Introduction

Time for another DW Battle Report! This time around, it is a rematch of the game I had played a week before between myself and Last Rites. This time around, however, we were going to be playing within CDR-G’s Operation Galvanic campaign framework. This meant that we would have to modify our lists somewhat; no Dreadnoughts were allowed, and no Local Support SAS were available.

Story

The Indian Ocean is not especially large compared to the Atlantic or the vast Pacific. However, to Kapitan zur See Ruckdog, whose fleet was under constant threat of surprise attack from all directions, it seemed plenty large indeed. His Unabhängig Geschwader, or Independent Squadron, had been underway for weeks. Leaving ports in allied French territory, his force had made its way south along the Afrikan coast, rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and continued heading east towards its hoped-for rendezvous with Blazing Sun forces in the Far East. The journey had been long and perilous, transiting as it did through seas nominally controlled by hostile powers, not the least of which was the Covenant. However, “Geschwader Ruckdog,” as his fleet had been dubbed by the bureaucrats back it Imperial Prussian HQ, had managed to elude any forces sent to interdict it thus far. Which was for the best, since HQ had determined that his previous flagship, the dreadnought Mecklenburg, was needed closer to home waters. Instead, he had been forced to shift flag to the assault carrier Merkur. That was probably just as well, since his squadron had long since passed out of range of Prussian land-based air support.  Now, however, Geschwader Ruckdog had to make it through one final barrier before it could join the fight in the Pacific; the Straights of Malacca. He was certain that the Britannians would attempt to contest his passage at this choke point, and so he had sent some of his lighter units, led by the battlecruiser Derfflinger, to scout ahead of his main body. His fears turned out to be well-founded when at 1100 frantic reports from the Derfflinger indicated Britannian cruisers, destroyers, and frigates were present. The battle for the straight was on!
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