Beneath the Med

 Our latest remote mid-week outing was another trip to a GMT solo game, this time covering Italian submarine operations in WW2 and entitled 'Beneath the Med', published by GMT. 

Tim provides a promotional shot of the box art. 

There are a whole series of these covering submarine operations in various theatres. We've already played 'The Hunters' about U Boats in the North Atlantic.

Each type of sub has its own data chart covering stuff like system damage, how many torpedoes are left etc. We were assigned to a fairly short range sub called the Maccale, so Med operations only. It was somewhat less well equipped with torpedoes than its Germans equivalent with six tubes and only six reloads, but had a hefty 100mm deck gun.

 Irl it had the distinction of being the first submarine of its class to be lost in the war, being sunk when it ran aground on 5th June 1940! Well, as long as we can do better than that.....

Although  it is designed as a solo game, we played it as a team with each of us assigned to a particular role. This generally involved rolling the dice appropriate to that position. Tim had done a lovely crew chart with all the correct Italian ranks etc. The general roles were as follows.

Micheal - Commander

John B - 2iC and operations officer

Me - Guns (and third officer)

John A - Torps

Russell - Engineer

Pete - Medic

Mark - Lavatory orderly

In the U Boat game I'd been Torps, so running Guns made a change.

The general sequence of play was the same as the U-Boat one, we were assigned a sector and mission for a given month. Then moved through various sea areas to the mission zone, rolling dice for encounters. After a mission the sub refitted for between one and several months depending on the degree of damage sustained.

The individual actions were covered by the QRS which included gun and torpedo attacks, escort actions, air attacks and damage location resolution.

We rapidly discovered that the Med was a very different beast to the North Atlantic. Enemy aircraft and escorts seemed to be everywhere! The Second Officer recorded the log:

June 1940

Central Med patrol.  While transiting from La Spezia, officer of the watch spotted enemy aircraft.  Excellently executed crash dive.

Enemy tanker Barthon 9,800t, sunk in close night torpedo attack.  Some damage from escort.

Small enemy freighter Tuva, 4,700t, sunk in night torpedo attack.  Some damage from escorts.

Night encounter with enemy submarine Triton.  Honours even.  Some damage.

Returned safely to La Spezia.  14,500t sunk.

July 1940

Comandante Beraducci awarded Bronze War Cross.  Crew awarded Submarine Badge.

Run ashore.

August 1940

Extended repairs in dock.

Another run ashore.

Sept 1940

Western Med supply run.  Attacked by enemy aircraft.  Heroic defence by officer of the watch.  Some damage taken.

Supply mission successfully completed.

Enemy tanker Viva Borthn, 7,000 t, sank.  Some damage from escort.

Returned safely to La Spezia.  Total 21,500t sunk.

Oct 1940

Run ashore

Nov 1940

Further extensive repairs in dock.

Another run ashore.

Dec 1940

Central Med mine-laying.

Enemy freighter Empire Centaur, 7,000t, sighted but mine warfare mission has priority.

Enemy aircraft - another superb crash dive.

Mine-laying mission successfully completed.  Enemy tanker Barbo, 6,300t, sunk.

Returned safely to La Spezia.  Total 27,800t sunk.

Jan 1941

Run ashore.

Feb 1941

Central Med patrol.  Enemy tanker Casanare, 5,400t, blown out of the water.

Returned safely to La Spezia.  Total 33, 200t sunk.

March 1941

Comandante Beraducci awarded Silver Cross.

Run ashore.

The rather dry 'some damage' taken somewhat underestates the relentless air and depth charge attacks which caused serious hull damage, flooding and knocked out key systems including our aft torpedo tubes, half our engine capacity and our AA guns! The Med seemed to be far more tenaciously defended than the Atlantic, and one very persistent escort managed no less than five depth charge runs before we broke off. We were very lucky to escape with our lives from that one.

I missed the Wednesday session, but the mission log was very exciting indeed! Just look at the August 1941 entry....

Excerpts from the Log of the Royal Italian Submarine Macalle

April 1941 to March 1942

April 1941

Central Med - minelaying

Sighted enemy freighter Neptunium, 5,200t, with escort.  Continued on mission.

Mines laid successfully.

Sighted enemy freighter Anna Vore, 3,300t, and escort.  Continued back to base.

Mines sank tanker Horn Shell, 8,300t, and freighter Pisarro, 1,400t.

Total sunk now 42,900t.

May 1941

Run ashore.

June 1941

Eastern Med patrol. 

Sank freighter Empress of Canada, 21,500t.

Returned safely to La Spezia.  Total sunk now 64,400t

July 1941

Comandante Beraducci awarded Gold Cross.  All officers receive War Merit Cross.

Secondo Bassetti and Torpedo Chief Silurio recognised as experts in their field.

Run ashore to celebrate.

August 1941

Eastern Med - intercept enemy convoy HALBERD.

Sighted enemy lt cruiser Calypso.  Dived to avoid contact.

Engaged and sank enemy battleship Nelson, 34,000t.

Evaded enemy destroyer Havock, 1,300t.

Returned safely to La Spezia.  Total sunk now 98,400t.

Sept 1941

Comandante Beraducci receives bar for Gold Cross.  Also Iron Cross (2nd class) from Berlin.

Run ashore for further celebration.

Oct 1941

Central Med patrol.

Enemy freighters Orao, 5,100t, and Longworth Hill, 7,600t sunk.  Evaded enemy cruiser Sydney.

Returned safe to La Spezia.  Total sunk now 111,100t.

Nov 1941

Comandante Beraducci receives Kinght's Cross of the Iron Cross from Berlin.  

Comandante Beraducci promoted to Capitano Di Corvetta.

Chief Engineer Fachetti promoted to Capo Di Prima Classe.

Run ashore.  Great celebration.

Dec 1941

Eastern Med - launch three SLC against enemy fleet in Alexandria.  Two maiali penetrated harbour defences.  Enemy destroyer Hotspur sunk.  One SLC crew lost, two captured.

Exited Alexandria harbour successfully.  Enemy destroyer Hyperion, 2,100t, engaged and sunk.

Attacked by enemy destroyer Legion.  Some damage.  Successfully evaded by going deep.

Returned safely to La Spezia.  Total sunk now 114,500t.

Jan 1942

Comandante Beraducci 

awarded second bar for Gold Cross.

Further great celebration.

Feb 1942

Extensive repairs.

Another run ashore.

Hangovers.

March 1942

Eastern Med patrol.

Sank enemy freighter Moldanger, 6,800t.

Engaged and sank enemy destroyer Latona, 2,700t.

Returned safe to La Spezia.  Total sunk now 124,000t.

It was an absolutely brilliant game, and it seemed to work even better as we were remote, so each crew position was in its own 'compartment'. The attacks were very tense and I even got to fire my guns at a surface ship on one occasion, sending it to the bottom. The 2nd Officer heroically engaged an enemy aircraft with the AA when we were caught on the surface too.

A very good game, highly recommended, and I hope we play it or its cousins again soon.