Hobby Pages

▼

Tuesday, 7 September 2010

Narvik (8): The encounter with HMS Penelope - First Rounds

The "destroyer" that to the horror of the watching Germans turned out to be in fact a "six inch cruiser", the irrepressible "HMS Penelope" (later known as HMS Pepper-pot when serving in the Mediterranean because of the daylight that streamed through the many, many holes the Germans and Italians put into her, yet she still survived).

Her mission to blockade and report on any enemy activity in the vicinity of Narvik.


The deep-blue sea base is my experiment with "cheap oils". Lessons learned being that they take an age to dry! Meanwhile leading the German force into battle is destroyer Z3 followed by Z4 and Z5.


First blood to the RN as Z3 is immediately straddled, good shooting Penelope at the twilight 40" range bracket.  Lucky shots or the taste of things to come?



Z3 makes smoke to cover Z4 & Z5 as the Germans attempt to "close the range". Hoping that Z3 can take the punishment stoically and still remain afloat. Logic being at this range the traffic is all one way in the RN's favour, the destroyers need to half the range to be effective with their gunfire and perhaps have a sporting chance with a torpedo attack. Strategically the Germans want to punch a hole in the blockade and make a run home to Germany with at least some of the destroyers.

It looks likely to be a bloody affair though if HMS Penelope keeps up her good shooting.

To be Continued ...
at

6 comments:

  1. Whisperin Al7 September 2010 at 20:03

    Ages since I played a naval game. Looks good...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Geordie an Exiled FoG7 September 2010 at 20:29

    Keep watching it gets interesting

    ReplyDelete
  3. Paul9 September 2010 at 06:01

    I once knew a girl called Penelope, a tragic tale of love and lust, best left in my darker past, whimper.

    Next post please

    ReplyDelete
  4. Geordie an Exiled FoG9 September 2010 at 12:40

    You'll have to tell us whether or not my wargame tale of Penelope parallels real-life or not.

    Next installment soon, Penelope has the upper hand just now

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tim Gow10 September 2010 at 07:53

    Paul - I wonder if it's the same Penelope I once knew?
    Meanwhile back at the wargame - we have played Narvik a couple of times over the years and it always turns into a very messy affair. Like Paul's love life apparently...

    Tim

    ReplyDelete
  6. Geordie an Exiled FoG29 September 2010 at 00:40

    Stalking German destroyers in the Fjords only to find out that you are out numbered 2:1 makes for rather a torrid time for the RN player.

    In retrospect I think I made the entrance too small and the Germans a bit too alert.

    Although the Brit should have concentrated on a more narrow front (with hindsight). As said at the top of the post the RN captain thought he was the more numerous. In reality the Admiralty thought they had beaten the Germans to Narvik.

    ReplyDelete