This got plunked into the Greek thread at first, but I changed my mind and want it as a seperate thread so folks can comment on experiences they may have had with the 2nd Gen Russian ships.....Gonna delete the first post. Sorry for that.
Still curious as to how the 2nd Gen Russian ships perform, as they are radically different from other fleets. And as I gave grief over the Greeks, I decided I'd be a heel if I didn't at least try them. We had to proxy them with British Counters, but everyone knew who was who. Finally got to play for the first time in a while 
Opposing Fleets were as follows:
Svarog (my favorite Russian 2nd Gen)
X3 Ignatyev destroyers (1st gen, but I needed FACs)
X3 Volk Fast Attack Craft
Versus
Georgios Averoff
Basilissa Olga
X2 Georgios destroyers
X2 Nordenfelt FACs
Turn 1
We lost initiative, which didn't really matter to me. 1st Turn never provides much in the way of action. Forced to go active, that's what we did.
First blood went to the godless commies, as Svarog's heat rays were able to feasibly target Averoff at a range of 13" (+2 to gunnery, with the ship's armor reduced to 2, rolling D8s, I got a 1, 3, 7 and a 8). 8 is what I needed, and all three points from that hit went into the Greek ship's hull.
Response from the Greeks was nil for the first turn, as my destroyers were slightly behind Svarog, who was on point. During the End Phase, both sides launched their FACs.
Turn 2
Svarog had already angled to present her broadside. Winning Initiative (reds were Reactive) this turn, she maintained course as the Greek line of cruisers now responded. They were able to close within a +1 gunnery range band, but things were going to stay largely static as thrust ratings were equal across the board.
The Ignatyevs had proceeded in a straight line before to launch their FACs, but now, having loosed their fast movers, they responded to the Greek destoyers, which were arrowing in on the Russian flagship.
The Greek FACs had hung relatively close to their parent vessel now, and it seemed kind of clear that the Nordenfelts were content to wait for me to make my move -- hoping to shoot me down on my attack run a Greek ship, then make their move on my own hulls.
FACs are all or nothing in my opinion, and yer bound to lose a lot of them in most battles, so I went for it. All three Volk attack craft swooped in on Basilissa Olga as the defending craft seemed concentrated around Averoff.
The Nordenfelt's got to fire before I completed my torpedo runs, and with four light guns between them, managed to blow one of my Volks to scrap (range is effectively doubled against FACs, so the "2" they would normally have needed was boosted to "3," and only one "3" came up).
The Volk each needed a "4" to hit with their torpedoes, and managed to drive two into the Olga's hull at nearly PB range. All six points of damage went against its structural integrity, and a lot of swarthy Med dudes got sucked out into the void. Our puny little machine guns didn't accomplish a thing.
As they were active, the Greeks now took their revenge on my doomed FACs. Basilissa Olga had lost her Hale Rockets due to a Q hit, but she didn't need them at this range. Her light guns blew my little fellers to dust.
Luck was with my when it came to the enemy destroyers, though. They had gotten within knife fighting distance of Svarog, and really, those X5 torpedoes were making me sweat. But they needed a 7+ hit (4+2 for its armor being cut in half +1 for range) and didn't come up with anything higher than a "6."
Their light guns, no fewer than six, were directed against a lone Ignatyev, and managed three hits, reducing its thrust and knocking out a light gun.
The cruisers, directing their attention on Svarog, rolled eight D10 primaries between them, and managed two hits, even when needing "10s" to damage me at that range. Eeesh. All four points of damage came out of its hull.
Their Light Guns went against my destroyers, but didn't accomplish much. Although a cloud of Hale Rockets shredded my thrust ratings and ticked off a couple hull points. I've noticed that small destroyers are hard to kill as most conventional hits go against their thrust, and they can absorb a lot in that area.
My turn to shoot -- and the Greek destroyers suffered. The Svarog's D4 (X2) secondaries shoot Black Smoke, and while their armor penetration is nil against anything but destroyers (ya gotta treat an AR 0 ship as having AR 1 against gas attacks), they managed to get the job done here. Two shells drove into one of the enemy DDs, suffocating its crew. And the other, while not dead, saw its thrust and guns whittled away by the Ignatyevs.
Svarog turned its primaries on the damaged Basilissa Olga, and rolled the salvo of the night with three hits (with its armor of 2 reduced to 1 by the heat rays I only needed "7" or better) 8). Not as much went into its hull as I hoped, but it was now down to five hits, and had lost one of its primaries, along with 2 thrust, which made me smile.
Turn 3
We lost initiative, and the Greek player took the "reactive" role.
Svarog took its cue and shot straight ahead as far as it could, knowing that one of the Greek ships would have lost its ability to keep up. Basilissa Olga now lacked any real chance of hurting me, and Averoff was kept in the +1 band. My destroyers basically peeled off, resigned to the fact that there was little else they could contribute except to die, and the exchanges between them and the Greek rear are now an irrelevancy as no VPs were awarded to either side.
Focus shifted between the sole combatants in any real shape to fight. The Nordenfelts came a'swoopin in, and loosed two D6 (X5) torpedoes at PB range. But I LUCKED OUT. They needed 3+2 (5s) to hit and neither got a "5." D6 torpedoes are scary against lighter ships at PB range, but sole missiles against a heavily armored opponent just weren't cashing in.
I got to shoot first, and directed the D4 secondaries against the FACs. I only needed 2s, and that's what I got. Scratch the Nordenfelts.
Aiming the primaries at Averoff in the +1 band I needed "7s" and only gone a single hit, scratching off two hull points and a light gun.
In response, the Greek heavy cruiser missed with its four rolls, needing "10s."
Turn 4
Chugging along, the game kinda started to crawl here. Or would have, if I hadn't seen the Greek land two hits with its primaries -- damn nice rollling -- taking out a primary, two hull points and a secondary gun.
:evil:
I landed, again, a single hit for a point of hull, a point of armor :twisted: and a secondary gun.
Turn 5
No hits on either side, which sucks for me as I only needed a 6+ now.
Turn 6 (last one)
Two primary heat ray hits 8) ....only knocking out three hull and THREE light guns. How do I manage two 18s and a 20?
Averoff returns the favor by knocking out another hull point and another precious primary.
End result -- first time adding it up as it seemed a clear, if minor victory for the Reds.
74 VPs for the Commies.
42 VPs for the Greeks.
Observations --
Ignatyevs are great in convoy scenarios, but not much to smile about in stand up fights. The Svarog is solid front line ship and brutal against the old school destroyer. Its healthy speed saved the day as I think things would have turned ugly for me against two cruisers. Torpedoes remain my friend, as the Volks, while doomed, managed to put a hurtin on one enemy ship.
Greek torpedoes were horrible in performance. But their gunnery made me throw fits. 10 after 10 after 10. And their mines could have been a factor if the scenario had gone any differently. Solid designs.</r>
