Italy seems to have switched tactics and is now trying to swarm our newest and most powerful battleships. Not a bad shout as they were designed as capital ship killers, not anti horde vessels. Still a 16 inch gun makes a big mess of a light cruiser so who shall prevail?
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Captain of the 1st Company: Treefrog
Veteran Sergeants: 1st Place Onion, Rui, Welshy.
Sergeants: Charles Wright, Alerik Rahl, Jackie, Twitchyknees
Veterans: Adrien Young, Sunless Sky Nova, Darth Vendar, Martti
Battle Siblings: ArtsyJohnE, Caleb Mayer, DWB001, Haytor, Jackychan97, Jeffery Labbe, Joakim B, JT Bismarck, Laszlo Szidonya, M van Dongen, nagebenfro, Patrick Connerney, Patrick Welsh, PS_Games, Tentacle Shogun, Zadrias, Good Boy 24, Jessica Rae
source
We need to start giving out hazard pay to destroyer crews
14:00: Colón was doing well hitting the slower transports, and sinking four so far. But Irrequieto is faster and harder to hit, though just as unarmored.
18:57: Oh My Giddy Maiden Aunt! Such as great duel and you didn't hit the Ship Stats button. Sigh. Poor Sulla, her last accomplishments lost by a cruel world.
20:19: I look at that THING and wonder, were are the three other 2.3" guns. I can see one mounted on a barbette forward, utterly pointlessly, but where are the rest? The 3.4" is on the deck behind the main tower. Are two of them in the notch between the secondary tower and the incorporated barbette with the Q turret?
23:53: So Urdaneta sinks, sad, and I'm looking to see which of the Italian light cruisers should get the credit, which did more damage? But it appears Urdaneta took 36k and each of Attilio Regolo and Muzio Attendolo did 18K. So, no individual credit.
Re: Refit of the Guadiaro '35 class of Destructores de torpederos.
Oficina de Diseño y Construcción de Buques:
Informe de la Oficina: 21-Mar-1935
The Guadiaro '35 refit will upgrade ten Destructores de torpederos designed originally to a target displacement of 1,400 tons and a top speed of 34 knots.
The class has three new double geared turbine engines powered by naturally aspirated boilers burning improved oil vented though one funnel generating 18,709 indicated horsepower turning two screws for the required top speed on a design displacement of 1,384 tons fully loaded with a balanced rudder turned by Electro-Hydro power for an operational range of 8,078 nautical miles. The class carries diesel auxiliary engines for emergency power.
The class' main battery is now three new triple turrets two super firing forward and one aft bearing new 4"/40 Mark 5 guns with 1.5" face, 0.4" top Krupp Advanced Realloyed Cemented armor, turned by advanced electro-hydraulic systems with semi-automatic reloading. The main magazine carries an increased HE load of standard sized 62.5% Base Fuze HE and 37.5% improved capped ballistic AP shells using Cordite Low Burn as the propellant and Composition B as the bursting charge. One triple deck torpedo launcher firing 24" Mark 3 compressed oxygen aided torpedoes rounds out the armament.
Krupp Advanced Realloyed Cemented armor is clade 1" on the main belt, 0.5" on the extended belt, 0.3" on the main deck, 0.2" on the extended deck, 0.5" on the superstructure, and 1." on the conning tower. The Class has a double bottom hull, water tight hatches and reinforced bulkheads separating extensive compartmentation, counter-flooding systems, improved pumps and piping for flooding reduction. A crew of 80 officers and enlisted men are provided cramped quarters. The class carries Radio Direction Finding (RDF) systems and the improved Sonar torpedo detection system.
The refit will cover the ships Guadiaro, Álava, Lanao, Ligera, Teruel, Temerario, Tinto, Blas de Lezo, Tarifa, and Ulla. Refit time will be 2 months with a recommissioning time of 1 months. Valuation of each ship will rise to $26,472,560, and monthly maintenance in port will be $1,005,957.
