Oh boy, after painting up the Austro-Hungarian Fleet that I picked up from Scale Creep Miniatures, it was time for them to hit the table. Freshly painted miniatures are always a joy to take to the field, even if they often get hammered on the table.
The Dual Monarchy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire often treated the Balkans as their Sphere of Influence. The Dalmatian Coast and the Sudova Riviera in Montenegro were both claimed to be their own airspace. The Concert of Europe never officially agreed to this, but it was a defacto Fait Accompli. Therefore, it was not unusual for airships from the Dual Monarchy to be found patrolling the area.
However, the British Empire had been toying diplomatically with an Entente Alliance with Italy. The Italians and the Austrians were part of the Triple Alliance along with Germany. However, Italy craved the Dalmatian coast and the territory on the other side of the Adriatic. In order to curry favor and potentially cause a rift in the Triple Alliance, the British decided to test the Austrian resolve above the Sudova Riviera. This area is well known for its beaches and tourism, rather than its military importance.
The Forces:
Austro-Hungarian Empire
Kaiserin Class Armored Cruiser- SMS Maria Theresa - Command 3
Zenta Class Cruiser - SMS Aspern - Command 1
Novara Class Cruiser - SMS Saida - Command 3
Huzsar Destroyer- SMS Salamander - Command 2, Air Torpedo
British Empire
Indefatigable Battle Cruiser- HMS New Zealand - Command 4
Warrior Class Cruiser - HMS Armstrong - Command 3
Duke of Edinburgh Class Cruiser- HMS Regent - Command 2
Active Class Light Cruiser- HMS Antigone - Command 3
Mission
Today we will be playing a Patrol mission per the rules in the main rulebook. There will be no Complications.
Set-up
Today, we will be fighting on a 48 MU by 48 MU table. 1 MU will equal 1 inch.
The British are the Attackers and will be deploying approaching the coast. The Austro-Hungarians will deploy on the opposite board edge. Both sides are up to 12 MU in from their board edge.
The terrain is a coastline cutting across at an angle. The coastline has some cliffs and mountains of various heights of 1-3 at the coast, with two larger mountains at 4 and 6.
The British are coming in at an angle, looking to cut across from Southwest to the Northeast. They are at speed 5 and altitudes between 4-6. The Battle Cruiser is leading the way.
The Austro-Hungarians are coming in from the same edge but moving Northwest to Southeast. If no one changes course, the two sides will cross paths in the center of the board. They are at altitudes 5-7 and at speed 4 across the fleet.
As usual, I will be breaking the game down into three general phases to make it easier to document and follow the battle. I won't be detailing every ships movement or altitude change. The first two turns are the Maneuver phase, the middle turns are the Battle phase, and the final two turns are the End Phase. This is a 6-turn game.
Maneuver Phase
The HMS New Zealand picked up speed and moved to cut off the Austrian ships, while the rest of the squadron turned towards the enemy. The Austria-Hungarians turned away and stayed tight, with their Destroyer shooting out ahead and starting to turn back into the fray to snipe.
The HMS Regent opened the battle with some bow shots that rang off the hull off the SMS Maria Theresa, leaving three friction. The Maria Theresa returned fire and clanged a shell off the British cruiser as a warning.
Battle Phase
The British aggressively press forward, with the HMS New Zealand dropping to the same altitude as the Maria Theresa to attack. However, the Austro-Hungarians make an aggressive turn into the oncoming British and manage to Cross the T of the Cruiser squadron.
The HMS New Zealand and Regent Fire for Effect and rock the Austro-Hungarian flagship with 8 friction and 2 hits. The HMS Armstrong and Antigone fire at the SMS Saida, but their bow guns only manage to cause some friction. The Austrian command ship's rudder is jammed from the barrage.
The Austrians give as good as they get, with the Maria Theresa and Saida returning fire on the HMS Regent and landing two hits and some friction. The Regent's Air Screw is fouled and her Rudder jammed in the exchange. Air torpedoes from the Dual Monarchies flagship manage to strike home on the HMS New Zealand as well, causing a hit.
The shot was a lucky one as the New Zealand explodes in a cataclysmic chain of explosions! The explosion is so large that it hits the SMS Salamander and causes her screw to be fouled. It also further damages the HMS Regent! Promising careers are cut short as the New Zealand goes down with all hands!
