Action off Vestfjord: a new scenario for SPI's "CA" / Rob Gibson

At first light on the 9th April, 1940, the German battlecruisers KMS
"Scharnhorst" and KMS "Gneisenau" were steaming in a north-easterly
direction. The pride of Hitler's navy were engaged in a covering
operation for the German invasion of Norway, fifty miles off Vestfjord
and the vital iron-ore port of Narvik. Their sailing orders also
included sanction for a breakout into the North Atlantic to ravage
Allied shipping. No enemy warships had so far appeared and they looked
set for a long cruise.

Suddenly, they were surrounded by the towering waterspouts made by
15-inch shells. Their opponent was barely visible in the heavy seas: a
British battlecruiser and yet more ships opening fire nearby.

Half an hour later, with one of the two German ships damaged, the battle
was over as the Royal Navy accepted the futility of pursuit in worsening
weather conditions. HMS "Renown" and her four destroyers returned to
patrol, while the German ships escaped northwards to return to Germany
as best they could.

Considering the later career of the ''Scharnhorst" and the "Gneisenau",
one wonders whether it was possible that one or both could have been
sunk in the fleeting action that took place that stormy April morning.

The simulation game "CA" was chosen for two reasons: 

a) the nature of the action dictates an alternate move situation
b) the small number of ships involved.

Scenario 

50 miles West of Vestfjord, 9th April 1940 (use the complete map sheet -
no land)

British

Hex No. Ship/type       Speed/heading
2720    1 Repulse BC-2  3/se
2419    4 Benson DD-5   3/se
2617                    3/se
2722                    3/se
2920                    3/se

German

4622    2 modified Hiei 3/ne
          BC-2
4923      (Note A)      3/ne

Game Length: 20 Game turns

Special Rules and Victory Conditions

A. The Hiei BC-2 counters have a gunnery strength of 16 and a defensive
strength of 12.

B. Weather

(1) Heavy seas restricts DDs to a maximum movement allowance of 4.

(2) Rain and snow squalls caused intermittent visibility during the
action - each player at the start of his own turn throws a dice. A throw
of 5 or 6 means that rain or snow masking the target - fire could be
directed on the estimated position of the target, ie if the target moved
in a straight line at its last known speed - so, if there is a ship in
this hex you may fire - if not, you are wasting ammunition!

C. Victory Conditions

(1) Victory Points: German player totals these as follows:

Both German ships exit North edge    +30
For every hit on German ship         -5
Each German ship sunk                -30
One power or weapon hit on "Renown"  +5
Two power or weapon h its on"Renown" +10
"Renown" sunk                        +15
For each DD sunk                     +1

(2) Victory Levels:

German Substantial victory  +45 to 41
German Marginal victory     +40 to 35
Draw                        +34 to 25
British Marginal victory    +24 to 20
British Substantial victory +19 or below