Battle of Naples
Noticias Marítimas y Mundiales de Cádiz
19 March 1935
The Águila de Nantes, lead of her class of Cruçeros de battala, from the Palermo Estación Naval in Western Sicily, and the Llobregat class Destructor de torpederos Urdaneta from the Málaga Base Naval in Andalusia, were on commerce denial patrol along the Italian Mediterranean coast when near Naples they found 12 Stella Maria class 10 thouand ton 98 manned 4” and 3.6” armed transports escorted by the Incrociatori leggeri Attilio Regolo, a Caio Mario class, and the Muzio Attendolo, a Coatit class, and the Cacciatorpediniere Impavido, lead ship of her class.
Spotting the funnel smoke of a dozen ships to the north, Águila de Nantes surged forward, having Urdaneta fall in behind her. Águila de Nantes soon sighted the Impavido, and opened fire, then turned her main guns on the Attilio Regolo. At this the Capitán de navio said “Muy bonito, pero apunta a ese destructor de torpederos de gran tamaño”. After some more strident orders all guns were turned on the Impavido. She was a difficult target but a 6” shell hit her main belt. Impavido continued to take hits as Urdaneta came into range and began to hit the transports. Impavido had ducked behind the convoy and an errant 12” shell hit the cargo hold of a transport.
Urdaneta sank the Fortuna with 87 of her 98 man crew. Impavido was still holding on. After more hits blasting right through her Impavido sank with 482 of her 497 man crew.
Urdaneta sank Alagi with 83 of her crew while Águila de Nantes targeted the Incrociatori leggeri closing on Urdaneta. They began pounding Urdaneta with 6.2” and 6.7” guns. Urdaneta lost all three engines, and unable to pump water, sank with 104 of her 115 man crew. Urdaneta however got one strike back, hitting Attilio Regolo with two and Muzio Attendolo with one of her four torpedoes. Now badly damaged, Attilio Regolo and Muzio Attendolo pulled away from Águila de Nantes. Águila de Nantes however kept fire on them, sinking Muzio Attendolo with 1257 of her 1293 man crew. Attilio Regolo sank with 265 of her 1396 man crew, the rest of the crew abandoning the ship when Águila de Nantes launched torpedoes at her.
Three transports, the Altair, Pacinotti, and Staffetta, surrendered. The convoy leader Stella Maria, the Oro, Acciaio, Guilio Cesare, Filippo Coridoni, Uebi Scebeli, and Machesa were sunk. In total the Italian Merchant Marine had lost 80 thousand gross registered tons, 652 officers and seamen killed or lost at sea, and 132 captured. The Regia Marina lost 2004 officers and sailors killed and 3186 captured. This greatly strained the capacity of the Águila de Nantes who picked up the 11 survivors of Urdaneta and had 3 casualties of her own.
Cruisers in the Aegean
Noticias Marítimas y Mundiales de Cádiz
10 March 1935
The Vigilante, lead of her class of Cruçeros de tercera clase, from the Cagliari Estación Naval on the Island of Sardinia, was operating in the Aegean Sea looking for ships of the Regia Marina when she spotted funnel smoke to the north. Closing on it, she soon sighted the Caio Mario class Incrociatore leggero Cornelio Silla. Turning enough to open her broadside, Vigilante opened fire with all ten guns. Cornelio Silla returned fire with her three 6.2” guns. They began exchanging Italian 6.2” shells for Spanish 6” shells, but Vigilante was doing more damage.
Cornelio Silla was soon listing to starboard, flooded amidships in one of her engineering compartments, she was also taking on water fore and aft. Her steering was shot up, fires were burning, and 240 casualties were reported. Cornelio Silla sank.
Vigilante took 1 casualty. Losses were not reported for Cornelio Silla.
