Malta Convoy session report

The following is a session report from my last game of Malta Convoy.

Once again it was time to relieve the besieged people on the island fortress of Malta, and only the Royal Navy could do it.

The fleet was assembled, numbering, 5 Cruisers, 30 Destroyers, 6 Tankers, 9 Cargo carriers and unfortunately only 1 Aircraft Carrier. The lack of Air cover was going to cause some fatalities. But as they say, if you cant take a joke, you shouldn't have joined up.

The bozos over at intelligence checked out the sub situation and we had to initially divert from the direct root, and spend an additional 5 watches sailing around the threat. Fortunately the first two watches would be safely under air cover.

We set off waving to the air crews as they flew over during the first two watches, then the air became quiet.

The next four watches passed quietly with no sign of the enemy. Unfortunately that was about the last rest we had.

During the next watch an enemy Recon' plane passed by and we knew the trouble was about to start. Sure enough during the next watch in they came, both Italian and German aircraft. They sank a Destroyer and a Cruiser.

During the next watch they targeted the aircraft carrier. They sank it. A couple of our flyboys were in the air at the time, they choose to crash into the sea rather than land on enemy controlled land. Poor fools, we dare not stop to pick them up.

The trouble just continued. A pack of subs hit us during the next watch, we were caught off guard, they damaged a tanker and one of the cargo ships but worse luck, they also sunk another of the cargo ships.

The brass decided to try and shield the cargo ships from the further Uboats attacks and formed a screen. It must have done some good, because during the next three watches we only saw a couple of recon' planes.

Then it started again. This time it was just the Italian aircraft and I even saw one of them brought down but it wasn't enough. We lost another Destroyer and one of the other Cruisers looked damaged, at least there was smoke pouring out of it.

I slept straight through the next watch, not a peep out of anyone. The Italians tried it again, only a couple of them this time, they got in close but missed, oh joy!

They must have gone to sleep then, as the next two watches were quiet.

When they woke however they all came in. The Germans must have sent every aircraft they had. We had a Destroyer damaged, another Destroyer Sunk and they also managed to send another cargo boats down to Davy Jones'.

A brief lull during the next watch was followed by another UBoat attack. It wasn't a whole pack this time, just one boat on it's own. He managed to hit and damage one of the cruisers before the Destroyers chased him off.

Then came the LuftWaffer. We managed to bring another of them down but they damaged a Destroyer and another of the Cargo boats. I saw it taken in tow.

During my next watch the alarm was raised when we spotted another recon' plane. We watched like eagles, and it paid off. During the next watch that lone UBoat appeared again and the Destroyers caught him on the surface and sunk HIM!

Then finally Malta came over the horizon and the convoy slunk into the harbour under the pitiful protection of the Maltese air force, but that is another story.