Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: 2015 Solo Mission - Duty and Daring

  1. #1

    Default 2015 Solo Mission - Duty and Daring

    Captain Arthur Wooly, the newly assigned captain of HMS Cleopatra, was not sure what to expect when he opened his sealed orders the night before directing him to sail south along the French coast to find and assist the 100-gun HMS Jaguar that had been severely damaged during a fleet action. He certainly did not expect to see what he did as he focused his glass; the mighty first-rate Jaguar, the largest ship assigned to the squadron, drifting uncontrollably towards a set of notorious reefs and shoals along the coast, two of its three masts mere stumps and the third gone altogether. Wooly had been pleased to be pulled from the monotony of picket duty, but now that he saw the drifting hulk, he was afraid that he would be blamed if he could not rescue the ship before it hit the rocks.

    Name:  IMG_0452.jpg
Views: 195
Size:  118.0 KB

    (The mat I use is larger than the standard SGN mat so the lighter blue sections represent the borders of the game area. I placed the 1st rate 14 ½ inches from the East edge as stated in the initial scenario. I did not see that the distance was modified to 9 ½ inches until after I completed the scenario).

    The current was strong but the Cleopatra proved herself quite nimble in catching up to the Jaguar. To Captain Wooly’s chagrin, the first attempt to pass a hawser to the stricken vessel was unsuccessful (turn 3). With all hands, including the lookouts, intently watching the next attempt, which proved successful, the French 74-gun Aquilon appeared unnoticed seemingly out of nowhere off the starboard bow (turn 4).

    “Mr. Barclay, get that lookout’s name, he shall be dealt with later,” yelled a furious Captain Wooly. But the damage was done, the Aquilon firing its fore guns, raking the bow of the Jaguar with a well-placed volley.

    Name:  IMG_0453.jpg
Views: 178
Size:  166.6 KB
    Name:  IMG_0454.jpg
Views: 169
Size:  185.8 KB

    The Cleopatra moved to the front of the Jaguar taking in the slack in the tow line and firing a volley of its own on the Aquilon.

    Name:  IMG_0455.jpg
Views: 210
Size:  246.7 KB

    Capitaine LeClerc laughed at the feeble guns of the frigate and rethought his tactics. Initially he was planning to sweep along the reefs pounding the Jaguar with its broadsides and then turning into the wind if needed to finish off the British 1st rate with a stern rake. But now, seeing the impotence of the English frigate and the amount of damage his ship had already inflicted on the Jaguar, he decided he would try and take them both and turned towards the enemy ships unleashing a devastating broadside on the Cleopatra. What he had not anticipated with the response of the Jaguar.

    Name:  IMG_0457.jpg
Views: 129
Size:  192.2 KB

    In a twist of fate, the ferocity of the French broadside actually helped the British by severing the tow rope which caused the Jaguar to drift into the Aquilon, the two ships becoming entangled. And, Captain Wooly finding his ship free of the constraints of the tow, brought the larboard guns to bear. Marines from the entangled ships sought out targets on the enemy deck and a see-saw battle between the two boarding parties erupted causing mass carnage amongst both crews including Capitaine LeClerc who mumbled “c’est la vie, c’est la guerre,” before expiring on the bloody deck .

    Name:  IMG_0458.jpg
Views: 175
Size:  189.7 KB

    The two ships remained entangled and drifted with the current, the Aquilon striking the reef. The crew of both ships continued to melee until the French sailors, seeing their capitaine dead, surrendered. (Both ships lost the remaining crew box on the same round so I rolled a random d6 that resulted in the French surrender – quite convenient for the story I know but that was the true result of the roll.)

    Name:  IMG_0459.jpg
Views: 189
Size:  200.7 KB

    The Aquilon continued to languish on the reef as the Cleopatra slowly came around flying minimum canvas in order to reestablish the tow.

