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Not sure how this will go in the long run, and I wasn't originally going to post an AAR.

However I got off to a splendid start against Britain, as you can see: Dispatched no less than 21 British Bs for the loss of 3 CAs and 4 CLs between 1892 and 1896.

So I thought why not, having now provoked a war with Russia, by encouraging the Kaiser to describe his cousin the Tsar as a nincompoop in a speech. It is 9/1900.

Unfortunately, I botched the timing somewhat: Only three decent battleships and three original build Bs past their Use-By. Luckily, another three ready soon:
I like six-guns and they seem to have a very good shelf life, to tide me over once Dreadnoughts start to appear.
So with some trepidation, we start our campaign against Russia even though outnumbered 7:1. I do not intend to use the 14kt units, as they are now a huge tactical liability and may well get the rest of the fleet sunk covering them. I like 18-20kts in all new build capital ships in this period. You can close--and if you have to, you can run away.

So now it's October, and we have a fleet action. The Russians are somewhat skittish. No sooner do they spot us, but they've turned tail and are running for Libau.
(continues)

Too slow!

The cruisers have caught and disabled 2 Bs. Ancona, Medusa and Hertha have been detached to finish them off (ESE of main group) and between them, have put about 3-4 fish each into both. They're done for.
The rest of the fleet has caught another one, Tsarevitch class.
Tried to catch the last one as well, but she got away. Turning back to pound the Tsarevitch into scrap.
Job done, good result. Odds now 6:1, shortly to drop to 3:1 I aim to take Finland and the Baltics off Russia ASAP. Hopefully they won't throw in the towel first.

Next serious battle was an enemy raid on shipping Jan 1901. No screenies because it was an unbelievably confusing night battle and would have needed about 30.

Bagged another four Bs. Odds now 2.5:1, for the loss of a CL torpedoed and sunk, also CA torpedoed but survived.

April 1901. Cruiser action. Again the Russkis have turned tail for Libau. The Bogatryr-class has gotten away because it's newer and actually making its almanac speed. These three old Bayans though are only making 15kts. I'm pursuing at 18-20. The result is inevitable.

Two down one to go. At some point this is going to get harder, I am well aware, but for now make hay while the sun shines. Balance sheet for this action.

May 1901. Raid on enemy shipping, opposition heavy.

Not heavy enough.
2nd. BX Div has raced away SE due to misunderstood signals! Shortly after, 2 BX reappears and with suicidal bravery which I can only commend, the Russian squadron has closed the range again. However I turned the CL division into them, torpedoed two and the battlewagons finished off the other two.

Nearly lost Preussen due to a hit on the torpedo flat which blew a large hole below water. She limps home in heavy seas with 88% damage--near-run thing! But this is an Elite crew and they know their business. Flooding was reduced to 0 from 349.
The box score. Odds now only 2:1 in Russia's favour. Nearly time to invade something.

Well peace broke out before I could invade anything. What's more, Russia allied with France and Britain from 1901 to 1908 so I had to keep my head down.

In the meantime I got the 'nation loses cautious trait' which cost me 9 prestige. I hope it's worth it...

At war with Russia again, they are now only allied to France which is not in yet. So I have a small window to make Russia harmless before the inevitable French declaration. I am on my own, and the British have not forgotten or forgiven the shellacking I gave them 15 years ago.
Heavily outnumbered as usual, ho hum.

First engagement against Russia went reasonably well, but I lost a very nice CA which nearly made it home but foundered in rough seas. Once again Preussen's crew saved the ship, flooding reduced to 0 from 255 and will fight another day.
(continues)

Battleship engagement against Russia: contact.
Their supports have run away, tho not before putting a fish into Roon, which turned out to be fatal. This can only end one way... Seen off the DDs, turning back to mop up and go home. Another major victory, despite losing Roon.

1910, August.

Crusier action, no screenies because it was a simple matter of running them down and dispatching.
Of more importance probably, France will be in after a month or two at most. War on two fronts!
I am reluctant to split the fleet and risk defeat in detail. The strategy I'll try is to ignore the French until I've defeated the Russians. Let's see if it works...I'll end up blockaded for sure, but if the home front doesn't crack there's a chance I think. Unrest is currently 4--not good. This AAR might not go much longer if I can't pull some rabbits out of some hats.

1910, September.

This is it, the invasion battle for the Baltics. I've sortied just about everything from the new BBs to garbage scows. Presumably so have they. This needs to be a decisive victory. France is not in yet, but it's only a matter of time.

Enemy contacted. Turning away rapidly, probably DDs and I don't want them to scratch the paintwork on BC Hindenburg 5 minutes in. They've turned away too. Deploying towards the objective, detaching three cruisers to keep an eye on the transports. Occasionally the AI does something really tricky like move up a detached cruiser div to maul the convoy when the admiral's back is turned. Seen this once or twice--well, it's what I'd do! (continues)

A little over an hour into the battle. I am concerned that the main body is now too far from the convoy--focus on the respective missions. Mine is to get the transports where they need to go. Theirs is to stop me. So, cutting back to cruising speed and doubling back towards the transports. Let them come to us.

If there are coastal batteries I'll deal with them later. No sense hunting an elusive enemy when I know their target. Still no sign of them. Closing up on the convoy, reversing course at roughly half hour intervals. Five hours elapsed, still no Russians. Detaching a battle div to deal with coastal forts if any. Nearly there! Arrived at objective. Set patrol orders for all divs, wait and see until daybreak. Major anticlimax happening?? (continues)

Suppose they gave a war and nobody came? At this point I could head the fleet home and leave the transports to fend for themselves as far as the game is concerned, but who knows what may still turn up?

