Camp Cromwell 18/1/07

Napoleonic Naval using the plastic card pirate ship models & Camp Cromwell's Man'o War rules.
French: 3 2nd raters (Nick) + SteveJ (3 3rd raters)
British 4 2nd raters (Jim & James)

The British were outnumbered, but had better crews plus the weather guage.

The Brits used the weather guage well to split the Frog squadrons and concentrate on Nick's.
One of Nick's ships dropped out of the line with heavy damage as the Brits closed in on the other two. Steve was left well out of it and struggling to get into the action as the Brits pursued Nick. Nick suddenly turned on his pursuers and got in between the Brits doing heavy damage with double shotted guns on the previously unengaged side and firing both broadsides at once. But there were 4 Brit ships to 2. One of the Frogs was boarded - it fought gallantly but crew casualties were too much & it struck it's colours. However, the British gain was short lived when the fire started in the last broadside on her caused an explosion & she sank taking the prize crew with her. Nick's other ship passed thru the Brits to join Steve's squadron & the Brits were happy to sail off claiming victory at 1 ship lost to none.

But there was a sudden wind shift that headed the Brits and allowed the French to close & it was Game-On again. With 3 fresh 3rd raters plus 2 damaged 2nd raters v. 4 damaged Brit 2nd raters, the battle was well & truely back in the balance.

The Brits managed to evade 2 of the Frogs and concentrate their fire on 3 ships. 1 Briy shop caught fire & blew up, but 2 Frogs were so badly damaged that they had to strike their colours. With 2 fresh ships bearing down on them, the Brits declined to send out prize crews & were content to get away.

With both sides losing 1 ship, the battle was draw. The card ships did the job well. They look quite good en-masse & fit the hexes better than the old models. They just need something to make them easier to distinguish from each other - maybe their name's Initial marked prominently on the sail.