Kiss Me Hardy – Evergreen

The French have been having some success before the Lines of Torres Vedras in Portugal & the natives are getting restless and need to be fed! The merchant vessel Evergreen has been commissioned to take vital supplies to Lisbon, escorted by the frigate HMS Surprise and the Carronade Brig Defender.

However, French spies have learned of the mission and plan to intercept & sink or take the merchant vessel. Two frigates, La Némésis & Hermione, are lurking to the East of Point Teless head, while the Brig Génie is waiting to the South, in case the British try to sneak in that way.

The British sloop Sealark has been scouting ahead of the merchant vessel & her escorts and sights the two French frigates!

The French frigates quickly moved toward the South West, to try to cut off the British route to the South East. The schooner Sealark bravely crossed the bows of the French frigates, to disrupt their attack, but suffered badly as she emerged into the Port broadside arc of La Némésis.

However, HMS Surprise used the opportunity of Sealark’s brave attack, to move into a windward position, to engage both French frigates. This allowed the merchant vessel Evergreen to sneak across, just to the South of Point Teless head, thus staying well to windward of the two French frigates. It also allowed Defender to slip around the rear of the bigger French frigates.

While HMS Surprise’s elite crew was trading pretty equal blows with the two French frigates, the French Brig Génie attempted to work-up from the South, but she quickly suffered from well aimed damage from the little guns of Sealark & the unengaged battery of Surprise. Génie struck her colours, but Sealark had paid a heavy price, with all guns now out of action.

While the Frigates continued to slug it out, Defender had managed to wear around the rear of Herminone, into a perfect rear rake position! Her carronades wreaking terrible damage, bringing down masts and upending guns! (Double dice for carronades & double dice for the rear rake!!).

With the merchant vessel Evergreen now sailing away to Windward, the French Commodore decided to call off the attack. Another win for the British.

This game was run using Too Fat Lardies “Kiss Me Hardy” rules, with the small ships “To Covert Glory” adaptation & my own modified turning templates. Also ranges were increased by 50%, to better suit the Black Seas 1:700 scale ships.

Kiss Me Hardy: Journey Home

 

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!

Kiss Me Hardy, Blockade Runner

 Another small ships scenario, using Too Fat Lardies “Kiss Me Hardy” rules, with the “To Covert Glory” supplement, by Chris Stoeson.

A small French merchantman “Baignoire”, has succeeded in breaking the Royal Navy blockade and has reached the West Indies. She has rendezvoused with two French Navy Brigs (Génie (12) and Pandour (12)), before continuing her onward journey.

Sadly for the French, the sails of the Merchantman have been spotted by the RN Sloop Sealark, who has relayed the sighting to the RN Frigate HMS Surprise, both of whom are now closing on the Merchant vessel’s location.

The French Merchantmen started stationary to the North of the Island, located at the centre of the table, while the French Brigs entered from the West side. The aim was to exit the table at the East side, South of a second island.

The Frigate HMS Surprise (24) and the Schooner Sealark (12) entered from the South, headed for the Eastern side of the island.

While the merchantman Baignoire worked slowly around the South-East side of the central island, the Brig Génie ran quickly down to join her. The Brig Pandour meanwhile attempted to work around the South-West side of the island, but finding the headwinds too strong, switched to following Génie.

HMS Surprise, with Sealark in company, ran toward the South-East side of the island, aiming to cut-off the French merchantman. Baignoire, realising that she was in danger of trying to work around the headland, without the support of either of the brigs, sheared off, to wear around to the West, to buy time.

While Génie eventually succeeded in reaching a screening position for Baignoire, the Brig Pandour unfortunately ran foul of HMS Surprise. What ensued, was a one sided boarding action, with Surprise’s 160 crew swarming over the deck of Pandour. But this all took time!

So, it was left to the Schooner Sealark to try to head-off the Brig Génie and Baignoire, which she managed remarkably well.

