MGB 123 in action

1941.  Lt. James Proudpole RN, scion of that great naval family, has taken command of an MGB at an undisclosed station on the North Sea coast.

Innuendo and scandal have followed this Officer's family for generations, but it is well earned.  Proudpole is a difficult individual who has an imperious manner.  He uses the humour of the "bottom drawer," and has a weird nasal sneering laugh.  He is heartily disliked by Lt. Commander Johnny Stiff-Rodde, the Flotilla Co.

The Broad Fourteens

MISSION CARD FOUR

Good Morning Lieutenant

The mission is a patrol out to the swept channel to the south of Smith's Knoll, skirting the Brown Ridge out to the Broad Fourteens, a hunting ground for E-boats.  If any enemy are encountered follow your standing orders.

1.  No encounter

2.  Downed pilot drifting

3.  Weather change

4.  Single S-Boat

5.  German Submarine with rudder damage, and 

6.  German aircraft. D6

A simple scenario linker for grouping coastal forces games.  A chart of Patrol areas linked to Six mission briefing cards.  Keeping it simple seems like a good idea. 

My back of a postcard rules, so far... Work in Progress.
1 inch = 5 knots Weapons roll multiple d6 spotting within 12".  Vessels moving half speed heard, and bearing detected at 36" Vessels firing or planing at full speed with a plume are visible.	Two sixes are a critical hit, roll 2d6 2.  Life belts,  3.  Raft 3.  Command,  4.  Waterline hull,  5.   A weapons point 6.   Rudder,  7.   Props,  8.   Engines 9.   Wireless Transmitter 10. Aldis lamp 11. Command 12. Fuel fire
To Hit dice      5 or 6. Machine gun  1d6 HMG              2d6 20mm             3d6 4cm/2pdr        4d6 Over 12"        6 needed for hit. Within 3"       4,5,6 hits
Damage dice 1  Through the woodwork 2  Into the upper hull 3  Sheer off 4  Sheer off 5. Hit 6. Hit	Captain`s Character 6  Inspirational Hero 6 Crew points 5  Bold Brass Balls 5 Crew points 4  Solid and Dependable 3  Sound Chap. 3 Crew Points 2  Wobbly and Losing it 2 crew points. 1  Pretty Piss Poor.  1 Crew Point.

MGB 123 Lt James Proudpole, a sound chap.  As crew he has a skilled Coxswain, P/O William Allcock (+1) and an exceptional Gunner (+1) Leading Seaman Wankum.

The Patrol

MTG 123 is conducting a patrol out to the Broad Fourteens.  Primarily an anti E-boat mission the boat is also under orders to look out for downed aircrew.

1.  The Swept Channel

The vessel enters the swept channel and rolls 1.  No encounter.

2.  The Ridge Light

An S-boat has been using the lighthouse as cover.  MGB123 runs down on them and Proudpole sounds the action stations alarm.

S-12 against the lighthouse jetty

MGB123 runs in and puts up a starshell.  Proudpole engages.

Some hits at long distance.

MGB123 runs past the jetty.  The fire is now being returned, but the RN shooting is effective.

Because the S-Boat is moving slowly Proudpole lobs a depth charge onto it's deck.  It's a Peter Scott move and I limit its success, but the dice comes up hit!

And that S-boat is done, with some damage to the MTB

The after game shot.

3.  The Broad Fourteens

A U-boat is on the surface recharging its batteries.  MGB123 pssdes a spotting test.  They put up a starshell and max the engines to pursue.  Lt. Proudpole sounds the action stations alarm, and dons his tin hat

Sub on the surface.  It's a U-boat.

The German runs and blows his tanks

Alcock spins the wheel as MGB123 runs after them.
Wankum hits them with his .303 quad.

Leutnant Braunehosen, the cowardly Hun risks a crash dive.  He is lucky and the dice don't give him a disaster. 

Another hit but its to the rudder.  He is diving.

The gunboatvruns past and lobs a depth charge.  Maybe?  I draw "oil on the surface"  I'll claim it!

Game 3, the Outer Gabbard

Beware the Hun in the sun, a pair of stukas, inexplicably in desert colours.

Seaman Wankum hits with the.303s.  The Stukas wobble and veer off

They circle back

They circle back and make the run.  A near miss!  One of them is clipped and drops into the sea.  Poor Seaman Wisdom falls into the sea, hit by a bomb fragment.  He is pulled aboard but will never be the same.

Proudpole picks up the surviving German crew as proof he downed the stuka.  Commander Stiff-Rodde will have apoplexy when he learns that the "idiot" sank an Eboat, Submarine and downed a stuka all on the same patrol. (Its a +3 result)

A roll indicates that after the papers report his heroism Proudpole is promoted to Lt. Cdr and given a Flotilla to command.