Convoy to Albania
Noticias Marítimas y Mundiales de Cádiz
4 March 1935
The Águila de Nantes class Cruçero de battala Santa Perpetua from the Bar Estación Naval in Montenegro joined the León class Cruçero de tercera clase Colón from the Valencia Base Naval in the Province of Valencia in attacking an Italian convoy headed for Albania to support the attack on Montenegro. The Roberto, lead ship of her class, the Cacciatorpediniere Alessandro Poerio, a Freccia class Cacciatorpediniere Carlo Alberto Racchia, and three Ippolito Nievo class Cacciatorpediniera, the Granatiere, Irrequieto, and Aquila, were escorting eleven San Gioacchino 6 thousand ton 43 manned armed transports.
Santa Perpetua spotted funnel smoke of a dozen ships to the south-west and turned to close on it, ordering Colón to fall in behind her. Santa Perpetua first sighted the enormous Cacciatorpediniere Alessandro Poerio of the new Impavido class, 6.7 thousand tons, 497 manned, three single 5.3” and two quintuple deck torpedo launcher armed fever dream of some Italian naval architect. The Roberto appeared, at 12.5 thousand tons a rather standard Incrociatore corazzato except the Italians are stuck on single gun turrets and large crews, Roberto carrying 1776 men. Then the transports and the rest of the Cacciatorpediniera appeared. Santa Perpetua opened fire, targeting Alessandro Poerio.
Santa Perpetua was able to hit Alessandro Poerio with 3”, 6”, and 12” guns, sinking the $370 million dollar prestige project with 457 of her 497 man crew.
Colón was up and snipping off transports, sinking the Giuseppe Finzi with 40 of her 43 man crew. Santa Perpetua sank the Carlo Alberto Racchia with all but one of her 233 man crew. Colón sank Re d'Italia with all but one of her 43 man crew.
The Cacciatorpediniere Aquila was trying to close on Santa Perpetua, who smacked her hard for her impertinence, dropping a 12” shell through her main deck. Aquila launched her torpedoes, but at Colón who had just sunk the transport Aquila d'Oro with 41 of her 43 man crew. Santa Perpetua launched her torpedoes at the Cacciatorpediniere Aquila. The Cacciatorpediniere Aquila was sunk with 6” shells, taking 39 of her 207 man crew down with her. The rest had panicked and abandoned ship on Santa Perpetua’s launch, with one torpedo striking the sinking ship.
Santa Perpetua targeted Granatiere with her 3” guns and sank the transport Antares with her 6” guns, leaving one survivor from her 43 man crew. Granatiere was being ripped apart by 3” fire, having no real armor. She had lost most of her guns, her 1.5” magazine, and was flooding amidships. 40 of the crew were reported to be casualties. Granatiere and Irrequieto were trying to close on Colón, who had just sunk the transport Gladio with 38 of her 43 man crew. Roberto got her first 10” this on Colón just before Santa Perpetua sank Granatiere with 184 of her 207 man crew.
Colón turned away from Roberto and targeted Irrequieto, both closing on her. Roberto had found her range and got more hits on Colón but eventually had to break off. Irrequieto stayed up with Colón but Colón was the one able to find the range, sinking Irrequieto with 189 of her 207 man crew.
Roberto had turned back to attempt a torpedo strike on Santa Perpetua, but misjudged her speed and the strike went past Santa Perpetua’s stern. Finally able to target the Incrociatore corazzato, Santa Perpetua pumped 6” and 12” high explosive shells into Roberto, sinking her with 1693 of her 1776 man crew, her complement swollen by the number of torpedo men aboard.
Six transports remained. Santa Perpetua turned her 3” guns on the, sinking Atropo with 37 men. Cagni was also sunk by 3” and 6” guns, losing 38 men, while Alfredo Cappellini took 12” shells and sank with 35 of her 43 man crew. Santorre Santarosa sank from 3” and 6” fire, taking another 35 casualties. Des Geneys took hits from every gun, and sank with 39 of her crew. The convoy leader San Gioacchino was blown out of the water, losing 42 of her 43 man crew.
