User blog comment:Warwolf 51/The Random War Room/@comment-13740085-20140211000441

April 23, 1918, the HMS Queen Victoria is on a nighttime patrol in the Dogger Bank area, north of Germany. The night goes uneventfull. Until around 3:00 a.m.

A keen-eyed observer spotted faint glows closing in. Search lights spring to life, illuminating the mysterious object. Its identity is soon discovered, the super-dreadnought SMS Bayern. Sirens wail on both ships as they quickly realize they're enemy is within an arms reach.

The first to react are the secondary batteries, mostly 6-inch guns. Them and machine guns raked the opposing decks. Soon, the main batteries join the fray. Fifteen inch shells fly back and forth, their travel time near instant at such short range. In a strange twist of irony, these two modern battleships of the twentieth century clash muzzle-to-muzzle like eighteenth century pirates.

In the dark of night, gunners look for anything to give them a clear target muzzle flashes give them it. A good hit by a 15-inch provides another. Bullets fly, turrets roar, explosions light up the night, illuminating the increasingly bloody battle.

After over an hour of exchanging fire, the ships drift off, damage done. Both ships will be in repairs until the German surrender, later that year.