Famous Ships of the Greenland Campaign

ADDING SOME NARRATIVE TO THE GREENLAND CAMPAIGN WITH SHIPS AND PERSONALITIES

In this post we look at some of the key ships that took part in the brief, yet bloody conflict around the icy shores of Greenland, and discuss how a little narrative can add so much to your games

The Greenland Campaign - A Retrospective

NINE GREAT GAMES WERE RECORDED ON THIS BLOG OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS - IN THIS POST, WE TAKE A LOOK BACK OVER THE SUCCESSES AND FAILURES OF THE TWO GREAT POWERS AND THEIR MERCENARY ALLIES IN THE GREENLAND CAMPAIGN

AAR - Greenland Campaign Finale

"..following months of skirmishes, blockade runs, raids and ambushes, proxy wars with entire fleets of mercenaries and the resulting betrayals and subterfuge that followed, the Federated States of America made their final assault down the Davis Strait and into the Prussian port of Holsteinsborg. 

Their fleet was heavy with bombs and ordnance for leveling the port, and bolstered with mercenaries from the Honourable Eclipse Company. The way was open; the defence fleet that had sallied forth to deny the 27th Bomb Group were sitting at the bottom of the ocean or had been dragged back to port in pieces... 

...but the Prussian port was not defenceless - the mighty Stiglitz still sat in anchor at Holsteinsborg, attended by an entire flotilla of support craft and escorts. Commander Jürgen Grönemeyer was present with his Sturmbringer-class Submarine and elements of his Wolf Pack, and finally, after weeks of preparation, commander Karl-Ehrhart Grunner reclaimed his flag aboard the Emperor-class Battleship Hetzer. 

Battle would be joined in the shallow waters of the port itself, and the siege broken... one way or another..."

- The Blockade of Greenland

Naval Battles of 1872

Battered and broken, the Sachsen is dragged back into port, pursued by the American fleet

AAR - Prussian Empire versus the Federated States of America and Eclipse Company Mercenaries

"...after weeks of stalemate around the Davis Strait, the Federated States of America made their move and began the attack on Holsteinsborg. The 27^th Bomb Group were to lead a preliminary bombing run that would cripple the outer defences of the port, defences where the Americans had been stalled some months previously at the outset of the conflict. 

With the American fleet already stretched across innumerable theatres and oceans, their numbers were bolstered with mercenaries from the Honourable Eclipse Company. This contract would be their undoing, however, as spies within the Company quickly revealed for any pertinent information on fleet movements, dispositions and weaknesses to their Prussian paymasters. 

As the 27^th Bomb Group made their way under the cover of darkness, a small Prussian fleet was hurriedly assembled and sallied forth - at dawn the two fleets spotted one another and battle was joined...

- The Blockade of Greenland

Naval Battles of 1872

AAR - Federated States of America versus Prussian Empire

"After many weeks of research, the Prussian scientists in Greenland finally cracked the secrets recovered from the Argo - schematics for the next generation of FSA warships and a powerful Submarine - a vessel that would change the war in the Atlantic forever. 

This information had to be delivered to the Prussian High Command as soon as possible, but radio transmission was deemed too unreliable and liable to interception - as it stood, the FSA were still unaware the Prussian Empire had recovered the lost plans. A small fleet was prepared which would launch for Iceland and avoid the blockade fleet massing around western Greenland. 

Unfortunately for them, the FSA had moved faster than anticipated. The very ships to discover the blockade were those who needed to break it the most...

- The Blockade of Greenland

Naval Battles of 1872

AAR - Prussian Empire versus Black Wolf Mercenaries

"The capture of the great Dreadnought Sachsen by the treacherous Black Wolf Mercenaries was a loss the Prussian forces could ill afford, and fleet commander Karl-Ehrhart Grunner took the matter to heart. He planned a surprise attack on the Black Company just as they dragged their prize into port. 

Leading the raid was Grunner's best hunter, veteran submarine commander Jürgen Grönemeyer, with an array of vessels and airships filled with Luftlancers and Marines ready for a major boarding assault. Against him stood the infamous Sea Snake; already a veteran of hunting Prussian ships in his Death Bringer-class Submarine, the Red Viper. 

The attack was audacious, timed as the Sachsen was being dragged into the entrance of Clavius Point, and the Black Company knew they were coming. It is difficult to imagine what Grönemeyer thought his chances were of surviving the coming engagement, let alone escaping with his prize... "

 - The Blockade of Greenland

Naval Battles of 1872

The Sachsen is slowly drawn to Ammasalik - the "Rogues Anchorage" and home of the Black Company and their allies

AAR - Prussian Empire versus the Eclipse Company

"The Prussian and Danish salvage fleet returned from Nanortalik in tatters, bringing word of well equipped and well trained mercenaries operating in the interests of the Grand Coalition - not the violent and unpredictable Black Company but a more ostentatious force - the Honourable Eclipse Company. 

