Captain Kiwi and the Fog of War Part Two.

(Round the Horn.)

As the reader may remember we paused the story with the disabled Courageuse about to be boarded from the Sybille in the search for the escaping exiled Emperor Napoleon from the Isle of St Helena, after a chase along the seaboard of the Americas, and then the central Atlantic.

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As the Frigates boarding party set out towards the helpless French Frigate, Her more ponderous Consort the Aquilon came about and attempted to head off the British.

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Undetected by either of the unsighted British ships Courageous's crew had lowered and manned their ships Cutter just off the Port bow.

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By the time it had been spotted from the deck of the closing
HMS. Superb, Aquilon had closed with the Cutter and was about to take
the Emperor on board.

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As Superb closed her Captain realized that he would be too late to rake the French 74.

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Putting up his helm he decided to tack and cross the stern of the captured Frigate thus covering the boarding party who were now swarming up her side.

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Unfortunately this slewed him too far round to take advantage of his broadside.

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Aquilon, however, crippled Sybille with on massive broadside of her own.

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And took only minimal fire in return although some of her crew were cut down.
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As Sybille's foremast went by the board, Aquilon also exchanged fire with Superb, bringing what Portside guns she could to bear.

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The gunners' aiming high damaged sails and masts on Superb, but a lucky undercharged shot flying low across the Quarterdeck demolished the ships wheel and started a fire when it dismounted one of the starboard cannons setting it off prematurely.

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Superb had already replied in kind with a vicious fusillade from its rear section of carronades which tore holes in sails and also set a fire on the deck of Aquilon.

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Whilst Superb's crew were struggling to reestablish steering from the tiller,*
Aquilon's Captain continued to come about and slipped through the widening gap between Courageous and Superb.

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With the wind behind her, by the time Superb's crew had effected repairs and started to come about Aquilon with the Emperor safe aboard was heading off into the sunset.

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* Nb. I tried out a new rule here which said that if a ship had damage to its steering it took one random card from the dismasted card movement for its next move whilst repairs were made to the steering tackle.

After a long voyage south avoiding all the British patrols sent out, which were not expecting the Emperor to journey back into the South Atlantic from which he had so recently escaped, Aquilon rounded Cape Horn in a ferocious gale and entered the Pacific Ocean.

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After putting into a secluded cove in the sheltered waters behind Ancoa Island for several weeks to effects repairs not only to the battle damage but also the damage caused by rounding the cape Aquilon proceeded up the coast of southern Patagonia. In much more tranquil weather conditions than the crew had experienced for some time she sailed on for several days.

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It was towards mid afternoon five days later that the Masthead lookout reported a strange sail to seaward and closing.
After an hour or two it was clear to see that the ship was a Spanish two decker.
It was only when the Spaniard opened her gun ports that the French Captain suspected that all was not as it should be.

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As the Spaniard passed a full double shotted broadside enveloped Aquilon in flame smoke and flying shards of wood and iron.
The French ship became a veritable sea of wreckage within in seconds.
Her Main Mast went by the board and the Mizzen was also damaged, as the its topsail was rent by chainshot.

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Taken so completely by surprise the return fire when it came was almost ineffectual.

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As both ships turned away from the coast trying to gain more sea room, the crew of the Aquilon struggled to cut away the fallen mast and effect repairs on the damaged ship.

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As they came about, the Aquilon still only partially free of the mast alongside. which was acting as a sea anchor, swung towards the Spaniard, who attempted a few shot from its stern battery to no avail as they all fell short.

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Continuing to turn both ships were now out of range of each other for a time.

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Owing to the damaged masts on the Aquilon the Spaniard now began to close in for the Coup de Grace. However, now displaying a marked lack of accuracy at long range the Spaniard was proved to be totally ineffectual.

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Finally Aquilon got into a position where it could deal out some real damage to the Spaniard and not only took out its Main topmast, but ripped the Driver from top to bottom. Many crew also felt the effect of the Frenchman's first properly aimed broadside.

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The reply when it came was another badly aimed and delivered effort.

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It was at this moment for the first time in the encounter that the French Captain felt that there was some hope of possibly extricating his ship from the predicament in which he found himself.
Slanting away from the Spanish 74 which had been taken aback and was now caught in stays, the next shot from the Spanish was no better than the last and allowed the Frenchman to gain to the windward even further.

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However the masts suffered another knock and rapid repair work was needed to prevent yet another disaster as backstays parted.

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Whilst these repairs were underway Aquilon managed some return fire from her after guns which served to deter the Spaniard from closing and attempting a boarding action.

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After one or two more shots and with the Spanish now seemingly shy to continue the battle,

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Aquilon ran downwind of the 74 and escaped into the oncoming darkness of night.

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Whether the fleeing Emperor will indeed make a landfall will be revealed in the next thrilling installment.

Bligh.

The Butcher's Bill.


Aquilon.

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San Juan.

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Bligh.

:shock: great use of smaller ships and props.

Hi Aaron,
Have you read the previous AARs in the campaign played by myself and Captain Kiwi which lead up to this situation?
Rob.

I haven't. I just saw this on the recent posts list. I will have to catch up.

If you are interested Aaron, and to save you time searching this is the order of the AARs so far.
Andy will write up the one for December if we get chance to play it at his house before Christmas.

1. http://www.sailsofglory.org/showthre...South-Atlantic

2. http://www.sailsofglory.org/showthre...outh-Atlantic)

3. http://www.sailsofglory.org/showthre...ld-Goose-Chase

4. http://www.sailsofglory.org/showthre...f-War-Part-Two


Rob.