Battle of the Falklands - a Full Thrust scenario

Battle of the Falklands

A Full Thrust Scenario by Phil Broeders

Authors notes

This scenario is based on the The Battle of the Falkland Islands,  a First World War naval action between the British Royal Navy and Imperial German Navy on 8 December 1914 in the South Atlantic. The British, after their defeat at the Battle of Coronel on 1 November, sent a large force to track down and destroy the German cruiser squadron. The battle is commemorated every year on 8 December in the Falkland Islands as a public holiday.

Admiral Graf Maximilian von Spee commanding the German squadron of two armoured cruisers, SMS Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, the light cruisers SMS Nürnberg, Dresden and Leipzig, and the colliers SS Baden, SS Santa Isabel, and SS Seydlitz  attempted to raid the British supply base at Stanley in the Falkland Islands. The British squadron consisting of the battlecruisers HMS Invincible and Inflexible, the armoured cruisers HMS Carnarvon, Cornwall and Kent, the armed merchant cruiser HMS Macedonia and the light cruisers HMS Bristol and Glasgow had arrived in the port the day before.

Visibility was at its maximum; the sea was placid with a gentle breeze, and the day was bright and sunny. The vanguard cruisers of the German squadron were detected early. By nine o'clock that morning, the British battlecruisers and cruisers were in hot pursuit of the German vessels. All except Dresden and Seydlitz were hunted down and sunk.

Scenario

You can run this as a stand-alone OR following on from the Battle of Coronel IV (see previous post)

If as a stand alone make Side A full strength.  If a follow-on allow basic repairs (1d6 damage boxes replaced per damaged ship).  If Canopus was used on the previous scenario, do not use it in this one.

The ships of Side A are joined by three fuel carriers (merchant ships).  They plan to raid a major refuelling station belonging to Side B – thinking it undefended.  The fuel carriers will take as much fuel as they can and then make their escape

The fuelling station is located  near an asteroid in a small asteroid field known as The Falklands.  A number of asteroids are to the side of the large asteroid, blocking the view (and hiding Side B’s fleet).

Side A must approach the refuelling station until the enemy is spotted (see Setup).  Once spotted Side A can choose to stay and fight OR to run for it (based on victory conditions below).  The three fuel-carriers will aim to run automatically. 

Set-up

Place the refuelling station (any space station model will do) on the LH corner of one short edge of the table (assuming a 6’ x 4’ table) and the asteroids 1 ½ ’ from the short edge that the refuelling station is on and about 1 ½’  (essentially screening the refuelling station.    

Fleet A arrives from the same short edge but the opposite corner, led by the light cruisers with the refuellers in the rear. 

Once Fleet A gets within 1’ of the asteroid field both fleets are deemed spotted by each other and can open fire (assuming spotting through the gaps in the asteroids).

Fleet B is then placed by Player B in a formation of choice between the asteroids and the LH long side of the table.  

Fleet A must escape by reaching the opposing short edge

The map below may help with layout

Opposing Forces

Player A

2 cruisers

3 light cruisers 

3 merchant ships

Optional : if following on from the Coronel scenario maintain damage less repaired damage (see above). 

Player B

1 battleship (optional - see below)

2 battlecruisers

3 heavy cruisers

2 light cruisers

Optional – Canopus is a battleship  (if not used in the Coronel scenario) which has engine trouble  and thus immobile but can fire its weapons at any ship in range.  Canopus can be placed anywhere to the left of the asteroids.

Victory conditions

Player A wins a major victory by escaping the entire fleet off table

Player A wins a minor victory by escaping all fighting ships off table

Player B wins a major victory by destroying all the enemy fighting ships

Player B wins a minor victory by destroying half the enemy fleet (including the fuel ships)

Player B wins a minor victory by destroying 3 of 5 warships.