Naval Thunder - The Battle of the Komandorski Islands - Mission Briefing

DATE                                                   : March 27, 1943, 600 hours

WEATHER/VISIBILITY/SEA STATE  : Clear, light breeze from SW, high overcast/Excellent

MISSION                                             : Allies to intercept and destroy IJN supply convoy
                                                             : Japanese to protect convoy

Order of Battle

Imperial Japanese Navy: Fifth (Northern) Fleet Cruiser Division 21 CA Nachi (F) (Myoko Class) CA Maya (Improved Takao Class) CL Tama (Kuma Class) Destroyer Division 21 DD Hatsushimo (Hatsuharu Class) DD Wakaba (Hatsuharu Class) D Convoy CL Abukuma (F) (Nagara Class) Destroyer Division 6 Inazuma (Akatsuki Class) Masamichi Ikazuchi (Akatsuki Class) Asaka Maru (“fast transport”) Sakito Maru (“fast transport”) Second Escort Force (Arriving as reinforcements due to delay) DD Usugumo (Fubuki Class) Attached directly to Fifth Fleet Sanko Maru (IJA chartered “slow transport”) Limited to 10 knots Cargo: food, ammo and building materials.

United States Navy: Task Force 16 Cruiser Division 1 CL 9 Richmond (F) (Omaha Class) CA25 Salt Lake City (Pensacola Class) Destroyer Squadron 14 DD 492 Bailey (F) (Benson Class) DD 606 Coghlan (Benson Class) DD 353 Dale (Farragut Class) DD 354 Monaghan (Farragut Class)

Mission briefing

IJN

1)     Repel the USN Strike Force by sinking at least 50% of their starting fleet to force a withdrawal of the USN fleet.

2)     Prevent the USN Strike Force from closing in to the convoy and do not allow the USN fleet reaching the convoy group area.

USN

1)     Locate and disrupt the transport convoy group which was reported to be at North West.

2)     Sink the CA Nachi and CA Maya to force the IJN to withdraw.

Special condition

1)   All captains of their vessel(s) will be receiving a card periodically representing the changing orders of the battle. Although this battle was purely a gunnery duel, the mindset of both Admirals was studied to understand the fateful decisions made. To represent this in the scenario, the “cards” received by the players represent the changing orders that will steer both fleet close and far during the engagement.

2)   At any point when a ship has taken 50% damage to its hull, the player controlling that particular ship may voluntarily withdraw from battle. Withdrawing the ship allows his ship to be preserved for future engagements - as that was the practice by the navies during WW2. At any point when a ship has taken 75% damage to its hull, the corresponding ship MUST make a withdrawal and all subsequent actions were to steer the ship towards the withdrawal area.

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~~~!!!

Top to bottom - Myoko Class, Kuma Class and Fubuki Class

Demo @ Hobby Forge - Game 2 vs LiongVei

Game 2 vs LiongVei

An IJN vs IJN showdown - against LiongVei's fleet consisting of Kongo Class Battle Cruisers; not 1 but 2~~!!
 
The setup

IJN – Eric Lew Mogami Class Heavy Cruiser -       CA Mogami (Flagship) Nachi Class Heavy Cruiser -       CA Myoko Chitose Class Escort Carrie -       CV Chitose Yugumo Class Destroyer -       DD Akigumo -       DD Akishimo -       DD Asashimo Akitsuki Class Destroyer -       DD Niizuki

IJN - LiongVei Kongo Class Battlecruiser -       CB Kongo -       CB Kirishima Akitsuki Class destroyer -       DD Akitsuki Mutsuki Class Destroyer -       DD Fumizuki

The Setup

For this game, I separated the fleet into 2 distinctive formations; DDs squadron on hard chase towards the Kongo Class Battle Cruisers; while the cruiser squadron on the outlay to deal flanking shots.

On the the other hand, LiongVei had its fleet group together having the DDs providing screening support. 

Turn 1

With my DDs at a forward position, the pursuit of both LiongVei's CBs ensured at turn 1. At this long range, both battle cruisers miss their mark.

At the same time, CV Chitose launched all its planes to no avail; shot down and were lost at sea.

Turn 2

Turn 2 provided the most action in the entire game. CB Kirishima was able to find its target and sank DD Akigumo.  

Turn 2: Crossing the "T"

Besides that, during the destroyer shooting phrase, my DD Akishimo was destroyed by an ammo rack hit from LiongVei's DD Akitsuki. In return, I managed to sink both LiongVei's DD Fumizuki and DD Akitsuki.
 

Turn 3

Without their screening DDs, both CBs maneuvered on a retreat at turn 3; pursuit ensured which would last 2 full rounds.

Turn 4

By turn 4, DD Asashimo launched its torpedo towards the direction of CB Kirishima, right before it was sunk by CB Kongo. Resulting torpedo strike miss it's mark.

At the same time, my cruiser squadron was moving on the right flank, however, due to the great distance, the guns were just inaccurate.

The relentless pursuit took its toll on my DDs, as CB Kongo claimed another victim at turn 5 - sinking my DD Niizuki.

Turn 6

The continuous pursuit of both CBs finally paid its dividends during turn 6. Both of my cruisers, CA Myoko and CA Mogami, were able to deal some damages to CB Kongo and CB Kirishima respectively; despite both ships managed to hide behind landmass cover.

Turn 7

Coming into turn 7, both of our fleet exchange shot for shot. With a far inferior guns on my side, it was decided that CV Chitose to leave the battle surface.

Turn 8

Concluding at turn 8, CA Mogami took a severe beating; shots coming from CB Kongo, and ultimately sank by uncontrollable flooding. Subsequent command check saw CA Myoko fled the battle.

CA Mogami: Turn 8 flooding

An IJN victory nonetheless.