Coastal boats for Action Stations!

[carlos marighela]

Any reliable books on the Pacific raids, Carlos?

IIRC G. Hermon Gill covers it but there are some online sites that discuss the raiders. I think even Wiki covers it.

[Rich H]

I was pondering compiling some coastal scenarios inspired by historical events.  I've 2-3 books on the way so I'll see what I can come up with.

Not much more than date, location, OOB, weather, terrain, special equipment, etc.  jsut to give more ideas really.

[Schogun]

The Battle of the Narrow Seas by Peter Scott is practically all after action reports, so lots of scenario ideas. English channel only if that's a factor, but anything could be revamped for the Med or Pacific.

Chuck

[Rich H]

Ordered thanks!

Run out number three for Action Stations last night

MV Sitting Duck and MV Fishina Barrle have been separated from their convoy by a U-boot attack in the Atlantic.
Picked up by coastal radar, three S-Boots and the M35 Minesweeper ‘Vorschlaghammer’ are closing in for the kill.
Meanwhile a MGB and two MTBs have been vectored in to the area to escort them home.
The seas are getting heavy and it’s almost pitch black…

Sea state was 5 and vis 25cm…  not great for hunting cargo ships!

4 blips in the middle of the table two of which ae the cargo ships their mission was to get off the table.

I was playing the Germans and started by moving my whole force onto the table as blips, which was a mistake as it just gave the Brits more time to escape!   So next turn I deployed all my boats are roared off in pursuit.  The Brits did likewise and gunned their motors to close the gap.

First clash was MTB vs S-Boot…  with star shells blazing from the M35 lighting up the scene and searchlights stabbing out in the dark the MTB spotted an S-Boot at full throttle.  Without hesitation the gunner put a 6pdr round straight into the fuel tank and the s-boot exploded in a ball of flame.  7/7 hull boxes in one hit!  Not a great start… 

Next the MGB shot almost all the weapons off my second S-boot.  Most of the S-boots weapons are side and rear with only a 20mm pointing forward so I couldn’t do much in return!  Reduced to 2/7 hull boxes the crew desperately clung on passing their crew test… only to be rammed by an MTB which scored a glancing blow reducing them to 1/7 boxes!  The crew still hung on! 

Deciding that given that they had no torpedoes (damaged) and almost no guns ramming was a viable option too and crashed solidly into the side of the second MTB!  Sadly given the horrific state of the boat at this point it did 3/7 hull boxes to the MTB but reduced the S-boot to a burning mess.

I’d now got one reasonably functioning S-boot and an untouched M35 vs two barely scratched MTBs and a MGB…  However… I finally spotted a cargo ship and the M35 was finally entering combat…

The M35 immediately made its presence felt raking an MTB with 20mm fire then finishing it with a 105mm hit.  The MGB decided that it might be a good idea to put some distance between them…  The second MTB set off in pursuit of my S-boot and the cargo ship crept along painfully slowly.  The other two blips were not out of reach in a fog bank and pretty much home dry.

Dashing into a fog bank my S-boot was my last chance…  There was a bit of a lull in combat now as between the dark, dazzling searchlights and fog we lost contact for a couple of turns, but my S-Boot, mostly by luck, managed to just about put itself in a position to fire torpedoes… but it was going to be tight!  The MTB was out of sight behind a fog bank and the MGB mostly missed!  The S-Boot raked the MV causing a couple of minor fires and torpedoes in the water!  They were just outside 400yd minimum range and the cargo ship (moving at 8 kts) just could not manoeuvre in time!

Two hits!  But one was a dud!  The one that hid did 40/50 hull points of damage and trashed the engine room reducing the MV to a pitiful 3kts but it was still afloat!  The S-boot then decided that running away was the best option, and trying to load torpedoes in sea state 5 under intense fire in the dark was a bad idea…

The fires slowly took hold of the cargo ship as the crews battled for control…  last chance was the M35 which was closing in fast…  but would it make it before getting into range of the coastal artillery! 

Moving at 19kts vs the 3kts of the MV the M35 closed the distance easily and lit up the MV with searchlights.  Two 105mm rounds later and the MV was going down… however as the engagement draws to a close the remaining MTB was lining up for a torpedo run on the M35…  we decided it was a draw at this point, but having lost 2/3 S Boots and the last one leaving the table with 1/7 hull boxes and 3 fires vs the loss of one MTB it was solidly in the brits favour! 

Another great game of Action Stations with loads of close action and desperate scrabbling for position!  I think we are learning that the gunfire is very sporadic, the small arms tend to shoot guns and systems off but won't sink the boats but the medium and larger guns are unreliable but hit extremely hard!  Also torpedo runs need planning about 3-4 turns in advance to get position!

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Great AAR.

[Schogun]

Sounds like a good game! Next time take photos (if possible, of course).

[Rich H]

just one pic form the very end of the game - still on my stand ins at the mo waiting for my H&R to arrive.

This is the Minesweeper dealing the final blows to the MV Sitting Duck while th eMTB lines up in th efog for a cheeky run in (It was too close to arm the torpedoes really)

[Flinty]

Ah - I find the Warlord choice of 1/300 a bit wierd, but the marketing certainly set off the Ooh! Shiny response.

Your 'stand in' models look bloody impressive, every bit as good as the H&R ones. Any tips?

Similar H&R order in the post and Action Stations to hand - plus a few Ospreys on the way. The Osprey New Vanguard are all print on demand, wonder if this will convince them to print some stock off....

Apparently Mr Manley is developing a new set - Narrow Seas - which the Edinburgh crowd are playtesting:
http://www.edinburghwargames.com/tag/narrow-seas/

[Rich H]

Thanks but my stand ins are the 2d cutouts!  The ships are staying.  Ive plans for more too...

My HR order turned up minus 2 s-boots...

Noted Mr Manleys new rules. Eager to see more!

[Schogun]

Mr. Manley has said he is waiting to release Narrow Seas until (early) next year thinking Cruel Seas will dominate purchasing decisions.

[Rich H]

Boo! 

I'd buy them... 

[coopman827]

I would buy David's "Narrow Seas" rules in a heartbeat!

[Rich H]

H&R boats minus 2 E-Boats
Plus my AFP

[Billchuck]

Mr. Manley has said he is waiting to release Narrow Seas until (early) next year thinking Cruel Seas will dominate purchasing decisions.

Those reports sold me on his rules. I’ll be keeping an eye out.

[Rich H]

Contact markers for action stations
Empty sea, sharks, whales, boats, etc