In total, the Italian Merchant Marine had lost 68 thousand gross registered tons, 428 seamen killed or lost in the Ionian Sea, and 45 picked up. 3127 personnel from the Regia Marina were also picked up, stuffing Santa Perpetua and Colón like sardine cans. Santa Perpetua took no losses and Colón took 38 from the 10” hits from Roberto.
The Battle of Bejaïa
Noticias Marítimas y Mundiales de Cádiz
17 February 1935
The Begoña class Cruçero de primera clase Celedon from the Palermo Estación Naval in Western Sicily and the Guadiaro class Destructor de torpederos Álava from the Cagliari Estación Naval on the Island of Sardinia were escorting two ### transports along the Algerian coast near Bejaïa when the Coatit class Incrociatore leggero Brindisi came out of the north, aiming to pin the convoy against the coast and destroy it. Celedon and Álava turned to meet her. Celedon opened fire, but Brindisi burned smoke, and Celedon had to turn and close into Brindisi’s range to sight her again. Finally Brindisi came out of the smoke and Celedon was able to take her under constant fire.
Brindisi began to fire on Álava and Celedon ordered her to fall back to the convoy. Soon Celedon was inflicting constant hits, but the damage was minor. Brindisi wasn’t able to match the rate of hits. Finally Celedon was able to get solid hits, disabling all three engines on Brindisi. Brindisi was flooded out from aft to her third bulkhead and using her remaining momentum to keep her bow away from Celedon’s fire. Brindisi turned for a moment to launch torpedoes at Celedon, one of which hit on Celedon’s aft belt. Brindisi finally sank with 1168 of her 1293 man crew.
Álava took 19 casualties, Celedon 17, and Celedon picked up the 125 survivors of Brindisi.
The AI is clearly unable to manage a big fleet. They look like a herd
40:10: A few 6" secondary guns????
43:35: Oh, you're STARTING to thin them out, you're just not very far along.
48:37: Friendly fire is so fun to write up when it's the enemy and you know the shape of the next episode…
Convoy to Sicily
Noticias Marítimas y Mundiales de Cádiz
23 April 1935
The Águila de Nantes, lead of her class of Cruçeros de battala, and the León class Cruçero de tercera clase Navarra, both from the Palermo Estación Naval in Western Sicily, were on a leg of their patrol they thought would be the most uneventful, being equidistant from Naples, Palermo, and Cagliari. Surely they would find no Italian convoys transiting this stretch of the Mediterranean. But convoy they found, escorted by the Vittorio Veneto class Incrociatore corazzato Marco Polo and two Impavido class Cacciatorpediniera, the Fulmine and the Lanciere, protecting five Pacinotti class 10 thousand ton 85 manned armed transports.
Águila de Nantes spotted the smoke of half a dozen ships to the north. Navarra was ordered to close in behind Águila de Nantes as she headed north. She sighted Marco Polo and the Cacciatorpediniera for a moment before they made smoke and disappeared. With warships in the offering, she prepared for action and opening fire when they were sighted again, targeting Marco Polo. Navarra targeted the transport Calipso and Águila de Nantes added her secondaries. Calipso sank with 72 of her 85 man crew.
The transport Dessiè was hit and sunk with all but one of her 85 man crew. Marco Polo was closing on Navarra and Águila de Nantes turned to stop her, this pulled Navarra away from Marco Polo. When Águila de Nantes came out of her turn and steadied her course her 12” guns found Marco Polo and blasted the ship to pieces, leaving 57 survivors from a crew of 1388.
Águila de Nantes was now heading south, leading Navarra, as Lanciere and Fulmine closed on them. Águila de Nantes pumped shells into Lanciere as she tried to close to torpedo range. She sank Lanciere with 454 of her 497 man crew, but not before Lanciere launched torpedoes. Águila de Nantes was already turning back north and managed to avoid the spread. Again she was pumping 3”, 6” and 12” shells into Fulmine as the Cacciatorpediniere waited for her turn to launch torpedoes. It didn’t come, and Fulmine sank with 482 of her 497 man crew.
