The First Balkan War (1912-13)
FG&DN Scenario

The Battle of Lemnos

By Christoph Kluxen

Location:

The Dardanelles, Turkey, 18 January 1913, 0800 hours local time.

Turkish Battleship Barbaros Hayr-ed Din (ex-Kürfürst Friedrich Wilhelm)

Operational Situation:

After the battle of Cape Helles, the Turkish navy executed some successful raids against Greek- occupied islands near the Turkish coast. Following this, they planned to attack Greek shipping. On the night of 15/16 January 1913, the Turkish cruiser Hamidije slipped through the blockade. On 17 January it attacked and sank the Greek auxiliary cruiser Makedonia .

To support Hamidije and put pressure on the Greeks, the Turks launched their fleet against the blockading forces. The Turks ’ rationale was that the only Greek ship able to catch Hamidije was Georgios Averoff . So, if Georgios Averoff was off on a hunt for Hamidije, the Greek OBBs could easily be overwhelmed.

If Georgios Averoff was still with the blockade squadron, it could be kept away from this hunt and maybe even damaged.

Tactical Situation:

At 0800 the Turkish fleet is ready to leave the mouth of the Dardanelles. The Greeks ’ squadron is at Mudros harbor, ready to get underway. Two Greek destroyers are guarding the mouth of the Dardanelles.

Environment:

Visibility is 75% with 50% cloud cover from 2000 m to 3000 m, wind from 65° at 8 knots. Sea state is 2. Sunset is at 1720, sunrise at 0737.

Greek Forces:

Main body: Georgios Averoff (Georgios Averoff class CR); Spetsai, Psara, Hydra (all three Spetsai class OBB) Sentry force: Aspis (Aspis class DD), Leon (Aetos class DD)

Greek Orders:

Do not allow Turkish forces to leave the Dardanelles. Do not risk your ships. Try to sink a Turkish OBB.

Greek Victory Conditions:

Decisive: No OBB or CR damaged more than 50% and at least one Turkish OBB of the ex-German Brandenburg class sunk.

Tactical: No OBB or ACR damaged more than 25% and more damage points inflicted to the Turkish ships than received by them.

Turkish Forces:

Main body: Barbaros Hayr-ed Din, Torgud Reis (both ex-German Brandenburg class OBB) ; Messudieh (Messudieh class OBB) Vanguard: Medjidije (Medjidije class CR) , Yarhisar, Basra (both French Durandal class DD)

Coast Defense Forces:

Fort Sedd el Bahr: Two 28cm/22 Krupp, two 26cm/22 Krupp, two 24cm/22 Krupp, four 8. 8cm QF.
Fort Cape Helles: Two 24cm/35 Krupp.
Fort Kum Kale: Two 28cm/22 Krupp, two 26cm/22 Krupp, two 24cm/22 Krupp, one 21cm/22 Krupp, one 15cm/22 Krupp, one 15cm/40.
Fort Orkanie: Two 24cm/35 Krupp.

Turkish Orders:

Bombard the harbor of Mudros. Do not risk the loss of one ship. If opportunity arises, sink Georgios Averoff .

Turkish Victory Conditions:

Decisive: No OBB damaged more than 25% and ACR Georgios Averoff sunk.

Tactical: No OBB damaged more than 25% and more damage points inflicted to the Greek ships than received by them. If the Turkish ships manage to bombard Mudros harbor, unopposed by the Greeks, with at least 5 salvoes per OBB, then raise the Turks’ victory level one step. A Draw becomes a Turkish Tactical victory or a Turkish Tactical victory becomes a Turkish Decisive victory.

Turkish Setup:

Main body: Barbaros Hayr-ed Din, Torgud Reis , and Messudieh start at point (T) . Course is 280° at 12 knots. Formation is line ahead with Barbaros Hayr-ed Din leading and the other ships following in the listed order.

Vanguard: Medjidije, Yarhisar , and Basra start 500 yards ahead of the main body. Course is 280° at 14 knots. Formation is at the player ’s discretion.

