Greetings, my enthusiastic friend!
Our guest for today is a player called Vany_572 representing the RU server.
As you already know, he's going to show us his skills on Des Moines.
It's one thing to control a ship sitting comfortably
in a cozy armchair in front of a display,
and it's completely different to be in the conning tower of a cruiser
in the middle of a sea battle…
…For the third day, our international squadron comprising twelve warships
had been located in the “North” sector.
Our scouts reported that “Red Alliance” forces
were focused specifically on this region.
There were four straits marked on my tactical map with letters A, B, C, and D.
Our squadron had a definite combat mission—
capture and hold these points at any cost.
At 10:30, we received information
that the enemy squadron had set off in our direction.
My Des Moines needed to provide fire support
in a small strait between points A and B.
Enemy Ibuki was detected 13 kilometers away.
Our new Mark 16
would easily penetrate the Japanese cruiser armor at this distance.
I ordered the senior artillery officer to open fire with armor-piercing shells.
First shots, and all of them hit the citadel.
Ibuki hid behind an island.
But Edinburgh was coming right after.
The Brit started to slow down to lay a smoke screen.
But our guns were already aimed at the enemy.
And again we penetrated the citadel.
Edinburgh forgot about the smoke screen and tried to escape,
but allied Tirpitz was ahead of me.
Stubborn German!
Couldn't forgive me for the lost rank star since marine school.
The allied destroyer started to set a smoke screen—
that's great cover for my Des Moines firing at distant targets.
Suddenly, an enemy Shimakaze appeared from behind an island.
I gave an order to load high-explosive shells. That wasn't in vain.
Our shells caused pillars of fire and smoke
to appear on the deck of the Japanese destroyer.
Like a wounded whale, Shimakaze literally leaped into shallow water,
where she sank under the fire of our allies.
The smoke screen dissipated, and New Orleans appeared in the distance.
And again I gave the order to load the armor-piercing shells. Fire!
Two of our salvos literally crushed the American.
Our first blood in this battle!
And at that moment, something hit our left side!
A deafening noise! And again!
Somebody was counter-firing at us.
One of the officers came in and reported that there was a fire on the foredeck,
and the Damage Control Party started to extinguish it.
I commanded “Full astern!” to escape artillery fire.
An island helped us, but we were badly beaten.
Scouts reported that “Red Alliance”
were left with seven warships versus our eight.
Enemy Minotaur and Dmitri Donskoi
attempted an aggressive breakthrough to point B.
A salvo at the Brit…
miss!
I ordered my crew to shift fire to Donskoi.
I could clearly see through the binoculars
that the shells hit the enemy cruiser in the center of their right side,
directly in the citadel.
Donskoi quickly changes course, trying to avoid her imminent doom.
And she did it…
At that moment, Minotaur showed her forward end from behind the nearby cape.
An armor-piercing salvo!
The British cruiser fired back… it was the last thing she managed to do.
Six shells hit Minotaur in the citadel at once.
A powerful explosion—apparently, the magazine of the British cruiser detonated.
We had to get out from the heavy return fire immediately.
Judging by the reports from the other ships,
we fully controlled the straits at points A and B.
Some enemies retreated. However, the enemy North Carolina
that breached the opposite flank was still a threat to the allies.
And again I ordered my crew to change the type of shells.
High-explosive shells hit the battleship silhouette precisely, one by one.
I could clearly see, even at such a distance,
how several fires embraced the battleship.
North Carolina went to the bottom of the sea.
Soon we would control the strait at point D as well.
At that moment, Roon was heading right towards me.
We fired high-explosive shells, the enemy changed her course;
I gave the order to load armor-piercing shells and slow down
so it would be harder for Roon to hit us.
The burning German hid behind an island,
however, the fire did its job—Roon sank.
But it wasn't victory yet.
Literally five kilometers away from me,
enemy Gearing started to set a smoke screen.
I commanded “Full ahead!” and “Starboard!”,
because I knew that torpedoes were already approaching my cruiser.
Meanwhile, shells were raining out of the smoke screen.
My crew fired at random.
Salvo!
Another one!
Gearing destroyed!
Then I heard the reports about a fire close to the funnel—
Donskoi was firing at us,
but the torpedoes to starboard were a greater threat.
Time stopped.
The alerts of the approaching torpedoes were bursting from the speakers.
The dead silence in the conning tower was interrupted by a flagman's shout:
Missed!
“Red Alliance” forces were destroyed.
Monarch tried to pass through the strait at point B, but she didn't make it—
my high-explosive shells burnt down the Brit.
The “North” sector is ours! The combat mission is complete!
Right, a captain's job is not an easy one.
A captain bears great responsibility—for not only the ship,
but for each officer, sailor and even a ship's cat.
For that battle, Vany_572 earned more than one million credits,
a 4,500 free experience, five medals, and inflicted 315 thousand damage.
We’re granting our hero doubloons,
and he also gets a chance to decorate the mast on his Des Moines
with the “Sea Smackdown” commemorative flag.
On a related note, I'm sure that the next lucky captain to get a reward
will be you, my daring friend.
Don't forget to send me your replay!