Men o' War: Napoleonic Naval

British: (MikeS & Mark) 2 squadrons of 4 ships each, 1 2nd rate & 3 rd rate with elite crews.
French: (Jim & James 2 squadrons of 4 ships each, 2 2nd rate & 2 3rd rates each with regular crews.
Mike Shevak was in town from Coffs Harbour, regrettably, for his father's funeral.

The French are on the left in two columns, Jim's on their left.  The Brits are on the far side, Mark's on their right.  The brown & green patches are atolls low enough to fire over but not good to run into.  The wind is from the right so the French are on starboard tack & the Brits on Port Tack.

The French decided to concede the weather gauge & go downwind of the big brown island. Oakie's fleet got a bit confused manoeuvering around the small brown island. A clockwise wind shift allowed the French to quickly close the range to fire their chain shot.

James dived through the MikeS's fleet in a very un-French manner while Jim skirted their rear and Oakie was left right out of the first clash.

HMS Dalia at the tail of MikeS's squadron was quickly sunk by the converging fire of Jim's fleet, and the rest of MikeS's fleet was hit hard, but MikeS's hot shooting kept the Brits in the game causing a lot of damage from limited opportunities while only half their fleet was engaged.  (You can pick out the sides by the Brits having yellow hulls & the Frogs brown).

Admiral (Flashman) Gandy manouvred his fleet neatly around the edge of the battle pouring fire at targets of opportunity while James missed it up in close with MikeS & Mark continued to blunder about ineffectually. 

Jim's fleet has failed a test to tack and has been left downwind of the action as the Brits go for James' fleet.  HMS Pansy has struck its colours, but another wind shift has left Jim's fleet downwind while the Brits make a dash at James' fleet. 

The tail of James' fleet has been hammered and sunk by the British counterattack.  Two British ships have critical damage but they are between the two French squadrons and James first 2 ships (nearest the camera) turn downwind and run for home while the Brits recapture the Pansy.  Jim's fleet has twice failed to nail its tacks and is way out of the action, so he decides to sail for home to get in first in claiming a glorious victory.  In fact the Brits have lost 1 ship and the French 2, while there are 2 British ships & 1 French ship critically damaged which may not make it home.  So pretty much a draw.  But it was interesting and enjoyable game.