Battle for Corfu (pt. 1)

[Lord Cameron]

Hostilities in the Adriatic
Battle for Corfu (pt 1)


As tensions continue to rise in the Adriatic region, the surrounding countries strive to grab the spoils from the weakening Ottoman Empire.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire has dispatched forces to seize the island of Corfu, a strategic island that guards the Otranto Straights, and the approaches to the Adriatic. They forsee conflict with Kingdom of Serbia and independant Albania, (both newly independant from Ottoman rule in the previous century), and hope to prevent the other Great Powers from intervening.

They have sent a cruiser the SML Zenta to secure the area in advance of the troop landing.

The Imperial Russian fleet, unaware of the Austrian plans, have also sent a force to seize the island, in support of their ally Serbia. The capture of this island would provide a secure base from which they could oppose the Ausro-Hungarian navy, and guarantee access to the Adriatic.

The island of Corfu has been controlled by Greece since 1864, before that it was a British protectorate.
The British have a cruiser patrolling the waters around Corfu.

Italian spies have found out about the Austro-Hungarian plans, and have sent a cruiser to intercept. They have hastily decided to seize Corfu for themselves, to prevent the Ausrian K u K Or the Serbian forces (with their Russian Allies) from dominating the straights of Otranto.

[Lord Cameron]

The battle will follow the same plotted move as we used earlier.

In the event of ANY overlap between ships, I will roll initiative for EACH ship, each ship will then move in turn, until entire move is completed or until the ship hits an "occupied hex", it will stop it's move short of that point.

An occupied hex is a.)  any hex occupied by an enemy ship the has already completed it's move, or
                              b.)  a hex that is occupied by a ship before and after it's move.

Example: The Italian ship has plotted a move that overlaps the starting position of the center hex of the British ship.
If the British ship has plotted to vacate that hex then both ships move as plotted. However, if the British ship had remained stationary (or only moved 1) then the Italian ship will stop short.

We will be using turret rules in this scenario.

 

[Lord Cameron]

The forces:

1.) Austria Hungary SML Zenta
2.) Italy RM Marco Polo
3.) Russia Балаклава (Balaklava)
4.) Britain HML Devonshire

The SML Zenta will be based on the Pontbriand, the RM Marco Polo will be based on the Ardent, the Balaklava will be based on the HML Courser, and the HML Devonshire will be County Class (HML Hertfordshire)

All will be slightly modified to make them roughly equal.
(Based on the earlier poll, most thought the Courser was the best, while most picked Hertfordshire & Ardent as the weakest}

[Lord Cameron]

For this engagement, all 4 cruisers will have a Structural Integrity of 20, and all crew slots will be blue crews.

The SML Zenta (Aust-Hungary) is the same as the Pontbriand, with the following exceptions:
There are two 138mm guns (turreted) forward, the second one occupies the #1 slot.
The #1 aft slot is a crew. (blue)
Zenta has a speed of 10, (but still a turn of 2)

The Devonshire is the same class as the Hertfordshire, with the following changes:
There are two 6" guns (turreted) forward, with the second one occupying the #1 slot.
The #6 slot on both port & starboard is a 3" gun, replacing the armour slot.
The #1 slot aft is an armour +1 slot.
The Devonshire has a movement speed of 7, but only 20 Structural Integrity (not 22)

Note that these are the exact weapons listed in the manual (Herts 3 x 6", 2 x 4.7", 4 x 3", Pontbriand 3 x 138mm, 8 x 65mm)

[Lord Cameron]

The Russian Balaklava will be exacly the same as the HML Courser, except with a Structural integrity of 20, instead of 18


For the Italian ship, I am going to try something a little different....

The Italian Marco Polo will be the same as the Ardent, with these exceptions:
All of the 47mm guns are removed
The forward #1 slot becomes a "miss", the foreward #3 & #6 slots are both replaced with a (turreted) 138mm guns
The aft #1 slot becomes a "miss" the #6 slot becomes armour +1, and it has a breach value of 10
The bow & stern facings are changed, they give the attacker yellow/red for moving/not moving, (instead of blue/yellow)
The #1 slot & #5 slot guns on the port & starboard sides are considered "turreted", with the #1 slot guns able to fire into the forard arc, the #5 slot guns able to fire into the rear arc, in addition to firing into the normal side arc.
The ship has  a movement speed of 9,

[Tonbo Karasu]

Which slots are the extra Movement points attached to?

[Lord Cameron]

I was just thinking that...

