The French frigate Hermione is battling back from the Eastern Mediterranean and is finally in sight of the port of Tooloos. The frigate is carrying vital despatches about the war in Egypt. However, the Royal Navy close-in blockade force (the frigate Surprise & Brigs Defender & Growler) has spotted the Hermione and are moving to intercept. The French port patrol, consisting one frigate (Nemesis) & two brigs (Genie & Pandour), is moving out to support Hermione.
While Hemione sets a brisk pace, on a WNW heading, Nemesis
and the Brigs Genie & Pandour, work around the island in the centre of the
harbour entrance, to support her.
However, the British Brigs, Defender & Growler, surge Northward, in an attempt to prevent the French forces from combining. Meanwhile, the frigate Surprise, runs to East of the brigs, with the aim of engaging Herminone.
Defender scores first blood, savaging Nemesis’ rigging and slowing her down. Nemesis is also forced to run further South, away from the coming fight, by the brigs Genie & Pandour, elbowing their way through, to get at the British! Dark thoughts on the bridge of Nemesis!
Defender & Growler run down on the French brigs, while Surprise tries to maintain the weather gauge on the fleeing Hemione and she gradually starts to overhaul the French frigate. Soon they are trading blows.
Defender breaks between the French brigs and then bravely heads for the much larger Hermione. Genie is badly mauled by Surprise, so Genie attempts to ram Surprise, to try to prevent Surprise pursuing Hermione, but all she succeeds in doing, is losing her bowspit.
Defender, seeing that Surprise is being delayed by Genie,
bravely sets out to grapple and board Hermine. Pandour, caught in the middle of
a ship melee, pulls off an amazing tack and then starts to swing around the
rear of the grappled Defender/Hermione, to stop Surprise from joining the fight.
However, she just receives a savage mauling from Surprise’s larger guns, for
her trouble!
Meanwhile, Defender’s boarders have succeeded in taking Herione’s upper deck (8 dice vs 8 dice, due to Defender’s elite crew). The boarding action hangs in the balance briefly (29 points each), before Defender’s crew, cheered on by Surprise laying alongside Hermione’s starboard side, carried Hermione’s gun deck. Game over!
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