AAR. 2017 Scenario 1. Nation vs Nation. January. Pell Mell.

Prelude to Pell Mell.


Attachment 27609


The two Frigates drew together in the Gulf of De Almeria. As soon as the private signal had been exchanged, a boat set out from the ship which had come from the North.


Within minutes Captain Groat was reading the Dispatch sent across from the Pallas.

Attachment 27610


Captain Cochrane reported that he had been shadowing a strong Spanish Squadron from the port of Cartagena.

Attachment 27611

Lord Nelson's instructions were for the Squadron under the Command of Sir Dudley Pound at Gibraltar to prevent the Spaniards breaking out into the Atlantic and joining the French at Cherbourg or Le Havre.


Attachment 27607


With all speed Amelia made sail for Europa point.

Attachment 27608


Attachment 27612

Rob.

AAR. 2017 Scenario 1. Nation vs Nation. January.


Pell Mell.


Attachment 27640

Gibraltar Dockyard was a hive of industry, as The Fleet which had returned from the Indian Ocean and Cape town was undergoing a complete refit.
It was as much as Sir Joshua Pound could do to ready Five ships in order to carry out Lord Nelson's orders.

Attachment 27641

Nevertheless, within 48 hours they were clear of Europa point and just in time to see the Spanish Squadron of Five ships heading for the gut.


Attachment 27642

As soon as the Spanish Admiral made the British approaching, he bore up with his whole Squadron and made a run for the open sea'


Attachment 27643

Pound immediately signaled for a General chase, and for the next three days the British Squadron slowly clawed there way closer to the Spaniards.
Just after dawn on the third day, The Spanish Admiral suddenly signaled his ships to form line astern, and the whole Squadron came about, no doubt trying to catch the British scattered in the chase.


Attachment 27644

Apart from the fact that the slower sailors had fallen behind allowing their weakest ship HMS Leander to forge ahead of the line, and the Royal George to have taken up the rear the Spanish were wrong in their assumption.


Attachment 27647


the British line was in fighting trim.



Attachment 27646


As they came about it was they that fell into slight disorder, as thy tried to keep station.

Attachment 27648

Nevertheless thy continued to turn, some having to shorten sail in order to avoid driving aboard other vessels.


Attachment 27649


Porter now came up two points with the wind on his stern quarter in order to maintain the wind gauge but close with the van of the enemy. His plan to cut the T of the enemy line seemed assured.


Attachment 27650


The Spanish admiral having now almost completed his turn headed back toward the British and his destiny.

Attachment 27651

Attachment 27652


As they approached Captain Tanner in the Leander put up his helm a further two points ready to cut the T and rake the leading Spanish ship.

Attachment 27653


As the Spanish Captain reacted, by turning to windward in order to prevent the rake, Tanner sprang his trap.

Attachment 27654


Turning hard a starboard he indeed crossed the Spaniard's bow, but in the opposite direction, raking him with his Port side guns instead of his starboard.
The gun captains bellowed their orders to fire as each double shotted gun and Carronade came to bear rendering horrific damage to thr San Agustin in the van of the Spanish line.


Attachment 27655



Men fell, sails were rent, the steering was damaged and a fire broke out on the foredeck of the Spanish 64.
Tanner now came about once more, and through dint of the quick reloading was able to reply to the Agustin's reply, with even more damage, bringing down a mast and starting a second fire tween decks.



Attachment 27656


In return, some of Tanners Marines and seamen fell as the San Agustin's balls shattered the Bulwarks sending splinters of wood scything across her main deck.
As Leander moved on along the Spanish line she drew out of close range, and the Spanish guns loaded for a close action fell silent as she moved out of their range, but still able to hit with her main armament of long guns now reloaded.

Attachment 27657


In this way the second Spanish ship Argonauta was punished and lost some hands.
Meanwhile Agustin's captain had come up into the wind because of his fallen mast.

This put HMS Bellerophon who was carrying out Pounds orders to cross the T squarely across San Agustin's stern. The result of the raking broadside was tremendous. more men and a second mast fell, added to which the steering was further disabled and a third fire broke out whilst the crew were still dealing with the second.


Attachment 27658


This took the whole crew to effecting repairs and without more ado her Captain struck to Captain Stirling of the Bellerophon.


Attachment 27659


Meanwhile, by mere chance, the Leander's Captain was hoist by his own petard. The Captain of the third Spanish ship in line, the San Juan Nepomuceno had ignored his Admiral's instructions, and expecting a Starboard side attack only double shotted those guns.


Attachment 27660


With the Leander on his Port side he was able to bombard it at long range with a full broadside, unreturned because Leander was still reloading.


After his victory against San Agustin, Captain Tanner was now In trouble, being treated to a first Double shotted broadside at point blank range from the Argonauta and only able to reply with his Carronades which brought down a mast.


Attachment 27661


Stirling's own ship was, however, rendered a hulk, with a mast lost, rudder shot away, holed below the water line and on fire, and many crew down. Reluctantly he was forced to lower his colours, not realizing what ramifications this act was to have on the outcome of the battle.


