Today was the last day at our club till September, so we had a fun game, Sails of Glory Napoleonic.
Alex (our newest member) - had expressed an interest in trying the game, so who were we to refuse?
As usual, the random die roll put Phil in command (as Phil said, the captain got the command because he could count!)
I ran the solo system (Powder Monkey) with 3 French 74's to face them, Genereux...
Le Swiftsure...
and Le Berwick.
Alex (our newest member) - had expressed an interest in trying the game, so who were we to refuse?
As usual, the random die roll put Phil in command (as Phil said, the captain got the command because he could count!)
I ran the solo system (Powder Monkey) with 3 French 74's to face them, Genereux...
and Le Berwick.
Genereux led Le Swiftsure and Le Berwick as close to the wind as possible, without going 'In Irons'...
... trying to get upwind of the English.
They passed a large island, giving it a wide berth!
Phil (Admiral Hope!) - led with HMS Superb
Lawrence followed with HMS Goliath...
..and Alex was last with HMS Vanguard.
They started heading towards the big island, leaving the wind to the French.
As Superb went to 'take the high ground' and perhaps disturb the nesting birds?, Lawrence took HMS Goliath out of line to approach the French line.
The French started getting close to the table edge!
The English were...rather dispersed!
HMS Vanguard in particular, was ? trying to circumnavigate the big island!
HMS Goliath was the first to open fire...
...damaging Le Berwick's sails.
Alex in Vanguard had to head into the wind to avoid the Island!
Almost running aground, he managed an Immelmann turn with a warship!
Phew!
Admiral Hope was getting...hopelessly out of position!
The French were running downwind and turning after the English ships.
Le Berwick turned to engage Goliath.
Superb tried to tack round to rejoin HMS Goliath.
Superb and Goliath closed rapidly.
Genereux and Swiftsure moved toward Vanguard.
Vanguard fired a broadside which bow-raked Genereux.
This started a fire!
Meanwhile, Superb managed a lucky stern-rake on Le Berwick.
Causing a lot of damage!
At the same time, Le Swiftsure got a Bow-rake on Goliath!
...causing rather less damage!
Le Swiftsure got another shot at Goliath.
Not much damage from the French fire again!
Genereux got a stern-rake on the retreating Vanguard...
...which lost a mast, and took a lot of damage.
An overview at this point.
Swiftsure now got a chance to pound the hapless HMS Vanguard!
A second mast!, but little else.
Vanguard was out of control and wobbled towards her tormentors!
Superb was having trouble catching Le Berwick.
Even Goliath was far from the action.
Le Swiftsure and HMS Vanguard attempted to grapple and failed, though the French marines began to strip the deck of Vanguard with musketry.
Genereux joined in with a broadside.
Another poor volley.
As Genereux turned to use her port guns, Vanguard caught her with a stern-rake, causing 2 leaks!
Le Berwick was attempting to attack HMS Goliath but got bow-raked for her trouble!
Le Berwick was lucky to suffer so little.
Le Swiftsure managed to grapple Vanguard - and her musketry was again very effective!
HMS Superb arrived at last - in time to get a stern rake on Le Berwick.
Le Berwick fired at Goliath...
Le Berwick got 2 fires, and Goliath 1, wrecking both ships!
The musket casualties helped neither ship with fire fighting!
The badly damaged Goliath managed to hit Le Swiftsure, just after her marines had secured HMS Vanguard as a Prize!
A mast was lost, but Le Swiftsure was still in fairly good condition.
Le Berwick succumbed to her fires and burnt to her waterline.
The badly damaged Genereux led Le Swiftsure and 'Le Vanguard' to safety.
Although the English held the 'field', having lost a prize, and with HMS Goliath badly damaged, the day clearly belonged to La France!
Vive la Republique!
