John Schettler - Kirov

When Samsonov and Rodenko reported a perfect six out of six hits, Captain Karpov was elated. “That will let them know we are not to be fooled with,” he said proudly.

“Excuse me, sir,” said Fedorov. “If our missiles struck as they should have, and hit the targets amidships, then it is very likely they have not seriously harmed the battleships. The carriers were probably hurt, and Repulse will be damaged, though I believe she would survive and still be seaworthy. As for King George V, if we hit her belt armor it would feel like a good stiff jab, but she would shrug it off.”

“What are you saying?” said Orlov. “The Germans sunk battleships with guided flying bombs in this war, did they not? Our missiles are much more lethal.”

“Respectfully, sir,” Fedorov knew he was on thin ice, but he needed to make his point. “You are referring to the Fritz-X, and yes, they sunk and damaged battleships, from above. They did not strike flush against the main armor belt of those ships as our missiles would do coming in at just above sea level. They penetrated the deck armor, which was much thinner. If you want to truly hurt a well armored ship, then you must reprogram your angle of attack on our missiles and have them strike well above the hull line, or at a much steeper angle on impact from above. If you bring them in at sea level, as we would do to defeat modern ship defensive weapons, they will burn and break armor in places, but will not penetrate to the interior of a battleship to do serious damage. Our Sunburns were simply not designed to penetrate this kind of armor. They were built to penetrate thin hulled modern ships of our day, and that they can do well enough. Yet we know that at least two hits are thought necessary to disable a modern American destroyer. Three for their Ticonderoga class cruisers, and as many as five hits for their carriers. Our missiles are powerful, but we need to hit the ship’s deck and superstructure, not its belt armor.”

Orlov scowled at him. “You know so much, eh?” But even his own thick skull had been penetrated by the navigator’s argument. “Samsonov,” he said quickly. “Can we reprogram the angle of attack?”

“We can, sir, but it will take some time. I cannot do this while presently engaging targets. I have two more missiles primed for firing.” He look at the Captain, waiting.

“Hold fire, Samsonov,” said Karpov. “Disengage your system and begin reprogramming for a top down approach to the target. Eliminate the final sea skimming run. Mister Fedorov is correct. Our Sunburns used as low altitude sea skimmers will not be as effective as they could be. As the enemy cannot see us, let alone catch us, we will take the time to make these adjustments. But I want all our offensive weapons optimized as quickly as possible. Report on your progress in four hours. For now, secure from battle stations. Mister Rodenko, let me know what our contact is doing now. Perhaps this attack has at least given them something more to think about.”

August 5th, 1941

Admiral Tovey was still in a state of shock and disbelief. He was trying to sort through what had happened with Brind, collating reports that were now coming in fast and furious. They had turned about, and were running south until he could gather his ships, and his wits, and determine what to do. He shook his head solemnly as he pointed at the chart.

“Wake-Walker is over 200 miles to the north, Brind, up above Reykjavik. If this enemy ship is where we think it is, how in the world could he have been struck up there? Furious has been gutted with fire. She took two hits just as we did, but we were lucky enough to have five times her armor protection. They've managed to put the fires out, but I’m afraid she's no good to us now-no planes and a shattered flight deck due to the explosions.”

“Best to get her into Reykjavik and then off home for repairs,” said Brind. “But the real question is this: what do we do about the Victorious? She's just as vulnerable, sir, and with little more than a few Fulmar fighters aboard, she’s not much good as a strike asset now. In fact, her planes can’t even reacquire the enemy ship on radar. Everything's gone haywire. None of the equipment seems to be working from these latest reports. Walker believes the Germans are using some kind of powerful jammer.”

“You're probably right. Signal Wake-Walker that he is to transfer his flag to cruiser Suffolk and make for Reykjavik as well to refuel his ships. It’s likely I’ll leave Victorious there. Without an air wing she’s just a target.”

“That pairs down Force P to just the two cruisers, sir. Unless you suggest we refuel the destroyers as well.”

“As soon as possible,” said Tovey. “We were fighting this threat as if it were a battleship, Brind. But it’s a carrier, or at least it fights like one. It stands off and strikes at us from extreme range, as any carrier would, but instead of planes it’s throwing these damnable rockets at us. So we can’t go steaming about like this, unescorted and without a proper screen. Yes, I want those destroyers along as well. And anything else in the harbor that’s in any way seaworthy.”

“The Canadians were going to send out three destroyers to pick up Prince of Wales, sir.”

“The more the merrier,” said Tovey. “And we’re going to rendezvous with that ship as well. It’s entirely too lonesome out here. Home Fleet is bloody well going to start looking like one again. Signal Force K and Vian’s two light cruisers and put them on a course to join with us. We need to form a larger task force, and the cruisers were made for screening duty.”

“Right, sir, but what about Repulse? She took two hits as well, and they bruised her quite a bit. Who knows how many more of these long-range rockets the Germans have aboard that ship? My god, sir, how in the world did they develop this weapon without us knowing about it?”

“Your guess is as good as mine, Brind. Lucky for us that they gave us a couple of body shots. If King George V had been slapped about the head and shoulders, the damage would've been far more extensive. Not that we have a weak chin, mind you, but I’d hate to take one of those rockets here on the bridge. All things considered, we haven’t really been hurt that much. Repulse is seaworthy, and Tennant says he can still make thirty knots. Should we risk her further?”

“As it's been demonstrated the enemy rockets can penetrate her side armor sir, I’d think twice about that.” The two men still had dark thoughts over the fate of HMS Hood. Tovey thought about it for a moment, and then decided.

“She can still fight, but I don’t want her out in front on her own like this. Let's reel her in and put her in our wake again. Tennant won't like it, but there it is. We’ll bring Walker and Vian down to join with us with their cruisers and destroyers, and then we’ll swing south. I'm afraid it's an entirely new game now. As amazing as it sounds, we’re are on the defensive. I want to steer in such a way as to put our ships between the enemy and Prince of Wales’ route to Newfoundland. Our best play now is to form a covering force for her until we can make a proper rendezvous with the rest of the fleet.”

“We might simply send Prince of Wales home, sir,” Brind suggested. “Then we can stay in the hunt a while longer.”

“And we might try getting the Prime Minister to agree to that,” said Tovey, somewhat frustrated. “It's time we called in the heavy cavalry. Let's get a message off to Admiral Somerville and bring Force H out from Gibraltar into the Atlantic. He's got Ark Royal, Nelson, Renown, and several more cruisers he can sortie with. Strength in numbers. The pilots aboard Ark Royal have considerably more experience than Wake-Walker's boys did. After all, she stuck a few torpedoes into Bismarck, didn’t she? We could use her, even if we utilize her aircraft for spotting purposes only.”