Having secured Pandour, HMS Surprise then set off in pursuit of Baignoire. Unfortunately, Baignoire’s small and rather poor crew, was struggling with a shift in the wind. They only managed to sort themselves out, to try to work around the headland of the second island, when HMS Surprise arrived. Running out her broadside of ten 6lb cannons, Surprise caused Baignoire to haul down her colours. Another RN Victory!

Kiss Me Hardy: Small Ships Scenario – “Spring Blownapart”

 A small ships scenario, using Chris Stoeson’s, “To Covert Glory” KMH adaptation.

Commodore Roberts viewed the Isle of Elbow with some unease. The French fleet was already here and no doubt, the Terror of Europe, Nathan Blownapart, was already in a boat, headed out to the small French fleet, to make good his escape.

Roberts despatched the Schooner Sealark, round the East of the island, while the rest of fleet, comprising 26 gun frigate, Surprise and 12 Carronade Brigs, Defender & Growler, went around the West of the island, to head off the escape of Blownapart.

As Sealark rounded the Eastern headland of the Isle of Elbow, she could see the French Brig, Pandour and Schooner Vigie, attempting to rendezvous with the small boats carrying Blownapart. Just to the North of these ships, Sealark could also see the French 26 gun frigate Nemisis and 14 gun brig Genie, pulling ahead, Westward.

Sealark could not believe her luck, as Pandour and Vigie, continued to drift Westward, as they struggled to get Blownapart safely aboard. Sealark closed and turned, to pour two devastating stern rake broadsides into Vigie, causing her to haul out of line and strike her colours.

Meanwhile the frigate HMS Surprise and the French frigate, Nemisis, raced for the rocky outcrop, to the West of Elbow. Neither won the race and they both turned South Westward and started to trade broadsides, with Nemisis coming off worst from the exchanges.

While the bigger frigates traded hammer blows, Commander Davis, with Brigs Defender and Growler snuck between the stern of the frigates and the rock West of Elbow. This left the single French brig, Genie facing down two carronade armed brigs. Some fine seamanship allowed the RN brigs to pass the French brig at close range, delivering eight 18 pound carronades, at short range, leaving Genie a sinking wreck. 

Defender and Growler turned then their attention to the escaping Pandour. If Pandour got away, all would be lost, as Blownapart would be free to return to Europe.

However, Pandour had not escaped undamaged, Sealark was in pursuit and had landed a few blows, before Defender and Growler took over the pursuit. Sadly Pandour was both out of range and out of arc of their powerful carronades, but they each still had a pair of 6lb bow chasers, which they unleashed. To their surprise, Pandour hauled down her colours! Clearly Sealark and long range fire from Surprise, had done more damage than was first obvious.

So, Blownapart was hauled back to the Isle of Elbow and peace restored!  

Kiss Me Hardy – Catch the Pidgeon, 3rd Feb 22

Commodore Simone looked around his command. The mighty 2^nd Rate, Bucenture (98) and the Tonnant (80), formed the core of his fleet. To starboard were the frigates Glorie (40) and Venus (40) and beyond them, the diminutive merchant vessel, Pidgeon, carrying the gold reserves from the puppet Portuguese government. He would have been happier with the gold onboard his flagship, but the Governor had insisted on using the Pidgeon. He was also worried about the frigate commander, Capitaine Tonee. When the fleet was making ready to sail, he had been nowhere to be found, but a tour of the local bordellos had eventually unearthed him, in concert with Capitaine Chriss. Both claimed never to have heard any communications.

The previous night’s storm had blown the blockading Royal Navy fleet off station, so Simone had a chance to sneak away with the Pidgeon. However, the delay in finding Capitaine Tonee had allowed the Royal Navy to return. Still, the fleet had raised anchor and Simone hoped to escape ahead of the returning British.

Offshore, Commodore Roberto anxiously watched the sails on the French fleet. The storm had blown his fleet off station, but they were running West again, ready to catch the French. Inshore was his main squadron, comprising Ajax (74) and Antelope (40). To port were the frigates Shannon (40) and Diamond (40), under Captain David. Although outgunned, Roberto was sure that Royal Navy skill and determination would see them through.

