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Author Topic: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]  (Read 80035 times)

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Offline JSRNerdo

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Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
why in god's name would you use a X turret over a V turret if you're not doing cross-decking
Former Inferno lead, BTA fredder-ish and DE fredder. Driven out by ordinary fascists the_e, aesaar and general battuta. Will return if they're ever removed.

 

Offline Enioch

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Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
Why wouldn't I?  :nervous:

I checked the design and a V turret doesn't seem to be offering anything more than the X turret (in weight or firing arcs). Apparently, it's been this way since last october. And I like the way the X turret looks.

If there's any difference, by all means, let me know, but don't expect to see it implemented in this playthrough.

'Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent'  -Salvor Hardin, "Foundation"

So don't take a hammer to your computer. ;-)

 

Offline Enioch

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Encouraged by Ikoma's success, the Admiralty channeled more funds into Kongou's construction.



The old battleships were well and truly getting obsolete now; Hatsuse was showing her age with frequent engine problems. It was imperative that new capital ships be launched to take up their duties.



The Japanese subs and raiders gave a decent showing of themselves. I-12 was lost with all hands off Java, but took her targets along with her; the Maru boys reaped bloody vengeance on the German sub U-7.

And then, on the 19th of July....









Ikoma's second encounter with the enemy would take place in the aftermath of a failed coastal raid, originally meant to soften up the German defenses in Kiautschou Bay. The bombarding force, conisting of Fuso and Asama, with an escorting force had been forced to cancel the attack, as the weather had steadily worsened, from a stiff breeze to one of the strongest Summer gales in the last decade. Visibility was reduced and the escorting destroyers had significant trouble with the rough seas.



Ikoma and her own flotilla were on the way to join up with the retreating force and provide support, if necessary, when first contact was made, at 10:22 in the morning.



Ikoma immediately turned hard a' starboard, to unshadow her portside batteries; she opened fire with her 10'' secondary turret. Amazingly, despite the wind and the rain, despite the heavy seas, despite having been surprised and despite only having the most basic of fire control systems (the secondary turrets were not linked to Ikoma's central firing control), the shells from both 10'' rifles hit the target.





As the enemy ship maneuvered frantically to open the range, Ikoma's fire control identified her as a Niobe-class - possibly the same ship that had killed Asanagi and Shimakaze.



Seeing an opportunity to get some payback, Nagumo ordered pursuit, joining up with the Fuso task force.



Success! Just before noon, Asama and Hokaze both report contacts closing in. Asama signals that she's taking fire from heavy batteries - there's something with big guns out there - a heavy cruiser or worse.

The Hokaze hazards a closer pass and gets a faceful of Niobe buckshot for her troubles. Asama returns fire as Ikoma rushes to engage and scores a hit on an enemy heavy cruiser. Then, from out of the mists....







Izumo and Fuso close the range and get a positive ID on the cruiser: she's a Fuerst Bismarck-class, nearly a small pre-dread in her own right.



Ikoma immediately gives her the good news, with predictable results - two main battery hits with her first salvo.



Then she leaves the slower Fuso to deal with her and turns north, to deal with a cheeky flanking heavy cruiser.





The Hertha scores a hit on Ikoma's main belt - the shell ricochets off, harmlessly. Ikoma returns the favour.



Two shells hit the Hertha's front turret almost simultaneously. The turret is blasted clear off its bearings and catapulted over the Hertha's port side, cartwheeling in the air.



Then, Ikoma brings her port fish launchers to bear.





The torpedo hits the Hertha on her stern, blowing her rudder and propellers clean off and collapsing the aft turret structure. The German cruiser is dead in the water and sinking; the entirety of the exchange has lasted less than 15 minutes.



Ikoma, once again, turns south, to hunt down what Nagumo assumes is the Von der Tann. On the way, she runs into a cruiser division...



...and once again turns north to engage.



The Bismarck takes revenge for her earlier humiliation by scoring a hit on Ikoma's aft turret and jamming it; two crewmembers are temporarily deafened by the gong-like sound, as the turret armor absorbs the hit but no casualties are taken.



Fearing a concentrated torpedo attack from the cruisers, Ikoma peels off and joins Fuso in hunting down a destroyer (!) Then, Nagumo orders Fuso and Asama to seek out that battleruiser; he will try to track down the cruisers. Unfortunately, his own search would prove useless.



Fuso's and Asama's, however....not so much.

