Two Lucky Broadsides

Date: 26.04.1756
Atlantic, 12:00 UTC,
Wind: 5 BFT, North, North-West.

British Fleet
HMS Queen Charlotte 1st Rate Explode -> Lord Richard Howe, Admiral of the White KIA
HMS London 2nd Rate Dismasted -> Thomas Graves, Rear Admiral of the Blue KIA
HMS Intrepid 4th Rate Heavy Damaged -> Cpt. Edward Hughes
HMS Deptford 4th Rate Light Damaged ->Cpt. John Amherst
HMS Amazon 5th Rate No Damage ->Cpt. Carthew Reynolds

French Fleet
Duc du Bourgogne 3rd Rate Heavy Damaged -> Chef de Escadre. Charles-Henri-Louis d´Arsac
Conquérant 3rd Rate Light Damaged -> Cpt. Charles-Marie de la Grandiére
Fougueux 3rd Sunken -> Cpt. Louis Alexis Baudouin KIA
Redoutable 3rd No Damage -> Cpt. Pieree-André de Glandevés du Castellet
Guérier 3rd Light Damage -> Cpt. René Villars de la Bosse-Raquin


Toward noon, an enemy French squadron was sighted west of the British squadron. The British Commander Howe decidet to engage. Both Fleets running downwind. The british changed the course, tried to cross the bow of the French.
Attachment 43462

Attachment 43463

Attachment 43464

Attachment 43465

Both Squadrons turned a bit in Front of the wind, but the british maneuver fails. The french fleet was faster and get the chance to cross the bow of the british squadron.
Attachment 43466
Attachment 43467

HMS London fired a Broadside and hit Fouquex hard. But she had the chance to cross the bow of London and fired a full broadside on the rigg. The damage was really heavy, the rigg immediately catched fire. HMS London lost her speed immediately.
To avoid a collision, the next ship in the Line, HMS Intrepid had only a chance to turn to port and leave London on starboard. After this maneuver Intrepid fired a second broadside inside Fouqueux.
Attachment 43468

The rest of the british squadron hat no chance to follow the Intrepid, the line was broken up. There was no space, so they must turn to starboard, leave the London on port.

London and Intrepid frired broadside after broadside into the french line. Fouqueux in front of the french line got some heavy hits. Londons rigg was still burning, and Tomas Graves got wounded.
Attachment 43469
The Queen Charlotte finally passed the London on starbord and fired her first broadside into the Fouqueux. The damage was disastrous! The Fouqueux was shortly before strike her colors, but they stand and fight! Intrepid tried two times to grapple the damaged ship but it fails.

Attachment 43469

Attachment 43471

Attachment 43470

London lost the Rigg!

Attachment 43472

On Front, the both Ships Queen Charlotte, and Duc du Bourgogne firing broadside after Broadside. One hit set´s Queen Charlotte Hull on Fire! After the failed grapple, the Intrepid fired another broadside on Intrepid. After this broadside the ship finally sinks.
Attachment 43473

The Guérier fired a last distance shot on London and hit Thomas Graves, Rear Admiral of the Blue badly, he was killed in action. 5 Minutes later Lord Richard Howe, Admiral of the White, on Queen Charlotte got woundet by a broadside from Duc du Bourgogne. The british squadron tried to build a new formation line.


The Guérier fires another broadside in the Queen Charlotte and makes her name all honor! The ammunition chamber is hit and the ship explodes!
Attachment 43474

With no commander, and heavy damage, the british Squadron decided to escape.
Attachment 43475
Attachment 43476

with three damaged ships, the french fleet decidet to let them go. A hard fight with two lucky shots!

A lot of stirring action there and a hard fought battle.
Two questions spring to mind. One is what is the length of your table? it looks magnificent with its sea covering the surface.
Two. About those cabinets. How are the interiors set out? I am about to set up a permanent wargames table and am trying to get the under storage just right for ships and armies. Any tips would be most useful.
Rob.

Hey Rob.
This is my Kitchenblock between the Livingroom and my Kitchen :) The length of the Table is 2,90 x 0,90 m. The Surface is a natural stoneplate "Nero Assoluto". The Material of the cabinets are wildbeech. On the Kitchenside they´re where 60 cm deep, and on the Livingside 30cm. The filled with Tables and different Kitchenstuff. It´s a bit funny, because i had a lot of thought where i have a big surface to play these game. We bought a new house, breaking down a wall between the two rooms and decided to have such a big Block between. I never thought that you can play wonderfully on it when we plan it. So i think, we have a great Table to eat, and i can play on that....and then i make photos from my ships on it and thing...damn...your Idiot ...., thats the ideal Tabletop-Surface :D

Thanks for the information Andy.
I may well use some of your revelations when I get round to arranging my room in a month or so.
Rob.

You have some beautiful ships there, very nicely done, and the kitchen units work very well as a seascape.

Interesting AAR.

Was this a Solo Play scenario?

What was the red dice for?

Thank you for the good A.A.R., Andy. :thumbsup:

Thanks :)
It was no solo play scenario from this side. I played with the flying colours rules, But with a self modified moving system. The dice is a d6 vor iniative, weather- and windchange, and a d12 for damage and some other tests