1877
War looms over the Ottoman Empire. Russia has decided to remove the Empire's influence in the Balkan region, and various other European nations with Balkan interests have signed onto the fight.
Meanwhile, poor economic planning has gimped the Ottoman Army. Soldiers have begun selling their ammunition and supplies to stay fed, and larger groups have begun pillaging the countryside. Large groups of soldiers haven't been resupplied in a year, and desertion has wrecked the once proud Ottoman fighting force.
The Ottoman Navy has faired little better, as all but it's main ships have been cut off from recoaling, forcing some Admirals to "temporarily disband" their vessel's crews, and several enterprising Captains to resort to low grade piracy to gain needed supplies.
Now Russian vessels stream towards the Ottoman coast in the Black Sea, intent on crushing the Ottoman military once and for all.
Jan 28,1877
Tsar Alexander II has declare he will support the Balkans and free them of Ottoman rule, A state of war here by exists between the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire. We will not stop intill the Ottomans are remove from the Balkans.
The 1st Russian Army in the Ukraine, under the command of Field Marshal Joseph Vladimirovich Romeyko-Gourk, began its march into Romania to join up with the Imperial Romanian Army.(Total number of 200k troops.)
The 2nd Russian Army in the Caucasus, under the command of Count Mikhail Tarielovich Loris-Melikov and second in command of General Lazarev Ivan Davidovich, began its march on to the Key city of Kar, in Eastern Turkey.( Total number of 80k)
The Russian Black Sea Fleet, left Sevastopol and head out to raid Ottoman Shipping lanes.
Sevastopol broadside ironclad
Charodeika Class Coast Defence Turret Ships
Charodeika
Ironclads
Dmitri Donskoi( Former known as HMS Black Prince)
Vladimir Monomakh( Former known as HMS Warrior)
Alexander Nevsk(Former known as HMS Defiance)
Nussemvriia(Former known as HMS Resistance)
Plus 10 Torpedo boats
Crossposted for convience.
Initial results
Early raids of the Ottoman shipping lanes are very successful, yielding several Ottoman civilian owned freighters and with only one armed merchant vessel offering resistance.
Feb 15th
The Alexander Nevsk, opperating along the Turkish coast and accompanied by two torpedo boats, comes across a broadside ironclad, in the process of shaking down a coal carrying transport. This Ottoman Ironclad, the Mahmudieh, ditches it's prey, and streams towards the Russian vessels.
The Russian commander sends flags up, announcing his intent to fight, and signals via flag telegraph to the torpedo boats to flank the Ottoman ship while he gives orders to close and deliver a broadside to the Ottoman vessel.
The two vessels close, and begin to fire at one another. The Ottoman commander, ignoreing the torpedo boats due to their lack of large guns, concentrates his broadside against the Alexander Nevsk. The two lay down half a dozen volleys before the torpedo boats close along the flanks.
The Alexander Nevsk suffers several major leaks, and takes on quite a bit of water before the crew manages to patch the cracks. The Mahmudieh suffers a cracked mast.
The Ottoman commander, seeing his mistake, attempts to manuver his ship to escape or deliver a blow to the torpedo boats before they can close the gap towards his ship. His manuvering, however, allows the Alexander Nevsk a free volley at his aft, one lucky shot damaging his propeller. With the Mahmudieh dead in the water, but still fireing valiently, one torpedo boat manages to close and detonate it's warhead, opening the Ottoman vessel up to the water.
The Mahmudieh still manages to go out swinging, smashing up the other torpedo boat with it's large guns, forcing the Alexander Nevsk to tow the smaller vessel back to the fleet.
All ships remain on station long enough to fish Ottoman survivors out of the water. The coaling ship manages to flee.
Losses:
Ottoman Empire: Several merchant vessels captured, 1 Ironclad Broadside sunk.
Russian Empire: 1 Torpedo Boat incompacitated, 1 Ironclad Broadside heavily damaged.