So. Battle report. I didn't take notes. So this is from memory. For what that's worth. Axis team was Bismarck, Tirpitz, and the Admiral Scheer, and the Altmark running convoy. Allied team was Prince of Wales, Trento, and the Jap battlecruiser Kita (sp), and the French aircraft-carrier Bearn running convoy. In the first sortie, both teams spent some time attacking, and protecting the convoy ships, as well as general gunnery action against the opposing warships, and at some point, the Admiral Scheer, which was under new command, while making a closing attack, collided with the Bearn, punching a nice sized hole in her above the waterline. So at the end of the first sortie, the allies were ahead due to the ram penalty, and the extra convoy points that the Bearn earns over those that the Altmark gets. In the second sortie, it was perhaps more general gunnery action against enemy warships, but in the heat of battle, the new captain of the Admiral Scheer rammed the Bearn in almost the same spot, putting another hole in her above the waterline. So at the battle ended in an allied victory. But both teams did very well. The captain of the Scheer was offered the chance to sit out the first sortie in order to get some more stick time with his new command, but opted to take her into harm's way after only a few minutes of driving the ship. It was great fun all around. Mikey
I was not able to make it out on Saturday. But on Sunday we had a blast for sure. Our first battle was aircraft-carriers only. We had five of them. Four were convoy ships. Mark's HMS Queen (bogue class), Phil's USS Sangaman, and FNS Bearn, and my old FNS Bearn. We were all on the same team. And John's FNS Bearn, which sported a quad stern mount was on the other side. In theory, if he could sink one or more convoy ships on our team, then he would win. If not, then we scored big time convoy points and would win. After two sorties, all the convoy ships had survived, won, although we all took at least some damage. I am pretty sure that my old Bearn took the most damage. She was pumping pretty good as the sortie ended. It was great fun. M
