Pre-dreadnought game Russia v Japan.

The lads at the club used these ships in a game the previous week and after expressing my disappointment at missing it they brought them back the following week.

The two fleets consist of pre dreadnought battleships and the Japanese ships are of particular interest as many were built here on the Tyne.

My mothers family was from the Elswick area of Newcastle and at the beginning of the last century most of the menfolk worked in the yards on the Tyne building mostly warships, many of which were for the Imperial Japanese Navy. The ship i chose to command was the 'Hatsuse', a Tyne built ship which, quite possibly, my relatives helped to build.

The Hatsuse

Completed on 18th January 1901 the ships main armament consisted of 4 12" guns mounted in 2 turrets. She displaced over 14000 tons.

She had a short but active career participating in actions against the Russian navy during the Russo-Japanese war as part of the 1st fleet under Admiral Togo. On 15th May 1904 as part of the fleet blockading Port Arthur she struck 2 mines the second of which set of her magazines sinking her with the loss of 335 of her crew.

Being prepared for launch at the Elswick works, Newcastle upon Tyne.


Th Russian fleet.

IJN Hatsuse

Th Japanese fleet

Japanese open fire

The Russians return fire

The discs are damage markers.

Japanese maneuver to bring rear turrets to bear.

More hits on the Japanese

and the Russians

Damage markers are beginning to appear next to ships.

These represent hits to the bridge.

Me, Darren and Carl survey the table during a particularly violent change in the wind state.

Most Russian ships are damaged now.

Naval Doctrine is rewritten as the Russian fleet forms triangle!

The fleets close to short range.

The Hatsuse at the bottom of the picture is the only undamaged ship.

Caught in crossfire this Japanese ship is taking serious damage.

Ships are now using torpedo attacks.

Crippled under the weight of fire this ship has also done great damage to the Russians.

Now under torpedo attack the Hatsuse is about to start taking damage.

This Japanese battleship need to take 59 damage point before it sinks and ended the game on 57!

The Hatsuse, also 59, ends on 12

All of these were hits on the Hatsuse.

The Hatsuse goes in for the kill needing a 20 to blow up the Russian ship,

and Darren obliged , the last throw of the game is the only 20.

Totaling up the damage points the Russians had 163 while the Japanese had 116, nearly half on one ship. A convincing win for the Japanese.

Thanks for looking.

Mick/Carl