Navarra and Águila de Nantes finished off the convoy leader Pacinotti, San Zaccaria, and Principe di Carignano. In total the Italian Merchant Marine lost 52 thousand gross registered tons of shipping, 375 officers and seamen killed, and 50 captured. Another 115 personnel from the Regia Marina were also captured. Navarra suffered 18 casualties.
Re: Status of the Regia Marina
For Limited Release:
Oficina de Análisis de Estadísticas Navales
Informe de la Oficina: 15-Apr-1935
For: Ministro de Marina
Copy To: Oficina de la Corona, Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Ministro de Guerra, Almirante Supremo de la Armada
Our latest reports have the Regia Marina reduced to one Incrociatore da battaglia, most likely a Temperanza class, ten Incrociatore corazzato, likely of a mix of classes, seven Incrociatori leggeri, likely of mixed classes, and 19 Cacciatorpediniera. They are building 11 ships, and though we have asked for additional funding to help discover what ships they are building, that has not been budgeted.
We believe that our landings in Albania are about to succeed. However we also, on consultation with the Oficina de análisis de capacidades del ejército extranjero, that the Regio Esercito may be close to succeeding at taking either Palermo in Sicily or Bar in Montenegro, making our presence in either territory untenable. Success in Albania then should be a cause for seeking an immediate cessation of hostilities.
We have been asked by the Oficina Estatal de Inteligencia y Seguridad if ii is possible the Miseno’s sinking of the Confienza was a mass murder occasioned by the suspected disloyalty and republican sympathies in Confienza’s crew. We cannot confirm any of this but accept the argument that publically suggesting this may be as effective, if not more so, than if it could be proven. Such an outrageous act, if planned, would have a campaign of denial prepared for any accuation or revelation. If it was truly an accident, hard though that is to believe, the Italians would not be prepared to counter the accusation.
The Partito Repubblicano Italiano can be expected to jump on any such suggestion, causing unrest in most of the major metropolitan areas in Italy.
Debut, Part 2
Noticias Marítimas y Mundiales de Cádiz
8 April 1935
More Names on the Dance Cards
Alberto di Giussano blew up and took 1242 of her 1396 man crew with her. Algeciaras sank the Ippolito Nievo class Cacciatorpediniere Vincenzo Guiorano Orsini with 174 of her 207 man crew.
By this time the three Acorazados were beginning to run low on shells. Quarto got a torpedo hit on Algeciaras, doing some damage. They were still bagging ships, the Freccia San Martino was sunk with 222 of her 233 man crew. But Acorazados and San Julián were ordered to retire.
Then chaos broke out in the Italian fleet when the Vittorio Veneto class Incrociatore corazzato Miseno torpedoed the newest and very expensive Impavido class Cacciatorpediniere Confienza, blowing her out of the water and killing 422 of her 497 man crew. Off the record members of the Oficina de Análisis de Estadísticas Navales have speculated that the Capitano di Fregaa of the Confienza and his crew were known to harbor Republican sympathies, and were brewing mutiny in the fleet. This may have been a deliberate act, or the Miseno may simply have become desperate to strike at Algeciaras and horribly destroyed the Confienza by putting six of her ten torpedoes into her at close range.
Except Algeciaras wasn’t retreating. A damaged rudder had her heading into the Italian formation, and she targeted the Temperanza class San Bartolomeo as she unwillingly closed. If any of the ships near her got a torpedo strike off, and Miseno had proven how devastating they could be, Algeciaras could be sunk. Algeciaras put two 16” shells into San Bartolomeo, disabling #2 and #3 engines. Then her damage control got the steering fixed, and Algeciaras had helm control. She began to turn away, still horribly close to the enemy, and targeted the Temperanza class Carolina.
The Freccia Pontiere was sunk with 214 of her 233 man crew. This was the last light Italian ship sunk.
