16 Attachment(s)
2015 Solo Mission - Against the Wind
2015 Solo Scenario – Against the Wind
Captain Jackson Andrews stared out the fly-specked window at the British fleet lying at anchor in English Harbor and contemplated the events which had brought him to Antigua.
The journey had started nearly a month ago in Plymouth when he had been summoned to the Admiralty and given his orders. He was to use his ship, the 32-gun frigate HMS Griffon, to escort two merchant ships, the Grand Review and the Highland Lass, both carrying military supplies, to English Harbor. He had not relished his assignment. The merchants were quite slow, and even more so for this trip since they had been fitted with a few cannons because of the recent activities in the Caribbean of a French privateer known only as the Crimson Pirate and his ship the Revanche Rouge.
The trip across the Atlantic had gone well, but once the flotilla reached the turquoise-blue waters of the Caribbean, the wind turned against them and it seemed they had to tack back and forth for several hours for every mile they closed on their destination. On three separate occasions the lookouts had spotted a strange sail hull down on the horizon, but they could not be certain if they had belonged to one ship or three. Then, less than fifty miles from the safety of English Harbor, the lookout spotted a razee 74-gun ship on a course to intercept the three English ships. There was no mistaking the identity of the ship, as soon as it came into view it hoisted the red flag emblazoned with a black heart dripping black blood – the colors of the Crimson Pirate.
Attachment 54313
Andrews signaled the merchant ships to tack to larboard, but they either misread the signal or panicked and they both veered to starboard. Once they realized their mistake, they both tacked in the opposite direction which only brought them head-on into the wind. (Turn 4)
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Their momentum carried them northward but not soon enough for the Grand Review to escape a blast from the privateer that caused a leak and severed the mizzenmast of the luckless merchant.
Attachment 54315
The Griffon tried and eventually succeeded in bringing its double-shotted guns to bear on the enemy, and even the merchants were able to send iron towards the Revanche Rouge but any optimism was short lived as the Rouge’s guns tore into the smaller frigate.
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The Frenchman found himself facing into the wind and Captain Andrews seized the opportunity to line up his broadsides, but again the razee got the best of the exchange.
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Attachment 54319
With the Griffon reeling, the Rouge went after her initial prey, the Grand Review. The Highland Lass tacked north to get some separation between her and the privateer but the captain knew that he would have to turn south sooner or later if he were to make it to Antigua.
Attachment 54320
Attachment 54321
The battle seemed to drag on forever as the ships maneuvered against the wind. The superior seamanship and handling ability of the Crimson Pirate was displayed once again when he was able to line up his broadside on the Griffon without exposing the Revanche Rouge to return fire.
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He then used his larboard guns to rip into the Grand Review once again, causing the captain of the now defenseless merchant to strike.
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Captain Andrews hoped to bait the Frenchman into following the Griffon so the Highland Lass could make good her escape but the Crimson Pirate would have none of it and fired a parting shot at the Griffon as the Revanche Rouge gave chase to the fleeing merchant ship.
Attachment 54324
His ship on the verge of sinking, Andrews withdrew to the west, leaving the Highland Lass to her fate; a decision he knew he would regret for the rest of his life. The captain of the merchant knew her only hope was to bring her aft guns to bear and pray for a lucky shot knowing the gambit would turn his ship dead into the wind. His prayers were not answered.
Attachment 54325
The Highland Lass paid dearly for her captain’s risky maneuver. Taken completely aback by the wind, the ship was raked mercilessly by the Crimson Pirate causing a fire and death to much of her crew. There was no other option than to strike.
Attachment 54326
A sharp knock on the door brought Captain Andrews’ thoughts back into the present. An immaculately dressed Marine lieutenant said, “If you would follow me sir, the court-martial is ready to convene.”
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Attachment 54328
Captain Jackson Andrews – Failed Mission – RTP – Relieved of Command
Merchant Grand Review – Captured
Merchant Highland Lass – Captured
The Crimson Pirate – Captured two prizes - RTP