Now, under any other circumstances, it would be folly for an obsolete pre-dread to try and hunt down a modern battlecruiser. For one thing, it would be unable to: Fuso's best speed was 20 knots, versus the German's 25.

However, the circumstances of this case painted a different picture.



There was no way the Von der Tann could make full speed because of the weather - that she was sailing against. Fuso, on the other hand, could only do 20 knots anyway - and her rested stokers were more than up to the task.

Also, the German's armor was crap compared to Fuso's. And, unless she turned to present a broadside, she could only bring her aft turret to bear - so both ships could only fire 2 12'' guns at each other.

The Von der Tann fled the engagement with every horsepower her engines could give her, like Hell itself were biting on her heels.



Fuso proceeds to fire her guns in a naval action for the first time - and what would prove to be her last. During the upcoming hour and a half (and until nightfall finally obscured the frantically retreating German) she scored thirteen hits on her, one of which knocked out the battlecruiser's aft turret. Then, with a huff, the Lady of China deigned to return to formation.



Yeah, darling, you still got it.



Note that the only ship to fire at the Von der Tann during the entire engagement was Fuso. She still knocked the German down to 'heavy damage'. Thank you, based ship.





« Last Edit: June 18, 2018, 07:38:53 pm by Enioch »
'Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent'  -Salvor Hardin, "Foundation"

So don't take a hammer to your computer. ;-)

 

Offline Spoon

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Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
Who needs fire control when you've got the devil's luck on your side.
Urutorahappī!!

[02:42] <@Axem> spoon somethings wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> critically wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> im happy with these missions now
[02:44] <@Axem> well
[02:44] <@Axem> with 2 of them

 

Offline Enioch

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Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
Interesting wording you used there...  :p
'Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent'  -Salvor Hardin, "Foundation"

So don't take a hammer to your computer. ;-)

 

Offline The E

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Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
Is this the point where the german Admiralty goes to the Chancellor, asks if he could maybe possibly try to hint to his Majesty that tangling with the IJN may end up a little bit more costly than hoped, and if, in light of this his Majesty might entertain the thought of maybe not trying to fight a battle on the other side of the globe while also trying to not appear weak to the french, italians and british? And are they then told that securing victory in Asia will cement Germany's place in the sun, and that they are thus directed to divert all forces that can be spared down there? And that trying to circumvent Japanese recon forces by going around South America and striking them from the East would be a good idea?
If I'm just aching this can't go on
I came from chasing dreams to feel alone
There must be changes, miss to feel strong
I really need lifе to touch me
--Evergrey, Where August Mourns

 

Offline Enioch

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Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
Is this the point where the german Admiralty goes to the Chancellor, asks if he could maybe possibly try to hint to his Majesty that tangling with the IJN may end up a little bit more costly than hoped, and if, in light of this his Majesty might entertain the thought of maybe not trying to fight a battle on the other side of the globe while also trying to not appear weak to the french, italians and british? And are they then told that securing victory in Asia will cement Germany's place in the sun, and that they are thus directed to divert all forces that can be spared down there? And that trying to circumvent Japanese recon forces by going around South America and striking them from the East would be a good idea?

 :eek2:  :wtf:

How the hell...

Have you somehow hacked my save files? :p

OK,  guys, fun's over. The E's spoiled the ending.
'Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent'  -Salvor Hardin, "Foundation"

So don't take a hammer to your computer. ;-)

 

Offline crizza

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Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
Even more evil would be if they could traverse the Panama channel :D

 

Offline Enioch

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Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
In 1912?

Yes, that would be very strange indeed.  :cool:
'Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent'  -Salvor Hardin, "Foundation"

So don't take a hammer to your computer. ;-)

 

Offline The E

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Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
:eek2:  :wtf:

How the hell...

Have you somehow hacked my save files? :p

OK,  guys, fun's over. The E's spoiled the ending.


Well, you did hint that the Voyage of the Damned did happen, and these are the perfect preconditions for it: Germany has lost one war in Asia and was humiliated early in round two, their naval capability is perhaps a bit more advanced than it was in the normal timeline (Plus, no world war to distract people), german colonial policy was very much a matter of personal pride for the Kaiser and far more successful here than it was in reality. So, making a stupid move like that is entirely within character, unfortunately.
If I'm just aching this can't go on
I came from chasing dreams to feel alone
There must be changes, miss to feel strong
I really need lifе to touch me
--Evergrey, Where August Mourns

 

Offline StarSlayer

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Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
Kantai Kessen v High Seas Fleet?

