[BnW, 1942 UK vs Yugo] 1 - Operation White Whale

[StuccoFresco]

Hi all, this is the AAR of the first scenario of the second campaign featured in my mod ( https://www.slitherine.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=108116 ). To shamelessly promote it, I will post the AAR of my playtesting of said campaign. This playtest lacks the latest fixes introduced in the final 2.2 version, but nothing major: some scenarios' difficulty has been slightly changed, and the graphic icon for Mechanized units in the Strategic Map has been updated with the correct symbol (in this AAR they look like infantry units).


SCENARIO 1 - OPERATION WHITE WHALE

The southern campaign’s objective is to obtain a decisive victory against Yugoslavia and avenge the 1940’s failure. To do so, instead of the inefficient and costly frontal offensives, the Southern Command has decided to coordinate the new offensive with the Australis Fleet. The first strike, named Operation White Whale, is an amphibious invasion of the islands of Krivo and Ostrvo Taige.

The Yugoslavian Eastern Fleet is based there, and it fields dozens of submarines that were used against our merchant navy with terrifying effect in 1940. Taking the islands will force the enemy fleet to retreat to Budapest, and will be the perfect stepstone for our future operations in the region…

[StuccoFresco]

1/6/1942
The Australis Fleet has fielded two squadrons: a smaller one up north, and a bigger one in the south. Most of the transports are following the southern prong. We expect lots of submarines in the water between the islands, as well as minefields protecting the ports. Caution is advised: unless our Battleships and Carriers are well protected, we risk losing them to well-placed torpedoes.

I choose to concentrate my naval force between Krivo and the smaller island down south and to rush forward full steam ahead.

Soon enough, one of our DDs finds an enemy Submarine, Lignje-class, directly in front of our southern prong. It fires depth charges and damages it, but the enemy escapes and hides again. Since the enemy has now spotted one of our forces, CVs Victoria and Sussex launch 30th and 32nd Fighter Wings to deal with possible aerial threats.

As we feared, the Yugoslavian Submarines have already infiltrated our lines: two devastating torpedo attacks cripple the BB King Robert VII. The Sussex is attacked by two enemy CAS, and another attacks the Victoria. Both 30th and 32nd Fighter Wing scramble to intercept.


2/6/1932 - morning
The Australis Fleet’s response is swift: a concerted effort is made to locate and destroy the two submarines that struck the King Robert VII; other Cruisers and 32nd Fighter Wing concentrate their efforts in downing as many enemy CAS planes around the Sussex, and 30th Fighter Wing protects the Victoria. Enemy Interceptors are also roaming around, and will probably pounce on our Fighters soon.

Enemy Destroyers, both Barracuda and Barracuda II class, have been spotted. BB King Charles I leads the northern flotilla directly toward Krivo, while only a squadron of three Unyielding Cruisers and their destroyer escorts advance from the south since the BBs and the more modern Implacable-class Cruisers are busy protecting the Sussex.


2/6/1942 - afternoon
The enemy hesitates in the south, or so it seems, and the southern prong launches a full scale attack against the thin line of Yugoslavian Destroyers south of Krivo. CL Plymouth, Whaleport and Darwin move first, but soon enough they spot a dangerous obstacle: periscopes. Two more submarines lie ahead in ambush, but the keen eyes of the cruisers’ spotters allow for a deadly preventive attack: the Destroyers sail forward and launch dozens of depth charges on the submarine’s presumptive positions. With the enemy presumably preoccupied about its survival, the cruisers move forward and engage the unescorted enemy Destroyers with devastating mid-range salvos. The rapid-fire 100mm turrets rip through the enemy hulls despite their evasive maneuvers, and once the first hits start crippling the targets’ agility, the main twin 130mm turrets start firing. Before nightfall, two Barracuda are sinking, with a third one barely afloat and burning.

The northern prong, meanwhile, has reached the island of Krivo and detected numerous naval minefields. A Slayer-class and a Hunter-class Destroyer spot yet another Lignje-class, this time on the surface. The unlucky submarine is caught recharging its batteries and it’s soon hit by 5in shells that leaves it badly damaged and trailing oil.

The air war rages on: 30th Fighter Wing has been attacked by two enemy Interceptor Wings and has suffered considerable casualties. 32nd Fighter Wing flies north to protect the CV Victoria, now that the enemy CAS Wings have retreated after suffering high losses.