The Captain of the HMS Regent takes command of the fleet, despite having his own issues.
With the British Flag gone, the battle quickly devolves into a general melee. The British elect the Austro-Hungarians to go first. The Maria Theresa is stricken and flies straight her rudder jammed. The SMS Saida uses a Command to Come About and turns to go straight down the throat of the British fleet, who scramble to get out of the way. Meanwhile, the Aspern and Salamander try to get into the fight. The HMS Regent is stricken to move slowly forward due to a jammed rudder of her own. The HMS Armstrong moves to engage the SMS Saida on equal terms.
The Captain of the Saida lets loose amongst the British cruisers with disappointing results. He manages to cause a hit on the HMS Regent, which damages the Bridge! Fire from the Aspern misses the Armstrong, but the Maria Theresa has better luck putting shells on target. The HMS Armstrong takes two hits and is Crippled in the exchange! The Captain calls for all hands to abandon ship as she starts to sink. The Salamander misses the HMS Antigone or has her Air Torpedoes swatted away.
Things look rough for the Brits, but it didn't go all the Austrians way as the Saida is pounded in her position between the two British ships. In return she is also Crippled and has her screw fouled. The SMS Saida is also sinking.
For their troubles, the SMS Saida and the HMS Regent strike their colors. They are too busy managing their damaged and sinking ships to keep going. However, the HMS Armstrong refuses to strike. At the end of the turn, their is still Friction on the HMS Armstrong and the HMS Antigone.
End Phase
In an attempt to cut-off the SMS Aspern, the HMS Antigone collides with the Austrian ship. the two ships become entangled. They are both stricken with 3 and 1 friction respectively. The Maria Theresa is content to gain altitude and try to move away from the battle, while the Salamander re-loads Torpedoes and moves in towards the last British ship.
Nobody has any shooting due to being entangled. Friction clears, but the HMS Armstrong was immobilized and stalled due to Friction last turn. This time, the captain strikes the Armstrong's colors.
The Antigone and the Aspern trade fire, with the Aspern getting the worst of it and losing some armor. However, the SMS Salamander manages to sink two Air Torpedoes into the stern of the HMS Antigone and causes her to lose armor and her rudder to jam. The Maria Theresa also fires a parting shot with her stern battery, but fails to cause further damage.
With that, the battle comes to an end.
Conclusion
Of course, the British Foreign Office quickly condemned the attack on the Sudova Riviera at the Concert of Europe. It was easy to blame it on a rogue Captain. Afterall, he was dead. He could not defend himself or claim otherwise. His ship and all its records were destroyed and lost.
The HMS Regent managed to limp back to British Egypt, but it was touch and go. The crew's effort was immortalized in harrowing ballad by some country wag. The crew of the HMS Armstrong were detained and the remains of the ship impounded by the Hapsburg government. However, SMS Saida ended up ditching in the Adriatic just off the coast, attempts to refloat it would be impossible. The crew of mixed ethnicities mostly survived, and the families of those who did not were given a pension in their post-humous honor. The Dual Monarchy pressed for the SMS Saida's replacement costs plus a ransom for their crew and the British gladly turned it over.
The Italians were not swayed to leave the Triple Alliance.
The Austro-Hungarians managed to defend their shores admirably. The British lost 21 Armor to the Austro-Hungarian 10. The British had their Flagship blow up, a Cruiser sink, and a second cruiser sent scurrying with her Colors struck. The Austro-Hungarians had 1 cruiser start to sink and strike her colors.
For the Austro-Hungarians, the star of the battle was the Maria Theresa who blew up the HMS New Zealand and did severe damage to the HMS Regent. The Saida deserves honorable mention as well. For the British? Well, something was wrong with their bloody ships today!
The key moment was when the Austrians managed to Cross the T of the British cruiser squadron while the New Zealand tried to cut them off. Instead, they turned into the attack at the last moment. Good show!
This battle had a lot of fun! Disentangling, Commands, Sinking, and Striking of Colors! There was so much Friction at a couple of points that it was not all cleared in the End Phase, which is unusual in a battle of this size.
Until next time.
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