Another exciting playtest session of the Battle of North Cape using Flattops & Floating Fortresses concluded last night. Most participants were newcomers, with John and Stefan helming the formidable Kriegsmarine while Andy, Steve, and Stewart took command of the proud British Navy. As with our previous sessions, enjoyment was the order of the night.
Different strategies emerged as our British admirals executed a very setup from the last game. As you may already know, Flattops & Floating Fortresses‘ innovative mechanism of using face-down threat cards keeps players in suspense, not knowing the strength or position of their adversaries until the ships materialize from the arctic gloom.
Stewart and Andy’s Royal Navy setup was a tactical masterpiece. Ahead, Andy set up a screening force with his submarines Trespasser and Truculent along with destroyers Mahratta and Saumarez secured the board’s eastern flank. A cluster of destroyers cruisers, including the eminent Belfast, shielded the heavyweights: the Duke of York and Anson. In their protective shadow, the merchant vessels stuck to the quickest path off the board.
Anticipating the merchant vessels’ eastern location, Stefan’s Kriegsmarine dispatched the Scharnhorst, Admiral Hipper, and an escort of destroyers in a blockade. Their other significant play was a phalanx of John’s u-boats to the west. With a smart play of Decorations, John had some of the Kriegsmarine’s deadliest skippers in his task force. Unfortunately for John, he positioned his U-boats directly against the bulk of Steve and Stewart’s British destroyers.
In the ensuing naval dance, German u-boats managed to cripple the destroyer HMS Musketeer. Yet, the remaining British destroyers, especially Savage, Scorpion, and the Norwegian Stord, deftly outmaneuvered the German subs, effectively sidelining them for most of the game.
The crescendo of the battle centered around the gunnery exchanges between the Scharnhorst, Hipper, and the British screening destroyers. As these clashes intensified, the British heavyweights moved into their firing range. The Hipper faced a setback with its engines getting decimated, and Belfast paid the price for its audacity. But soon, “Britannia ruled” the waves, with the Anson, Duke of York, and Sheffield unleashing a torrent of firepower on their German counterparts.
The outcome? A resounding British victory—a stark contrast to our last session—attests to the scenario’s balanced nature. I’m eagerly anticipating showcasing this in Lancaster PA at HMGS Fall-In 2023.
For those curious about the game, check out Flattops & Floating Fortresses for a deep dive into naval strategy.
Leave a Reply