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Thread: Misadventures of a fresh sailor: Sitting Ducks

  1. #1

    Default Misadventures of a fresh sailor: Sitting Ducks

    Having some time on my hands today but no opponents to play, I set up Sails of Glory for my first game - a solitaire experience. I used the basic rules with the Sitting Ducks scenario from the rulebook. Here is a little report of how it went...

    I set up my two French ships as far upwind of the British as I could manage while still taking advantage of reaching wind for the Aquilon. The rough plan was to sail the Aquilon across the bow of the HMS Defence, avoiding her line of fire as long as possible. The Unité would follow behind to fire into the weakened British 3rd rate. For that the frigate would of course have to stay astern of the Aquilon. Not an easy feat without being able to change sails.


    The first move already showed that I would need to slow down teh frigate to avoid running it into the stern of the Aqulion. These frigates are faster than the 3rd rates, even if they are only beating.


    Maneuvers for turn 2. I do have enough room left for the Unité - for the moment.


    My ships are closing in, but are still a bit beyond range. But If I continue moving the Unit'e straight, I'll run it into the Aquilon.


    Okay, I'll serve starboard to avoid the collision. But wait ... if I'm beating, the maneuver won't take me back unto the same course. That's a very important fact to learn.


    So the Unité is taken aback. We'll see how we'll get out of this next turn.


    Ah, this is how it works, very nice. We are satisfied with the clever sailing of our captain. He's back on course and has given himself a little room astern the Aquilon.


    Meanwhile the Aqulion is in firing range of the HMS Defence. But I don't want to squander my first broadside at long range, so I hold fire. In the standard rules this would also not be a raking shot, and I want to practice that.


    So I'm lining up the Aquilon for the perfect broadside with a little port swerve. This is gonna come back to bite me ... experienced captains might already know what's coming.


    And... Fire! Close range, raking broadside (no special effect in the basic rules of course), but the damage leaves me unimpressed. Only two damage spaced filled on the HMS Defence, and one started.


    The Unité is in long range with her forward broadside and decides to fire too. But that doesn't impress the British at all. Still, I'll probably have time to reload before I get close, I think.


    Uh oh, the mat and table edge suddenly looms very close for the Aquilon. I suddenly wish I could have reduced sails.


    And indeed, we have left the table ... and lost the game with it. My puny frigate stands no chance against the two British ships, even at anchor, so decides to sail away fight another day.


    Yay, I have lost my first Sails of Glory game.

    A very interesting experience, handling the maneuver cards and ships for the first time. The frigates and ships-of-the-line do indeed handle very differently. The scenario has an interesting setup... it's really not easy to come at the British ships at a good angle. I'll have to try again.

    Anything I've done wrong here rules-wise? Please point out any mistakes I've made.

  2. #2
    2nd Lieutenant
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    A fantastic report, thank you

  3. #3
    2nd Lieutenant
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    Schaue es mir morgen noch mal genauer an. Fahre jetzt zur Superbowl Party.

  4. #4
    Admiral of the White
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    Very nice report, great photos and the repaints on the ships look impressive! Well done!

  5. #5
    Retired Admiral of the Fleet
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    That was a fun read, Ralf. The pictures are really good. They show up the colors rather nicely.

    On the Taken Aback, is the maneuver with the card displayed the second back-to-back Taken Aback maneuver?

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by 7eat51 View Post
    That was a fun read, Ralf. The pictures are really good. They show up the colors rather nicely.

    On the Taken Aback, is the maneuver with the card displayed the second back-to-back Taken Aback maneuver?
    I think in basic you go right away to the 2-hourglass, without using the 1-hourglass at all (?)

  7. #7

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    Great first AAR, Ralf!

    Nice pictures and French broadsides.

  8. #8

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    Thanks everybody, this was fun to put together.

    Quote Originally Posted by fredmiracle View Post
    I think in basic you go right away to the 2-hourglass, without using the 1-hourglass at all (?)
    Yes, in the basic game you skip the 1-hourglass version of the card, it's not used.

  9. #9
    Midshipman
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    A very nice setting and a great looking game! Thanks for posting

  10. #10

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    Very entertaining and helpful on some tactical issues of the game, well done.

  11. #11
    2nd Lieutenant
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    Seems that everything was ok. I found no mistake

  12. #12
    Admiral. R.I.P.
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    Thank you for this AAR. It was very informative.

  13. #13

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    Nice painting and tinting Looks like you're ready for Keith's ratlines.

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by Gunner View Post
    Nice painting and tinting Looks like you're ready for Keith's ratlines.
    Argh, don't say cruel things like this. I was hoping I'd make do for once with using miniatures straight out of the box... now I'm already painting the sails and masts. Where am I supposed to take the time to do rigging and ratlines? You'll have to dig me out of my pile of unpainted minis at some point.

    Although... I have to admit the rigged ships look damn good.

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Uthoroc View Post
    Where am I supposed to take the time to do rigging and ratlines?
    Go to bed an hour later?
    Welcome to the club Ralf.

  16. #16
    Admiral of the Fleet.
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    I am just catching up with all these missed AARs Ralf.
    Jolly good informative scenario thanks.
    Rob.

  17. #17
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    Nicely done Ralf. Love the setting too. If you wanted to prolong the game just use the ruler and move everything the same distance in the same direction thereby extending your playing area and giving ships more sea room. But nicely done all the same and good pics too.

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