#00 Getting Started
This scenario is designed to be used in conjunction with the
Getting Started Help File to introduce you to the basics of playing
the Jutland game. The scenario represents a hypothetical meeting
of the British and German Battle Cruiser forces much as historically
happened at the beginning of the Jutland battle.
#01 Initial Contact
1530 31 May 1916. When the German fleet sailed into the North
Sea, the British intercepted their transmissions and knew that
they had left port. But due to an intelligence failing, they
failed to appreciate that the full German fleet was out. Nevertheless,
they set sail with the combined Battle Cruiser and Grand Fleets
to meet this force and destroy it. First contact between the
two feets occurred when the British Battle Cruiser Fleet encountered
the German Battle Cruiser Force with the respective main fleets
some distance away. For more information, see the Overlay Chart
Situation_1610.bmp.
#02 The Run To The South
1610 31 May 1916. When the Battle Cruiser fleets clashed, the
Germans recognized their apparent inferiority and quickly turned
to sail to their main fleet. The British Battle Cruiser Fleet
took chase and a fire fight ensued. When a German shot pierced
the magazine of the Indefatigable, the British battle cruiser
exploded and sank, representing the first of several critical
hits the British ships would suffer. Undeterred, Beatty and
his Battle Cruiser Fleet continue the fight, although he would
soon utter the words "There seems to be something wrong with our bloody
ships today." For more information, see the Overlay Chart Situation_1610.bmp.
#03 The German Fleet Attacks
1650 31 May 1916. The surprising loss of the Indefatigable and
the Queen Mary battle cruisers in quick succession had not stopped
Beatty from chasing the German Battle Cruiser Force. But when
the German High Seas Fleet unexpectantly appeared, he knew that
the odds were no longer in his favor. With the huge guns of
the German battleships blazing, Beatty turns the British Battle
Cruiser Fleet and races to rejoin the British Grand Fleet. For
more information, see the Overlay Chart Situation_1650.bmp.
#04 The Run To The North
1730 31 May 1916. Using the superior speed of the British battle
cruisers, Beatty was just able to stay ahead of the pursuing
German fleet. But given the distance of the British Grand Fleet,
he would be outnumbered for over an hour before he could rejoin Jellicoe. Still, the large battleships of the 5th Battle Squadron
were with his force and he had some ability to trade shots with
the Germans during the "Run to the North". For more information,
see the Overlay Chart Situation_1730.bmp.
#05 Clash Of The Dreadnoughts
1800 31 May 1916. After nearly two years of war, the main fleets
of the British and German navies were about to clash. But the
conditions were far from ideal for either side. There had been
considerable confusion in the British fleets caused by the race
Beatty had run with the Germans and the visibility at that time
had dropped considerably, to the point that no one could really
tell where the ships were and what they were doing. This led
Jellicoe to remark "I wish someone would tell me who is firing
and what they are firing at." Regardless, the battleships of
the British and German navies were on a collision course in the
North Sea. For more information, see the Overlay Chart Situation_1800.bmp.
#06 Crossing the T
1830 31 May 1916. When Jellicoe encountered the German fleet,
he had to decide how to deploy his battleships, without really
knowing the composition of the German force or its direction.
Deciding to deploy to port, he organized his main force into
a line of battle that would lead to a "Crossing of the T", the
dream of every admiral. However, the German fleet had one maneuver
at its disposal that could defeat this tactic, the Gefechtskehrtwendung,
or "battle turn-around". For more information, see the Overlay
Chart Situation_1830.bmp.
#07 German About Turn
1900 31 May 1916. When Scheer realized he was sailing his fleet
into the British line of battle, he ordered a maneuver that had
only been attempted in training, the "battle turn-around". With
a single turn, the fleet was sailing in an opposite direction
and away from danger. But Scheer decided at that point that
he wasn't going to give up so easily and reversed course a second
time to take another run at the powerful British fleet. For
more information, see the Overlay Chart Situation_1900.bmp.
#08 The Chase Begins
1925 31 May 1916. After a second Gefechtskehrtwendung that directed
the German fleet back towards the British, Scheer engaged the
British battleships a second time in the haze and mist. But
after taking considerable damage, he decided to breakaway for
a second time. To avoid being chased by the British, he ordered
his battle cruisers to attack the British fleet, a desperate
act called the "Deathride of the Battle Cruisers". For more
information, see the Overlay Chart Situation_1925.bmp.
#09 The Battle of Jutland
1515 31 May 1916. The First World War had been raging for two
years and still there had been no clash between the two main
fleets of the British and German navies. Smaller clashes at
Dogger Bank and Heligoland had provided the British with victories,
but there was still the strong desire on their part for a significant
"Nelsonian" victory. When the combined German fleet set sail
at the end of May 1916, it provided them with this opportunity.
Unknown to the German navy, their transmissions had been intercepted
and it was well known to the British that they had set sail,
although with what force was not clear. So it was no chance
encounter that the fleets would clash in the North Sea west of
Danish Jutland. But what followed was completely unknown and as a reault
the outcome of the First World War was completely in doubt.
#10 The Battle of Heligoland Bight
1100 28 Aug 1914. When the First World War began, the British
were eager to use their superior naval forces. But the reluctance
of the German navy to venture into the North Sea prevented a
large scale encounter. To provide some opportunity for a clash,
the British decided to send forces near the German outpost of
Heligoland and attempt to start a fight.
#11 The Clash at Dogger Bank
0900 24 Jan 1915. The British had broken the German codes and
could decipher their transmissions with some accuracy. When
German battle cruisers set sail in early 1915, the British were
in a position to react. The two battle cruiser forces meet in
the area of the Dogger Bank in the North Sea and the Germans
have made the mistake of including the obsolete cruiser Blucher
in their force.
#12 The Battle of Jutland (Alt)
1530 31 May 1916. Historically the Battle of Jutland began
with an encounter of the two Cruiser Fleets, leading to the Race
to the South and the engagement of the German High Seas Fleet.
In this hypothetical scenario, the Cruiser Fleets miss each
other, leading to separate encounters with unknown forces. |
