Wednesday 18 September 2013

Nordic but Nice - The Herring War Resumes!

The Danish fleet.  Painted black so they're clearly the baddies...

This game was played by FLW author PW (aka The Great Dane) and your humble correspondent in P's garden at RMA Sandhurst.  We assembled at 1700 hours and after a brief pause for tea and cake set up an played the game.  Hostilities were brought to a close as much as anything else by failing light.  P has already posted a report on the FLW Yahoo Group and I reproduce it in full below:


From the Samso Gazette – Late Edition - best for Tinned Fish since 1870

HERRING WAR RESUMES!

The perfidious Norwegian (Blue/Red/Blue) blockade of Skagen continues – and all Danish (Red/White/Red) naval forces are tasked with breaking the blockade, and returning the Bishop of Odenso to Samso in time for the feast of St Just the Bigot....

Objective – RWR – run the Bishop through the blockade – and attempt to sink the battleshipForces – Torpedo Ram – Tordenskjold + 2 x TB3 X Heavy Naval guns in the shore defence

Objective – BRB – to stop and ships escaping and destroy the shore defences – in order to land the Naval Division on the shore.Forces – BB – Norge + monitor Odin and minelayer Valkyrie + tethered balloon

Rules – a form of Boilers and Breechloaders, and FLW + LC.

Summary
The game opened with mine laying from BRB and an artillery exchange with the shore batteries – with some truly comical estimation of range. One excellent shot resulting in a shore battery being disabled.With dusk approaching the RWR fleet emerged – the TB's leading the way and immediately firing torpedoes. The Danish `Terror' weapon – the Torpedo Ram Tordensjkold engaging the monitor Odin – and receiving damage immediately. The Bishop looked likely to escape as the Norwegians concentrated their fire on the Tordensjkold...but darkness drew the game to a close...
A good little game, using a FLW type of 'Boilers and Breechloaders'; – with some fine shooting from TG.

Honours going to the B/R/B, with an amphibious assault set for the next day.

A neat little lighthouse - late in the game we lit it!
The heroic Norwegian fleet!
The Norwegian tethered balloon.  The spotter was shaken about by the stiff breeze.
The monitor Odin.
Norge and Valkyrie
Valkyrie braves the (reassuringly inaccurate) coastal guns to lay mines.
Norge opens up!
A hit!  This battery was put out of action by shells from Odin.
PWs plan was similar to what I'd have done in his shoes (or sea boots?).  His big ship and one of the TBs would make a lot of noise emerging from one channel while the other TB (with the Bishop aboard) made a run for it from the other channel.  He wasn't going to make it past Norge's guns!
See what I mean about the failing light?  After quickly packing up it was off for curry and a chat.

17 comments:

Robert (Bob) Cordery said...

A great - and very inspiring - battle report ... and I LOVE the model ships!

All the best,

Bob

Paul Foster said...

A very shipshape post Tim!

Peter Douglas said...

Tim

You never fail to deliver my morning dose of silly.

Love it!

Cheers
PD

Tim Gow said...

Bob Cordery
Clearly the ironclad ram is the weapon of the future. Remember where you heard it first...

Tim Gow said...

Paul Foster
The ship models were very nice!

Tim Gow said...

Peter Douglas
As a fellow devotee of the outdoor naval wargame I rather thought you'd like it!

Robert (Bob) Cordery said...

Tim Gow,

I never doubted it!

All the best,

Bob

Tim Gow said...

Bob Cordery
Forward to 1900!

Unknown said...

Love the title and the models. Have you ever thought of contributing to BattleFleet?

I am the editor ... Jeff

Don M said...

I saw this on the Yahoo Group, great idea! I've shared this on my VSF blog...thanks for posting it!

Tim Gow said...

Chasseur
They're not my toys, but as a glance at the blog archive will reveal, other naval games and toys are available! Are the contact details on the NWS website up to date? If so, I'll be in touch.

Tim Gow said...

Don M
Glad us whacky Brits keep you entertained!

Archduke Piccolo said...

Great fun - and a neat little situation to boot. I like the billowing waves of the ... erm ... ocean. Was the brisk breeze contributing to that as well? (If it was, I wonder what you would have ruled if one or more vessels 'broached to'?) Excellent set up all round.

Conrad Kinch said...

Wow - that looks really something!

Tim Gow said...

Archduke Piccolo
The blue tarpaulins were securely pinned with metal tent pegs - just as well!

Tim Gow said...

Conrad Kinch
It was a sight to behold!

Phil said...

Original and very nice! Love the ships!