Eager to learn the capabilities of this new foe, Prussian fleet commander Karl-Ehrhart Grunner despatched scout ships across the southern coast of Greenland to discover their base of operations. At the same time, he reviewed the intelligence gathered for a raid despatched against the Canadian outpost at St. Anthony - according to his spies, the station was guarded by airships matching descriptions of the Eclipse Company. If the Grand Coalition using these mercenaries to defend their outposts and refuelling stations, were their fleets massing for a grand attack on Greenland? 

Nearly a thousand miles away, the attack was about to begin, and Grunner would soon have his answer..." 

- The Blockade of Greenland

Naval Battles of 1872

Atlas-class Assault Craft pursue a Prussian Scout Airship

AAR - Eclipse Company vs Kingdom of Denmark and Prussian Empire

"The Argo may have been destroyed by the Black Company, but its legacy remained - the debris from the wreck had spread over a large area in the time since the attack. From these pieces, Prussian fleet commander Karl-Ehrhart Grunner reasoned, some rather valuable technology or information could be secured. 

Grunner despatched his best hunter, commander Jürgen Grönemeyer, and his recently refitted Sturmbringer-class Submarine with a small fleet of fast ships to track down the pieces of the Argo and  recover anything valuable. The Wolf Pack rendezvoused with a Danish patrol out of Daneborg some days later. 

Tracking some interesting readings, the Prussian scientists attached to Grönemeyer's fleet directed them south of Nanortalik, an area rarely travelled by Prussian fleets due to the iceberg floes prevalent in the spring months. There, they discovered more than just the remains of the Argo..."

- The Blockade of Greenland

Naval Battles of 1872

AAR - Black Wolf Mercenaries versus Prussian Empire

"Following the destruction of the Argo, Prussian and Danish forces out of Greenland began their campaign of raids and piracy across the northern Atlantic with impunity. Prussian fleet commander Karl-Ehrhart Grunner sent word to the Prussian naval command; hunting season was back on, but they needed reinforcements. 

Pleased with the destruction of the Argo but cautious of Grunner's use of mercenaries - especially the notoriously violent and unpredictable Black Company - the Prussian naval command sent Konteradmiral von Monts and the grand Dreadnought Sachsen to "assist" Grunner with his handling of the Greenland theatre. 

As the Prussian fleet passed the southernmost point of Greenland, Kap Farval, they found an unpleasant surprise waiting for them..."

- The Blockade of Greenland

Naval Battles of 1872

AAR - Black Wolf Mercenaries versus Federated States of America

"No less than three weeks after the attack on Holsteinsborg, the Argo was reported to have joined a flotilla escorting a convoy of merchant and troop ships travelling perilously close to the island of Ammassalik; den of the piratical Black Company. 

Prussian fleet commander Karl-Ehrhart Grunner had not been idle since the Argo's first attack. With the promise of raw materials and exclusive hunting rights, he had drawn the Sea Snake into his service. Commander of the Red Viper and lieutenant to the Black Wolf himself, the Sea Snake was a reaver of infamous repute with an entire fleet of Black Company ships at his disposal. Practically salivating at the thought of the riches to be reaped from this convoy, he prepared his ambush..."

 - The Blockade of Greenland

Naval Battles of 1872

The Red Viper

AAR - Prussian Empire versus Federated States of America

"The summer of 1872 saw the World War reach new heights of chaos as the Ottoman Empire pledged themselves to the Imperial Bond and the Grand Republique of France launched its forces south across the Mediterranean. All eyes turned to the new front, North Africa... or at least, almost all. 

In the Atlantic, Prussian raiding had caused untold damage to the convoys crossing between Europe and the Americas. Operating out of bases at Greenland, Iceland and the new Bermudan territories, their reach was long and repercussions had been all but non-existent as the Britannian and American fleets struggled to allocate resources away from protecting the convoys, the major operations in the Pacific, and around mainland Europe. 

Nonetheless, early June 1872 saw the Federated States of America appoint the veteran Rear-Admiral Curt J. Spaatz a small expedition of ships to test the defences of one of the major Prussian harbours on Greenland, Holsteinsborg - the northernmost ice-free port in the country. His mission, to break off from convoy duty and engage the Prussian fleet at Holsteinsborg as they sat in anchor, aiming to cripple the core fleet of the infamous reaver Karl-Ehrhart Grunner. 

Grunner, however, was fully aware of Spaatz' approach..."

 - The Blockade of Greenland, 

Naval Battles of 1872