The Matapan Incident
A Full Thrust scenario by Phil Broeders
Author’s Notes
This is a contact battle between two long-standing enemy
forces (and can form part of a campaign if you like). Forces can be any two forces you choose but
should consist of standard forces with recognisable ship types rather than
exotic aliens etc. It is based on the
Battle of Matapan in 1941.
To set the tone for this scenario, inform the commander of Force
B that he has limited ship numbers in this sector and does not wish to risk its
ships unduly unless it can concentrate forces against an inferior force – and so
will avoid battle with an equal or superior numbered enemy.
This is a tough battle for Player B – although he may not
realise it at first and think he’s about to engage in a turkey shoot. If he
has the sense to scout ahead or at least not leap into the dark, he should have
the ability to get away. If not it is highly likely that his fleet will
be battered and possibly lost completely.
Background
Force A is covering troop movements in Sector Medi as part
of an ongoing war against Force B and its ally and is attempting to land troops
on a planet (Greka 2).
Force A’s cryptoanalysts have managed to break one of Force B’s code and are
reading their signals for the first time.
The first message broken, the cryptic "Today’s the day minus
three," was followed three days later by a second message reporting the launch
of a Force B battle fleet from their base on Matapan - comprising one
battleship, six heavy and two light cruisers, plus destroyers. Their aim is to attack the merchant convoys supplying Force
B’s forces in this sector – specifically
those supporting the invasion of Greka which is held by Force B’s allies (Force
C).
The intelligence breakthrough was concealed from Force B by ensuring there was a plausible reason for Force
A to have detected and intercepted their fleet. In this case, it was a
carefully directed reconnaissance craft that briefly contacted (then evaded)
Force B’s battlefleet.
As a further deception, Force A’s commanding Admiral made a
surreptitious exit after dark from a starport hotel at their main base on
planet Alix (known to be under surveillance by spies paid by Force B) to avoid
being seen boarding his flagship – the main battleship of Force A. He had made
a point of arriving at the hotel the
same afternoon with his suitcase as if for an overnight stay, and spent time in
the hotel lobby and restaurant. An
evening party on the flagship was advertised for that night for local dignitaries
and ambassadors to attend but was never
meant to take place.
At the same time, there was a failure of intelligence on the
Force B’s side. Force B had been wrongly informed by their allies (Force C) that
Force A’s fleet had only one operational battleship available and no carrier
(one of Force A’s carriers having been damaged in a tussle with a portion of
Force C’s fleet. In actual fact, Force
A could field 3 battleships and a carrier (a replacement carrier being warped
to the area to bolster Force A).
Scenario setup
This should be a refereed game. Dole out the forces accordingly but keep the
numbers for Force A secret from Player B but let player A have full knowledge
of the ships in Player B’s command (as gleaned by their intelligence coup).
Inform Force B’s commander that he has the largest force in
the sector at present, that there is a convoy of merchant ships in the area –
50% of which must be destroyed. Inform the
commander that the enemy force is weaker than his own but if he feels that his
force is in danger then discretion will be the better part of valour. Also inform him that his fleet recently
chased off a snooping scout of Force A’s but he has probably been spotted –
meaning the convoy may get away and that Player A will have a good idea of the
forces Player B has. Player B’s orders
are to destroy more of the enemy than he loses of his own force, that
destruction of the convoy is his highest priority and he must pass through Force
A’s covering force to do so.
Player A’s objective is simple – lure Force B into the trap
and use the firepower at his disposal to destroy the enemy fleet. The player should use the initial cruiser
force to ‘pin’ the enemy in place until such time as his main force shows up –
if it survives that long. Note there is a convoy of merchant ships but on the
other side of Force A!
Battle set-up
Assume a 6 ‘x 4’ table lengthways. Designate one narrow end as A and the other
as B with a mid point being 3’ from either edge. Then assume 2 ‘virtual’ tables X and Y (on either
side of the short edges of the initial table – Z). The referee should have two sheets of A4
showing the positions of the opposing main battlegroups – especially the
carrier. It may also be useful (space
permitting) to have a separate table available should action leak off table Z
(e.g. Force B’s cruisers get onto table X for example).
Force A deploys its cruisers / destroyers (see below) within a 1’ of the midpoint of Z on side X and
Force B deploying its cruisers within 2’ from the edge of side Y. Both sides should face each other but speed
and formation is up to the discretion of the players.
Initially the opposing forces should only have half their
cruisers and 1/3 of their destroyers ‘on table’ on Z - with the remainder of
their forces on one ‘table’ away (each side) and converging. So Force B will have 3 heavy cruisers, Force
B will have 4 light cruisers initially – plus 1/3 of the destroyers available.
All remaining units will comprise the main battlegroup of each side. Both commanders must provide the referee with
the layout of their main battlegroups at the start of the battle.
Force B’s main battlegroup will come on table two turns
after the start of the game from Table Y i.e. Turn 3 – in the same formation as
designated at the start of the game and moving at the speed designated by the
commander.
Force A’s main battlegroup is assumed to start at the back edge
of Table X and heading towards Z at full speed – the referee will need to
determine where the force is on table X as the overall battle commences.
If Force B sends a destroyer to scout beyond the current
table – and it makes it off the short table
edge - it will spot Force B’s battlegroup – and a complete lack of convoy!
Force B can launch its fighters / torpedo bombers as soon as
Force B’s main battlegroup appears on Z – i.e. on Turn 3. (consider them as
ready for immediate launch based on the limitations of the actual force chosen
i.e how many fighters that particular carrier can launch at any one time).
These will proceed from a point the referee thinks the carrier will be at on X
on Turn 3 and at best speed – these too need to be tracked by the referee.
The arrival of fighters on table (if Force B has not scouted
table X) should indicate to player B that a larger force than expected may be ‘over
the horizon’ – as no carrier is expected to be in this sector!
Player B faces a difficult decision once the main
battlegroups meet. He must escape the
trap but also damage Force A more than he is damaged himself. But the longer he hangs around, the more
likely he will lose. Force B is assumed
to have escaped once the battleship (or the largest remaining ship) has reached
the mid-point of Table Y.
If Player B wants to make a run for it, then a ‘stern chase’
will ensue with Force A assumed to chase at full speed and firing out of
frontal arcs while Force B cannot fire back from their rear arc. So a choice may need to be made by B to
escape in zig-zag formation (to get shots off) but reducing the speed of
escape.
Victory conditions
Either force inflicting more damage on the opposing force by
the end of the engagement is deemed the winner.
This is based on the number of damage points (boxes) inflicted in total on all ships hit by the
enemy.
Opposing forces
Force A
1 large carrier (mixed force of fighters and torpedo bombers
numbering 18 in total)
3 battleships
7 light cruisers
12 destroyers
Force B
1 battleship
6 heavy cruisers
2 light cruisers
12 destroyers
Note that the number of destroyers can be reduced based on
ships available to the players (and table space) but ensure the numbers are matched
for both forces (e.g. 9 to 9, 6 to 6 etc)