Greek Setup:

Main body: Georgios Averoff, Spetsai, Psara, and Hydra are at Mudros harbor, point (X) on the map. Spetsai, Psara and Hydra are inport in steaming condition. Georgios Averoff is ready to get underway.

Sentry force: Aspis and Leon are at point (z) on the map. Speed and formation is at the player ’s discretion.

Special Rule:

All ship-based guns of both opponents fire in local control only. Due to lack of training and poor crew quality, their respective fire control systems were inoperable.

Variations:

One, some or all of the described four variations can be chosen. If 1) and/or 4) is selected, do not tell the other player. For every two of the ships mentioned in the variants that are sunk, the level of victory (Decisive or Tactical) of the party which lost the vessel is reduced one level.

1) The Greek submarine Delfin was still guarding the Dardanelles. Set it at any point in an arc from north to west to south within 4 nm of point (z) .

2) The Greek destroyers Keravnos, Neagenea (both Keravnos class DD), Aetos and Jerax (both Aetos class DD) were on patrol in the south, near the island of Chios. Let them enter the battlefield south of Lemnos at 1000 hours. Speed and formation are at the player ’s discretion.

3) The Turkish rearguard, consisting of the antique battleship Asar-I-Tevfik (Asar-I-Tevfik class OBB) , the destroyers Muavenet-i-Millije, Jadighar-i-Millet, Numune-i-Hamaije, Gairet-i-Watanije (all four ex-German S165 class DD), Tasoz, Samsun , (both French Durandal class DD), the torpedo boats Akhisar, Eliagod, Angora, Dracht, Mussul , and Urffa (all six Akhisar class TB) were left behind off Kum Kale to protect the mouth of the Dardanelles. Let them follow the battleship group at a distance of 3 nm. Formation and speed are at the player ’s discretion.

4) One of the tactics used to attack ships behind your formation was to drop mines, as executed in the Russo-Japanese war 1904/1905. The Turks had bought some German C/77 mines, mainly to protect the Dardanelles. If the Turkish player decides to take this option, place six German C/77 mines on the stern of the last battleship of the line. If they are hit, as an “Other Weapon ” critical hit, the consequences will be disastrous.

Historical Outcome:

The Turkish vanguard drove away the Greek sentry destroyers at about 0830 hours. Then the ships proceeded in direction of Lemnos. Only the rear guard was left behind to patrol the mouth of the Dardanelles off Kum Kale.

At 1025, the Turkish vanguard sighted the Greek fleet leaving Mudros harbor. The Turkish destroyers headed back to the Dardanelles and the cruiser Medjidije took the rear position in the Turkish battle line.

On converging southward courses, the battle lines approached each other and opened fire at about 1135 hours at a range of 8,800 meters (9,630 yards) .

Georgios Averoff and Spetsai concentrated on Barbaros Hayr-ed Din, Hydra fired at Torgud Reis, and Psara at Messudieh. Medjidije fired some shots at Georgios Averoff, but was ordered to fall back to the Dardanelles.

At about 1150 hours luck smiled on the Greeks. Psara hit Messudieh and disabled three of her 6 inch guns. Then two hits from Georgios Averoff disabled the forward and middle turret of Barbaros Hayr-ed Din. The Turkish ships then turned away and headed for the Dardanelles.

The intended pursuit failed. Due to mishandling of the boilers, this time on Greek side, the speed of Georgios Averoff dropped. In the Greek reports it was disguised by the statement that the Turkish ships reached speeds of over 17 kts. The hit rate on both sides was again abysmally poor, the same 0.2% of fired shots as in the Battle of Cape Helles.

After this engagement the 28cm ammunition for the Turkish OBBs was largely used up. Furthermore, the barrels were worn out. Therefore, the ships were held in reserve for a possible defense of Istanbul, in case the Allied forces renewed their attacks.

The First Balkan War (1912-13) FG&DN Scenario

BT

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