As the sun sets on the horizon, a supply ship tries to repair some of the torpedo damage on the King Robert VII.

[StuccoFresco]

3/6/1942 - morning
Another torpedo strikes a battleship: this time it’s the King Stephen BB that takes damage. Once more a frantic submarine hunt takes place, and another Lignje is sunk. Two more submarines are destroyed SW of Krivo, and another one is intercepted as it trailed CV Victoria.

The fleet has merged Southeast of Krivo, and mops up the damaged Barracuda and Lignje that barely survived yesterday. It’s time to plan the invasion of the island: King Charles I opens fire on the town’s Strongpoint, and it’s decided that 21st Ironsides and a single Regiment of 35th Infantry Division will land on the island.

Two enemy Cruisers are spotted west of Krivo: the fleet maneuvers accordingly. 17th Naval Bomber Wing lands back on the Sussex after being jumped by three enemy Interceptor Wings shortly after take-off.


3/6/1942 - afternoon
Enemy cruisers try to flank our formation from north of Krivo, but they are immediately intercepted by our Destroyers. The torpedo tubes of the new Slayer class show their worth, scoring some hits against the enemy ships. Even the massive Kit-Ubica class has to try to evade them to avoid a crippling hit.




4/6/1942 - morning
King Charles I stops its bombardment mission to engage the YMS Plovdiv, an already damaged Ajkula-class armored cruiser. The battleship’s massive 15in guns rip through the enemy armor and hull, sinking the ship in a couple hours long battle.

A massive Kit-Ubica class heavy cruiser has engaged CWS Canberra, a much lighter armored cruiser, pounding it with its superior guns. Two Slayer class destroyers are sent to engage it as it tries to finish off the British ship, and manage to close in enough to launch two salvos inflicting heavy damage.

The King Stephen and Penzance shell the Krivo Stronpoint. Most of the fleet is now deployed around the island, either engaging the remaining Yugoslavian ships or trying to navigate the extensive minefields. The rest of the fleet is either defending the aircraft carriers, and a cruiser squadron is heading toward Ostrvo Taige in a reconnaissance mission.

[StuccoFresco]

Formidable Class Battleship
The old reliable Formidable Class battleship has been the biggest ship class in the Commonwealth Navy for 20 years, forming the steel core of every fleet, around which every engagement orbited. Fast enough to keep up with light cruisers thanks to 44 steam boilers, the Formidable is a 28000t ship that was able to trade fire against any other battleship in the world. Harlan & Wolff shipyards started production in 1930, churning enough of them to, at times, make the Commonwealth Navy the largest battleship force in the world.

The three massive twin 15in main turrets had an enormous range, but weren’t paired with a modern fire control system until 1936. Smaller 6in turrets provided cover against enemy destroyers, but the low maneuverability of the ship and low rotating speed of the turrets themselves required a tight escort to avoid being torpedoed. The lack of enough false hulls to counter torpedo attacks further forced the Formidable class deep into naval battlegroups, fearful of a submarine threat that was only growing as time passed.

With the introduction of naval aviation, the Formidable class was entering the obsolescence phase of its service life. Plans on a successor class started in 1938 as the Admiralty refused several overhaul proposals aside from the installation of modern AA batteries, which at least provided a very decent threat against enemy aircrafts.

[StuccoFresco]

4/6/1942 - afternoon
The naval battle NE of Krivo rages on: the yugoslavian ships fight fiercely, but are outnumbered and outgunned. The British destroyers disrupt their formations, and the King Charles I leads the cruiser action that sinks another Kit-Ubica class heavy cruiser and cripples the Skopje Akula-class armored cruiser. Two modern Hobotnica submarines are spotted on the surface and jumped by a squadron of destroyers led by the Unyielding class cruisers Canberra and Darwin. Despite their advanced battery packs, the timing of their resurfacing couldn’t have been worse.

21st Ironsides and a Regiment of 35th Infantry Division land on Krivo as King Stephen keeps battering the Yugoslavian Strongpoint and a Radar Station.

Both our aircraft carriers are under attack by enemy CAS Wings; every available Fighter Wing is called to action, but the situation is dire. Several Destroyers and Cruisers are called back to help with their AA guns.

