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Thread: 2015 Solo Campaign Mission 10 - Becalmed by ShadowDragon

  1. #1

    Default 2015 Solo Campaign Mission 10 - Becalmed by ShadowDragon


    Becalmed

    My version of the 2015 Campaign scenario, Becalmed, by Union Jack:

    https://sailsofglory.org/showthread....on-10-Becalmed

    Note: The scenario calls for frigates but I used a couple of 64 SoL since I wanted to use ships in my collection that I hadn’t yet played.

    It had been a long and dull trip for Captain Horatio Attenbridge - packet ships to Bermuda Station and then on to Halifax to take temporary command of HMS Africa. Africa had seen service in the American war but was decommissioned afterwards. Now she was re-commissioned under Captain Home with the intention of joining the West Indies fleet, but Home was suffering from a prolonged illness and Horatio had been sent to bring the Africa to the West Indies. The Admiralty needed every ship to match the build up of the French and Spanish fleets…and, of course, to protect the all important West Indies trade.

    But damnation, as the Africa made for a gap between two headlands, the wind had died completely. Horatio could see a catspaw on the waters mid-way in the gap. So, in the hopes of that might mean at least a bit of wind, the ship’s boats had been lowered to tow the Africa for the what Horatio hoped wasn’t a mirage of wind.

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    The Africa wasn’t the only ship becalmed. She had company – a French ship-of-the-line, an Artesian class ship. The Frenchman was on the other side of the gap in the path of the Africa’s intended heading; or, rather, heading if there was any blasted wind. The enemy ship was also being towed by its boats for the very location Horatio had hoped to find even a breath of wind.

    Both ships were 64s but the Africa had the edge in weight of shot and burden but the Artesian-class ship would have a slight edge in manoeuvrability which could be a deciding factor in the current situation.

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    Rather than try to beat the Frenchman to the catspaw, Horatio had his boats turn the Africa so that more of her guns might bear on their opponent. Both ships fired off partial broadsides with their forward batteries. The French had aimed high, damaging some of the Africa’s rigging – pretty useless thought Horatio. The Africa on the other hand had made good use of it’s heavier weight of shot inflicting a great deal of damage on the hull of the lighter Artesian-class ship.

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    As the Frenchman was winning the race to the catspaw, Horatio was urging his sailors in the ship’s boats on in the hope that the Africa could make full use of it’s firepower superiority. The next broadside was a full one – the Artesian-class ship was taking great damage. The return fire was only a partial broadside – again aimed high. A few of the Africa’s sailors who were aloft were carried away by the enemy’s cannonballs.

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    Another exchange of fire with similar results.

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    With the heavy damage suffered by the French ship, Horatio saw a chance that the Africa could make for the catspaw. Both ships exchange fire but with little damage done.

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    There was a slight movement in the sails of the French ship. She had found some wind. “Blasted”, Horatio muttered.

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    The Africa was close enough that Horatio could make out that the French ship was the Protée. With the wind, the Protée was in a position to continue on its mission while the Africa remained becalmed. That could be disastrous not only with the Protée completing its mission, there might be a French squadron nearby that could be warned by the Protée and sent to intercept the Africa, but the wind was fickle and veered 180 degrees. The Protée had two choices - to tack across the wind and potentially be at the mercy of the Africa while doing so or to bear off which would mean coming around the Africa. The Protée's capitaine chose the latter course as that would allow him to use the Protée's manoeuvrability.

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    The two ships were close enough for the marines to exchange musket fire.

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    If the Protée could break free of the Africa it might yet complete its mission, but more musketry and another round of broadsides saw the Protée holed below the waterline.

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    With the wind the Protée had some advantage. It could retreat away from the Africa but perhaps the French captaine wanted to regain some honour after the beating the Africa had inflicted on his ship. He manoeuvred the Protée into a position to deliver a stern rake on the Africa as it passed leeward of the Africa.

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    Horatio saw the danger and had ordered the boats to two the Africa counter-clockwise and away from the catspaw to avoid the stern rake. That manoeuvre combined with the French sailors not sufficiently backing sails saw the Africa in a position to deliver a partial broadside with its stern battery in response to a full, but depleted, broadside from the Protée.

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    The Protée's failed attempt at a stern rake left the ship turned closer to the Africa. There was naught left but honour as it would take too long for the Protée to bear off and retreat back whence it came.

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    Realizing that the Protée situation its captaine brought what remained of its full broadside to bear on the becalmed Africa. The Africa could only respond with its forward battery but that was enough. The Protée and its crew had done all that could be asked of them. The captaine ordered its colours struck.

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    Ship Logs

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    Last edited by ShadowDragon; 02-03-2022 at 14:49.

  2. #2
    Midshipman
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    Disaster for the poor French Capitaine and through no fault of his own, just the fickle wind blowing in the wrong direction and at the wrong time.

    Paul it's good to see you are still progressing with the 15 campaign, I couldn't understand this scenario, the little grey cells do not function as well as once they did.

  3. #3

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    Thanks for the rep, John. I'm looking forward to the next scenario. It should be fun.

