Battle Report: 1904 Battle of the Yellow Sea (Rules: 'Broadside & Salvo')

Since the beginning of 2026 I got focussed on pre-Dreadnought warships, expanding some months later into the Naval part of World War 1. With a focus om historic naval skirmishes in the Mediterranean instead of the big clash at Jutland (1916). As described in my March 25th blog, I first used the Wargame Rule system 'Broadside & Salvo' of Long Face Games. This is the second occasion we used these Naval Wargame Rules. Prior to the game I had painted additional warships, Zeppelins & Aircraft to expand my collection of 1:2400 scale pre-Dreadnought & WW 1 assets.

Historic scenario: I choose to re-play the August 1904 Battle of the Yellow Sea, based on the background information from the Naval Wargame 'White Bear & Red Sun' (Long Face Games), the books 'Russian Battleship vs Japanese Battleship' (Osprey Duel nr. 15; 2009),  'Russian Battleships and cruisers of the Russo-Japanese War' (New Vanguard 275; 2019) and the plotted map of that encounter I found at 'Weltgeschichte der Seefahrt' Band 6 (Helmut Pemsel; 2005). I had painted during 3-4 months almost every major combattant present at 'Yellow Sea' (1904) and 'Tsushima' (1905), except for the total amount of Torpedoboat Destroyers (TBD).

Set up: we used a seamat: 6 x 4 ft. Distances in inch. Historic starting positions (relative to Port Arthur and approx. 10 nm. away from each other). Ground scale was 500 yds to an inch and the game assumed that at the beginning both sides have each other visual (there is no scout or detection phase). For each ship type (battleship, armoured cruiser, protected cruiser, TBD) there was generic data for attack factor, defense factor, max. gunnery range, cruise and max. speed. The escaping Russian Imperial Fleet consisted of 6 Battleships, 2 (Superior) protected cruisers and 5 TBD's. Ship scale: 1:2400. The Japanese fleet was at sea: 1 Division of 4 Battleships and 2 Armoured cruisers sailing from the North and 1 Division of 4 protected cruisers coming from the South East. The Russian fleet sailed with 1 Div. consisting of the 6 Battleships and the Pallada (Superior protected cruiser), flanked by 1 Division of 5 TBD's, lead by the Superior protected cruiser Askold (5 chimneys). The Russian harbour of Port Arthur was protected by guns ashore, with a range of 12-inch. Although I prepared a detailed sheet with all the armament onboard both fleets, that was not necessary. Within the game, warships have generic gun armament and are superior or inferior towards each other. Resulting in Superior Japanese Battleships (all) and 50% of their protected cruisers. The Russian had all of their 2 protected cruisers superior, but had 2 inferior battleships: Peresvet & Pobeda (armed with 10-inch main armament vs 12-inch as standard with the others). During the actual engagement on August 10, the Japanese protected cruisers were not present at the beginning of the battle.

Turn 1: JAP initiative. All units at cruise speed (4-inches/turn). RUS squadron deployed in 2 lines abreast, parallel towards each other: Battleship DIV. south; TBD Div. North; both on a course West, out of Port Arthur, turning to North (direction: Wladiwostok). See above photo. Speed: max.  JAP Div. both accelerate to max. speed.  All units outside max. engagement range (18 inch) of each other.

Turn 2: RUS initiative. Japanese Battleship Div. turned West at max. speed, to intercept Russian turn towards Wladiwostok. Japanese protected cruiser (PC) Div. proceeded intercept course with max. speed. Russian Battleship Div. continued high speed but turned starboard to course 060. Russian torpedo boats continued course North, in order to engage the Japanese Battleship line. Photo looking South.

During the gunnery phase the 2 forward Russian battleships Tsesarevich and Retvizan opened fire with their 12-inch guns, hitting IJN Battleship 'Fuji'. She was therefor unable to return fire. IJN Mikasa & IJN Shikishima returned fire at Tsesarevich and hit her (without consequences this turn). The Russian torpedo boats were still outside torpedo range. 

Turn 3: JAP initiative. The Russian Battle line continued their high speed on course 060 and tried to outflank both Japanese Div. While the Russian torpedo boats tried to get closer to the Japanese Battle line. However, the Japanese admiral Togo saw the danger and turned towards the Russian Battle line. The Japanese PC Div. adjusted their intercept course accordingly.

