Naval Gaming Introduction

Other people have provided inputs and assistance for this web site. They are listed below to acknowledge the contributions.

Karl Heinz Ranitzsch provided the German term for a Battle Turn Away (Gefechtskehrtwendung).

Charlie Wilson provided information on Royal Navy replenish operations.

Subject: Re: [NavWarGames] Naval formations
Date: SMon, 9 Oct 2000 10:52:34 +0100

... with regard to carrier replenishment. I agree that it is the norm for carriers to receive from a supply vessel on the starboard side. Multi-ship RASs (where there were more than two supply vessels) would entail both sides being involved. I have seen pictures of the ARK ROYAL (the one previous to the current one) in the middle of a 5 ship RAS. In INVINCIBLE in my time we carried out at least one 3-ship RAS with a stores ship to port and a tanker to starboard. Station-keeping was nice and easy - we were guide and the supply vessels kept station on us.

With regard to who approaches whom I can understand the big CVNs needing the supply ship to approach them. In INVINCIBLE we invariably (apart from the second link in a multi-ship RAS) approached the supply ship. Being GT-powered a 'fast-backdown' approach was a doddle. Even so IIRC 'steam-kettle' HERMES also always did the approaching. I have no idea how the RNs last two big carriers (ARK ROYAL and EAGLE) approached RASing.

Re: [NavWarGames] Naval formations
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2000 23:41:57 +0100

IIRC fast backdown is/was the standard RAS approach method for all RN ships provided that the receiving ship had the necessary speed advantage over the supplying ship. Very few RN ships in the last 30 years (excluding SSNs and SSBNs, and of course, being subs they are boats not ships) have had fewer than 2 screws. (And you take that how you want to) With regard to altering course in a RAS I think the best(?) that any ship that I was in actually completed was about 150 degrees before time for the exercise ran out (only a 2-ship RAS though). We were trying for a full 180.