North Sea clash (Quickfire test game) Part 2 - the end

So, the two weeks since I began this game have been crazy, but I finally managed to conclude this trial run of the pre-Dreadnought rules. I aimed to keep the scenario realistic rather than an all-out slugfest, since I think it'll give a better view of how they'll work in a campaign situation.

The premise is that a squadron of German armoured cruisers are heading from NW to SE, bound for a rendezvous with the fleet off Heligoland. They must escape anywhere off the southern edge of the table. The Royal Navy squadron must stop, hinder or at least damage them whilst avoiding any serious losses of its own.

Yorck takes a pounding from the combined fire of the Apollos. Fire breaks out...

...and spreads. The German squadron concentrates on the Naiad to no effect.

As the range opens all ships redirect their fire. Prinz Heinrich comes under a fresh salvo, but escapes serious damage. The same can't be said for Iphigenia. Battered to a hulk by the heavy German guns, she begins to sink.

The last of the Iphigenia.

The German squadron redirects its fire to the next ship in the British line - Andromache. Explosions rock her hull and fire breaks out. The ship's company of the flagship Apollo, running alongside, can only stare aghast as their sister ship is torn apart.

The end of Andromache.

As the hulk of Andromache wallows in the wake of the squadron, the light cruisers' combined fire smashes into the Prinz Heinrich.

The German squadron's return fire seeks out Apollo and a major fire breaks out.

Yorck's damage control parties manage to effect repairs and she regains some speed. As she heads off southward the so-far untouched Roon swings north-east to send a parting salvo to cover the retreat.

Having done her best, Roon maneuvers to rejoin her sister ship, leaving Prinz Heinrich to fight to the last in an attempt to cover the newer ships' escape.

The End. A coup de grace torpedo shot isn't necessary as the combined fire from Naiad and Intrepid send Prinz Heinrich to the bottom.

So, honours even? Could the sinking of an aging armoured cruiser in exchange for two aging light cruisers be considered a fair trade?

The Quickfire rules live up to their name. They are fast. When I was able to find some time to play I could do several turns in a matter of half an hour. I'll try them out again with battleships and destroyers to get a feel for how they handle. At the moment I think I could add some mechanics borrowed from the more complex Battlefleet 1900 rules without doing any harm to the speed of play.

I hope everyone's keeping well in these difficult times. Somehow I suspect more than one lead pile is being reduced!