Attachment 27662


The battle now appeared to be all equal with one ship lost on both sides and Leander badly mauled.

Argonauta now faced HMS Superb, Captain Rufus Taylor, who following Leander was now crossing the Spaniard's bow.


Attachment 27663


Once again a Double shotted broadside crashed out, and once again a once proud ship was ravaged from stem to stern. Crew and men falling along with blocks and canvas raining down on them from on high. The very ship seemed to stagger under the onslaught of shot.

Then it seemed to recover and moved on only to plough into the hulk of the San Agustin.


Attachment 27664


The damage was enough to take her out of the battle.


Attachment 27666


The general situation now looked like this, with both battle lines in disarray, and individual ships making the best way they could.


Attachment 27665


Leander was still poking the odd bit of fun at the remaining Spanish from long range as she passed down the line of double shotted ships.

Attachment 27667

In the centre of the action the Spanish Admiral had just realized the seriousness of his position. With Bellerophon dead in the water on the Starboard side, and his two other Van ships locked together on the Port, his battle line was funneling between them straight into the raking broadside of the next British ship HMS Phoenix, Captain Joseph Porter, who simply and quite clinically took it apart with his Carronades and long guns.


Attachment 27668


Steering, masts went by the board, and fire broke out, as half the crew fell dead or wounded including the captain himself, his head creased by a Marines musket ball. Porter lost some men to firing from the Spanish tops.


Attachment 27669


Seeing the mayhem ahead, the Spanish rear broke for its own salvation.


Attachment 27670


Heroe to Port and into the wind's eye, whilst the Flagship turned to Starboard to avoid a head on collision with the stationary Bellerophon.

All was to little avail for Heroe, as Superb had followed Leander around the battle and now stood athwart Heroe's bow.


Attachment 27671


Once again the inevitable broadside crashed out, and once again a Spanish ship was mauled. For once not so severely as it was not a first broadside, and mainly men went down in the rapidly worsening visibility of smoke and flame.



Attachment 27672


Captain Taylor now came about in order to pass by the side of the Heroe, but the Spanish ship being taken aback, swung about in stays and collided with Superb's bow.

Pheonix following Superb placed a well aimed broadside into the Heroe at long range.

Attachment 27673

Even as the grapples were hurled from the Superb's upper works. With a cheer Captain Taylor led his men aboard to take the prize.


Meanwhile, the final act of this battle was taking place on the far side of the Fleet, where totally unfazed by her losses, the spirited little Leander acting like a terrier at the heels of a Bear was harrying the Spanish Flagship Santa Ana towards her date with the Royal George.


Attachment 27674


With a rake of her stern the Leander damaged the steering severely, caused a leak and started a small fire soon put out by the crew. However, this attack was gradually nibbling away the Gigantic three decker's advantage in men and firepower.

Now the Royal George crossed the Bow of the Spanish Flagship and a rolling broadside took its toll on the massive bows. Her strength was evident in the fact that only just over 50% of the Georges broadside did any damage. Firing from the tops of both ships was desultory.


Attachment 27675


As Captain Pennyman brought the George about onto the Beam of the Santa Ana she proved that she still had teeth and gave a withering broadside which ripped down sails from two masts damaged the steering and started a fire.


Attachment 27676


The Admiral of the Spanish Flagship now seeing open water, and with four of the enemy still active and bearing down upon him decide that flight was the only option and made off.


Attachment 27677


It was left to Captain Tanner to have the last word in the battle, as his Leander's forrard Carronades barked out for the final time inflicting some structural damage to the Santa Ana's Gallery.


Attachment 27678


Thus ended the battle of the Alboran sea.


In his Dispatches to the Admiralty, Sir Joshua Pound made special mention of Captain Tanner of HMS Leander, and complementary remarks about Captain's Porter, Sterling, and Taylor for their spirited action.


Bligh.

BUTCHER'S BILL.


BRITISH SQUADRON.

Commanding:- Admiral Sir Joshua Pound.

Attachment 27853

1. Ships name…………………………ROYAL GEORGE.
Type of Ship………………………...FIRST RATE.
Captain's name……………………..Pennyman.

Returned to port (RtP)………………RTP
Captured (C) ………………………..
Killed in action (KIA…………………
Total hull boxes undamaged………7
Total crew boxes undamaged…..9


Attachment 27852

2. Ships name………………………….BELLERPHON.
Type of Ship………………………...THIRD RATE.
Captain's name…………………….. Stirling.

Returned to port (RtP)………………RTP
Captured (C) ………………………..
Killed in action (KIA…………………
Total hull boxes undamaged………1
Total crew boxes undamaged…..…10


Attachment 27854

3. Ships name…………………………PHOENIX.
Type of Ship………………………...THIRD RATE.
Captain's name……………………...Porter.

Returned to port (RtP)………………RTP
Captured (C) ………………………..
Killed in action (KIA…………………
Total hull boxes undamaged………9
Total crew boxes undamaged…..…7


Attachment 27856


4. Ships name…………………………SUPERB.
Type of Ship………………………....THIRD RATE.
Captain's name……………….……..Taylor.

Returned to port (RtP)………………RTP
Captured (C) ………………………..
Killed in action (KIA…………………
Total hull boxes undamaged……….8
Total crew boxes undamaged…..….9



Attachment 27855


5. Ships name…………………………LEANDER.
Type of Ship……………………….....FOURTH RATE.
Captain's name…………………….. Tanner.

Returned to port (RtP)………………..RTP
Captured (C) …………………………
Killed in action (KIA………………….
Total hull boxes undamaged………...7
Total crew boxes undamaged……….5



SPANISH SQUADRON.


