2016 Campaign #2 - A New Venture

[ShadowDragon]

A New Venture

My version of the 2016 Campaign scenario, Letters of Marque, by Union Jack:

BRF: February 2016 Solo Scenario - A new venture (sailsofglory.org)

Gabriel peered at the French merchantman through the spyglass. He allowed a small smile to cross his face. The merchantman had a lubberly crew; the Hermione with its scant but crack crew would be sure to catch it. Gabriel momentarily admired the sleek lines of the elegant frigate – his first ship and therefore his first love. Despite the Hermione’s speed and agility two previous prey had eluded her – one due to untimely fog and the other due to the intervention of a Royal Naval frigate.




The Hermione was gaining on the target; some action was just what Gabriel needed. He had been in a black mood ever since he and Anamaria went their separate ways. It was inevitable. They had very different views of pirating. For Gabriel it was all about the open seas and action while for Anamaria it was a business. She did have good business sense and got far better prices for their pirated goods than Gabriel could have even hoped to get.




The last straw was her suggestion to incorporate. Incorporate? They were pirates and Gabriel was a pirate captain – not a “chief operational officer”. Then there was the idea that Anamaria would be “chief executive officer” and “chief financial officer”. Finances? Sure, but “chief executive”? They had always shared the decision making. So they put it to the “shareholders”…er, other pirates. Gabriel gave an impassioned speech about pirating…you know, “yo ho ho and a bottle of rum…it’s a pirate’s life for me”. There wasn’t a dry eye among the hardened cutthroats but when the time came to vote, most went with Anamaria…as did the two ships of the line. Gabriel didn’t care so much about the Orient but he had a bit of affection for the Argonauta. He least he got the Hermoine….and barely enough crew that it would be undermanned for the Royal Navy. Then there was Hal Sparrow. He was sure Hal would side with Gabriel, but, no, he didn’t. What was that about, he wondered.

Gabriel’s reverie was interrupted, “She’s in range, Cap’n”.

“Fire a warning shot.”

With that the merchantman, the Duc de Duras, struck her colours and hove to.




That was easy and with a small crew there’d be plenty of gold to split among the crew. That’d would stop the muttering about having made the wrong choice.

“Ship ahoy,” cried the lookout.

All eyes turned to the ship that appeared leeward.




She was Spanish frigate and, being at least a match for the Hermoine, sure to engage.




The Spaniard was well within range by the time they got the Duc de Duras underway. Gabriel had the Hermione turn to larboard, keeping her between their prize and the Spaniard. They exchanged opening broadsides. The Spaniard lost it’s main mast but fire broke out on the Hermoine.

“Blast it”, muttered Gabriel.




The damage from the raging fire would mean that an exchange of gun fire would favour the Spaniard and a boarding action was out of the question with the small crew made even smaller with men detached as a prize crew on the Duc de Duras. All Gabriel could do is to hope that they could outdistance the crippled Spaniard.




The crew managed to douse the fire. Another exchange of broadsides and the Spaniard lost the top half of her mizzen but the Hermione was losing too many crewmen.




The Spaniard had managed some repairs but it was still in range of the Hermione and the Duc de Duras.




With he accumulated damage the exchange of fire was increasingly less effective, but the Hermoine managed to hole the Spaniard which now listed to starboard.




The Hermione’s manoeuvres had allowed the Duc de Duras to near safety from the Spaniard’s guns, but now Gabriel had to get the Hermione out of danger. One bit of bad luck and the Hermoine would be finished and they’d be all hanging from the Spaniard’s yardarms.




Fortunately the Spaniard seemed to be hurting as much as the Hermione.




One more tack to larboard and the Hermoine should be beyond cannon range.




But not yet. Another exchange of afire and more of Hermione’s crew fell.

“Oh well”, thought Gabriel. “Hermione’s dead won’t care and the survivors will each get that much more gold.”




Would they escape? The Spaniard was persistent.




A gust of wind pushed the crippled Spaniard to larboard and away from the Hermione and her prize. The Hermione’s crew cheered. They had escaped and had their first prize since splitting with their former colleagues.




Ship Logs

Hermione




Spanish Frigate - the Diana (The card should have been for the Diana.)




Prize Ship - Duc de Duras