Merchant Convoy

Merchant Convoy

Preventing attacks on defenceless merchant ships is the other main task of the navy, and it was that which fought the war day in, day out with the humble corvette, frigate, and destroyer escort, and later with escort carriers. Commerce raiding formed a critical part of the strategy for several nations - Germany’s Kriegsmarine very nearly brought Britain to its knees, whilst the US Navy similarly strangled Japan’s movement of industrial goods, materials, troops, and supplies.

Grouping the ships into convoys meant there was more empty ocean out there - hopefully, the raiders wouldn’t even find the convoy. It also made the escort more effective, but should a convoy be hit by a surface raider, such as a heavy cruiser or battlecruiser, the target would be devastated in short order. Nevertheless, the convoy system was a great help. It would fall to the escorting ships to defend them until either a heavy protection force could arrive in support, or the merchants could flee. Some of the most heroic and mismatched actions of the war occurred in defence of the merchant convoys or troop transport ships.

The box contains:

• 3 x Liberty merchant ships
• 3 x Victory merchant ships
• 1 x SS Ohio tanker
• Ship cards and damage sliders

Models are supplied unassembled and unpainted.