During the gunnery phase the Japanese Battleships (BB) and Armoured Cruisers (AC) made good use of their initiative and their luck with the dice. Superior BB Mikasa & AC Adzuma opened fire at the Russian flagship Tsesarevich and damaged her (damage level 1). Superior BB Fuji & AC Nisshin did hit  the 2nd Russian BB, the Retvizan. Superior Japanese BB Shikishima missed the Inferior Russian BB Pobieda but Superior Japanese BB Asahi did hit the inferior BB Peresvet. Superior BB Fuji engaged successfully with her secondary armament (6-inch guns) the nearest Russian torpedo boats, which were driven off. Due to the Russian damage levels, their return fire against the Japanese Battle line was of limited effect. They sometimes choose to engage the closing Japanese PC-line: Russian inferior BB Peresvet damaged IJN PC Kasagi at a range of 9,000 yds (damage level 1). Anyhow Russian BB Poltava salvo of 12-inch resulted in a critical hit on IJN BB Shikishima, resulting in a fire and falling out of line... Initial damage control was not successful and Shikishima was silenced (damage level 2). 

Turn 4: JAP initiative. The Russian Battle line continued their high speed on course 060 and the remaining Russian torpedo boats maneuvered to engage the critical hit IJN Shikishima with torpedoes. The Japanese PC Div. got closer and the Japanese Battle line maintained their shooting range at the Russians.

As this was the 4th turn of Japanese initiative, their gunnery results kept hurting most. Superior BB IJN Asahi did damage the Russian BB Retvizan (damage level 1), IJN AC Nishin together with IJN PC Kasagi damaged BB Peresvet (damage level 1) and IJN AC Adzuma together with IJN PC Chitose damaged Russian inferior BB Pobieda (damage level 1). So the first 4 Russian Battleships in their Battle line were damaged! Even worse, the incoming Russian torpedo boats were hit by secondary Japanese armament (and were therefor not allowed this turn to continue their torpedo attack!). The Russian return fire was handicapped by their damage levels and bad luck dice. IJN PC Chitose and IJN BB Fuji were both hit by Russian fire, but being hit counts only during this turn (and the Japanese ships had already fired at the enemy; they had the initiative...). Worth mentioning is the fact that BB Tsesarevich damaged IJN AC Adzuma (damage level 1). IJN Shikishima crew didn't manage to put out the continuing fire...

Turn 5: JAP initiative (again). The Russian Battle line successfully outflanked the Japanese and turned North. The Russian torpedo boats tried to form a Div. again, together with the Russian Superior PC Askold (5 Chimneys). Both Japanese Div. chased the Russians at max. speed.

The Japanese gunnery was relentless: the Japanese fire control was superior to the Russian and most of the Japanese BB's were still undamaged. The Japanese followed a tactic of supporting fire by 2 Japanese ships vs. 1 Russian target. Which damaged the Russian PC Pallada (damage level 1), the Russian BB Poltava (damage level 1), the Russian BB Sevastopol (damage level 1) and 1 Russian Torpedo Boat Group (damage level 1). Most Russian ships had been damaged by now... (represented by a brown piece of wood counter). The Russian (damaged) BB's Tsesarevich & Pobieda joined forces and damaged IJN Shikishima at closer range and silenced her (damage level 2).  The Russian (damaged) Sevastopol & Pallada worked together and damaged IJN PC Takasoga [recalculated as PC Pallada was not only damaged but also Superior..]. The fire raged on on Silenced IJN Shikishima...

Turn 6: JAP initiative (continuing). The Russian BB-line fled with max. speed towards the North. The remaining operational Russian torpedo boats tried to manoeuvre for a final torpedo-attack on (silenced) IJN Shikishima. Unfortunately the Russian Superior PC Askold didn't have the artillery to punch a hole into IJN Shikishima and al other Japanese ships were out of her range.. The 2 Japanese Div.'s continued their attack on the south end of the Russian BB-line. As the Game works with generic speeds, both BB-lines didn't come any closer...

