Misadventures of a fresh sailor: Sitting Ducks
Having some time on my hands today but no opponents to play, I set up Sails of Glory for my first game - a solitaire experience. I used the basic rules with the Sitting Ducks scenario from the rulebook. Here is a little report of how it went...
I set up my two French ships as far upwind of the British as I could manage while still taking advantage of reaching wind for the Aquilon. The rough plan was to sail the Aquilon across the bow of the HMS Defence, avoiding her line of fire as long as possible. The Unité would follow behind to fire into the weakened British 3rd rate. For that the frigate would of course have to stay astern of the Aquilon. Not an easy feat without being able to change sails.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-x...o/01_Setup.jpg
The first move already showed that I would need to slow down teh frigate to avoid running it into the stern of the Aqulion. These frigates are faster than the 3rd rates, even if they are only beating.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-K...n1MovingIn.jpg
Maneuvers for turn 2. I do have enough room left for the Unité - for the moment.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-P...ntForTurn2.jpg
My ships are closing in, but are still a bit beyond range. But If I continue moving the Unit'e straight, I'll run it into the Aquilon.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-n...OutOfRange.jpg
Okay, I'll serve starboard to avoid the collision. But wait ... if I'm beating, the maneuver won't take me back unto the same course. That's a very important fact to learn.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-O...gCollision.jpg
So the Unité is taken aback. We'll see how we'll get out of this next turn.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-b...ntoTheWind.jpg
Ah, this is how it works, very nice. We are satisfied with the clever sailing of our captain. He's back on course and has given himself a little room astern the Aquilon.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4...ckIntoLine.jpg
Meanwhile the Aqulion is in firing range of the HMS Defence. But I don't want to squander my first broadside at long range, so I hold fire. In the standard rules this would also not be a raking shot, and I want to practice that.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-6..._LongRange.jpg
So I'm lining up the Aquilon for the perfect broadside with a little port swerve. This is gonna come back to bite me ... experienced captains might already know what's coming.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1...tBroadside.jpg
And... Fire! Close range, raking broadside (no special effect in the basic rules of course), but the damage leaves me unimpressed. Only two damage spaced filled on the HMS Defence, and one started.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-B...no/10_Fire.jpg
The Unité is in long range with her forward broadside and decides to fire too. But that doesn't impress the British at all. Still, I'll probably have time to reload before I get close, I think.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-k.../11_Missed.jpg
Uh oh, the mat and table edge suddenly looms very close for the Aquilon. I suddenly wish I could have reduced sails.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-T...no/12_UhOh.jpg
And indeed, we have left the table ... and lost the game with it. My puny frigate stands no chance against the two British ships, even at anchor, so decides to sail away fight another day.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-R.../13_TheEnd.jpg
Yay, I have lost my first Sails of Glory game. :beer:
A very interesting experience, handling the maneuver cards and ships for the first time. The frigates and ships-of-the-line do indeed handle very differently. The scenario has an interesting setup... it's really not easy to come at the British ships at a good angle. I'll have to try again.
Anything I've done wrong here rules-wise? Please point out any mistakes I've made.
