Hi all,
Yesterday Soren and I were able to try out Flaklighter II rules and also take my new Torpedo Motor boats out for a test spin. I have to say that the rules did a great job of reflecting the strength of the German S-boats and the weakness of the early British MTB's.
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| T4 on here torpedo run next to where T3 sank. |
The scenario was one that would allow us to try out the movement and allow for ship to ship combat as well as an opportunity to use the torpedoes.
So it is was a overcast day East of Stockholm in the Baltic waters. A radio signal from a patrolling aircraft notified the Swedish Coastal Defense force that a Germany Type VII C U boat was on the surface and apparently drifting in Swedish Waters. The Swedish Navy send the closes assets to investigate the situation. T3 and T4 are called into action with orders to capture the German U boat or if the situation does not allow for the capture of the U boat, then they are cleared to sink the U boat.
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| T3 and T4 move to secure the German U boat. |
The German U boat has sent a message to the German high command requesting rescue. The Germans send two S boats that are on a training mission in the Baltic. They are new S boats, S-95 and S-96. They move at top speed to the location with orders to rescue the crew and prevent the submarine from falling into enemy hands.
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| I used these makers to represent the ships for movement before sighting. |
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| Contact moving before being identified |
T3 and T4 arrive at the reported location and sure enough it is a German VII C U boat. The two Swedish boats approach the areas cautiously keeping an eye out for other German forces.
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| S-95 and S-96 moving in close formation at top speed |
Shortly after T3 and T4 arrive on the scene two German S boats appear on the horizon traveling at there top speed of 42 knots! Soon after the arrival of the Germans a gun battle begins.
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| T3 taking damage from the German S boats |
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| The Germans move fast but are able to score hits on the Swedish boats. |
Once the ships were withing gun range all hell broke lose and the Germans superior fire power started to hit home on the Swedish Boats. T3 losses some hull points and one of the two .30 Machine guns to enemy fire.
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| T3 is in a bad situation |
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| T3 before she meets her fate |
The Germans move to get close to the U boat to provide some defense for the sicken submarine. T3 and T4 are not able to score any hits on the fast moving German S boats. The two Swedish boats turn to the left to try to engage the S boats with there guns.
T3 takes multiple hits from both S boats and the 37mm German guns do massive hull damage on the little boat and soon she is starting to sink.
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| T3 is sent to the bottom. |
Seeing what happened to T3 the crew of T4 turn hard to the left and line up to fire her two torpedoes at the German U boat. If they are going to go down they will be taking the U boat down with them. Luckily the German S boats move behind the U boat and are unable to shoot at T4.
T4 is able to line up and fire her two 21' torpedoes.
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| T4 firing at her torpedoes |
Shortly after firing her torpedoes T4 is hit hard from heavy fire from the two S boats who have moved around from behind the U boat. T4's bridge is hit and destroyed killing most of the people on the bridge and destroying the controls so she has to continue on her course until the issue can be corrected.
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| The S boats looking to finish off the Swedish MTB |
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| T4 taking more damage as her torps reach the sub |
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| The torps reach there target |
The torpedoes finally reach the submarine as T4 continues to be chewed up by the heavy German gunfire. T4 losses her twin .50, the port torpedo tube and the .30 cal machine gun from the heavy German fire.
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| one of the torps hits causing devastating damage to the U boat |
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| The U boat is sinking but T4 is on a collision course with the sinking sub. |
One of the two torpedoes misses the U boat while the other hits home and breaks the hull of the sub. The U boat starts to sink but T4 can not change her course and is heading straight for the sinking submarine.
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| The Germans circle in to finish off T4 |
With a crash T4 hits and skips over the sinking sub causing hull damage but she continues to move on a straight course as the crew gains control of the steering. The remaining crew of T4 push the engines to max power and deploy smoke to try and escape back to safety.
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| Crash! |
T4 is able to hide from one of the S boats but the second is able to score more hits on the heavily damaged MTB. Finally after a short time T4 starts to sink. She took too much hull damage and there was nothing more the crew could do. all of her weapons, except the starboard .30 cal were knocked out.
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| Run for the boarder!!!! |
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| T4 going to the bottom |
The German S boats are untouched by the Swedish gun fire and they are able to rescue most of the crew of the U boat. The Swedish Navy is able to pick up the crew of T3 and T4 eight hours after the fight is over.
One of the surviving crew members of T4 is Prince Bertil who was on board T4 and was able to motivate the crew to do what she was able to against the heavily armed German S boats.
On a Historical note. Prince Bertil did serve on T4 during WW2,
