A friend of mine put together four beautiful models of the Prinz Eugen, Bismarck, Hood, and Prince of Wales. Using a old set of Bismarck Game Rules, and two 4x6 tables set about ten feet apart, we recreated this historic conflict...
We began at range 28,000' and had to plot our movement prior to the judge accepting them. I personally was "onboard" the Heavy Cruiser (CA) Prinz Eugen, and decided to push all ahead flank speed to close range for my 8"guns, while the commanding Admiral decided to begin a slow turn to starboard. The British ships, Hood and PoW pushed ahead as well, and we soon closed the range.
First strike went to the Germans as the Hood took a hit!
What made this an unusual game was not knowing exactly what damage we were doing unless a flash and smoke appeared. (which it did in this case).
Prinz Eugen had the bad luck to take the first hit doled out by the British, a 15" shell destroying my aft Dora turret! 25% of my big guns gone! On the next turn I took another, forward. Bismarck itself dodged all shells sho far...
As the range closed for Prinz Eugen, I opened fire on the PoW, and scored a hit! And only after the game did we learn that the PoW was suffering some malfunctions to her guns! (historically, some unfinished work was still being done by civilian work crews!)
Bismarck scored yet again on the Hood!
Unfortunately for my CA, as I began a turn to starboard, numerous shells crashed onto her, including secondaries from the Hood. The Eugen lost two secondaries and two 8" guns. Hull hits were also scored as well as a hit on the engine room! Things were not looking good...
As Eugen was absorbing all of the British hits (Bismarck had yet to be struck!), the Hood took more hits, but at least she hadn't blown up!
Believing discretion was the better part of valor, and so as not to screen the LOS for Bismarck, I ordered a turn to port. My idea was to lay smoke on the next turn and break away. As the Eugen did, I fired my three secondaries on the starboard side (their firsts shots), and a salvo from Bruno, my last 8' turret. The Hood was punished...
But Eugen's luck had run out. There was to be no next turn to hide under smoke. PoW scored two 15' hits while Hood added several secondaries. With my hull penetrated and fires all over, the valiant Prinz Eugen slid under the cold waters to port...
Pow now opened fire on the Bismarck, but all missed. The Hood however, soon scored some hits...
Then suddenly, a 15' shell penetrated the Hood's deck armor, and she disappeared in a massive explosion (just as had happened that black day for the Royal Navy...
Missing yet again, the PoW was then struck by the Bismarck, scoring serious damage. The British Captain decided to fight another day, and withdrew...
Quite the game. Even though my ship went down, I had some amazing luck shooting, only missing one complete salvo. The Bismarck and Hood's luck went pretty much like history. Future plans now see my friend working on Tirpitz and Warspite so who knows where this will lead to!
