The 12th Torpedo Boat Flotilla's previous mission had been a disaster. Diverted from a routine patrol to rescue some downed airmen all three boats had been lost and the surviving crews taken prisoner, the flotilla's commander amongst them.
However not long afterwards word reached the flotilla's SNO that all three captured commanders had evaded the Germans and were now in the safe hands of the French resistance. Details were sent of a rendezvous in order to collect them. The flotilla's three surviving crews set out to rescue their commander.
The boats were:
MTB 414 under Edward Stewart
MTB 430 under Orion James
MGB 103 under Ewan McDonald.
The designated rendezvous point was on a section of coast covered by a small island and some shallows. A squall also covered the pickup point. However German patrols were active in the area as well. And to make things harder the pickup was on the night of a full-moon over the land, which would leave the rescuing boats more visible when close to the coast.
The British went for a cautious approach past the island. Ominous engine sounds could be heard off to their right; something was out there ...
I didn't use the SO rule for this mission. Although Stewart in boat 414 is nominally the flotilla's second most senior boat commander I reasoned that here hadn't been time for him to get the trait. The British boats straggled in their approach, with Stewart taking the rear.
Shapes in the darkness; three enemy vessels were approaching.
The Germans approached rapidly, willing to be surprised by the British boat. The first German to be identified was a Verpostenboot. The crew of MTB 430 fired and caused the gun-crews to duck for cover.
Oh no! The next German vessel to come into view was a minesweeper!
This did not bode well for the mission.
This did not bode well for the mission.
It opened fire, damaging MTB 430 which was the biggest threat. Still, the British boat had a clear torpedo shot on the big German vessel.
But the British were stunned into inactivity with German vessels quickly surrounding them and fire coming in from all directions
More inactivity from the British. The chance to torpedo the minesweeper was lost and with Stewart's MTB 414 still struggling to get into the action it looked like an uneven gunfight was on the cards.
The British were going to get wiped out again.
The Germans kept firing MGB 103 was now damaged.
Stewart came up in MTB 414 and launched torpedoes at the Verpostenboot. But they missed, adding to the British misery.
In the confusion MGB 103 collided with the minesweeper. It went in with guns blazing! (The collision couldn't have been avoided even with a conning action, so shooting was the only option. As it was the MGB came within one point of suppressing the minesweeper.)
Both ships were damaged by the collision.
Both ships were damaged by the collision.
The British flotilla in trouble. It looks like the end for Harvey Knight.
And it got worse. Having survived the collision McDonald's dazed crew opened fire on MTB 430 in confusion.
But what's this? Stewart's laggardly approach suddenly proved a benefit. Not caught in the melee he was free to shoot past it, round the rear of the Germans and toward the pickup point.
(The pickup can be from one of the yellow counters; the British can choose on the fly just to keep the enemy guessing.)
(The pickup can be from one of the yellow counters; the British can choose on the fly just to keep the enemy guessing.)
And surviving more fire from the Germans the other two boats finally sprang into action. The battered MGB swung between the KFK (you saw the KFK?) and the minesweeper, and headed close along the coat to safety. It was battered and not going to be worth keeping in the action.
And MTB 430 managed a stunning high-speed run through the gap between the KFK and Verpostenboot!
And MTB 430 managed a stunning high-speed run through the gap between the KFK and Verpostenboot!
Suddenly two British boats were heading for the rendezvous and all three German vessels were facing the wrong way.
To make matters worse for the defenders, the captain of the Verpostenboot (me) misjudged a move and ran aground in the shallows.
It goes without saying that things continued to go wrong for the British. The rattled crew of MTB 430 saw a boat running alongside them in the darkness and fired a few shots at it before realising it was Stewart's MTB 414. Oops.
MTB 430 reached the rendezvous. And the dice dictated that it would be an easy pickup.
The tow German ships that still had water under their keels turned back towards the fight.
Stewart brought MTB 404 back around the squall towards the minesweeper.
