I had Weirdy-Beardy over last night to introduce him to my new favorite game, Snorkers! (Good Oh!). I wanted something different, so I had the Japanese escorting a convoy of 5 merchant ships.
The IJN had one Tenyru class CL as flag, and 4x Fubuki and 4x Kagero class DDs, all divided into 3 squadrons. They (meaning me) started at one short end of the table with the objective to get the supply ships to the other side.
The USN got 6x Fletchers in 2 squadrons and a Brooklyn class CL operating as its own squadron. The Brooklyn deployed in the far corner with the destroyers in line ahead on either flank.
I was slowed by the lumbering supply ships. Weirdy-Beardy came on fast at Full Ahead to close the range. The Brooklyn turned to starboard to bring her broadside to bare on the Tenyru, scoring some long range hits.
His starboard destroyer squadron zoomed in to attack the escorts. Torpedoes slashed through the waves. I counter attacked but a heavy swell negated the range advantage of my Long Lance torpedoes and I missed terribly. My leading squadron lost both the Tenyru and a destroyer.
Weirdy-Beardy then started engaging the convoy with the Brooklyn. 6" shells and a spread of torpedoes from a destroyer sinking one supply ship. My escorts began looking for torpedo attacks on the big cruiser. Another transport was reduced to a burning floating wreck by gunfire from the Brooklyn. The convoy turned to port to put their escorts between them and the Americans.
His port side destroyer squadron, which had been hanging out along the far table edge, then made a hard turn and raced through the battle to cross the Japanese path. Meanwhile my port flank squadron did the same, passing behind the burning merchant ship to unleash a devastating attack on the American destroyers punishing my other destroyer squadron. Two Fletchers went under, their hulls split by multiple torpedo hits. I then got a torpedo attack on the Brooklyn from my two surviving destroyers in the center, who launched a total of 7 torpedoes at her. Two struck home and detonated with devasting effect, sinking the cruiser.
Weirdy-Beardy's port side destroyer squadron, now on the starboard flank, now had a clear run at the exposed convoy, launching their remaining torpedoes. The center transport ship was damaged by gunfire, but the other two were rocked by devastating explosions, rolled over and sank.
 |
| Climax of the game! The Fetchers fire torpedoes into the convoy, sinking two of them. One supply ship remains, but my surviving escorts are out of position in the back ground of the photo. |
As it was getting late, we called it there. We were half way through the second run of the deck, but rolled Force Morale anyway. With their flag gone, the surviving USN units retired, feeling pleased that they had butchered the vital supply convoy, and leaving the lone cargo ship to the mercy of subsequent air attacks. The Japanese pressed on doggedly, anxiously scanning the sky for waves of American dive bombers. So tactically a marginal victory for the USN (loosing the Brooklyn and two destroyers to the Tenyru CL, a Fubuki and a Kagero, plus four out of five cargo ships), but strategically I think a much bigger victory for the Americans.
I was so engaged with playing the game and helping Weirdy-Beardy (I plotted his final attack, because I was closest, to get him good torpedo arcs) that I did not take lots of pictures, like I do when playing solo, when I live post each development to a thread on my Bluesky account. Which is a nice record the next day when I do an AAR for the blog.
As usual some things were forgotten in the excitement, but I don't think the overall outcome was effected.
I should have made smoke to give the convoy more cover.
