: Delete extra "blue" pic at bottom

  2. #2

    Default

    Nice set of games; I'm glad I could inspire them
    The Gotha WD 11 is a good choice; shapeways, I assume.
    It could be used for the slightly larger WD 14, as the differences in appearance are trivial at 1/144th scale. Most obvious would be the rudder.
    I relived to see I'm not the only one needed torpedo aiming leasons

    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

  3. #3

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    Nice! I have wanted to try torpedoes for a while, maybe I'll have a go soon. The Gotha WD11 was used to attack a Russian ship in the bay of Riga at one point - I'm sure that scenario would go down well with Baltic Bob...

  4. #4

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    Yes, the Gotha WD-11 is a Shapeways model by ReducedAircraftFactory, but it could not substitute for a WD-14. The WD-11 has two pusher propellers, while the WD-14 has two tractor propellers. I want to email Jack Herris about his book on Gotha aircraft. His book and others state that the WD-11 was a two-man airplane, but photographs show both forward and rear machine guns. Perhaps it was actually a three man airplane.
    So how many books are in your personal library?

  5. #5

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    Superb bit of naval action there. Thanks for posting.

  6. #6

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    Some great looking warbirds in really interesting AARs.

  7. #7

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    Two very enjoyable and also informative games Craig. Torps are always bes launched slightly in front of the direction of movement of the ship which should torn away from the direction of the attack to shorten its profile even before the tinfish is launched.

    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by RJG173 View Post
    Yes, the Gotha WD-11 is a Shapeways model by ReducedAircraftFactory, but it could not substitute for a WD-14. The WD-11 has two pusher propellers, while the WD-14 has two tractor propellers. I want to email Jack Herris about his book on Gotha aircraft. His book and others state that the WD-11 was a two-man airplane, but photographs show both forward and rear machine guns. Perhaps it was actually a three man airplane.
    Hmm, missed that in my quick look in Grey and Thedford. The WD 14 definitely has a 3 man crew, but G&T don't mention crew on the WD 11, and
    the one photo isn't clear, though there is definitely a rear cockpit.
    Maybe we can get RaF to make a WD 14
    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jager View Post
    Maybe we can get RaF to make a WD 14
    Karl
    Well, I asked him to make the WD-11 so anything is possible. However the wingspan of the WD-14 is approaching the size that requires a Giant Bomber base rather than Gotha G.V sized base. That effects how fast the model would move across the table. Of course, putting naval hex pattern decals on something that big would be a challenge.
    So how many books are in your personal library?

  10. #10

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    Nice pair of battles. Adding in the naval aspect is always eye candy at the game table.

  11. #11

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    Looks like a lot of fun, Craig! Those are some tough German opponents

  12. #12

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    Tidy little action there, Craig, more practice required by the Brits I think !

    "He is wise who watches"

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by flash View Post
    Tidy little action there, Craig, more practice required by the Brits I think !
    Dave, I guess we're still a work in progress

  14. #14

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    Very absorbing developments!
    Thanks for posting.
    I laugh in the face of danger - then I hide until it goes away!

  15. #15

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    Nice little set of actions. Are the torpedo rules the same as bombing or do they have their own section?

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hu Rhu View Post
    Nice little set of actions. Are the torpedo rules the same as bombing or do they have their own section?
    They have their own rules. We used Neil's Air to Ship rules found here. with a modification. Ship moved every time airplane moved and torpedo moved one length for every airplane movement card. The ship movement card, which I just posted to my album, is base on Neil's card for the HMS Iron Duke. His card was enlarged to WoG card size and I then adjusted the distance between the arrows based on the slower speed of the freighter.

    Someday I want to used his bomber rules for attacking ships. I have made special damage decks for the HMS Iron Duke, SMS Wittelsbach, SMS Strassburg, HMS Vortigen (a V-Class Destroyer), and freighters. I made my freighter cards before I discovered Neil's generic freighter cards in the WW2 section of the files area.
    So how many books are in your personal library?

  17. #17

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by RJG173 View Post
    They have their own rules. We used Neil's Air to Ship rules found here. with a modification. Ship moved every time airplane moved and torpedo moved one length for every airplane movement card. The ship movement card, which I just posted to my album, is base on Neil's card for the HMS Iron Duke. His card was enlarged to WoG card size and I then adjusted the distance between the arrows based on the slower speed of the freighter.

    Someday I want to used his bomber rules for attacking ships. I have made special damage decks for the HMS Iron Duke, SMS Wittelsbach, SMS Strassburg, HMS Vortigen (a V-Class Destroyer), and freighters. I made my freighter cards before I discovered Neil's generic freighter cards in the WW2 section of the files area.
    Thanks very much for the info.

  18. #18

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    When I was looking at WW1 anti-ship games, I found that most warships were not sinkable with aerial bombs. They didn't have armor-piercing bombs then,
    and any deck larger than a DD or a CL would shrug off the blast. Damage, sure, but no penetration.
    I crimped the Japanese use of 16" AP shells dropped at Pearl Harbor for the game having Gothas bombing a British Monitor.
    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

  19. #19

    Baltic Bob's Avatar May you forever fly in blue skies
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Spoonfrog View Post
    Nice! I have wanted to try torpedoes for a while, maybe I'll have a go soon. The Gotha WD11 was used to attack a Russian ship in the bay of Riga at one point - I'm sure that scenario would go down well with Baltic Bob...
    Labas!
    If you are interested, our group gathers at the Gritty Goblin in Columbia the 1 st Thursday of every month. I am sure that you would be welcome.
    The battle for Riga and Orel Island was a particular tough fight.

    Balti Bob ����

  20. #20

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    Thanks for the invite, it's a little far for me - I'm on the other side of the pond here in the UK!

  21. #21

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by RJG173 View Post
    Well, I asked him to make the WD-11 so anything is possible. However the wingspan of the WD-14 is approaching the size that requires a Giant Bomber base rather than Gotha G.V sized base. That effects how fast the model would move across the table. Of course, putting naval hex pattern decals on something that big would be a challenge.
    Yeh, I never checked how big those planes were; looking at the current price for a WD 11, I'm guessing a WD 14 would be close to $40.00
    Might be cheaper to take a couple of Gotha G.IVs, and put floats on them, like the one Stakken, and call them what-ifs
    The Germans tried loading a torpedo under a Albatross B.I, but feared the closeness to the ground was unsafe. So all the following development
    was with floatplanes, which have their own load limits.
    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

  22. #22

    Baltic Bob's Avatar May you forever fly in blue skies
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    Default Spoonfrog response

    Quote Originally Posted by Spoonfrog View Post
    Thanks for the invite, it's a little far for me - I'm on the other side of the pond here in the UK!
    Sorry that you are “over there”. If you ever see any info that you believe of interest to us, please share.

    Baltic Bob 🇱🇹

  23. #23

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    That is quite awesome! Did you make the ships yourself, or where they a kit of some type. Look great on the table! Mission looks like a lot of fun!

  24. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by camelbeagle View Post
    That is quite awesome! Did you make the ships yourself, or where they a kit of some type. Look great on the table! Mission looks like a lot of fun!
    The freighter is a Shapeways model. More info here. Message #59.
    So how many books are in your personal library?

  25. #25

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by RJG173 View Post
    The freighter is a Shapeways model. More info here. Message #59.
    Thanks! I will have to check this person's shapeways store.


    Thanks!
    Last edited by camelbeagle; 07-04-2022 at 09:17.



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