2011 Treaty combat conference (Nats) August 19-21 Xenia, Oh

Fleet battle #3 Saturday morning. (sortie#1).

Allied fleet.
USS South Dakota, USS Pennsylvania (Matt), USS South Carolina, HMS Hood (Mikey), USS Roanoke, and the escort-carrier/convoyship HMS Queen.

Axis fleet.
DKM Bismarck, FS Richelieu (Mike M.), SMS Markgraf, Viribus Unitis (Scott), SMS Von Der Tann (Josh), DKM Lutzow (Ben), and the convoy ship Wolf (Phill).

In sortie #1 the Queen was not able to make it out, but Phill launched the Wolf for a convoy mission, and most of the action was centered on the axis
convoy ship.
I was running the Hood for the first time at this event, and my plan was to avoid getting anywhere near Mike's Richelieu. As a former captain of the Jean
Bart, I am very aware of the capabilities of the big French battleships, with twin-firing side-mounts, a good turn of speed, good turning, and lots of survivibility.
So as the battle started to develope, I went in after the axis convoy-ship, and tried to sink it early on in the mission. Phill did a very good job of driving the Wolf,
and it wasn't long before the Von Der Tann, Viribus Unitis, and Lutzow came over to defend her.
At this stage of the game, the old Hood was taking fire from three axis defenders, but was putting a pretty good hurting on the axis convoy-ship, and things
weren't looking all that great. But they also weren't looking too awfully bad either.
But then that bad dream, the Richelieu came calling. At first it was just a couple of almost friendly exchanges in passing, and I was half-hoping that Mike would lose
interest, and move on to other things. But when the big Frenchie didn't lose interest, and decided to hang around and play, I decided it was time to look for calmer
waters, and go find something else to shoot holes in. Preferably something without twin sidemounts, that I might be able to outrun.
About this time, the Lutzow entered the shallows with a slight list on, and no pump. She sank shortly for the first loss of the battle.
As I took the Hood out towards open water, the Richelieu gave chase, and in time drew up along my starboard quarter, and one of her forward twin turrets went to work.
I felt somewhat blessed, as both of the Hood's stern turrets were pointed off to starboard, and could take the frog under fire. So at least I could put up a strong defense.
But it was obvious that the contest was hopeless. The old Hood was pumping pretty hard, was slightly down by the head, and was taking on a slight list.
I could see that she was in no position to take the load from the toad. So when my after turrets ran out of ammo, I called my five, and made a run for it.
I was hoping that I may have hurt the Richelieu enough that she wouldn't be able to keep up the chase, but she stuck to me like a cheap suit, and the effects of all of that withering fire from my after turrets into her side was about as noticeable as a fart in a windstorm.
So it wasn't long before the old Hood went down.

Sortie #2.

In the second sortie, the HMS Queen attempted a convoy mission for the allies. Phill decided to take the Wolf out for another convoy mission for the axis.
I was not able to keep track of the Wolf. But the Queen was chased by a good portion of the axis fleet, and was sunk in the shallows.
The Pennsylvania capsized and sank as well.

So the axis pulled off another victory.

Around lunch time, Matt was able to get his Battlestations 96th scale USS New Jersey out on the water for some sea trials.
I think that Mark may have also been on the water with his seaplane tender.
Mikey

 

Hello to all, I'm expanding on my computer! TO ALL THE NEW GUYS I MEET it was great to put a name to a face! To those who couldn't make it well i'm sure sooner or later we will meet some time down the road! It was great fun !!!!!!!!!

 

Saturday afternoon. Fleet battle #4

Allied fleet.
South Dakota, South Carolina, Hood (Vance), Richelieu, Roanoke, Tourville, and Le Terrible (Dustin).

Axis fleet.
Bismarck, Markgraf, V.U., Von Der Tann, Prinz Eugen (Mikey), Lutzow, and Mogami (Lee).

I don't have a lot of notes on this battle. But it appears that the South Dakota may have sank, and the Roanoke
sank.
I think that this was also the Le Terrible's first time on the water.
If my notes are correct. The axis pulled off another victory.
Our good friend Bob Spy dropped in, and asked me if I had sunk yet. I had!
And he made mention that it seemed like the Hood only sank when I was running her.
We all had a good laugh.

At this point, we decided to have a go at re-enacting the battle of the Denmark Straits.
So Roland was running the Bismarck, and I was running the Prinz Eugen for the Germans.
Phill was running his Prince of Wales, and Vance was running the old Hood for the British.

When we got all of the boats in the water, Rolland and Stephen were working on the Bismarck's
cannons, for a while, and at some point I decided to bring the P.E. off of the water until my teammate
was ready to go.
So I brought her in to shore, and pinned the cannons. As I was getting ready to pull her out of the water
Roland notified us that he was almost ready, so I drove back out for a photo prior to battle.
So when battle was called, I went in after the POW, but noticed that my cannons were not working.
I knew I had turned on the air, so after several minutes of not being able to adjust trims and such I
called my five, and broke off, leaving the Bismarck to it.
Phill was having some problems with one or more of his cannons, as was Roland. The old Hood was working
just fine, and Vance did pretty well.
So at the end of the first sortie, there was no sinks, or penalties.
But we decided to postpone the battle until Sunday, so that we could work on the boats, and get the cannons
working.

The non-Denmark Straits folks were ready to go, and put the boats in the water for fleet battle #6.
Allied fleet.
South Dakota, South Carolina, Richelieu, Tourville, and Roanoke.
Axis fleet.
Markgraf, V.U., Von Der Tann, Lutzow, and Mogami.

At some point, the SoDak got in trouble, and came in close to shore, and was attacked by pretty much the entire axis fleet.
Richelieu, and SoCar put up a good defense, but the South Dakota eventually sank.
The Roanoke appears to have gone dead in the water, and Mike M. brought his Richelieu in close and took several stern shots
at the poor allied cruiser. It was too funny to hear Mark calmly remind Mike that the big Frenchie was on his team this battle, and
asked him if he would perhaps help defend him. Mike said sorry, and sure, and proceeded to put up a very effective defense of his
perhaps mortally stricken team-mate.
But the axis had tasted some allied blood, and they hounded the Roanoke until she sank. Lee's Mogami being in on the final assult.
Looks like another axis victory.

Fleet battle #7. Saturday late afternoon.
I don't actually recall this battle, so I am going off of my notes, which may also not be precise.

Allied fleet.
South Dakota, South Carolina, Richlieu, Roanoke, Tourville, and LeTerrible.

Axis fleet.
Bismarck, Markgraf, V.U., Von Der Tann, Lutzow, P.E. (mikey), and Mogami.

It appears that it was just a one sortie battle, with no sinks or penalties.

Bob Spy, Ben, and Doug had to leave out, and so we all said our farewells, and chatted while
packing up to head to the various boat-shops for some food and boat work.

What a great day of battling it had been.
Mikey