Ajax & Antelope sailed past Saint Neotee head, on a converging course with the emerging French fleet, while the frigates attempted to overhaul the heavier ships-of-the-line and cut off the escape of the Pidgeon. As the big ships of the line came into range, both sides started firing at each other’s rigging. However, Ajax was getting the worse of it, facing 50% more guns. Sails and rigging were soon rapidly flying off her, but she was also managing to slow Bucenture, so the central fight was turning into a bloody short range pounding. However, the French frigates then turned South-West, effectively crossing ahead of Ajax, adding their fire to Ajax’s predicament. However, Captain David had by then managed to work Shannon and Diamond around the North of the French frigates, quickly pounding Glorie with raking fire. Glorie’s brave attempt to ram and board Shannon was bloodily repulsed, resulting her striking her colours.

The captain of the Pidgeon, horrified by the nightmare of gunfire and smoke ahead of him, hauled around on a Southerly course, attempting to cross behind the British fleet. Antelope, seeing this danger, hauled around to try to catch the Pidgeon. Despite some excellent seamanship, in hauling up to the Pidgeon and the tacking within feet of her wake, Antelope was taking too much fire from Tonnant, who after seeing Pidgeon’s furious change of course, was working around, in order to cover her retreat.

At this point, capture of the Pidgeon seemed unlikely and with night falling, the British retired with their prize, Glorie. The French Tonnant and Venus, escorted Pidgeon away, while Bucenture slipped back into port, for repairs and to put Commodore Simone to bed! A fine French victory, although at the cost of a frigate.

Hopes that the British frigates could take up the chase were dashed by Venus dashing between the two Royal Navy frigates and simultaneously delivering two broadsides, at point blank range, into both Shannon and Diamond, before slipping away ahead of any response! The luck did not appear to be with the British today!

First game of Kiss Me Hardy

After playing several naval games using the “Black Seas” rules from Warlord Games we decided that we would give the “Kiss Me Hardy” rules from Too Fat Lardies a go.

During a mighty storm, the French Fleet successfully broke the Royal Navy blockade and have run South to the protected anchorage of Rochelle. However, the huge 3 decker, Commerce d’Marseille was damaged in the storm and had to take refuge in the bay at Saint Neotee.

Repaired, the big 3 decker is now running South, accompanied by the 3rd Rate Tonnant and two Frigates, Gloire and Venus.

The blockading Royal Navy fleet was scattered by the storm but in the subsequent chase, HMS Victory (100 guns) and HMS Ajax (74) and frigates Shannon (40) and Diamond (40) have located the French laggards and are now moving to intercept.

French Objective: Get the Commerce d’Marseille, around Saint Evenage Point and into the safe anchorage at Rochelle.

British Objective: Sink or capture the Commerce d’Marseille. Sinking her will count as a tactical victory. Capturing her will count as a major British victory.

The French fleet sails South with the frigates providing cover.

The Royal Naval frigates move to intercept with Victory and Ajax standing off.

The Royal Navy crash through the French line, pouring fire into the French, which caused the frigate Glorie to strike its colours.

The Tonnant passed between the British frigates and as they sailed away it turned it guns on the Ajax. Damage was done but these ships are tough.

This left the two British frigates chasing the last French frigate which soon struck its colours. However, the Commerce d’Marseille was left staring at two British ships of the line. It turned West into the wind and was becalmed and broadsided by both Victory and Ajax. Even the plucky Tonnant couldn’t help and at this point the game was called as the French were unable to get the Commerce d’Marseille into port and it was being hunted by two British ships of the line.

An interesting game and very different from “Black Seas” in that the movement was more sedate and generally almost all the shooting was at the masts to try and slow ships down. Similar scenarios using the “Black Seas” rules have seen all the shooting at the hull to try and destroy ships as mast hits are more difficult. We did find some issue with using the turning circles on a congested table but already we are looking at alternatives. All appeared to enjoy the game and it is one that will be played again.