How big can a single naval engagement get?  Is there an upper limit?
“Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world”

 
Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
I love all the fluff you added in your posts (yay to Kancolle and historical pics). Reading this actually got me so interested that I bought the game  ;)
Sadly my first try failed spectacularly within 3 years. Played as Germany, got into war with France and lost the first and decisive engagement between our full fleets somewhere in the Channel right after the war started. I guess even your german AI enemy was more capable than me  :lol:
Here goes scripting and copy paste coding
Freespace RTS Mod
Checkpoint/Shipsaveload script

 

Offline Enioch

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For hate's sake, I spit my last shell at thee
The response of the Japanese Admiralty was that of contained enthusiasm. The battle of Kiaoutschou Bay had been a resounding success for the Navy, but the Von der Tann had escaped and, according to reports, would be combat ready in a month or two.



Four Nokaze Kai destroyers were laid down: they were the first Japanese destroyers to mount double torpedo tubes in a centreline mount.



Construction on Kongou continued unabated - the yards reported that everything was going perfectly and that lessons learned in the construction of Ikoma had been applied to great effect.



Chishima finished her shakedown cruise.

And then, on the 21st of August....



There's no way they're accepting that. No way. Not after the losses they suff-





Alrighty then. What's our battle-line?



Ikoma and Asama in the main battle division; the newly commissioned Chishima as a scout; a gaggle of destroyers serves as a screen. That's brilliant.



Also - 13 hours to nighfall. *Ikoma giggles*



CONTACT: What the hell. There's a capital ship moving towards us from the west; another one coming from the south-east; and some sort of cruiser poking the north-east.

Wait.




Ok, let's dance.





Nagumo turns his battle-line around and goes after the capital ship approaching from the west. It is quickly identified as a Braunschweig-class predread.

Whether the Germans thought that trying to repeat Fuso's exploit was a good idea is questionable; the point is that the German ship did not try to decline battle. It opened fire at 07:04 and closed the range.





At 07:17, a shell from the Braunschweig strikes Ikoma's port wing turret and jams it in its bearings. Ikoma returns the favour and jams the predread's fore turret. And, having finally found the range, she opens up with the entirety of her broadside:



This happens. Note that among all the hits on Ikoma only the ones with a star * next to them are actual damaging penetrations everything else just bounces of Nippon steel.



Within half an hour of the first shot being fired, the Braunschweig is listing heavily and losing speed. Then, a salvo from the Ikoma strikes something vital in her disabled front turret. The turret's top peels open like a sardine can and a gout of flame reaches towards the heavens. Thankfully for the Germans, the flash fire does not travel down to the magazine - but the battleship is unsalvageable and the crew begins to abandon ship.



Meanwhile, Chishima and the DDs are dealing with the enemy DD screen, that has moved way beyond what is a safe distance from the capital ship they were escorting. It's a massacre. The rapid-fire 6'' guns of the Chishima are reaping a bloody toll.



And then Asama confirms the enemy's identity. It's the Von der Tann alright, back for round three.



Ikoma slots into a parallel course and opens fire. Once again, the wind is favouring the Germans. Once again, Ikoma's gunnery doesn't give a flying ****.



Ten minutes into the fight, Ikoma's secondary 10'' turret scores a hit on the Von der Tann's midship guns. The German steel buckles. One of the 12'' rifles gets bodily lifted off the gun mount and points up towards the sky, in a 90 degree angle to the hull, like a broken hand asking for help. The Von der Tann shudders and her speed - the one thing in which she was superior to the Ikoma - drops to twenty knots.



Meanwhile, Chishima and Asama, having dealt with the destroyers, are double-teaming the Niobe-class cruiser that was escorting the Von der Tann. It's not a pretty sight.



Hokaze finishes her off with a torpedo, finally avenging her sisters.



Meanwhile, Ikoma is on hot pursuit, having pinned the Von der Tann against the eastern entrance of the Tsugaru strait. She is closing the distance, but her main batteries are silent.



She has put more than ten effective shots into her enemy, not to mention her previous battle with the Braunschweig. She is out of ammo. She has only 30 rounds left on her 'B' turret magazine and her heading makes it impossible for that turret to bear. It seems that the Von der Tann will escape simply by benefit of Ikoma not being able to kill her.

****. THAT. NOISE.





Chishima comes in at 28 knots and simulates a torpedo run. Unfortunately, her tubes cannot fire - submerged tubes cannot fire at a speed of over 25 knots. The Von der Tann turns, to avoid the fish that are not coming. That gives the Ikoma the time she needs to bring her own torpedo launchers to bear - and her speed is 22 knots.







