Custom Scenario Name:                 FALKLAND (BR)
Scenario Starting Date:               8 December 1914 
Maximum Scenario Duration:            9 turns (1days/turn)

Scenario Author:                      RhinoBones
Author's E-mail Address:              RhinoBones@aol.com
Last Scenario Revision Date:          January 05, 1999

Version 1.2 

"PLAY FROM AGHEILA...2 SLOT"

Scenario:  Falkland Islands 1914 (Britain Side)

Revision History:

v1.1  12-07-98  Initial Release 
v1.1  12-12-98  Updated
v1.2  01-05-99  German transports changed to armed commerce raiders, SMS Scharnhorst strengthened, ReadMe file corrections



Background:

Prior to the outbreak of war, the German High Seas Fleet had maintained a presence based in Tsingtau, China which afforded protection and moral support for the German possessions in both mainland China and the Pacific islands.  The squadron was commanded by Admiral Maximillian Count Graff von Spee and consisted of the armored cruisers Gneisenau and Scharnhorst, cruisers Leipzig and Dresden and the light cruisers Nurnberg and Emden.  The Emden was dispatched to raid Commonwealth shipping to the South and Southwest (the Emden was most successful at this assignment) while Spee took the rest of the squadron in a general Southeast course on a separate hunting expedition.

Spee's first stop was in Polynesia where he had Papeete bombarded.  Next stop was Fanning Island in the Central Pacific where he destroyed the British cable station. By October 1914 he was at Easter Island where reinforcements were received.  He then moved on, accompanied by two supply ships.

British Admiralty, i.e. First Lord Winston Churchill and First Sea Lord Jackie Fisher, gather a force to track down and eliminate the German threat.  Their first attempt was to form a small squadron commanded by Rear Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock.  Under his command were the heavy cruisers Good Hope and Monmouth, light cruiser Glasgow and the armed liner Otranto.  During September and October Cradock had been hunting for the Dresden when he received an intelligence report that the Leipzig was near at hand.  He moved in for the kill only to find Spee's entire squadron.  Instead of withdrawing in the face of a superior force (this is not the British way) he moved toward the enemy with the intent to inflict as much damage as possible.  Considering that Spee was a long way from the facilities necessary to repair battle damage, in the long run, the attempt to cripple part of Spee's squadron was undoubtedly the most aggressive course of action.  

The engagement on November 1st between Spee and Cradock's squadrons is known as the Battle of Coronel.  At the end of the engagement, both the Good Hope and Monmouth had been sunk, Cradock and 1600 of his men were dead.  Spee had suffered no casualties.  Cradock's intent to inflict punishment on the Germans was a total failure.  Spee moved on to the Falkland Islands where he planned to destroy the British wireless station before heading home.

The Admiralty quickly put together a second squadron.  This time they allocated the battle cruisers Inflexible and Invincible along with the cruisers Carnarvon, Cornwall, Kent, Bristol, Defense and Glasgow (repaired after Coronel).  The new commander was Vice Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee.  For good measure the old, slow battleship Canopus was parked in the mud off of Stanley acting as a floating fortress.

At 8:30 am December 8th Spee arrived at the Falklands and found the British squadron waiting for him.  Knowing that he was heavily outgunned he ordered his squadron to split up and run, however, he did not know that the British ships were faster than his own.  In turn the Gneisenau, Scharnhorst, Leipzig, Nurnberg and the supply ships were chased down and sunk.  By 8:35 pm the battle was over and Spee, his two sons and 1800 German sailors were dead.  The Dresden escaped and on March 14, 1915 at the Chilean island of Juan Fernandez was scuttled to avoid capture by the cruisers Glasgow and Kent.  

Author's Notes:

Juan Fernandez is also known by the names of Mas a Tierra and Robinson Crusoe's Island.

In the solitaire mode this scenario is designed to be played from the British side while the AI plays the German side.  Playing against the AI from the other side is possible; however, it will not result in a competitive game.

PBM balance is attempted by modifying the victory conditions since prestige and experience changes are ineffectual.

Victory Conditions:

Solitaire Mode.  The British player must prevent destruction of the wireless station at Stanley.  Destruction of the station occurs when Stanley is occupied by the Kriegs Marines for any portion of a turn.  The marines do not need to capture and hold Stanley until the expiration of the last game turn.

PBM Mode.  German victory is achieved by destruction of the wireless station or by defeating the British navy.  If the German squadron has an equal or greater number of ships (including the two transports) at the conclusion of the last turn the British are considered to have lost more material and have therefore elected to withdraw from the Falkland Islands.  The Kriegs Marines are then free to destroy the wireless station at their leisure.

  
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