Four Yugoslavian Cruisers are spotted east of Ostrvo Taige, moving northeast. The British cruiser squadron led by CWS Kirkwall is ready to intercept them: the Slayer class destroyers surge forward and unleash their torpedoes, striking hard at the enemy. 16th Naval Bomber squadron attacks and damages a Kit-Ubica heavy cruiser.


5/6/1942 - morning
The Yugoslavian ships NE of Krivo are finished off, and with them ceases the enemy naval threat around the island; the fleet starts to redeploy to face the increasing pressure from the Yugoslavian ships coming from Ostrvo Taige.

There, the Kirkwall Squadron has inflicted heavy damage on the enemy ships, but the enemy is starting to retaliate. Aggressive maneuvering from Kirkwall and Scapa Implacable class armored cruisers has led to the sinking of an enemy Kit-Ubica class, severe damage to another, and almost sunk an Ajkula-class. For now, the battle is very much in our favor, but enemy Barracuda and Barracuda II Destroyers have joined the battle. With the transport ships approaching the area, we must clear out any opposition quickly.

On Krivo, 21st Ironsides has started assaulting the town’s Strongpoint, supported by the King Stepher’s battleship 15in guns. The 35th Infantry Division’s regiment is attacking the radar station, supported by Whaleport light cruisers’ guns.
Heavy AA fire and the help of our Fighter manage to annihilate two understrenght CAS Wings.



5/6/1942 - afternoon
Devastating guns and torpedo salvos are exchanged east of Ostrvo Taige as the Kirkwall squadron is pushed back by the Yugoslavian offensive. Despite some losses, the British ships are extorting a heavy toll on the enemy; the only question is if the rest of the fleet will arrive in time to save the two Indomitable cruisers. 16th Naval Bomber Wing is destroyed by enemy Interceptors as it tries to sink a Kit-Ubica heavy cruiser during the battle.

The transport fleet has almost stopped, since the fighting is now less than 10 nautical miles in front of them. In the meantime, the decision to split the invading force is taken: 32nd Infantry Division and 24° Ironsides will land on the southern side of Ostrvo Taige along with an Artillery Regiment.

[StuccoFresco]

Hunter Class Destroyer
The Hunter Class was designed in the early 30s to serve as the workforce of Commonwealth blue water fleets. Its steam-powered engines are slow by 1940’s standards, but reliable and cost-effective. The 1500t-hull sports armor that is considerably thicker than comparable crafts from other nations, but that comes at the expense of maneuverability.

Hunter-class destroyers mount four single-gun 5inches turrets, which give the destroyer a firepower advantage over ships of the same class. The development of torpedo warfare didn’t warrant changes to the design: it was deemed unnecessary to modify all the existing hulls, especially with a new class already in the works.

The Hunter Class is an increasingly obsolete design, which can however still trade punches against any opponent in high seas, and it will certainly see service until the Admiralty has enough newer vessels to replace them.

[StuccoFresco]

6/6/1942
Kirkwall Squadron has almost won the battle, thanks to the arrival of reinforcements, but some enemy ships are still a threat. Three more Yugoslavian destroyers are moving northeast, but the King Charles I squadron has set an intercept course. The battleship itself, however, is limping behind the rest of the ships after two torpedo attacks that hit it toward the stern. Two Destroyers are trying to destroy the attackers: two old but deadly Lignje class.

The assault on Krivo Strongpoint is ongoing: the town garrison is proving to be much harder to break than anticipated, despite the supporting firepower of King Stephen’s gun batteries. A half day of rest and resupply is granted to the troops.

More submarines pop out of the waters, forcing the fleet to order wide sonar sweeps and ASW patrols to contain the threat. The Yugoslavian surface force, however, has been all but crushed. Almost every British ship is damaged, but overall the ability to concentrate enough guns and torpedoes on the targets has proved decisive. Still, the sneaky enemy submarines can still sink our prized carriers or battleships, so we need to keep the red alert. The Hobotnica are proving to be especially hard to track, but the sheer number of ASW patrols allow us to do so.

The transport fleet has resumed its course toward Ostrvo Taige. It’s almost assured there will be minefields ahead, so our destroyers will have to add yet another mission to their list.