Commanding:- Admiral Rodrigo de Mendes de Asturias.


Attachment 27851
Struck.

Attachment 27848
Struck.

Attachment 27847
Struck.

Attachment 27850
Escaped.

Attachment 27849
Struck.

Total burdens of all enemy ships sunk or captured….….20
Did the squadron meet its goals?...................................Yes.

Rob.

That was absolutely brutal!

You sailed the Spanish as though you wanted them to win! Very honorable!

My man of the match has to be HMS Leander, a fourth rate that took on the Santa Anna and walked away, the stuff of legends. Surely a medal of some kind is in order for her captain?

It was great seeing all of those new ships in action, funny how the Spanish ships don't look small when firing double shotted broadsides at you from point blank range.

I see the great cat was there to ferry the dead to the underworld.

:salute:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hjl

That was absolutely brutal!

You sailed the Spanish as though you wanted them to win! Very honorable!

My man of the match has to be HMS Leander, a fourth rate that took on the Santa Anna and walked away, the stuff of legends. Surely a medal of some kind is in order for her captain?

It was great seeing all of those new ships in action, funny how the Spanish ships don't look small when firing double shotted broadsides at you from point blank range.

I see the great cat was there to ferry the dead to the underworld.

---

That is one vote for a medal, does anyone else agree. :question:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bos'n

:salute:

That is one vote for a medal, does anyone else agree. :question:

---

What for the cat?

I counted him as a fog bank to allow the Santa Ana to escape, without having to spend time sailing it off table with only the Leander snapping at its heel's. By the time the liners had come about they would never have caught up even with its sail and steering damage.

A medal for young Captain Tanner of the Leander would be most acceptable to him I'm sure. It would be his first Gazette after taking command of his new ship.

Bligh.

I 2nd the medal for brave Leanders captain.

What a titanic battle Rob, well played and well fought.

These battles are way too bloody for my tastes. If I do get the time to fight nation vs. nation it will be with basic rules only.

Kudos for managing that many ships (do the British ever lose?) My head hurts from seeing that many chits on the table. :salute:

Here is an interesting book on naval medals that you might like

https://books.google.com/books?id=HS...medals&f=false

Thanks Hugh.
Yes very interesting.
I just ordered it from Amazon for £15.85 Hardback edition.

Rob.

Ahhh indeed a dirty business that. I have been trying to figure out a tactical way to avoid a slug fest with this one. Well done, and a medal indeed for young Tanner. I am currently close on the heals of a French fleet and tomorrow will see the battle joined. Yikes...

:medal:
Unit Citation

This unit citation is being awarded to
Captain Grenville Tanner
and the crew of
HMS Leander
for
Conspicuous Bravery in the Face of the Enemy
by the acclamation of his peers

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hjl

Here is an interesting book on naval medals that you might like

https://books.google.com/books?id=HS...medals&f=false

---

Impressive Hugh.
The book arrived shipped from California for £2.80 in five days.
Rob.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bos'n

:medal:
Unit Citation

This unit citation is being awarded to
Captain Grenville Tanner
and the crew of
HMS Leander
for
Conspicuous Bravery in the Face of the Enemy

---

Thank you for your time and effort in providing Captain and ships company with this citation sir.
The insurers and ships factors have also voted Captain Tanner a presentation sword to the price of eighteen guineas.
I remain your servant.
Bligh. Admiral of the Blue.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bligh

Thank you for your time and effort in providing Captain and ships company with this citation sir.
The insurers and ships factors have also voted Captain Tanner a presentation sword to the price of eighteen guineas.
I remain your servant.
Bligh. Admiral of the Blue.

---

Bligh,

Go back and read the last line of the citation. It wasn't me.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bos'n

Bligh,

Go back and read the last line of the citation. It wasn't me.

---

I am afraid that I don't quite see what this last line has to do with it?

Last edited by Bos'n; Yesterday at 22:27.

But thank you anyway.:wink:
Bligh.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bligh

I am afraid that I don't quite see what this last line has to do with it?

Last edited by Bos'n; Yesterday at 22:27.

But thank you anyway.:wink:
Bligh.

---

Your medal was awarded because of the many comments by the people in the campaign that said Turner deserved it.

Did you miss my attempted joke Bob?
Rob.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bligh

Did you miss my attempted joke Bob?
Rob.

---

Guess so. Oops.

Probably because it was very obscure as well as poor.:sad:
Rob.