AARs 2018.

[Bligh]

As I said sir, it is the success that counts and not the Captain's method of achieving it.
Bligh.

[Wentworth]

2018 Solo Campaign Scenario Four--AAR-- "The Enemy Are Out"

I played this game over the summer, but had difficulty loading the pictures so I let it lay fallow for a bit. Here's the AAR.

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Captain William de la Virgne knocked at the door of Admiral Sir Joseph Porter's cabin. Hearing a distracted "enter" he removed his hat and quickly stepped through the door ducking his head and turning his large body sideways to make the entrance. de la Virgne stood quietly in front of Porter's desk until he looked up. The two men could not have been more different. Porter was a slight man with a bird-like quality to him. His bright blue eyes shone on either side of his aquiline nose. de la Virgne was a massive man with a large round head set on powerful shoulders and chest that gave a distant reflection of his Norman warrior ancestors.
"I have an alarming report that the enemy are out and making a run for open water. What is the condition of our squadron?" Porter began.
"Tonnant, Leopard, and Terpsichore are still refitting from their last mission, but Goliath, Defence, Adamant, Swan, and of course Victory are fit for duty" de la Virgne replied.
"Very good -- signal Goliath, Defence and Adamant to hoist the Blue Peter and ready the Victory as we sail on the next tide. Signal Swan to patrol the offing to the harbor in case the Frenchies get by us."
"Yes Sir Joseph" de la Virgne replied as his blood stirred with the thought of finally getting into action.
Word passed through the squadron quickly that the ships were to sally forth to meet the French. As the four ships proceeded from port in a line, the crews of the remaining ships crowded the rails and stood in the rigging and on the ratlines cheering and waving their hats as the ships passed out to sea.

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Turns 1,2,3 & 4
All ships are under full sail as the two squadrons see each other. The French squadron consists of Montagne (118 guns), Aquilon (74 guns), Le Swiftsure (74 guns), Embuscade (32 guns), and Hermione (32 guns). The British are outgunned 340 to 302 in the coming fight. Victory signals Adamant to cut off the French escape route. The French make a run for it all at full sails except Aquilon at battle sail. As the British close Goliath goes to battle sail to maintain line ahead.







Turns 5 & 6
All ships at this point are under battle sail. Adamant forces Embuscade to turn, both ships exchange broadsides and musketry. Adamant receives 9 damage points and 3 crew hits, Embuscade 4 damage points, 2 crew hits and a hull leak -- but the French have been forced to engage rather than run to the open sea.


Turn 6
The ships maneuver for combat. Embuscade is taken aback. Defence fires full broadside into Embuscade. Hermione fires full broadside at Victory. Victory responds with forward starboard guns. Le Swiftsure fires starboard forward guns at Adamant and port forward guns at Defence. There is general firing from the tops. Hermione suffers 4 damage points including a fire and 2 crew hits. Victory takes 6 damage including a hull leak and mast damage. Defence receives 5 damage points including hull leak and 5 crew hits. Embuscade takes 11 damage points, a hull leak, sail damage, and 6 crew hits and strikes to Defence.










Turn 7

Repairs commence on hull leaks, mast damage, etc. Goliath fires broadside on Hermione. Victory fires broadside on Le Swiftsure. Adamant fires broadside on Le Swiftsure. Defence fires rear port guns on Le Swiftsure and forward starboard guns on Montagne. Hermione receives 9 damage points, hull leak, sail damage, 1 crew hit. Montagne takes 1 crew hit. Le Swiftsure is devastated with 24 damage points, 2 hull leaks, a fire, and 2 crew hits.




Turn 8
The ships continue to maneuver for position. The wounded Hermione bolts for the open sea. Victory crosses Montagne's "T" with raking broadside after near collision. Montagne stern rakes Defence. Montagne takes 28 damage points plus hull leak. Defence receives 12 damage points and a rudder hit (what a critical time to take a rudder hit so near the shoreline!).


Turn 9
Defence works to repair rudder. Montagne works to repair hull leak. Adamant fires bow raking broadside on Le Swiftsure. Montagne full broadside on Goliath. Goliath's port forward guns answer Montagne.






Turn 10
Hermione, Le Swiftsure, and Adamant all go to full sails and the race is on! Le Swiftsure and Adamant exchange musketry. Goliath fires musketry as well. Aquilon fires rear guns and musketry. Victory broadsides Montagne. Defence fires broadside as well. On the musketry exchange Adamant takes 1 crew loss, Le Swiftsure 0 crew hits. Montagne takes 15 damage points, 5 crew hits, and a sail damage. Defence 14 damage points and a sail damage. Aquilon 3 crew hits. Goliath 4 damage points and 5 crew hits.




Turn 11
Montagne and Victory exchange musketry. Aquilon fires forward starboard guns on Defence. Le Swiftsure fires port forward guns on Adamant. Adamant takes 1 damage point. Victory loses 2 crew. Montagne loses 3 crew. Aquilon 3 damage points. Defence 5 damage points plus sail.






Turn 12
Victory fires ranging shot on Le Swiftsure with forward starboard guns and port rear guns on Aquilon. Aquilon returns fire on Victory with starboard forward guns. Adamant and Hermione exchange shots with forward guns. Victory and Montagne exchange musketry. Montagne receives 3 crew hits and strikes to Victory. Aquilon takes 13 damage points, 1 crew hit, and a fire. Victory gets 2 damage points and 3 crew hits. Adamant goes unscathed. Hermione takes 4 damage points, 2nd hull leak and strikes to Adamant. Aquilon and Victory are taken aback.





Turn 13 & 14
Victory fires full broadside at Aquilon. Le Swiftsure broadsides Adamant.


Turn 15
Adamant fires rear guns on Le Swiftsure inflicting 2 damage points. Victory fires forward guns on Le Swiftsure inflicting 6 damage points, 2nd hull leak, 2nd fire, 1 crew hit, and sinks. Goliath fires raking stern shot on Aquilon inflicting 10 damage points, a fire, a hull leak, a rudder hit, and 3 crew. Aquilon strikes her colors. The French squadron has been prevented from gaining the open seas and the British (while heavily damaged) did not lose a ship.


Butcher's Bill:






In my excitement over the battle I failed to take more "Butcher's Bill" photos. This was one exciting scenario to play -- in posting it several months after playing it I relived the excitement of the fight. The French nearly made good their escape!