After a gap of one week normal service is resumed with the weekly “match report”.
Last night saw a “Black Seas” game set during the abortive British attempt to “liberate” Argentina in 1806. The scenario saw the Spanish Viceroy trying to flee taking his gold reserves and the British flotilla trying to stop him.
The British sailed on to the board from the south-west corner with Malcolm heading East and Phil North-East to intercept the Spanish convoy. The Spanish entered from the North-west with an objective to sail across the table. Almost immediately disaster struck the British as Phil’s Brig collided with his frigate. Damage to both and a distinct lack of manoueverability next turn. Dave and Tony sailed across them pouring desultory fire into the hapless British, heading for the protection of Rob’s frigate which entered the table further on.
Phil managed to get a semblance of control and gamely attacked before his brig and frigate sailed out of sight behind the island.
That left two schooners and a brig to face a large merchantman, two brigs and a frigate. Things looked dicey but this was the Royal Navy!
Through some deft seamanship the British did manage to catch Tony and eventually force his brig into striking its colours. But the Viceroy sailed on. Mal then tried our first ever boarding action, only to find that you can’t board a ship under “full sails”. A defect in my scenario!
From then on the British couldn’t really win. Dave’s merchantmen was really too strong to take the necessary damage, and speed didn’t seem to be an issue. Phil made a valiant attempt to return to the fray but the game was over when Rob’s frigate blew him up from short-range !
A few lessons learnt for me….
Although the sides had even points the British were heavily outgunned. The schooners only have two light cannon per vessel vs a Brig’s four heavies, and the extra ship numbers never seem to tip the balance. Indeed too many ships can prove an issue. Next time I will introduce “crew quality” as this is the 2nd time the Spanish have won.
Anyway next week sees a return to the fields of Normandy in the summer of 1944 for “What a Tanker”.
Simon
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