Sticking around just in case.

Found them, through sheer carelessness when allocating patrol orders. I missed Ariadne, which has dutifully steamed 80 miles north and bumped in to Russian fleet. I am not inclined to chase them to Finland because mines and subs. Time for her to hightail it outta there... Unbelievable! They are chasing a lone CL and heading south. Now I'm heading north. We could still get our fleet action... (continues)

Bait duly dangled. Can this be two BBs with almost no support?
Even better! Two BCs. If I get close enough... Kinburn class capsizes...one down...more cannon fodder steaming down from the north. DDs present though, better watch out!
We've done enough, I'm not chasing those CAs and DDs. Heading for home well satisfied. That second BC has taken five torps at least, it's done for.

Final result. Hindenburg torpodoed on the way home, but major victory +2P. Troops landed and fighting.
On the minus side...October: France is in.

Now I have a real problem. Despite their losses, the Russians still have more units than I can cover with a token force. So sticking to plan A, ignore the French and put up with a blockade for now. I have to support the invasion. We'll see how that goes. Looking at the almanac, the French ships don't seem terribly formidable individually but there's a LOT of them.


With any luck they'll send some units to the Baltic where I can perhaps whittle them down a bit.

1910, December. Not much activity in the North Sea for two months, I am blockaded of course. However with an invasion in progress, the Russian fleet cannot sit it out in port and wait for the French blockade to bite.

Fleet action in support of land combat. Here maybe is another chance to bring Russia to heel so I can turn on the French. Contact. Moving to battle speed (usually max -2 so as not to exhaust the stokers too soon) and formation. Looks like nearly all their remaining capital units have sortied. (continues)

This is shaping up very nicely. I'm taking hits, their gunnery has improved--well, I suppose it had to.

But once again the strong screening force is running away and they have abandoned the battleships, which are now surrounded.
Looks like it's going to be a clean sweep. The BB torpedoed Hindenburg which is the only sour note. However it seems survivable atm.

Now when it is far too late the Russian flotilla craft seem to be looking for an opportunity to make mischief.

I don't think it's going to work, but I've sent some cruisers to escort my BCs which are pretty badly knocked around.
For the rest of them, damage is acceptable and I think they can take care of themselves.
Final results of the battle: major victory. The Russian DDs danced around but did not get within range. All units home except for one DD and a fair bit of damage all round. The Russians are now pretty much disarmed. No major reinforcements due for 2-3 years. The enemy has put out peace feelers. On the one hand, it is risky to mask the Russians with a small force and turn west. On the other, I think I can serve the French in the same way--and I want the Baltics so I have something to show for all this effort.

So, on with the war. A couple more months should do it...

And here is the payoff: So far so good.

1911, January.

The Russians are down to 2 Bs, 2 CAs and 56 DDs. I've formed the Baltic Fleet with 4 Bs, 3 CAs, 2 CLs and some destroyers to keep them quiet. The Bs will do 20kts and are all six-guns.

The rest of the fleet has rebased to the west and includes 2 actual BBs, 2 BCs and five Bs which the designer has reclassifed to BB after upgrading to turbines and 22kts, 10 CA, 4 CL, about 20 destroyers. These pseudo-BBs are all six-guns and I hope I can get more use out of them yet. There about a dozen more units still fixing up light damage for another month.

Opposing this is France with 3 BBs, 2 BC, 13B, 9 CA, 1 CL and no less than 68 destroyers so I am not going for close action this time to begin with. On paper Germany is heavily outnumbered, but we'll see how much that matters soon.

The French Bs in particular are a motley lot, half of them from before 1900. Ship for ship, the KM are better and all my AF crews are elite.

I have so few destroyers because below 900 t they are not that great and I've only recently developed that. 10 more under construction. I never build 300 tonners, the 400s have all been scrapped and most of the 500s are on TP since I don''t have enough corvettes--like I said earlier, I botched the timing of this war and must make do with what I have.

Relations with Britain seem to be deteriorating...

Not a great start: unexpected battle a long way from home, no decline possible.

I hate these. The extra distance can make all the difference between getting a damaged ship back and not.

Will have to be more cautious than is my custom.
Contact. I need to move towards my lone BC to the NW. Don't want to engage until the gang's all here. This is their scouting force. These CAs have 4x 10" so quite nasty. Not particularly eager to close yet. All together again. Making off W at cruising speed. If they want to close so be it, but if nothing comes of this I'll be well happy. (continues)

Dusk in 25 mins. I'll be very happy to lose them in the dark. Hmm, looks like they want to make an issue of it.
Night has fallen, and we are night combat specialists. Bring it on! Look like they wanted this battle about as much as I did.
Happy to get home in one piece.

1911, Feb. Convoy defence. These are tedious due to the lack of an 'Escort' order meaning you have to click away doubling the convoy to stay in touch with it. Not to do so, I have, is fatal...

Big OB, therefore expecting lots of company. Since they are after the transports, I will stay close to them and see what harm I can do to the Frenchies.
That didn't take long--5 mins in. Yep, plenty of company, unwelcome at that. Increasing speed to 20kts and getting betweem them and the convoy. An hour in. They don't seem to like the size of the escort. Fine; let's get a little closer and see if we can bag some stragglers.
(continues)