Back at the helm...

 Today, we got our Napoleonic ships out again for the first Sails of Glory game in quite a while!

We decided to try a clash of 74's, and to balance the points we used a Spaniard alongside 2 Frenchies to face the plucky Brits!

My ship was HMS Superb.

Lawrence had HMS Vanguard.

Phil, once again doomed by the dice to be our leader, took HMS Spartiate.

Against us, the enemy were the Spanish Argonauta.

The French Le Swiftsure...

...and Le Berwick.

Argonauta led the 2 Frenchmen upwind...

...at a sharper angle to the British.

The faster French soon began gaining on the slower Spaniard.

Our ships had the same problem, being led by the slower Spartiate.

Phil signalled us all to go to full sail to try and beat the French to the meeting point.

I rather thought we should have turned upwind in sequence as well, but hey ho - I wasn't in command!

Phil signalled us back to Fighting Sail, as we awaited the crunch!

Phil signalled a turn to port, rather than staying in line and turning in sequence, so we all turned in unison.

The French seemed to have the same idea!

Argonauta got a full broadside on my Superb against my forward arc fire, but I did well enough.

Phil had forgotten to have his Marines in the masts, the French didn't!

Le Berwick passed the confused melee, only to come under fire from Spartiate and Vanguard.

Musketry from both sides now took its toll.

Le Berwick had 2 fires and a broken mast.

Spartiate and the entangled Le Swiftsure were reduced to Marine musketry.

Lawrence and I turned downwind as did Argonauta and Le Berwick.

Phil and Lawrence got partial broadsides against the Hung up le Swiftsure.

Spartiate fired its other side at Argonauta, My fire hit Le Berwick.

With her crew decimated, Le Berwick struck her colours.

Both sides rapidly reloaded.

I crossed Argonautas bow, Vanguard and Spartiate blasted Le Swiftsure.

Vanguard managed a musketry fight with Le Swiftsure. The French won!

Argonauta and my Superb now traded shots, again I caused critical damage to her masts!

Lawrences Vanguard managed to get a stern rake against the damaged Le Swiftsure.

This was enough for the Frenchman as the ship foundered.

Argonauta, with 2 masts down and very heavy damage would probably have surrendered!

A great victory for the RN!

All at sea again!

Today, Lawrence was off unwell, so it was left for Phil and me to arrange a game, and Phil chose Sails of Glory, so we opted for using French frigates against the RN!

Phil took Le Succes, I the Courageuse.

Although there were islands on table, they were upwind of us so no danger. 

 Against us were HMS Orpheus and Cleopatra. They had better guns, we stronger hull burdens.

It looked like the RN were going to 'Cross our T'... 

...on my suggestion we headed behind the English line... 

...They turned upwind to slow their movement. 

 We were well out of range, and both sides moved to get advantage. 

 The English moved into line abreast.

 We headed straight past them.

One of us would have to commit to an exchange of fire! 

 Phil turned as the English broke formation to attack us.

 We were now just in range...

 Phil and I fired together, I got a bow rake on HMS Orpheus.

 My fire was most effective, causing mast damage.

 3 hull boxes down, that made Orpheus less dangerous!

 Phil got more fire on Orpheus as they passed.

 HMS Orpheus fired back ineffectually.

 Phil managed to hit HMS Orpheus again after a sharp turn. 

I was heading out of the action as I misjudged the English likely actions!  

 Le Succes lost a crew box to English musketry. to which she could not reply.

Phil engaged both  English ships, beating both of them!

HMS Cleopatra was lightly damaged, but ok. 

HMS Orpheus was badly damaged. 

Le Succes was lightly damaged... 

...and my Courageuse was virtually undamaged. 

I turned to try to rejoin the action while the rest of the ships licked their wounds and reloaded cannon!

HMS Cleopatra and Le Succes holed each other with their next exchange of shot.

HMS Orpheus's fire was very poor, as she was now close to being a wreck. 

 I finally got Courageuse heading back in the direction of the action!

 I was still far away from helping Phil, who was still running rings round the English. 

 Le Success fired on HMS Orpheus as I closed on her stern. 

Orpheus lost some crew, but was not damaged otherwise. 

My fire made up for lost time, setting HMS Orpheus on fire! 

Pretty period - isn't it!

 We all manoeuvered reloading!

HMS Orpheus turned ahead of me and fired...

 ... causing light damage on Courageuse. 

As I closed, my musketry killed several of her crew. 

Cleopatra was moving to engage Le Succes. 

 I turned to fire into the crippled HMS Orpheus...

I got a devastating volley in. 

Goodnight sweetheart! 

 Her crew struck the colours, but the ship probably burnt to the keel!

 Meanwhile, Le Succes got a stern rake on HMS Cleopatra.

I managed to damage her too. 

HMS Cleopatra was too heavily engaged to escape... 

 I lost a musketry duel with the Cleopatra.

I then turned sharply onto HMS Cleopatra... 

 ...and forced her to strike too!

All in all, a good day for Les Francaises!