Wednesday, January 03, 2018

Napoleonic Naval

Tonight we got out the old Victory models for a change from CW & BA.  The Brits had 2 squadrons of 4 ships, the French 3 squadrons of 3 ships - mainly 3rd rates with some bigger squadron leaders. The Brits had elite crews, the French, regular crews.
 Both fleets are reaching (wind abeam) on opposite tacks.  The French have an slight advantage with the weather guage.
 Both sides send a squadron upwind while the others go for each other.
Father & son command 2 of the French squadrons.
Chris' squadron takes on the Oakford's two as Mike's heads for Steve's Frogs.
Mike & Steve pass each other at a sensible distance while the other squadrons get in close & personal.
Several ships close in for boarding & 2 French ships are captured in the melee.  Mike has turned about is coming to help Chris, but Steve has got there first & Chris is under pressure. 
French counterattacks result in 2 of Chris's ships being boarded & 1of their lost ships retaken.  Another of Chris' ships is surrounded & strikes it's colours.  His remaining ship is escaping with its prize (on the LHS of pic).  One of Mike's ships has sunk & the lead ship hasbeen pounded from both sides & has struck it's colours .  The French are content to sail off downwind with their 4 prizes having lost just 1 ship captured.  The Brits have just 3 ships left plus a prize & can only let them go.

A rare French victory at sea! 

3 comments:

Gonsalvo said...

Very nice, and... a French Victory!
What ships and rules are you using? The ships look like they might be Portsmouth 1:900?

Phil said...

I'm jealous, what a splendid looking game, beautiful ships...and a French victory! Superb...

Jim Gandy said...

The ships are Airfix Victories. Some of them are about 50 years old, but they are still making them. The oldest ones might have cost 90c, they cost $25 now, but I expect I have a lot more $25's now than I had 90c's then.