    Name:  IMG_0460.jpg
Views: 214
Size:  199.9 KB
    Name:  IMG_0461.jpg
Views: 170
Size:  199.1 KB
    Name:  IMG_0462.jpg
Views: 210
Size:  186.2 KB
    Name:  IMG_0463.jpg
Views: 170
Size:  198.8 KB
    Name:  IMG_0464.jpg
Views: 164
Size:  185.5 KB

    The hawser now secure, Captain Wooly turned to 1st Lieutenant Barclay, “Lieutenant take enough men with you to cut the two ships free. Leave some on the Jaguar but take enough with you onto the Aquilon so you can sail her off the reef. I want you to take her back to England. Oh, and Lieutenant Barclay I would keep those French colors handy, you might need them to slip past the enemy, you won’t have enough of the company with you to man the guns. Good luck.”

    Name:  IMG_0465.jpg
Views: 166
Size:  203.6 KB
    Name:  IMG_0466.jpg
Views: 190
Size:  163.3 KB

    Captain Arthur Wooly – RTP – Completed Tow Mission – Captured Aquilon
    Captain LeClerc - KIA

    Name:  IMG_0467.jpg
Views: 171
Size:  228.2 KB
    "It seems to be law inflexible and inexorable that he who will not risk cannot win."
    John Paul Jones

  2. #2
    Admiral of the Fleet.
    Baron
    England

    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Notts
    Log Entries
    22,273
    Blog Entries
    22
    Name
    Rob

    Default

    Like it a lot Anthony.

    The outcome was unlike any of the other AARs for this scenario.
    I was worried that it wqould all end in tears, but not that they would be French ones.
    Nothing Wooley minded about that captain.

    Rob.
    The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.

  3. #3

    Default

    Thanks Rob. It was one of those games where the unexpected outcomes of the AI moves and the chit draws drove the story in a totally different direction then my preconceived ideas of how the scenario would play out. Thank you for the rep as well.
    Anthony
    "It seems to be law inflexible and inexorable that he who will not risk cannot win."
    John Paul Jones

  4. #4
    Admiral of the Fleet.
    Baron
    England

    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Notts
    Log Entries
    22,273
    Blog Entries
    22
    Name
    Rob

    Default

    You are more than welcome Anthony. I expect you will get even more when a few of our shipmates get a chance to read your AAR.

    Rob.
    The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.

  5. #5

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bligh View Post
    You are more than welcome Anthony. I expect you will get even more when a few of our shipmates get a chance to read your AAR.

    Rob.
    Indeed Anthony has, Rob. A very different and interesting result for this mission - entanglement, reefs and musketry rule the day. Well done. Drinks In the wardroom are on the Woolly captain.

  6. #6

    Default

    The young Captain Wooly would be more than happy to oblige. A G&T for Rob and Maison Painturaud Cognac "Générations" for Paul.
    "It seems to be law inflexible and inexorable that he who will not risk cannot win."
    John Paul Jones

  7. #7
    Stats Committee
    Master & Commander
    United States

    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Maryland
    Log Entries
    1,987
    Blog Entries
    13
    Name
    Dobbs

    Default

    A fine bit of action and storytelling, Anthony!

  8. #8
    Admiral of the Fleet.
    Baron
    England

    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Notts
    Log Entries
    22,273
    Blog Entries
    22
    Name
    Rob

    Default

    And a very civil gift of drinks in the Wardroom from Captain Wooley too.
    Rob.
    The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.

  9. #9

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dobbs View Post
    A fine bit of action and storytelling, Anthony!
    Thank you Dobbs, and thank you for the rep.
    "It seems to be law inflexible and inexorable that he who will not risk cannot win."
    John Paul Jones

  10. #10

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bligh View Post
    And a very civil gift of drinks in the Wardroom from Captain Wooley too.
    Rob.
    Very civil, indeed.

  11. #11
    Midshipman
    UK

    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    North Derbyshire
    Log Entries
    494
    Name
    John

    Default

    What was Capitaine LeClerc thinking of, sailing between the Jaguar and the reefs, he was lucky to get shot otherwise at his court martial he would have been shot.

    It was like a slow motion car crash, you could see what was going to happen and inexorably it happened. It's just great when these events take over the game and change it from an ordinary straight fight into something completely different.

    Another great story.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •