Malta Convoy Campaign on YouTube

[Stern Rake Studio]

Hey Folks:

I just uploaded my movie (part 1) of a Malta Convoy campaign I'm currently playing solitaire. It's based on "Operation Pedestal" and so far there's been one major encounter.

The end result of this is what prompted me to ask about crippled carriers in my previous post.

Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeylF9MnCI

 

[Alexb83]

Very cool - although it's a bit tough to make out the map movement in the longer shots.

In light of the scenario as it panned out - I would've said Furious could probably abandon the majority of her crew, take on damage control parties from her escorts, counter-flood the ship and be taken under tow - once she was flat level and able to limp within flying range of Malta, she could fly off the spitfires.

But that would take time proceeding at low speed - and if U-73 reported her contact, they might be susceptible to harassment by air or submarine.

 

[Stern Rake Studio]

Thank you for your compliments. You're right about the fuzziness of some of the strategic shots. They seem okay when I'm working on them on my PC, but loose even more definition when I upload the movie into cyberspace.

This is also my first experimentation with "stop-motion." Most of my pictures were taken with the camera mounted on a full-sized tripod. My wife bought me a mini-tripod for Christmas. So when I get around to playing & shooting pt 2, I'm hoping the photos will be clearer.

Regarding HMS Furious' condition: Because of Malta's desperate condition, I'd like to make a decision "in the best traditions of the service" and am leaning towards your suggestion or something similar. So far Furious' speed is equal to that of the merchant ships, so she can keep station.

In the meantime I'll do some more rules & historical research.

Thanks again!

 

[captainsmirk]

Very good - waiting to see what happens next.

One small thing though...

Time-traveling Sea Harriers?


Nick

 

[DM]

Time-traveling Sea Harriers?

Never seen "The Final Countdown"? - presumably the Pinewood version

 

[Alexb83]

Thank you for your compliments. You're right about the fuzziness of some of the strategic shots. They seem okay when I'm working on them on my PC, but loose even more definition when I upload the movie into cyberspace.

This is also my first experimentation with "stop-motion." Most of my pictures were taken with the camera mounted on a full-sized tripod. My wife bought me a mini-tripod for Christmas. So when I get around to playing & shooting pt 2, I'm hoping the photos will be clearer.

Regarding HMS Furious' condition: Because of Malta's desperate condition, I'd like to make a decision "in the best traditions of the service" and am leaning towards your suggestion or something similar. So far Furious' speed is equal to that of the merchant ships, so she can keep station.

In the meantime I'll do some more rules & historical research.

Thanks again!

Historical precedent is not good, I'm afraid! The ships I mentioned in the other thread almost all rolled over with the majority of hands after torpedo attack - only Ark Royal was lost with minimal casualties, and as I recall her captain was subject to a court martial for negligence after the fact (prevailing opinion being that she could've been saved)!

Aircraft carriers (and this may be a generalisation - I am not a marine architect) have a high centre of gravity due to their hangars and armoured flight decks (and significant freeboard) - so when they start to take a list, it is a very significant threat to the ship.

Where she took multiple hits on one side, it's likely that the ship would be listing heavily - and whether or not she could be recovered would rely very much on the ability of the crew to control flooding, then either patch holes or counter-flood the ship (assuming all of her boilers and electrics - which Ark for example was highly reliant on) were undamaged in the first instance.

Then you have the escort situation - are there sufficient to tow her? Is the weather likely to close in and cause problems? Are there other U-boats nearby that would incline the captain to abandon ship entirely?

The spitfires could even be thrown over if it meant saving the ship!

If there are no U-boats handy, I would be inclined to give the Furious an arbitrary roll to see if she survived. If she did - mission complete. If not, then she's completely lost.

 

[Stern Rake Studio]

D'oh! It just came to my attention and sunk in about my mislabeling the British fighters! They should in fact be "Sea Hurricanes."

Thanks for your comments and bringing this to my (belated) attention.

 

[DM]

(prevailing opinion being that she could've been saved)!

Quite correct - ARK ROYAL's sinking is a text book example of how NOT to try to recover a damaged aircraft carrier. Examples of "bishes" during her loss are still used as examples to young designers in what not to do.