7/6/1942 - morning
The fleet dispatches the remaining few Yugoslavian ships, after which only a single badly damaged Hobotnica submarine is spotted: the invasion has been greenlighted. The Destroyers scout ahead to find minefields, and King Robert VII leads a bombardment mission against a coastal gun on a small island to cover the travel of the southern prong’s transports, then joins the main force moving north to provide cover for the larger landings.

Fighting resume on Krivo.

[StuccoFresco]

8/6/1942 - morning
32nd Infantry Division and 24° Ironsides Brigade land south of Ostrvone; the rest of the invasion fleet has reached the shores north of the town. The King Charles I battleship starts shelling enemy infantry in the town’s northern outskirts.

Krivo’s strongpoint is down to its last bunkers, parts of its exhausted garrison start to surrender. A single Lignje submarine tries to disrupt the operations harassing the battleship supporting the attacks and the Support Ship supplying the troops, but three Destroyers spot it and start attacking it.


8/6/1942 - afternoon
Krivo falls just before sunset. The 35th Infantry Division’s troops storm the town hall’s bunker and resistance ceases. 24° Ironsides immediately uses the port to re-embark and move toward Ostrvo Taige. The Hobotnica submarine that tried to harass the ships supporting the invasion is located and destroyed.

On Ostrvo Taige, parts of 30th and 34th Infantry Divisions land on the beaches together with I Amphibious Corps’ HQ. King Robert VII battleship joins the bombardment effort against Yugoslavian 161st Pesadija Division.

Enemy 15th CAS Wing spots our aircraft carrier cruising SE of Ostrvo and attacks the Victoria, inflicting serious damage before the carrier can deploy its 30th Fighter Wing. The heavily damaged cruisers Kirkwall, Whaleport and Darwin, previously ravaged by enemy heavy cruisers’ 180mm guns, are sent to help with their AA batteries together with two destroyer escorts. One of them discovers a sneaky Hobotnica submarine creeping up to the Victoria during a sonar sweep and deploys depth charges. This decisive action sinks the already damaged Yugoslavian submarine and effectively saves the carrier.

[StuccoFresco]

Lignje Class Submarine
In 1925, the Yugoslavian Navy had already consolidated its doctrine, focusing on a defensive/harassment role; this decision led to the development of several lines of submarines along the years. In 1938, the latest pre-war design was introduced into service: the Lignje (Squid) class is a fast moving silent hunter armed with a single 120mm deck gun and six 600mm torpedo tubes.

Yugoslavian torpedoes have been upgraded constantly, thanks to the Navy’s reliance on them, and they posed a lethal threat against any kind of vessel. The Lignje was an excellent ambush predator, even in 1940, although work on a successor, a much more advanced class had already started.

[StuccoFresco]

9/6/1942
More units land NW of Ostrvone. The Yugoslavian infantry launches a counterattack, inflicting serious losses, but around midday the King Robert VII and King Charles I battleships open fire with their 15in batteries on the enemy. The Sidney Impervious-class cruiser rushes forward and joins the shelling at around 14:00, and in a few hours the enemy counterattack is beaten back with high losses. Enemy CAS planes attack the British battleships, prompting a barrage of AA fire from cruisers and escorting destroyers.

In the south, 24° Ironsides smashes through the lines of a lone Pesadija Regiment that tried to stop its advance, crippling it. The 32nd Infantry Division starts advancing as well.

On Krivo, 35th Infantry Division regiment attacks the airfields still under Yugoslavian control.


10/6/1942
A combined infantry and Ironsides push encircles Ostrovne and functionally dismantle the enemy Pesadija Division defending it. The assault on the city proper is set for tomorrow because almost all units are low on supplies and readiness after the landings and the subsequent fighting. Three Artillery Regiments are digging in position to shell the city. Krivo’s Airfields are also taken.

Enemy troops approach from the northwest, but elements of three Infantry Divisions are guarding the coastal road.




11-16/6/1942
The assault on Ostrovne starts with a massive bombardment from three Artillery Regiments, one of them equipped with the new SOG guns. 24° Ironsides follows through with a direct assault on the city’s Strongpoint while 32nd Infantry Division attacks and overruns the airfield. Ostrovne falls on the morning of 12th June.

The Yugoslavian units attempting to relieve the city from the northwest are stopped at the small river that divides the island, thanks also to the fire support of King Charles I and King Robert VII’s main batteries. In a couple days, all resistance ceases on the island.