The Proserpine Challenge

In anticipation of a bad weather system, we got a slip at a well protected marina. Mother Nature did not disappoint, and the wind exceeded our expectations and set in just after dark. Here is the view out our hatch at the height of it.

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The leaning stick is a heavy 41’ boat of a style that has a reputation for never heeling under sail.

I tripled my lines on our windward side.

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Morning has come and the situation is pretty much the same, but at least it’s light out.

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By 9am, the gusts were low enough that things put on the table would stay put.

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My plan is to get you folks trapped at home by the virus to try my soloplay rules. This will accomplish many things. First, you get to play a game even if there is no one to play with. Second, if you post your AAR, it will give me an idea of how well my rules work. It will also give all of us at the Anchorage pictures to look at of ships shooting at each other, which is also fun!

To keep it simple, I chose two Hebe class frigates. If you don’t have two Hebes, pick any two equally matched ships.

I chose to use the planning a turn ahead rules. I realize that the AI doesn’t have to, but it also doesn’t have any senses or brains and relies entirely on probability for a good strategy. I thought that helped make things more fair for my probability driven opponent.

I chose not to use chit draws, as I was more interested in how the AI handled the developing situation. I just kept track of the number of full and partial broadsides to determine a winner.

If you don’t wish to use my sideslip rules, just play a regular straight whenever a sideslip is indicated in the yellow arc. I encourage you to try my Sideslip Rules. It is a little more complicated but to me, it adds an aspect of sail handling to a card that otherwise feels like it wandered in from Wings of Glory.

In order for the soloplay system to work you must use the Closehauled Rules as described for the AI. I highly recommend adopting it for your play as well.

My Soloplay Rules can be found here:

https://www.sailsofglory.org/entry.p...play-Mechanism

All that said, here we go…

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Both ships start on a port tack. The AI is the British ship with the weather gauge, just under two combat rulers away. I, in the American ship, am on the Amelia’s starboard side and on a parallel course. A roll of 6 becomes a 2 because the ships are farther apart than long range. The resulting card to play is a 6.

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I, on the Albemarle, play a 5 and proceed straight. With her 6, Amelia turns slightly toward me.

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The AI is still on a port tack and greater than one combat ruler away. Albemarle is still on a parallel course on her starboard side. A die roll of 2 becomes -2 because of the range. The resulting card is a 9.

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I play a 3 and come up closehauled. Amelia’s 9 causes her to wear onto a starboard tack.

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Note that this is now the Starboard Tack page since Amelia wore last turn. Even though the wind is blowing over the yellow arc at the back of the ship, in soloplay terms that is still considered the green arc for determining which movement table to use. Still outside long range, a roll of 1 results in a -3, and the card is a 0. Since Hebes don’t have a 0 in their deck, it becomes a 1.

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Albemarle moves straight, still closehauled. Because of the wind being directly astern, Amelia moves the yellow portion of card 1.

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In this picture, I use the Bearing Template to determine whether my ship is on the AI’s beam or ahead. I’m ahead, and heading to port.

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Having worn back to port, and still outside of long range, Amelia’s roll of 5 becomes a 1. Card 6

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I continue straight as Amelia closes. A raking shot!...if only my full broadside would bear. I choose to hold my fire.

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Checking my location relative to the AI again. I’m still ahead and heading to port.

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Still on a port tack with Albemarle ahead and heading to port. A roll of 6, unmodified because the ships are at long range, becomes card 8.

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I sideslip to starboard to widen the gap. Amelia wears again and we exchange full opening broadsides at long range.

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Once again on a starboard tack, the table has been changed to the starboard table to reflect that. A roll of 3, unmodified because of long range results in card 3.

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I luff up to tack and gain the weather gauge. The smoke from our broadsides lingers (as a reminder of firing).

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Amelia has worn again, so it’s back to the port tack table. A roll of 4 indicates card 1. The C shows that if the turn would carry Amelia into the red arc that the turn should instead be stopped closehauled, or on the yellow side of the red/yellow border. In this case, the move will not bring her up closehauled.

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I finish my tack with a one hourglass red card.

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The Bearing Template is broken out again to determine a close one. Sighting through the mainmast, Albemarle is off Amelia’s port beam.

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Still at long range, but Amelia is now in the Yellow Arc. Albemarle is on a reciprocal course. A roll of 1 is card 4.

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Albemarle is moving at a speed of 1 sail after playing the red card, building her speed back after the tack. She’s able to deliver a full broadside at close range, while Amelia is only able to reply with her forward arc.

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Now at close range, a roll of 5 becomes 9. Amelia is on a port tack. Albemarle is off her port beam and heading to port. The result is card 6.

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The smoke lingers as I move away to regroup and press my advantage.

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My advantage becomes somewhat less as Amelia shares her stern arc broadside with me.

...and then it was time for lunch as the wind outside continued to howl.

Heeled over Dobbs! She looks pretty much on her beam ends to me. I will see if I can fix it for you.:wink:
Rob.

There you go Dobbs. I left the bottom one as is to make sense of my earlier comment, otherwise people will think I have been on the G&t again, which incidentially I have!
Rob.:drinks:

Remember folks, don't worry about your skill at pictures or whether or not your miniatures are painted. Regardless of your talent, seeing the game in action will make people smile.