For good measure, Chishima slows down and puts two torpedoes in her aft, blowing up her propulsion and steering.





And, finally, Ikoma unshadows her 'B' turret and puts two 11'' shells into her midships, finally cracking the Von der Tann's spine.







Germany is done.
« Last Edit: June 18, 2018, 07:39:42 pm by Enioch »
'Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent'  -Salvor Hardin, "Foundation"

So don't take a hammer to your computer. ;-)

 

Offline Enioch

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Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
Well, you did hint that the Voyage of the Damned did happen, and these are the perfect preconditions for it: Germany has lost one war in Asia and was humiliated early in round two, their naval capability is perhaps a bit more advanced than it was in the normal timeline (Plus, no world war to distract people), german colonial policy was very much a matter of personal pride for the Kaiser and far more successful here than it was in reality. So, making a stupid move like that is entirely within character, unfortunately.

Sorry, mate.

Good call, but not this time. It's not Germany, although it could have been, if the Von der Tann had held out another couple of months.

Kantai Kessen v High Seas Fleet?

How big can a single naval engagement get?  Is there an upper limit?

Not really, provided you check the 'very large' fleets option in the starting menu. I'm playing with 'large'. So far, I've seen fights with up to five capital ships (Dreadnoughts, BCs, Bs) per side, with the appropriate screening and cruiser elements.

I love all the fluff you added in your posts (yay to Kancolle and historical pics). Reading this actually got me so interested that I bought the game  ;)
Sadly my first try failed spectacularly within 3 years. Played as Germany, got into war with France and lost the first and decisive engagement between our full fleets somewhere in the Channel right after the war started. I guess even your german AI enemy was more capable than me  :lol:

Mission accomplished. Now I'll go and collect my ad fees.  ;)

Germany is, actually, the hardest nation in the game to play, because you've got to deal with every other European nation on your doorstep, you have a significant colonial empire that requires attention and you have a minimal budget compared to the UK, which really wants to eat you alive. It is suggested that your first game be with the Austrians or the Japanese, who have a) only the Mediterranean to worry about and b) only enemy colonial forces to worry about, respectively.

'Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent'  -Salvor Hardin, "Foundation"

So don't take a hammer to your computer. ;-)

 

Offline Lorric

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Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
Enioch should get money to promote this game. I actually thought it must be a free game when he opened the thread and then when it became known it's not, that it would be really cheap. And I look and it costs $34.99 for a game that looks like it would fit on a floppy disc?!

I can of course obviously see it's got a lot of depth to it and Enioch is loving it, and I've sunk plenty of hours into games with a similar level of visuals in my time, but I still find this very surprising.

 

Offline Enioch

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Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
[...]for a game that looks like it would fit on a floppy disc?

The entirety of the game is 9MB.  ;)
'Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent'  -Salvor Hardin, "Foundation"

So don't take a hammer to your computer. ;-)

 

Offline Spoon

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Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
Interesting wording you used there...  :p
Completely intentional I assure you :p

Once this run is over, would it be possible to load an older save and to make war on the romulan navy or the united states of the murricas? Just to demonstrate how badly that would go.
Urutorahappī!!

[02:42] <@Axem> spoon somethings wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> critically wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> im happy with these missions now
[02:44] <@Axem> well
[02:44] <@Axem> with 2 of them

 

Offline Enioch

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Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
Sadly, no. The game plays on ironman mode, with a single save, updated after every fight. And after you complete a run, the save is auto-wiped and only your victory / defeat stats are preserved.

It is, theoretically, possible to backup your save, continue and then overwrite your save with your backup, but I have kept no backups  :(

(I also considered spoilering the end of the game, but I resisted)
'Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent'  -Salvor Hardin, "Foundation"

So don't take a hammer to your computer. ;-)

 

Offline Spoon

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Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
Ah pity. But it can't be helped.
Urutorahappī!!

[02:42] <@Axem> spoon somethings wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> critically wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> im happy with these missions now
[02:44] <@Axem> well
[02:44] <@Axem> with 2 of them

 

Offline Lorric

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Re: Enioch's naval shenanigans - RTW as Japan - [Image Heavy!]
That's a load of bull****. Players should have the choice of whether they want to play "iron man mode" or not. And that kind of system leaves you vulnerable to bugs and bull****. I don't need a computer to force me to play a game straight, I'm quite happy to do it by choice in many games.