1914 Pursuit of the Goeben

 My WW1 Naval games have reached the pursuit of the German Battleship Goeben and Light Cruiser Breslau through the Mediterranean at the outbreak of the war.

British cruisers shadowing the Germans

In 1912, the Mittelmeerdivision of the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial Navy), comprising only the Goeben and Breslau, was sent out under the command of Konteradmiral Wilhelm Souchon. In the event of war, the squadron's role was to intercept French transports bringing colonial troops from Algeria to France.

When war broke out between Austria-Hungary and Serbia on 28 July 1914, Souchon was at Pola in the Adriatic where Goeben was undergoing repairs to her boilers. Not wishing to be trapped in the Adriatic, Souchon rushed to finish as much work as possible, but then took his ships out into the Mediterranean before all repairs were completed. He reached Brindisi on 1 August, but Italian port authorities made excuses to avoid coaling the ship. This was because Italy, despite being a co-signatory to the Triple Alliance, had decided to remain neutral. Goeben was joined by Breslau at Taranto and the small squadron sailed for Messina where Souchon was able to obtain 2,000 short tons (1,800 t) of coal from German merchant ships.

The British fleet.  These boys are randomised for this mini campaign.

The game

My game starts on 2nd August.  War has not yet been declared.  The British under Admiral Milne have an overwhelmingly powerful group of battle cruisers and armoured/light cruisers at Malta, sent out to both watch for an Austrian breakout, and to run down the Goeben.

The Germans leave Messina, moving through areas 6 an 12 along the northern coast of Sicily.  By the morning of 3rd August they are in area 11 ready to bombard the French port in Algeria.

I roll an event, new orders, proceed to Constantinople.  We seem to be following history!  No contacts.  The Germans bombard the port anyway for an easy VP.

By evening on the 3rd the Germans are in area 13.  Still no contacts.  

Morning 4th August Orders rendezvous with a Collier in area 18.  The German Force makes the RV point only to roll a random contact HMS Weymouth AC and a small British convoy.

Tabletop action  straits of Messina 4th August 1914.

HMS Weymouth leads the convoy

The four funnelled Cressy playing the part of Weymouth

Goeben and Breslau make contact

Convoy scatters

HMS Weymouth closes at full knots

Straddled and damaged.

and Goebens shooting is deadly accurate

heavy damage.  Friday's speed and gun power slacken.

The British cruisers sinking.

Bradley hunted down the fleeing troopship, and a merchantman

And Goeben watches Weymouth roll over

Weymouth stood her ground but was insufficient to place any damage on Goeben. Lets see what the British battle cruisers can do!