Historical Scenario - The Battle of Flamborough Head - 23 September 1779

Players: 3

Gaming surface:
Two game mats (98 cm x 134 cm). Place two coastal elements along the middle of the Western edge of the Southern map. The coastline is rocky within the width of the ruler. Light wind comes from the South.

British Player:
HMS Serapis , 44-gun double-decker frigate – replace with HMS Isis.
Captain Pearson: Intuitive Captain..

Countess of Scarborough (50), 20-gun hired armed vessel – replace with HMS Cleopatra/Iphigenia.
Captain Piercy: Intuitive Captain..

The British ships may not open fire until fire is declared on one of them or the opposing ships are within C/D range. They may fire in the same turn as fire upon them is declared. Fire should be planned.
British ships deploy first according to set-up map with backing sails set.

US/French player (John Paul Jones):
Bonhomme Richard 1779 40-guns. Cover the last crew damage box. Use manoeuvre deck “N”.
Captain John Paul Jones: Charismatic Captain, Fast-Thinking, Lucky Captain (though modified such that the player must redraw the result, not select it. This ability may be used twice).
Exploding 18-lbrs! On the first broadside use the normal firepower but the player must draw one ‘D’ damage counter. If ‘0’ there is no consequence. If damage is drawn apply the damage and, in subsequent turns, always use the second uncovered hull box to determine the firepower. However, the player may choose to determine firepower using the first uncovered hull box, but then must also draw one ‘D’ damage counter and apply the result to the Bonhomme Richard.
Crew abilities: Grenade-armed crew: when the Bonhomme Richard is entangled or engaged in a boarding action with a ship and it uses musketry against it, the player may use this ability to force the opponent to draw one additional E damage counter if one or more ‘0’ damage counters are drawn. This may be used twice. Desperate Prisoners: if the Bonhomme Richard has a leak, the pump water action may be planned as an extra action, exceeding the normal number of crew actions.

Pallas (replaced with Hermione/L’Inconstant). Cover the first hull box and the first crew box. Crew (in)ability: Sailors lacking training.

Vengeance (replaced by USS Atalanta, Alligator or Le Fortune). Cover the first hull box and the first crew box. Crew (in)ability: Sailors lacking training.

Ships controlled by this player may not fire directly on the Alliance, with the exception of the special “Broad Broadsides” rule below.
The Pallas and the Vengeance may not engage the British player until they are engaged or the Bonhomme Richard is engaged. The Pallas and the Vengeance must follow the Bonhomme Richard as a squadron and may only move out of formation after the first combat action.

US/French player (Captain Landais):
Alliance 36-gun (replace with Courageuse).
The Alliance may fire on the Bonhomme Richard but only if there is a chance it will also hit a British ship according to the special “Broad Broadsides” rule below. However, the Alliance may only fire at the Bonhomme Richard if the line-of-sight to both ships is unblocked – it may not fire through the base of the Bonhomme Richard at a further British ship.

Special rules:
Damage with Full Sails: Any ship with full sails that receives damage must draw an additional ‘C’ damage counter.
Broad Broadsides (including friendly fire): If a ship chooses to fire, the two closest ships in its chosen firing arc will receive damage regardless of if they are friend or foe. If the line-of-sight to the central mast of both target ships is unblocked, the damage is divided as follows: the closest ship takes 2/3 of the damage counters (round up) and the further ship takes 1/3 (round up). If the two targeted ships are entangled or grappled, then the damage is divided as follows: the closest ship takes 1/2 of the chips (rounding up), the further ship takes 1/2 (rounding down). In either case, if the firing ship’s broadside is reduced to just ‘1’, then determine the target ship randomly. If the line-of-sight to the central mast of the further ship is blocked by the base of the closer ship, then the further ship takes one ‘A’ damage counter for every damage counter drawn that exceeds the burden of the closer ship.
Blanketing or blocking wind: If a ship has another upwind of it (from main mast to the other ship’s base) within C/D distance at the start of the movement phase, move the ship using the orange marker instead of the green.

Optional rules:
Required: Sailors Lacking Training, Entanglement, Boarding, Strength of the wind (set to light for the whole battle), Coasts and Islands (rocky within the width of the ruler), Captain & Crew Abilities, Wounds to the Captain.
Recommended: Let the men drink, Continuous fire, Double shot, Aiming high, Ammunition explosion, Sinking ships, Spreading Fires, Surrendered ships.

https://sailsofglory.org/attachment....4&d=1584996271

Winning conditions:
British player:
2 points if the Bonhomme Richard and the Alliance are prevented from exiting the NW part of the map within 20 turns.
1 point for each US/French ship that is captured or destroyed.

US/French player (John Paul Jones):
2 points if HMS Serapis is captured or destroyed by the Bonhomme Richard, Pallas or Vengeance.
1 point if the Countess of Scarborough is captured or destroyed by the Bonhomme Richard, Pallas or Vengeance.
3 points for exiting the Bonhomme Richard off the NW end within 20 turns.

US/French player (Captain Landais):
3 points if John Paul Jones is captured or is killed (Wounds to the Captain rule), and the Alliance is not captured and Captain Landais is not killed.
2 points if the Bonhomme Richard and the Alliance have exited the NW end of the map within 20 turns OR if both British ships are captured and destroyed and the Alliance exits the map within 20 turns.
1 point for each British ship captured or destroyed by the Alliance.

Historical outcome: For more information see the following:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Flamborough_Head
http://www.jpj.demon.co.uk/jpjflamb.htm
https://www.usna.edu/Users/oceano/pguth/website/shipwrecks/battle_lesson/battle_lesson.htm

Designer’s notes:
The winning conditions were set to try to get the players to behave in a way similar to the historical captains. I wanted the main outcome to be a draw: the Royal Navy preventing the US/French squadron from reaching the merchant convoy while ultimately sinking the Bonhomme Richard and the US/French squadron capturing both Royal Nav escorts. However, the winning conditions are also set to encourage the Alliance to attack the Bonhomme Richard. The Alliance player wins the scenario if they succeed in causing, or allow through inactivity, the death of John-Paul Jones!
To simulate the inaction of the Pallas and the Vengeance the ‘Sailors lacking training’ felt like a good approach.
Special abilities and rules were added to add flavour to the battle. Some of these are obviously inspired by accounts of the battle itself. I strongly recommend using house rules that reduce damage or increase the durability of the ships to prolong the battle. Not using the “First Broadsides” rule is a good start.
I’ve only play-tested this scenario a few times. Any suggestions for improvements are welcome – post here or send me a PM.