As the Japanese had initiative (and much less damage) their gun attacks resulted in: a hit on the last Russian ship in the BB-line (PC Pallada) and on PC Askold. The Russian ships tried to work together as well against the mighty Japanese: Tsesarevich & Retvizan (both damaged) scored a hit on nearby (silenced) IJN Shikishima (without any consequences for the rest of this turn). Damaged BB Poltava scored a 10-inch hit on IJN PC Kasagi (again, without any consequences for the rest of this turn). Only (damaged) Russian BB Peresvet and Sevastopol were able to damage IJN Fuji (damage level 1) together. The Russian torpedo-attack on Shikishima ran into the problem that the Rules were not very clear on how to calculate this. The Russian TBD Flotilla had an attack factor of 1 but it was unclear of any target had a torpedo defense factor (or could use its gunnery Defense Factor, which is 5 for IJN Shikishima). During the game we chose the latter, which resulted in an unsuccessful torpedo-attack (and a big question: how on earth are you able to sink a battleship if they are able to use their gunnery defense factor?). Photo above is in Northerly direction. Upper side is torpedo attack on Shikishima (still on fire). 

Turn 7: JAP initiative (continuing). The Russian BB-line fled with max. speed towards the North. The Russian torpedo boats (out of torpedoes), accompanied by Superior PC Askold, sailed off the map at max. speed. The Japanese Divisions continued the chase but couldn't come any closer. (Silenced) IJN Shikishima tried to ram the nearest Russian Battleship, without any luck. Following photo is in Southerly direction.

As the Japanese still had initiative (and much less damage) their gun attacks resulted in: a silenced (damage level 2) BB Poltava, a hit BB Sevastopol and a crippled (damage level 3) PC Pallada. The Russian return fire did hit some Japanese ships (PC Kasagi, BB Shikishima) but without any lasting results longer than this turn. Only IJN PC Adzuma was silenced by simultaneous fire of Russian BB Peresvet and Sevastopol. IJN Shikishima finally extinguished her raging fires.

Turn 8: JAP initiative (continuing). The forward Russian Battleships of the BB-line sailed off the map with max. speed. The Russian torpedo Div. had already left the map completely. PC Pallada, last ship in the Russian BB-line, was crippled. The silenced BB Poltava was still able to stay within the BB-line and Action Points were put into place to restore her situation into damage level 1. However, IJN Shikishima tried to ram her during this turn, without result. All Japanese ships chased the Russian BB-line, except for IJN Shikishima and IJN PC Adzuma (both couldn't follow the chase).

During the gunnery phase PC Pallada was sunk (final blow by a 12-inch salvo from BB Asahi), BB Poltava was crippled and BB Peresvet was hit. IJN PC Kasagi was hit by both BB Pobieda & Peresvet. She didn't pass her morale check and therefor had to leave the scene as well. During the repair phase PC Adzuma was repaired to the 1st level of damage and BB Poltava was repaired from 'crippled' to 'silenced'.  

Conclusions/Verdict: from the start of the game we tried to mimic the historic situation as much as possible, although the Japanese fleet had no access to torpedo boats in the game (but got 4 protected cruisers instead). The Russian Squadron tried to escape Port Arthur towards Wladiwostok and had to pass a slightly smaller Japanese fleet (with superior individual ships). In this game the Japanese units scored more hits and did more damage to the Russians. This was partly due to the amount of superior Japanese Battleships (historic) and partly of lucky dice (resulting in 90% of the turns Japanese initiative). However, the game was not a clear Japanese win (compared to the historic situation). A certain amount of Russian ships escaped out of range towards the North, by clever maneuvering and rigid generic speed Rules (resulting in the exact same max. speed for Russian and Japanese Battleships). The Japanese fleet encountered some damage as well: BB Shikishima took a lot of damage and AC Adzuma and PC Kasagi as well. The Russians had lost PC Pallada and would probably lose the heavily damaged BB Poltava (and maybe another BB in the rear of the BB-line) in the forthcoming artillery duels as well. All other Russian BB had certain levels of damage, so as a fighting force they needed repairs, ammunition and coal. Wonder if they would reach Wladiwostok... We were in the dark how to torpedo an enemy BB; the rules could elaborate more on this. Eg. with an example (like in the gunnery section). The rules make fast tactical play possible; we conducted this Naval Wargame in about 6 hours (8 turns), including a 1 hour lunch. We had a lot of fun and pre-dreadnoughts of this time can be painted in bright colours, which look nice!