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USS Constitution versus HMS Sybille
This game is my 2nd game. I'm using just the basic rules plus it's my first try of Dobbs AI. After this I will have a go at the standard rules.
The inspiration for the game are the single ship actions involving the USS Constitution and British frigates during the War of 1812. The opponent I choose is the 44 gun Hebe class HMS Sybille (it says 34 on the card). It's not a fight I expected Sybille to win and she didn't but she did better than I expected. The initial wind and ship positions, just outside of long range, were based on the Avalon Hill scenario in Wooden Ships and Iron Men for the Constitution versus Guerriere. I used AI for both sides.
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Turn 1 & 2: The Constititution turns to investigate the unknown frigate while the Sybille moves upwind to try to gain the weather gauge versus the larger frigate.
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Turn 3: Sybille fires a partial broadside at long range to discourage her pursuer but it has little effect on 'Old Ironsides'.
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Turn 4: Old Ironsides accepts the challenge and returns the honours.
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Turns 5 to 9: Sybille finally gains the weather gauge. With the choice of engaging the more powerful frigate or not, Sybille's captain decides honour will not allow him to withdraw without at least a try. Sybille turns and heads towards the Constitution.
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Turn 10: Withholding fire until within close range both frigates fire devastating broadsides from their forward batteries at each other. Surprisingly Sybille gives nearly as much as she gets.
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Turn 11: The gunners on both ships reload while from the yardarms marines snipe at the opposing crews.
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Turn 12: Both ships then turn away from each other as their captains re-assess the mettle of the foe. (It was a surprise to me but I went with hit.)
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Turn 13: Both ships then turned back and fired - a full broadside for the Constitution which does little ship damage but devastates the Sybille's crew while Sybille with a partial broadside proves that 'Old Ironsides' might be a little rusty.
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Turns 14 & 15: The ships reposition themselves onto parallel courses and exchange long range broadsides. Sybille heavily damages rusty 'Old Ironsdies' but her crew losses mount.
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Turns 16 & 17: Neither captain willing to withdraw, they close for a close range broadsides. Sybille continues to ravage the hull of 'Old Ironsides' but down to almost no able crew, the captain of the Sybille strikes her colours.
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The final tally on the ship boards.
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Assessment of the AI. There were times when I wondered what it was doing as the ships jockeyed for position at long range or just out of long range. I nearly quit the game when they both turned away from each other but I'm glad I didn't. The overall game played reasonably enough for the similar engagements of the Constitution versus His Majesty's frigates. Full credit to the Sybille for doing better than I thought she would.