Monday 25 November 2013

Mare Nostrum? Part 2


I refer you to my previous post for the player briefings.  As usual both fleets sailed in dangerous clumps until my repeated warnings about collisions and torpedoes eased the ships apart a bit.  Above is the French fleet.  Scary eh?
The pride of the Regia Marina being moved by Dave (left) and Mark.  The French were led by Lloyd and Tony.  John and myself made up the umpire team.
The Italian ships.  Any scarier than the Frenchies?
All of the ships in the game were balsa scratchbuilds as first mentioned here.
As the rival fleets closed the French cruisers broke away - hoping to draw fire perhaps?
The Eyetie battleships looked pretty intimidating!
The Italians opened fire first - and some early hits were scored.
As usual my firing arrows were these conveniently shaped post-it notes.
In the hectic exchange of fire which ensued, Vittorio Veneto suffered a minor hit (seen above) amounting to 1.5% of her total points.  The other Italian ships were untouched.
The French turned for home and made smoke (most of it voluntary...).  Strasbourg lost 14% and a complete turret (half of her main battery), Dunkerque 11% and La Galissonnier (seen below) 5%.
The Italians declined to pursue and the game ended with both sides claiming victory.  Strasbourg returned to port with her 'B' turret shrouded in tarpaulins - there, so the press were told to hide 'secret equipment'.....

So - a game which occupied six players for a little over an hour using only seven toys!

11 comments:

Archduke Piccolo said...

Looking back at the haul, that is a most impressive fleet! All scratchbuilds, too. Maybe I should revisit my 'Mighty Armadas' gig...
It looks like a lot of fun playing on such a large surface. Now, I have a largish asphalt driveway and parking surface outside... :-)

Tim Gow said...

Archduke Piccolo
Go on - you know it makes sense!

Paul Foster said...

A strangely realistic encounter Tim...Nice outcome!

Tim Gow said...

Paul Foster
Interestingly, when I was briefing them individually, both sides were gutted until they found out who the enemy was!

davidcrawford19 said...

WHAT???? The Italians allowed the French to run away? Surely the firing squads will be waiting to greet the admiral and senior officers at Taranto?

Mark Hides said...

No-a We-a just-a gonna follow 'em and-a find-a where da rest of-a da Frog Eaters dey are!

De spy in-a da Lyon's Corner House, Ealing, he say-a he has-a da map of where-a dey are-a!

Geordie an Exiled FoG said...

Nice to see a bit of Naval wargaming Tim
Well done!

Tim Gow said...

davidcrawford19
They were only obeying orders. There's a first time for everything....

Tim Gow said...

Mark Hides
Spoken like a native sir! Of Rotherham.

Tim Gow said...

Geordie
Well I can't let all those ships go to waste, can I?

John Curry Editor History of Wargaming Project said...

The Pratt game is a great game, most entertaining and very suitable for all ages and sexes.