The Sound of Drums - A British Hearts of Iron II AAR

[Kozmos]

You lost an....AIRCRAFT CARRIER!!???!? RAAAAAARGH! RAAAAAAGE! RUUUUUUUM! THEREEE RRRs!

 

[rabidveggie]

Separate peace? New Roman Empire!? That's traitor talk in fact all they own is Italy what kind of an empire is that?

 

[Jos Ballenbak]

We will not talk with the Italians about any peace whatsoever, the only thing they can get is FULL ANNEXATION!!!!

AVENGE OUR FALLEN COMRADES

 

[nodikus]

This was unexpected to say the least. However insignifigant in the overall balance of power, The loss of the Hermes will undoubtably come as rude shock to a public used to unclouded naval dominance. We have to make an immediate effort to counter-balance this defeat.

Incidentaly, was the Hermes one of our new carriers or an older model?

 

[Maniacal]

Older model.

 

[Captain2]

I very much doubt that offering a new approach to the Prime Minister is the talk of a traitor, On an unrelatted note does anyone happen to know the exchange rate for Lira to the pound?

 

[Karmic Knight]

i very much doubt that offering a new approach to the prime minister is the talk of a traitor, on an unrelatted note does anyone happen to know the exchange rate for lira to the pound?

1:2552 gbp:itl.

 

[Maniacal]

Non-existant.

 

[steviejay]

While I am tempted to begin construction of naval bombers, our next production must be tactical bombers. The Grand Armada can potentially begin a blockade of Taranto now and the First Squadra this instant, however.

If I may, during the cold nights at Glasgow University, my fellow chaps and I used to take great pleasure in playing a board game called Tommys Vs Fritz and I found that tactical bombers work pretty well against ships, although not as good as Naval bombers naturally, but good enough to help greatly.

I must admit I took a slight hint of guilty pleasure in playing as Fritz and using my own tactical bombers to send the Home Fleet to the bottom.

If the Chief of the Airforce could spare a few tactical bombers from the Norse front, I'm sure they could help their fellow fighting brothers in the Royal Naval get their own back against El Duce.

 

[steviejay]

This was unexpected to say the least. However insignifigant in the overall balance of power, The loss of the Hermes will undoubtably come as rude shock to a public used to unclouded naval dominance. We have to make an immediate effort to counter-balance this defeat.

Incidentaly, was the Hermes one of our new carriers or an older model?

T'was the very first Aircraft carrier my good fellow. An old dear of a ship indeed and one with history but you should keep your chin up, she shall be avenged.

 

[Kan' Sharuminar]

You accepted Pounds resignation?!!

PM, even the best commanders sometimes fail. Admiral Pound upheld the best traditions of the Royal Navy, he could've turned away but did his duty and engaged the enemy despite the inferiority of his force. Men cannot be expected to work miracles, he did his best with the subpar units he was assigned. One looks to the 1st Fleet & Grand Armada and there modern forces and the to Pound stuck with an ancient and tiny carrier & Barham, one of the least Battleworthy of the QE Class BB's.

Indeed, and I should have clarified more in the update, but it didn't fit with the rest of the report:

Pound has resigned as commander of the Second Fleet only. He has returned to London, where he is currently rewriting the book on British naval warfare, particularly regarding carrier doctrine. It was only since I believed he would be of more worth at home in the Admiralty than in command of a third-class fleet that I accepted the resignation.

OOC: I didn't like having, in-game, Pound as commander of the Second Fleet and leading the tech-team currently developing Carrier Task Force Doctrine. It's not something I worry about in a random game, but in one in which I'm trying to encourage role-playing, I've recently realised I should be doing it more myself.

Having Pound resign after suffering the first major Royal Navy defeat in the war seemed to make sense in-story.

I would be grateful if a breakdown of the units in the fleet Admiral Pound had under his command during the battle.

Second Fleet

HMS Hermes - Hermes-class carrier
HMS Barham - Queen Elizabeth-class battleship
HMS Valiant - Queen Elizabeth-class battleship
HMS York - Kent-class heavy cruiser
HMS Effingham - Kent-class heavy cruiser
HMS Delhi - Caledon-class light cruiser
HMS Despatch - Caledon-class light cruiser
HMS Durban - Caledon-class light cruiser
HMS Diomede - Caledon-class light cruiser
HMS Capetown - Caledon-class light cruiser
HMS Calcutta - Caledon-class light cruiser
x6 V-Class Destroyer Flotillas

How many Tactical Bombers do with have currently, just that wing in Norway?

Yup! New tactical bombers begin construction in two days.

If the Chief of the Airforce could spare a few tactical bombers from the Norse front, I'm sure they could help their fellow fighting brothers in the Royal Naval get their own back against El Duce.

Those tactical bombers have only just been reassigned to the Norse front from North Africa. The Mediterranean will just have to wait.

Edit:

Separate peace? New Roman Empire!? That's traitor talk in fact all they own is Italy what kind of an empire is that?

They also own Albania. I'm sure that's...technically...an empire. At any rate let's not be too hard on dear Captain2, he has been cut off from the civilized world for the past few years.

 

[steviejay]

heh oh. Nevermind then. Perhaps one had a bit too much port to drink ;-)

 

[Captain2]

They also own Albania. I'm sure that's...technically...an empire. At any rate let's not be too hard on dear Captain2, he has been cut off from the civilized world for the past few years.

Its safe to say I'm down to my last dozen monocles, so indeed things look grim in God's Blind spot

 

[IronMan2055]

This is the bloody sort of thing that happens when I go on vacat- er.... leave to determine British strength in the Caribbean.....

Yes, that's it....

 

[Jos Ballenbak]

Its safe to say I'm down to my last dozen monocles, so indeed things look grim in God's Blind spot

This is troubling indeed.

Kan can we have some air transports to send the dear man his beloved booze?

 

[GinandTonic]

Gentlemen *raises glass* Hermes!

After thirty five years her race may well have been run, but she showed the world the way the futre lay.

Far be it from me to question our glorious leader but I dont understand why our cariers and battleships are in the same formations? Hermes should not have been in a line of battle with the BB's. Old lady never stood a chance.

Formations dedicated to BBs or CVs and never the twain shall meet what.

 

[Maniacal]

Monocles aren't booze...

 

[Kan' Sharuminar]

Far be it from me to question our glorious leader but I dont understand why our cariers and battleships are in the same formations? Hermes should not have been in a line of battle with the BB's. Old lady never stood a chance.

Formations dedicated to BBs or CVs and never the twain shall meet what.

Actually, the yanks were kind enough to send over reports of some of their old wargame scenarios, and it seems they agree with you. We need an overhaul of the Royal Navy fleet setup, that's for sure, but I think we shall leave it until after the new year.

 

[Captain2]

Monocles aren't booze...

Indeed, however I like his thinking

We need shipments of booze and monocles!

 

[Serutan]

You may well need the booze, but you only need a single safety monocle for those cricket matches.