Cabinette Wars

A Russo-Japanese Naval Campaign

A potted history by a partial, prejudiced, & ignorant wargamer.

PART THREE – Seeking to escape from checkmate a Russian surprise sortie delivers the decisive encounter.

In May 1904, the Japanese, having gained near total moral ascendency over the decayed and enfeebled Russian fleet, sought to seal up the remnants with a blockship attack on Port Arthur.  The attempt was intended to take place at dusk on the 15^th of May but a heavy storm broke out and the attack was brought forward to make use of the cover it provided.  Unfortunately, while the wind remained strong and the swell heavy, the skies cleared exposing the blockships to the full force of the Russian shore batteries.  In a magnificent display of devotion to the Divine Emperor the blockships pressed on regardless but all were sunk before they could reach the channel. 

In material terms this was a Russian victory but the magnificent display of suicidal courage by the Imperial Navy only served to deepen the gloom in Port Arthur, which, like Vladivostok, was again mined by the Japanese.

As May wore on the Vladivostok squadron risked the minefields in an attempt to catch an unsuspecting minelaying mission.  This was always a forlorn hope and faced by four armoured cruisers and four protected cruisers the three Russian armoured cruisers were quick to show a clean pair of heels.  Again, despite the fair weather, the Russians were able to escape, but not before taking considerable damage.

Vladivostok Combat (26-May-1904): White = Russians.

Bereft of ideas the Russians staked all on a last throw of the dice to wrest back control of the sea off Wei Hai Wei.  On this desperate venture, they committed their entire battle fleet except the battleship Pobyada which was held back to bombard Chinampo.  The Russians had gambled on achieving surprise by sailing before completing repairs from previous actions and by navigating through two Japanese minefields.  Lady Luck at first smiled on the Russians as they passed through the minefields unscathed, but then, ever-fickle, delivered them up to the guns of the Japanese. 

The 4th, and Final, Battle of Wei Hai Wei: with squalls from SW and just 2 hours to sun-set the fleets met again off Wei Hai Wei.  In terms of battleships the odds appeared even at four apiece, but the Japanese, benefiting from the greater capacity of their dockyards, were all fully repaired and fit for action.  The Japanese battleships were also supported by four protected cruisers massively over-matching the TBDs escorting the Russian ships.  The Japanese advantage would have been even greater if the Nisshin and Kasuga (ACs) had not been overlooked[1] and summoned to join the fleet from their nearby station off the port of Wei Hai Wei.  As ever the Russian tactic of sailing close inshore to try and hide their silhouette against the land resulted in an island interposing between the fleets as they spotted each other.  This time there was to be no repetition of previous chases around islands as both sides elected to pass it to the East. 

Third Battle of Wei Hai Wei (27-May-1904): white = Russians.

At first the gunnery duel hung in the balance but the Japanese slowly gained an edge which, added to the damage already being carried by some of the Russian ships, rapidly became decisive.  The Russians also failed to concentrate their fire, their battleships at times switching fire from their opposite numbers to engage the Japanese protected cruisers that were massacring the Russian TBDs.  With the Russians falling into confusion the Japanese pressed in to ensure a decision before dark.  The Japanese resolve in closing in for the kill was vindicated in the ensuing melee during which the all the Russian TBDs were sunk and the battleships Poltava and Tsarevich were crippled and struck their colours.  Another hour of daylight would probably have rendered the victory absolute but the Sevastopol and the crippled Petropavlovsk managed to escape into the night.  The one-sided nature of this victory was underlined by the crippling of the Akashi (PC) as the only significant damage suffered by the Japanese.  

While the Port Arthur squadron was being crushed a Russian minelaying mission (3 x TBDs) to Wei Hai Wei came to grief when the TBD Boevoi & Boiki sank after striking mines off Port Arthur[2].  

The one Russian success set against these disasters was the bombardment of Chinampo by the battleship Pobyada.  This successful action, the first of its type, could not offset the decisive defeat at the 4th Battle of Wei Hai Wei at which the Pobyada may have been better employed.

 

As May drew to a close the Japanese laid yet more mines off Wei Hai Wei, Vladivostok and Chinampo (twice![3]) while a similar TBD mission off Port Arthur clashed with a Russian TBD patrol.  Little tactical finesse was shown by either side, both charging and passing through each other in line abreast like two squadrons of cavalry.  The Japanese came out ahead but with the loss of the TBDs Harusame & Murasame could not lay an effective minefield rendering the mission abortive.

With the Vladivostok squadron bottled up and most of the ships in Port Arthur undergoing or awaiting repair, the month of June passed without any significant action.  Needless to say, the Japanese took advantage of this lull to continue their relentless minelaying campaign.

With the Russians unable to break the close blockade[4] or prevent the relentless Japanese minelaying operations yet another Japanese troop convoy arrived unhindered in Chinampo on the 7^th of July increasing the pressure on Port Arthur.

This situation could not long endure, and with the writing on the wall*, and no relief in sight**, the Russians capitulated...

VICTORY!

[* A Japanese win was guaranteed by the last Chinampo convoy which would deliver another 8 points over the next 4 turns which would require a successful Russian mission on every turn to stop the win.]

[** The Russian Baltic Fleet would not even start on its epic voyage for another three months.]

Hopefully this might inspire others to try a naval campaign, I can provide details on this one to anyone wishing to refight it.

Notes:

[1.] Accidentally overlooked and left in the box at set up!

[2.] The mission had to be aborted as minelaying requires a minimum of 3 TBD elements (a TBD element = 2 vessels) and reduced to two such elements the mines could not be laid.

[3.] A mistaken and wasteful duplication of effort with two minelaying missions to the same area.

[4.] An attempted Russian mission to Chinampo was rendered void as they had overlooked Japanese control of the Port Arthur sea area; missions are allowed to enter an enemy controlled area but may not pass through.