The River Plate

John and I met at the Hobby Bunker and set up a couple of games of Naval Thunder.   We decided to run two historic scenarios if time permitted starting with the River Plate. I had Command of the DMS Graf Spee and John command the HMS Exeter, Achilles and Ajax.

Graf Spee targets Exeter at long range.

I scored a quick hit but only took out one of her secondaries (Prince of Wales is subbing in for Exeter).

Exeter also finds the range but is unable to do much damage at this point.

The long range match continues, German shooting is fairly poor and the shooing of the British heavy Cruiser is average but...

When the two light cruisers start to enter range I find my self in a tough spot.

I decide to open the range on Exeter and focus on the light Cruisers (I should probably have gone the other way)

I score hits on both the Ajax and the Exeter and the damage on the Ajax starts to mount as its lighter frame cannot absorb 11" gun hits.

But on of the British ships has struck me below the water line...  as both Light cruisers cut across my bow.

All three ships sore hits one of my main batteries goes down and multiple 8" and 6" shells cause armor to buckle and crack, there are few penetrating hits but the accumulating damage is bad and a lucky torpedo hit opens up the Graf Spee an she settles to the bottom.  Thinking back I should have charged at Exeter keeping the two lights out of range as long as I could, I might have made a break for it if I had.  This would be an interesting one to try again.