    I think I got most of the rules for this scenario. Some things that confused me:

    1. When a ship touched one of the "numbered markers" and determined wind strength (from no wind to gale) and direction (for the segment the ship touching the marker happened to be in), did that wind (strength and direction) apply to the other ship if it happened to be in that segment? From the rules that seemed to apply uniquely to each ship touching a marker my interpretation was that the wind was fickle and the indicated wind applied only to the ship that had touched the marker.

    2. The "segment" the ship "was in wasn't clear since, especially near the centre of the chart the ship's base might span several segments at one. I used segment in which most of the base happened to lie which should include the centre of the ship base.

    3. A ship being "fully" in a new segment seemed clear enough. The entire ship base needed to be in a new segment.

    4. If touching a marker, the rules on the one had seemed to indicate that you HAD to determine strength and direction (scenario rule 5 for wind), and on the other hand that it was optional (scenario rule 10 says, "you may draw again" - i.e., may = optional). That didn't come up in my game so I choose the optional interpretation.

    The major confusion was whether or not the wind determined by one ship touching a marker (and subsequent moves into new segments) did not apply to the other ship. In the game the French ship moved into the same segment as the British ship. The direction did not change (the scenario rules did say re-drawing for strength when moving into a new segment so it stayed the same). However, I had the British ship still becalmed.

    I don't know if that was right but it was time to just play the scenario and move on.

    And, yes, you're right - but for the wind change the French ship would have escaped.

  4. #4
    Admiral of the Fleet.
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    Firstly, thanks for an enjoyable scenario AAR Paul. The story line was very believable.

    I will explain the rules as I understood them when I sailed the mission.

    Quote Originally Posted by ShadowDragon View Post
    1. When a ship touched one of the "numbered markers" and determined wind strength (from no wind to gale) and direction (for the segment the ship touching the marker happened to be in), did that wind (strength and direction) apply to the other ship if it happened to be in that segment? From the rules that seemed to apply uniquely to each ship touching a marker my interpretation was that the wind was fickle and the indicated wind applied only to the ship that had touched the marker.
    The AI ship conformed to the conditions appertaining in its own segment and when entering a new one acted like the controled ship would, unless the controlled ship had already totally entered that segment and set the prevailing conditions. In this case the AI ship acted in accord with these. The converse would also be true.

    2. The "segment" the ship "was in wasn't clear since, especially near the centre of the chart the ship's base might span several segments at one. I used segment in which most of the base happened to lie which should include the centre of the ship base.
    The segment concerned was the one which the ship first touched as it made its move.

    3. A ship being "fully" in a new segment seemed clear enough. The entire ship base needed to be in a new segment.
    Nothing changed until it was fully in that segment.

    4. If touching a marker, the rules on the one had seemed to indicate that you HAD to determine strength and direction (scenario rule 5 for wind), and on the other hand that it was optional (scenario rule 10 says, "you may draw again" - i.e., may = optional). That didn't come up in my game so I choose the optional interpretation.
    I took it that you had to follow the rule.

    The major confusion was whether or not the wind determined by one ship touching a marker (and subsequent moves into new segments) did not apply to the other ship. In the game the French ship moved into the same segment as the British ship. The direction did not change (the scenario rules did say re-drawing for strength when moving into a new segment so it stayed the same). However, I had the British ship still becalmed.
    The effect of wind in each segment affected both ships once they were within it.

    I don't know if that was right but it was time to just play the scenario and move on.

    And, yes, you're right - but for the wind change the French ship would have escaped.
    However, these games were conceived for the enjoyment of the player, so any interpretation you may care to place upon them is up to you. It is not a campaign where sides are pitted against each other and rules must be followed to the letter. I often change ships, or stack the odds against the player’s ship to see if I can win from a disadvantageous position. It all adds to the fun if you do win. So feel free to manipulate the plot line to suit your story.
    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

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bligh View Post
    Firstly, thanks for an enjoyable scenario AAR Paul. The story line was very believable.

    I will explain the rules as I understood them when I sailed the mission.

    However, these games were conceived for the enjoyment of the player, so any interpretation you may care to place upon them is up to you. It is not a campaign where sides are pitted against each other and rules must be followed to the letter. I often change ships, or stack the odds against the player’s ship to see if I can win from a disadvantageous position. It all adds to the fun if you do win. So feel free to manipulate the plot line to suit your story.
    Rob.
    Thanks for the explanation. Makes sense. The only difference it would have made in my AAR was that the Africa would have had some wind in the last part of the game (last 3 photos). Looking at the photos I don't think it would have made any difference to the outcome.

    I took the view that the scenario was for enjoyment and decided to just get on with a game. The game was interesting and the outcome believable. On to the next one.

    FYI - I've taken to ordering non-Ares ships - 16th/17th century ships from Langton and Warfare miniatures. If they turn out okay, I will post.

  6. #6
    Admiral of the Fleet.
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    I look forward to seeing them Paul.
    I also use Langton ships where the disparity in size does not matter, such as merchantmen and other none rated ships such as gun brigs an xebecs.
    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.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bligh View Post
    I look forward to seeing them Paul.
    I also use Langton ships where the disparity in size does not matter, such as merchantmen and other none rated ships such as gun brigs an xebecs.
    Rob.
    The two carracks I ordered should be fun! Will do them as older (for the early 17th century) Portuguese ships. Seems the ideal period for pirates!

    and thanks for the rep.

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