With Distant Guns: The Russo–Japanese War at Sea, Storm Eagle Studios scored a direct hit with naval gamers interested in surface combat. The game is not only one of the few PC wargames dealing with the pre-dreadnought period but also one that provides accurate ship details, great graphics, an innovative interface and a workable combination of strategic and tactical levels of play. Developers Jim Rose and Norm Koger have implemented lessons learned from Distant Guns to take the next logical step, the monumental clash of dreadnoughts at Jutland.

Disputed Clash

The Anglo-German naval race began in the mid-1890s but really took off with the launching of H.M.S. Dreadnought in 1906. The naval strategy of both nations was driven by strengths, weaknesses, and public expectations. The German weaknesses were a smaller fleet and the constricted nature of the North Sea. Germany’s strength was the technicality of her ships. The expensive Imperial Navy was expected to whittle away or break any blockade.

The Royal Navy’s situation was more complicated. The navy’s strengths were a large fleet, good ships, and a grand tradition. Its weaknesses were global obligations and an ossified command control structure at all levels. The British public’s expectation for their navy was a millstone around the senior service’s neck. The Grand Fleet was expected to sweep the Germans from the seas in a Nelsonian blaze of glory; merely maintaining a distant blockade wasn’t dashing enough. With the Royal Navy’s less-than-stellar performance in 1914 and 1915, the pressure was on. With the blockade beginning to hurt Germany and Fleet Street wanting to see another Trafalgar, 1916 was shaping up to be a decisive year.

The German High Seas fleet’s method of whittling away the British was to lure detachments of their enemy into traps by enticing them with small, fast squadrons backed by more powerful sources. In spring 1916, the plan was to do this on a large scale, using Admiral Hipper’s battle cruisers to bring Admiral Beatty’s battle cruisers to Admiral Scheer’s force of battleships. Little did they know; British code breakers knew their plan.

Hipper left Germany early on May 31, two and a half hours after Admiral Jelliccoe’s Grand Fleet sortied from Scapa Flow. Beatty weighed anchor shortly thereafter. The battle cruisers met at 2:20 p.m. and Hipper turned toward Scheer. The British battle cruisers took a beating but turned and pulled all of the German fleet toward Jellicoe. Twelve hours of action ensued in which the German main battle line escaped destruction twice and ended during the dark hours of June 1. Both sides claimed victory: while the British lost more ships, the High Seas Fleet would never seriously challenge their opponents again.

The Monster Fleets

Jutland, the game, concentrates on 1916 with many scenarios, before, after, and hypothetical to the great clash. For example, single German raiders try to run the blockade. However, the events of May 31-June 30 are the core of the show. At least three scenarios depict all or parts of the battle. Every surface vessel from both fleets is displayed and grouped in its historic division or squadron. “New fangled” units are added with Zeppelins and the seaplane tender HMS Engadine. A battle generator provides opportunities to play smaller or larger actions. As with its predecessor, Jutland has a campaign mode allowing players to try out their strategies in the North Sea; perhaps the German strategy can work.