Task Force AC screaning vessles

So I have already covered the big ship now its time to address the little ones. First up is the fleets AA protection an Atlanta-class Cruiser.

 Classed by the US Navy as a Light Cruiser  I prefer to think of the Atlanta class as sort of an extra large destroyer. with 16 5-inch guns it can put up a lot of fire at surface targets or at air craft.  I have read accounts form US pilots flying CAP during Japanese air attacks were the pilots have looked down and seen the smoke form AA guns so thick that they though the ships had exploded. Fortunately all the guns are radar guided so the ships do not blind themselves.

 I am probably going to call this one the USS Juneau which sank after the Naval battle of Guadalcanal.  When I was a little kid (and couldn't stay up to see the end) I thought the family in "The Fighting Sullivans" was my grandfathers (my grandfather Joe Sullivan was a SeaBee and survived the war) and even though its not I still feel drawn to that tragic story. 

Finlay the Destroyers 4 Fletcher-Class Destroyers and 4 Benson-Class destroyer.  US Admirals used Destroyers as interchangeable parts even though capability varied greatly from one to another. I will do the same with more excuse naming this Fletcher or Benson 1-4.

Task Force AC Treaty (Heavy) Cruisers

I have always like the US Treaty Cruisers a class of ships built after World War One in the 1920s.  Maybe its the romantic image of a simpler time, images like FDR fishing off the fantail of the USS Huston. 

Taken from: http://fooleryland.com/foolery/2008/05/memorial-day-part-2----the-uss-houston.html (sadly the original link they borrowed it from does not work)

Maybe its the fact that so many of them were lost in desperate battles against Japanese Imperial Navy in the First year of World War Two. Like most Americans I love an underdog especially an American underdog.

These two are New Orleans Class the last and arguably best of the US Treaty Cruisers. They pack a reasonably good punch but they are a bit fragile. 

The first of these is the USS Minneapolis I pick that name because I have friends in that city and because this ship was in a number of the biggest battles of the Pacific War.

Also you have to respect ship that takes a hit like that and comes back to fight again.

The Second ship is the USS Quincy because I once lived in that city and actually saw the bell that was retrieved from this ship after it was sunk at Salvo Island.

The USS Portland from the class of the same name Fought at Coral Sea, Midway and was  baddy damaged at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal then came back to fight through the rest of the war.

The Portland was built as a flag ship and may fulfill that roll for my cruiser squadron.

The Last of the treaty Cruisers is also the oldest class the Northampton.  The USS Huston mentioned earlier was of this class and sunk at the Java sea, the Northampton her self escorted the big carriers until detached for Ethe Battle of Tassafaronga. 

I personally will think of this ship as the semi-fictional USS Northampton from Herman Wouk's War and Remembrance with Robert Mitchum in command as Captain "Pug" Henry. 

Task Force AC Light Cruisers

 These two are Brooklyn-class Cruisers Classified as Light Cruisers because of their 6 inch Guns.  They are in fact heavier and longer then many of the treaty class Heavy Cruisers like the New Orleans class which is 18 feet shorter and more than 2000 tons lighter.

 With 15 6-Inch guns the Brooklyn Class can put a lot of fire down on a target.  Some of these cruisers had such a high rate of fire in action that men on other ships thought they had caught fire.

I have not named these ships yet but I am leaning toward USS Boise and USS Nashville

Task Force AC Capitalships

 So we have been playing some Victory at Sea so I figured I would put together a US task force.  I choose to use ships available in the 1941-1942.  Also if I can I want to use ships that served in both the Atlantic and Pacific. So my two capital ships are USS Saratoga and USS Washington.

Saratoga Nicknamed "Sister Sara" was intended as a battle cruiser but treaty limitation lead to her conversion to an aircraft carrier.  She had something of a reputation as a bad luck ship in the interwar period unlike her sister ship Lexington which was know as a lucky ship.

 I suppose its all a matter of perspective Saratoga did wind up on the receiving end of a lot of Japanese ordinance (including two submarine torpedoes) but unlike the Lady Lex  she survived the war making Saratoga luckier in the end.

 For a battle ship I picked the USS Washington because she had war patrols in both the Atlantic and Pacific in the early war. By all accounts she was a crack ship scoring well in gunnery trials and in maneuvers. 

 Washington might have faced a German Battle ship the Tripitz when she escorted a Mermansk bound convoy in in early 1942. I think this would make a great what if scenario for a game and the Germans might be my second fleet. (Since Tim has an extensive Japanese fleet) Then it was off to the Pacific (Iron Bottom Sound off Guadalcanal  to be exact) for her date with destiny

Where on the nigh of November 14-15 the USS Washington sank the Japanese battle ship Kirishima the only US battle ship to sink an enemy battle ship in a "one one one" gun battle. I expect the Washington will see more action than the Saratoga due to the rules of Victory at see. These ships are Panzerschiffe 1/2400 scale.

Victory at Sea 2 Italians VS the USA

 Rob brought his very pretty Italian Fleet, the picture above does not do them any justice. The Red and white striping looks awesome but less then practical.

 Ted brought his US Fleet he ran the USS Iowa and our air support while I ran the screen of 3 Flectcher class destroyers a pair of Atlanta class Lt (AA) Cruisers and the USS Portland.

 I sent the Atlantas and Fletchers racing ahead laying smoke Rob hit my lead Atlanta with fire from multiple ships and quickly crippled it. As a group the Atlanta's had a bad day.

 My Fletchers execute a classic book torpedo attack that would damage the cruiser on the left and cripple the cruiser in the center. 

 Rob's Battle ship lands a critical hit on the Iowa though though it also received several hits.

 One turn latter the Italians have lost a Cruiser to the fire of my DDs and the secondary armament of the Iowa.  Both Atlantas were sunk this turn as well. Then the Italian air force struck.

Swooping in on the Portland I scored several hits with AA fire but they dodged them all and struck!

The bomb penetrated the smoke stack and killed our engineering department leaving my dead in the water.

Long Fire form the Iowa lands multiple critical hits on the Italian Battle ship and US torpedo planes also land heavy damage (even the crippled Portland got in a blow). With fires raging out of control Rob declared the USA victors in this battle. The Iowa gave the US a huge advantage I think Robs fleet might have won but for this one ship. US lost 2 light Cruisers and Heavy Cruiser badly damaged. Italians lost 1 Heavy Cruiser and 1 Heavy Cruiser damaged and 1 Battle ship badly damaged. USS Iowa was hit heavily but was still in excellent fighting shape.