Gaming Adventures: Naval Thunder - The Battle of the Komandorski Islands

The Battle of the Komandorski Islands was one of the most unusual engagements of World War 2; a naval battle which took place on March 27, 1943 in the North Pacific area of the Pacific Ocean - south of the Soviet Komandorski Islands.

A historical refight between the naval forces of USA and Empire of Japan; off the Russian Bering Sea islands known as Komardoski Islands (aka Commander Islands).

· Date: February 22, 2014

· Time: 1300 hours to 1600 hours.

· Location: Gladius Games

Fubuki Class Destroyer

Historical Background

When the USA became aware of Empire of Japan’s plans to send a supply convoy to their forces on the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, USN ships commanded by Rear Admiral Charles McMorris were sent to prevent this. The fleet consisted of:

· Heavy cruiser Salt Lake City

· Light cruiser Richmond

· Destroyers Coghlan, Bailey, Dale and Monaghan

Unknown to USA, the Empire of Japan had chosen to escort their convoy with multiple warships commanded by Vice Admiral Boshiro Hosogaya, compose of:

· Heavy cruisers Nachi and Maya

· Light cruiser Tama and Abukuma

· Destroyers Wakaba, Hatsushimo, Ikazuchi and Inazuma

Myoko Class Heavy Cruiser

The battle occurred on the early morning of 27 March as the IJN convoy was intercepted by the USA picket line some 100 miles south of the Komandorski Islands and 180 west of Kiska.

Because of the remote location of the battle and chance encounter on open ocean; neither fleet had air or submarine assistance, making this one of the few engagements exclusively between surface warships in the Pacific Theater and one of the last pure gunnery duels between opposing fleets.

Kuma Class Light Cruiser

Although the IJN cruisers heavily outgunned the American force, the engagement was tactically inconclusive. Both fleets suffered damage, with the USN warships escaping almost by luck. With the IJN fleet on the edge of victory, Admiral Hosogaya — not realizing the heavy damage his warships had inflicted on USN warships and fearing enemy war planes would appear — retired without destroying any USN warships.

This amounted to a strategic defeat, as it ended Empire of Japan attempts to resupply the Aleutian garrisons by surface ship, leaving only submarines to conduct supply runs. Hosogaya was accordingly retired from active service after the battle.

More information of the historical battle can be found here.

The Refight

Naval historians often quote this battle as “unusual” - at first glance, it may seemed unusual because we are referring to naval warfare of opposing fleets engaging far from their home waters and being in a 3^rd party country's waters.

However, as the players who will be attending this event would soon find out, the word “unusual” would hardly sum up the incidents that happened throughout the naval engagement.

Would it be an USN victory? An IJN triumphant battle? A tactically inconclusive engagement?

Stay tuned~~~!!!