USS Constitution versus HMS Sybille

[ShadowDragon]

This game is my 2nd game. I'm using just the basic rules plus it's my first try of Dobbs AI. After this I will have a go at the standard rules.

The inspiration for the game are the single ship actions involving the USS Constitution and British frigates during the War of 1812. The opponent I choose is the 44 gun Hebe class HMS Sybille (it says 34 on the card). It's not a fight I expected Sybille to win and she didn't but she did better than I expected. The initial wind and ship positions, just outside of long range, were based on the Avalon Hill scenario in Wooden Ships and Iron Men for the Constitution versus Guerriere. I used AI for both sides.




Turn 1 & 2: The Constititution turns to investigate the unknown frigate while the Sybille moves upwind to try to gain the weather gauge versus the larger frigate.






Turn 3: Sybille fires a partial broadside at long range to discourage her pursuer but it has little effect on 'Old Ironsides'.




Turn 4: Old Ironsides accepts the challenge and returns the honours.




Turns 5 to 9: Sybille finally gains the weather gauge. With the choice of engaging the more powerful frigate or not, Sybille's captain decides honour will not allow him to withdraw without at least a try. Sybille turns and heads towards the Constitution.












Turn 10: Withholding fire until within close range both frigates fire devastating broadsides from their forward batteries at each other. Surprisingly Sybille gives nearly as much as she gets.




Turn 11: The gunners on both ships reload while from the yardarms marines snipe at the opposing crews.




Turn 12: Both ships then turn away from each other as their captains re-assess the mettle of the foe. (It was a surprise to me but I went with hit.)




Turn 13: Both ships then turned back and fired - a full broadside for the Constitution which does little ship damage but devastates the Sybille's crew while Sybille with a partial broadside proves that 'Old Ironsides' might be a little rusty.




Turns 14 & 15: The ships reposition themselves onto parallel courses and exchange long range broadsides. Sybille heavily damages rusty 'Old Ironsdies' but her crew losses mount.






Turns 16 & 17: Neither captain willing to withdraw, they close for a close range broadsides. Sybille continues to ravage the hull of 'Old Ironsides' but down to almost no able crew, the captain of the Sybille strikes her colours.






The final tally on the ship boards.




Assessment of the AI. There were times when I wondered what it was doing as the ships jockeyed for position at long range or just out of long range. I nearly quit the game when they both turned away from each other but I'm glad I didn't. The overall game played reasonably enough for the similar engagements of the Constitution versus His Majesty's frigates. Full credit to the Sybille for doing better than I thought she would.