Devonshire slot #4 is worth 4 mp (instead of 3)
On Zenta the primary engine slot drops from 6 MP to 4 MP, the other two stay at 3 MP each
On Marco Polo each of the 3 engine slots is worth 3 MP

I tried to make this an interesting, yet balanced contest.

The Russian ship has the heaviest (forward) guns, yet is slow to turn and has no rear guns
The Austrian ship is the fastest and has the most guns on broadside (seven), but the side guns are short range
The British ship is the slowest, but has good all-round long range firepower.
The Italian ship has the weakest broadside, but can fire 4 guns foreward, and 2 to the rear. 

[Lord Cameron]

The Austo-Hungarian ship enters from the North (sets up in the gold box)
The Italian ship enters from the West (green box)
The Russian ship enters from the South (blue box)
The British ship enters from the East (red box)

For your ships starting position, please give me the location of the ship's center hex, and it's facing direction {N, S, NE, NW, SE, SW}

I have posted the map here, but it's a bit small (128 kb max here.  )
I have also posted a copy of the CBT website, its 250 kb, so you all might want to save a copy from there

http://www.classicbattletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,64000.msg1529792.html

The Austrians set up with their ship's center hex from hexrow "E" to "V", and in hexline 11 to 13
They may be facing S, SW, or SE

The Russians  set up with their ship's center hex from hexrow "E" to "V", and in hexline 35 to 37
They may be facing N, NW, or NE

The Italians set up with their ship's center hex in hexrow "AA" or "A", and from hexline 16 to 32
They may be facing NE or SE


The British set up with their ship's center hex in hexrow "Z" or "ZZ", and from hexline 16 to 32
They may be facing NW,or SW

All ships must be deployed completely within the setup box, there are no half-hexes usable on this map

[Worktroll]

Looking good!

W.

[Lord Cameron]

Looking good!

W.

Thanks WT!

OK, I have the start positions for Russia & Austria, as soon as I get Britain & Italy I will post the map.
If your guns only have 1 target I will assume that you shoot, so you will only need to tell me targets if there a multiple options

[Lord Cameron]

We are underway!

Sorry, I'm not good at writing like Tonbo...

Russian ship
Где - каждый?
Капитан, они бегут в опасении относительно нашего могущественного орудия!
{Where is everyone?
Captain, they flee in fear of our mighty cannon!}

British Ship
M'lord the Hun ship has been sighted!
Right'y ho! Av' the bosun stow the grog, full steam ahead! Glory awaits!

Austrian Ship
Mien Kapitan! Das Enemy hass bien sighted!
Bring der forward kannon to bear!
Ja!

Italian Ship
Oi! Mamma mia!

(No animals were harmed in this dramatization, but several European languages were brutally butchered...) 


Turn 1. The link to the map on CBT is here
http://www.classicbattletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=64000.0

[Lord Cameron]

So i believe that it will be easiest if we use the same system as last game, after checking the map, each player gives firing orders & next turns move.

I will then post the results of the previous turn's firing, along with the updated map.
This will eliminate the need for waiting for firing orders & results, it should speed up play.

To make things simple, if your guns have only 1 target I will automatically plot firing for you, if you wish to withold fire or if there are multiple targets for any of your guns you must give me instructions

For turn 1, the two bow guns on the Austrian ship & the two 138mm bow guns on the Italian ship are both within range, they will fire this turn (unless peace breaks out 

The two Italian wing turrets are out of range, as are the forward guns on the UK ship and the aft guns on the Austrian ship.

Please send me your move orders for this turn.

Remember, the Austrian ship moves 10, with turn of 2
The Italian ship moves 9 with turn of 2
The British ship moves 7 with turn of 2
The Russian ship moves 9 with turn of 3

[blackbrunswicker]

This seems like a good time to point out that it's not too late for the rest of you to surrender. It would be both understandable and wise in the face of the Austro-Hungarian Empire's superior airmanship. XD

[Lord Cameron]

Firing results for turn 1:

Zenta gets 2 shots of = yellow {facing}, + blue {gun} + blue (crew}

Marco Polo gets 2 shots of = red,  blue, blue

Zenta  rolls  6,4,4 vs [5] {slot}, not enough to damage {breach 16}
Zenta rolls  5,2,2  vs [2]

Marco Polo rolls  3,2,3 vs [2]
Marco Polo rolls  8,3,4 vs [6] armour slot destroyed (on the bow of Zenta.)

Things are heating up......

[Lord Cameron]

Turn 2 positions:

{link}

http://www.classicbattletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,64000.msg1550886.html#msg1550886


The Zenta rolled first initiative (moved first)
Marco Polo had plotted to overlap, but has stopped short