Carolina had already been badly damaged in the battle. She had one 13” turret destroyed, secondaries destroyed, steering damaged, two engines disabled, flooding and a list, and nearly 600 casualties reported. Algeciaras so close, even as a happenstance of damage of her own, was Carolina’s death knell. Algeciaras first salvo fell short. Her second salvo got two hits, the main belt penetration did serious damage but the hit on a secondary gun finished Carolina, which broke up and took 2474 of her 3017 crew to the bottom of the Adriatic with her.
San Bartolomeo was in little better shape when Algeciaras targeted her. San Bartolomeo and one engine disabled, flooding amidships her damage control team was fighting, secondary guns destroyed, and 450 casualties. San Francisco Javier was closing to help get Algeciaras out, and targeted San Bartolomeo as well. As Algeciaras turned to avoid a spread of torpedoes meant to finish her San Bartolomeo sank with 2948 of her 3017 man crew, leaving only 69 survivors. More torpedoes appeared, and it seemed that Algeciaras might follow San Bartolomeo to a watery grave, three hit but two were duds. The one that exploded set off a powder magazine fire under her X turret. She was flooding astern with fires across the back of the ship. Algeciaras had no defense except 2” guns. Miseno apparently could target an enemy.
Fortunately San Francisco Javier arrived just in time to discourage any pursuit of Algeciaras. San Francisco Javier had taken no damage in the battle and still had a magazine of 270 16” armor piercing shells to take out any Incrociatori that closed on her. San Francisco Javier withdrew in Algeciaras wake, sending shells back to the milling Italian ships who were busy rescuing the 1621 survivors of their sunk ships, and unwilling to press an attack on the landing zone.
San Julián had taken 249 casualties. Algeciaras had taken 161. Triunfo had taken 13 but she rallied to Algeciaras along with Infanta Isabel, Doña María de Molina, and Guadiaro. The invasion of Albania was reported to be in its closing stages, with success or failure on a knife’s edge. The debut of the San Francisco Javier class had prevented the Regia Marina from upsetting the game board.
The Regia Marina reported the following: Baccana, the last surviving Temperanza, took 112 casualties. Of the Incrociatori corazzati the Maria Teresa class Roma took 114, he Roberto class Gaeta took 67, the Vittorio Veneto class Fulminante took 135and her sister ship the back stabber Miseno took 8. Nothing was reported about boards of inquiry into the conduct of her Capitano di Fregaa. The Caio Mario class Incrociatore leggero Bartolomeo Colleoni took 154 casualties. Of the Cacciatorpediniera, the Impavido class Dardo took 12 casualties and the Ippolito Nievo class Sparviero took 19. The total losses reported by the Regia Marina and those calculated by the Oficina de Análisis de Estadísticas Navales do not agree, suggesting that the class identifications for some ships may be wrong.
Debut, Part 1
Noticias Marítimas y Mundiales de Cádiz
8 April 1935
San Francisco Javier Threw a Debutant Ball and Just Everybody Came
In her combat debut the San Francisco Javier, lead of her class of Acorazado de 1a clase, with her sister ships San Julián, and Algeciaras, the Vigilante class Cruçero de 3a Clas Infanta Isabel, the León class Cruçeros de 3a Clas Doña María de Molina and Triunfo, and the Guadiaro, lead of her Destructor de torpederos class, all from the Barcelona Base Naval Principal in Catalonia, were covering the landings against the Italian controlled province of Albania. The Regia Marina finally got their forces together to challenge the invasion.
