Gentlemen, Lt. Bush reports to duty - New Player

[William Bush]

Gentlemen,

I have been ordered and directed to report to the commanding Admiral Bligh with the utmost despatch at this Anchorage for duty, and I am pleased to convey that my application has been considered and accepted by the Navy Board.

I shall be known henceforth as Lt. William Bush, at your service.


As rumor always seems to travel faster than people, you may have already heard something among the men about my background:

I came across SoG for the first time approximately five years ago at the "Spiel" games fair in Essen, Germany. Ares Games had a stand there and a game going on caught my eye. A short while later, I found myself in command of the HMS Terpsichore (32) after its commander had been incapacitated in battle with a small French squadron. The Basic Rules were simple enough for starters, and having the weather gauge I was able to put an end to the courage of La Courageuse (34). This rewarding experience in the service of our Majesty kindled the desire to purchase the game instantly. However, I had to convince myself that discretion was the better part of valor as exceeding the assigned funds for the games fair would surely have resulted in a severe reprimand from the "long haired general" at home whom all judicious men wisely know to respect.

Last year, the winds were favorable, and I made a precise landfall off the shores of the Ares stand at "Spiel" in Essen. Remembering the advice of Adm. Nelson to "always go straight at 'em", I embarked on a daring cutting out action, which came at a dire cost. Yet, a vast prize was won in the form of a Starter Kit, Ocean mats, and an improbable number of sloops and ships.

Tidings of this glorious action fortified with a liberal issue of port resulted in two other promising men, too jingled to avoid the press gang, which I had presciently posted outside the inn, being won for the cause. They awoke last week-end on the high seas to prove their worth in their first engagement. I am embarrassed to report that these infernal lubbers contrieved to mutually sink each other in a collision with the rest of the squadron looking on in stunned consternation.

Being well bred and of excellent connections, they somehow accomplished to be acquitted by the court martial, which laid the blame for this mortifying incident on a ravishing French Mademoiselle waving her kerchief to them from an enemy vessel during the engagement.

In an effort to put the fire in these two gentlemen to better use, rumor speaks of their future assignment to some fire ship.

I say, let us raise a toast to our Majesty, the King!


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Though new to SoG, I am not exactly a novice to gaming. I originally hail from the Pen&Paper Roleplaying Game sector in which I dabbled for roughly three decades playing and running campaings mostly in a Rolemaster on Middle-Earth context. To up the ante on "Rulemaster", I also have taken a delve into tactical wargames, namely Advanced Squad Leader (ASL) since about 25 years. But as we say there: "I am still learning..." With many commitments and only so much time, it is hard to tell how much time (and ships) I will sink into SoG. In any case, the prospect of possibly having recruited two other people in town for face-to-face play appears promising.


Lt. William Bush