Wary of the approaching British torpedo boat the minesweeper still managed a shot at MTB 430 as it hastily took the fugitives on board. The shot missed.
The Germans evaded MTB 414, not wanting to see their minesweeper torpedoed.
It was at this point that I remembered that MTB 414 had, in fact, fired its torpedoes and that MTB 430 (who was doing the pickup) was the one with torpedoes still on board. I'd genuinely forgotten. But whilst I hadn't fired any torpedoes off the back of this error I'd reacted with the Germans as if it was a boat capable of firing them. In the confusion they wouldn't have known.
In effect I accidentally bluffed myself.
It was at this point that I remembered that MTB 414 had, in fact, fired its torpedoes and that MTB 430 (who was doing the pickup) was the one with torpedoes still on board. I'd genuinely forgotten. But whilst I hadn't fired any torpedoes off the back of this error I'd reacted with the Germans as if it was a boat capable of firing them. In the confusion they wouldn't have known.
In effect I accidentally bluffed myself.
MTB 430 finished the pickup. The minesweeper now couldn't get a clear shot at it because of the intervening squall.
MTB 414 roared around the squall to cover MTB 430's escape with smoke if necessary.
But the minesweeper cleared the squall and got in one last shot with its big guns. A 6! Against a 1! Disaster!
Or not. The British boats have the Hard To Hit trait, and that 6 was converted to a 1. And that meantthe shot was a miss.
Or not. The British boats have the Hard To Hit trait, and that 6 was converted to a 1. And that meantthe shot was a miss.
And that was it. With a roar of engines the British boats roared out of the fight and headed for home. Harvey Knight had been rescued.
After the previous scenario I'd run the normal post game sequence for Harvey, and he'd obviously lost some reputation. Although he hadn't been actively involved in this mission, it was still his crews taking part, so I ran everything as normal again.
The three boats involved picked up some experience, but still not enough to take them to veteran. Despite the success Harvey didn't see an increase in his reputation. Not unexpected really.
All of the commanders were now back with the flotilla. The flotilla got an MTB and an MGB as replacements, so Harvey has a vessel again, as does Lennox Dean. However with both of their crews lost, both boats will now count as green and need to earn experience. Brian Porter is without a boat to replace MTB 418.
(For ease of admin the new boats will just keep the same numbers as their predecessors)
The repair crews fixed the minor damage on MTB 414, but Ewan McDonald's MGB 103 will still need a bit of work before it's fully repaired.
Harvey Knight is back in command but the experience has been a serious strain on his mental and physical health, and as a result his stamina has dropped.
(I rolled the 6-1 event, which meant the character was having trouble sleeping and needed mediation. The medication didn't work and caused stamina lost. I merely reinterpreted how hat result happened.)
So the 12th MTB Flotilla is back in action after an action that looked like it was going to go very badly for the British indeed. But as Harvey said to his CPO, "It's Easter, Theo. It's a time for miracles!"
The three boats involved picked up some experience, but still not enough to take them to veteran. Despite the success Harvey didn't see an increase in his reputation. Not unexpected really.
All of the commanders were now back with the flotilla. The flotilla got an MTB and an MGB as replacements, so Harvey has a vessel again, as does Lennox Dean. However with both of their crews lost, both boats will now count as green and need to earn experience. Brian Porter is without a boat to replace MTB 418.
(For ease of admin the new boats will just keep the same numbers as their predecessors)
The repair crews fixed the minor damage on MTB 414, but Ewan McDonald's MGB 103 will still need a bit of work before it's fully repaired.
Harvey Knight is back in command but the experience has been a serious strain on his mental and physical health, and as a result his stamina has dropped.
(I rolled the 6-1 event, which meant the character was having trouble sleeping and needed mediation. The medication didn't work and caused stamina lost. I merely reinterpreted how hat result happened.)
So the 12th MTB Flotilla is back in action after an action that looked like it was going to go very badly for the British indeed. But as Harvey said to his CPO, "It's Easter, Theo. It's a time for miracles!"
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