Games and Reports
High Jinx on the High Seas - Raid on the Anchorage - part 1
Cruel Seas game whare the scenario was an RN raid on a Kriegsmarine anchorage to rescue some high profile POW’s.
The Royal Navy briefing was as follows:
HMS Orchis has been ordered to accompany elements of the 35th and 58th Flotillas in a raid on the Tromsburg anchorage in northern Norway. Intelligence has been received that a number of POW’s are being held onboard a merchant ship that is due to depart the anchorage on the night of the 20th of November.
Latest arial surveillance shows that the merchant ship is moored with a Kriegsmarine Vorpostenboot Flakship and 2 R-Boats.
The anchorage is protected by anti-submarine and torpedo nets, but these can be crossed by lighter vessels (with care).
To achieve your objectives of freeing the prisoners you will be accompanied by a platoon of commandos who will need to be transported to the transport via the lighter craft (one section per boat).
To reach and return from the objectives the Vosper MTB’s will need to be towed by yourself and the Cape Portland as they do not have the fuel to make the return journey.
HMS Orchis is capable of vectoring in the smaller craft to intercept the enemy through use of radar, it also carrying star shells to assist in identification of enemy forces.
The Admiralty orders are simple “recover the personal held by the German forces and return to base at Scapa Flow”.
The Kriegsmarine were ordered to defend the anchorage and ensure that the transports were not taken by the enemy.
As an aside one of the players has earned the nickname of “Uncle Albert” as every time we play a naval game (or an air game for that matter) every ship he commands ends up sunk (or plane shot down).
The RN approach the entry to the Fjord 
When the RN approach the anchorage they realise there are two transports not one which one holds the prisoners?
The two R Boats bravely (or foolishly depending on your opinion but they were commanded by “Uncle Albert”) moved forward to engage.
The Corvette and Trawler opened up on the R Boats as they were spotted and also fired “star shells” to illuminate the rest of the anchorage.
The various MTB’s were approaching the gap in the nets but it was congested and you could sense something was going to happen. 
As the R Boats engaged, they took heavy fire from the RN forces, and one was soon slipping beneath the waves. However, they had inflicted damage on the Fairmile D’s putting its rudder out of action. 
With the congestion entering the anchorage the inevitable happened and one of the Fairmile D’s and a Vosper collided. 
When the Fairmile D with the rudder damage threw for its effect, it was inevitable that it turned to its starboard and rammed the other Fairmile. Just to add to the fun one of the following Vosper’s did its move forward and rammed the other Vosper in the stern. By now the RN had done more damage to itself than the Kriegsmarine and the commander of the Corvette could feel the Admiralty Board of Enquiry looming in his future!
The S Boats did not arrive in time to stop the initial group of Vospers crossing the second set of torpedo nets. As soon as they cleared the nest all torpedoes were launched and the Flak ship and Minesweeper.
While one Vosper disintegrated under the fire from a couple of S Boats the Vosper’s carrying the commandos had entered the anchorage proper and were heading for the transports.
By now the Fairmile D’s had also sorted themselves out, completed repairs and started to engage the S Boats with their 6pdrs causing severe damage.
With torpedoes fast approaching both the Flak ship and the Minesweeper the fate of the defenders was sealed. The Commandos on the Vosper’s had identified their target and were readying to board and the game was called.
With the loss of only 2 Vosper MTB’s the game was called in favour of the RN but “Uncle Albert” did have two ships left afloat. However, these were the transports who no one was firing at ?.
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