The Italians brought their flagship, the Corazzata di prima classe Sirena, lead and possibly sole member of her class, three Temperanza class 1933 refitted Incrociatori da battaglia, the Baccana, Carolina, and San Bartolomeo, rough equivalents of the Silencio, though bigger, they were slower with smaller guns, six Incrociatori corazzati, two Maria Teresa class, Farnese and Roma, two Vittorio Veneto class, Fulminante and Miseno, and two Roberto class, Gaeta and Grifona, nine Incrociatori leggeri, seven Caio Mario class, Eugenio di Savoia, Alberto di Giussano, Bartolomeo Colleoni, Caprera, Luigi Cadorna, Saetta, and Scipione Africano, and two Coatit class, Calabria and Quarto, and thirteen Cacciatorpediniera, two Impavido class, Confienza and Dardo, seven Freccia class, Augusto Ribory, Espero, Nembo, Nibbio, Pontiere, Sirtori, and San Martino, and four Ippolito Nievo class, Guiseppe Cesare Abba, Sparviero, Vincenzo , Guiorano Orsini, and Antonio Mosto. In total tonnage the Italians had a two to one advantage, 394 thousand to 184 thousand. In ships they brought thirty-two to face just seven.
Algeciaras had the lead of the Acorazados division, Doña María de Molina was leading the Cruçeros division and was set to screen the Acorazados and scout the enemy. Guadiaro was ordered to join the Cruçeros. The light ships had been warned to expect an order to retire and leave the battle to the Acorazados.
The Enemy was coming down from the north-west, from their Adriatic ports. Algeciaras turned north to receive them with full broadsides. After a few ranging shots the Acorazados held their fire. With less fire discipline, Sirena and the Temperanza’s opened up. Sirena was tucked neatly between two columns of lighter ships making smoke, and wasn’t identified until they had closed. Sirena became the target and the Acorazados were ordered to begin rapid fire with their 16” guns. San Julián dropped the first shell through Sirena’s main deck, the first hit of the battle, doing 14% of the damage Sirena would suffer. More hits came in, impacting on the main belt but punching through the main deck, Algeciaras getting a one hit that was 18% of the total damage done on Sirena. Sirena finally replied with two 15.5” hits that skipped off the main deck of her opponent. Finally Algeciaras was able to punch through Sirena’s main belt, doing 15% of her final damage total. Pounded to pieces, Sirena broke up and took 1673 of her 1905 man crew down with her. The Acorazados had their first kill, the class lead San Francisco Javier having struck the last blow.
With the enemy formation scouted, and Triunfo having taken fire, the light ships were ordered to turn south and retire. This left thirty-one ships facing just three. The Acorazados would have to be careful and pick off closing ships as quickly as possible. Their formation broke up as they each turned away from the Italians to hold open the range. Fortunately the Italians were not quick off the mark in sending forward forlorn hopes. But they spotted torpedoes coming at them, indicating the timing of their turn was perfect. The three Acorazados each took a Temperanza under fire. This policy lasted a few salvoes, then orders were changed to fire on any small ship they could target.
Luigi Cadorna, a Caio Mario class Incrociatore leggero, was sunk with 1289 of her 1396 man crew. She was a heavy laden torpedo platform that would be a great danger if she closed. San Francisco Javier sank the Freccia class Cacciatorpediniere Augusto Ribory with 207 of her 233 man crew. Then she sank the Espero with 214 of her 233 man crew. San Francisco Javier was wiping off the southern end of the Italian formation. Algeciaras was working on the northern end, San Julián ships closing from the middle. Another Freccia, Sirtori sank with 214 of her 233 man crew. Calabria, one of the Coatit class Incrociatore leggero, sank with 1197 of her 1396 man crew.
San Francisco Javier blew the Caio Mario class Eugenio di Savoia out of the water, sending her down with 1173 of her 1396 man crew. She targeted another Caio Mario, the Alberto di Giussano, next. Algeciaras sank the Ippolito Nievo class Cacciatorpediniere Antonio Mosto with 193 of her 207 man crew.
Cont’d
10:02 Wow 6726t that is an obese dd that's actually bigger than contemporary cls think that's the biggest dd I've ever seen
Those 16" ships are solid, but that BC class continues to prove it is the real power in the Western Med.
Would be excellent to have an escort of 1 or 2 BC with your BB.
BC hanging out of range (as much as feasible) while BB snipe but still close enough to shoo cruisers away. Then moving up once the big gun threat is eliminated.