Return to Naverona

Having built two more coastal defence guns, I have been waiting for the opportunity to use them ... and today that opportunity finally arose!

Scenario
The recent increase in tension between Rusland and Fezia over ownership of the Island of Naverona had already led to an exchange of gunfire between the Rusland battleship Tsarina and the Fezian coastal defence fortress that overlooked the Straits of Naverona. The Fezian fortress had come off worse in the encounter, and this had spurred the Fezian government into action. The original armament of the fortress – two medium coastal defence guns of the latest design – were remounted and two larger coastal defence guns were added to the fortress's armament in order to boost its firepower, which was now equal to that of the Rusland warship.


News of the rearmament of the fortress soon reached the ears of the Rusland Navy's High Command (both sides had extensive networks of spies in the disputed border areas) and they decided that the next time warships 'visited' the island (i.e. sailed around it to reinforce Rusland's claim), it would be as part of a small flotilla. The flotilla comprised:

• The battleship Tsarina (two heavy, one medium, and four light guns) and
• The armoured cruiser Monopoly (two medium guns).

It was felt that this was a sufficiently strong force to deal with the fortress and any other Fezian coastal defences that might be in place.

Turn 1
The Monopoly led the Rusland flotilla towards the Island, and as soon as it was in range one each of the Fezian heavy and medium coastal defence guns opened fire on her ... and a heavy shell hit hit, causing serious damage!


The Monopoly replied with her forward medium gun ... but missed her target!


Turn 2
Despite her damage, the Monopoly continued on her course, followed by the Tsarina. Both ships fired at the Fezian fortress, but their gunnery left much to be desired and no damage was caused.


On the other hand the Fezians seemed to be firing with greater than normal accuracy, and hit the Monopoly yet again, causing her further damage.


At this point it looked as if the Rusland Navy might have to call off its 'visit' as its reception was proving to be rather 'hot'!


Turn 3
The Rusland warships continued on their existing course, trading fire with the Fezian fortress. By now the range was so short that it was almost impossible for the Rusland guns to miss, ...


... but the same was true for the Fezian coastal defence guns, who repeatedly hit the Monopoly.


The Monopoly was now in a bad way, having suffered numerous serious hits, and her captain signalled to his admiral (who was aboard the Tsarina) that he would have to break off from the action.


Turn 4
The Rusland admiral replied to the signal from the Monopoly and ordered that the ship should continue of her intended course, which would take her around the Island of Naverona ... and shield her from the Fezian fortress's gunfire. The captain of the Monopoly complied, but this did not prevent her from suffering even more damage.


The Tsarina now brought all her available guns to bear on the Fezian fortress and did considerable damage to its armament, knocking out its heavy coastal defence guns. The fortress's heavy coastal defence guns did, however, manage to damage the Tsarina before they were put out of action.


Turn 5
As the Rusland ships began to turn away from the Fezian fortress, the exchange of gunfire began to diminish. The Tsarina's rear-facing medium gun did some further damage to the fortress ...


... which it turn did some minor damage to the Tsarina.


The crew of the Monopoly began the process of repairing what damage they could in order to make their ship seaworthy.

Whilst they did so, her captain sat quietly in his cabin wondering whether or not the admiral had been wise to send his ship through the Straits of Naverona first. He came to the conclusion that asking such questions was not a sensible course of action for an ambitious captain ... and began writing his action report with this thought firmly in the front of his mind!


Turn 6 onwards
The Rusland warships sailed around the Island of Naverona and then made their way back towards their base.

Both sides felt that they had achieved their objectives. The Rusland Navy had shown that it could and would stand up to the Fezians, regardless of how many powerful coastal defence guns they mounted in the fortress; The Fezians felt that they had given the Rusland Navy a bloody nose, and that they could claim to control the Straits of Naverona and hence the Island as well.





Comments
In many ways the captain of the Monopoly was right. The Rusland admiral sent his weakest ship through the Straits first ... and as a result it was unable to match the firepower of the Fezian heavy coastal defence guns. The later did considerable damage to the Monopoly before the Tsarina was able to knock them out.

This was a very interesting battle to fight, and was much more evenly matched that the previous encounter between the Rusland Navy and the Fezian coastal defences. Had the Fezians had a minefield or two ... or perhaps a Brennan Torpedo launcher ... the outcome could easily have resulted in the destruction of one or both or the Rusland warships.