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View Full Version : February's Solo Mission – ‘Our ships were British oak, and hearts of oak our men.’



Union Jack
02-03-2015, 14:16
When starting this mission you must play A or B dependent on the result from January mission 1.

A Success: You were in pursuit of an enemy ship heading towards its coastline. Aboard the ship was a passenger carrying vital intelligence. Your mission was to prevent the passenger from reaching shore, and if possible, to capture him. During the night, fog enveloped both of your ships, but as night gave way to day, the fog started to lift.

When all became clear, you found yourself within firing range of the enemy. You were in position to wreak havoc upon the enemy’s ship and you did so. In the process you were able to sink/capture the enemy ship and from the survivors managed to capture the passenger and gain the vital intelligence. With this information the commodore has made his plans.
The commodore has ordered all ships to watch enemy ports and engage any ships leaving port.
Setup
Playing Surface: the playing surface is consistent with the dimensions of 2 Sails of Glory game mats (roughly 6x4). North is at the top, east along the right edge, south at bottom, and west along the left edge. Orientate the playing surface with north and south having the short edges, and east and west having the long edges.

Place one of the land pieces along the top right hand edge and another on the top right edge. Leave a ¼ ruler gap between the corner and each piece of land.
Place an island with a 7:2 arc battery exactly 2 rulers south west of the top right corner.
Wind is blowing to the north east.

12663

Choose one of your ships of no more than 74 guns.

¼ ruler gap from corner to each land piece
2 rulers sw of corner place the island

The batteries can cover the channel to north and south east respectively.
Any ship sailing within ¼ ruler of a shore line runs the risk of running aground.

A night action:
You may choose to carry out a night action. Carry out the sequence below:
1. No to night action: go immediately to ‘Enemy in Sight’.
2. Yes to night action: You have come up with a cunning plan to take the enemy battery on the island and use it to your advantage.
a. Take 2 crew casualty counters and place them to one side.
b. Decide how many crew to take off your ship. For every crew box you voluntarily cover from the left on your ship mat add 1 crew casualty counter to your 2 counters to one side.
c. Roll 1d6:
1 = You have been discovered. Take 1 crew permanent casualty and your landing party return to the ship. Go to Enemy in Sight.
2 = You have stormed the battery. Take 2 permanent crew casualties. You may spike the guns or man the guns. (see manning/spiking guns in special rules). Go to enemy in Sight.
3 = You have stormed the battery. Take 1 permanent crew casualty. You may spike the guns or man the guns. (see manning/spiking guns in special rules). Go to enemy in Sight.
4+ = You have taken the battery and captured many prisoners. You may spike the guns or man the guns. (see manning/spiking guns in special rules). Go to Enemy in Sight.

Enemy in Sight:
Your Ship:
Your aim is to sink/capture or cause 50% hull & crew damage or force enemy ships back into port.
1. Place your ship within 2 rulers of the island if you failed to take the battery.
2. If you failed to take the battery then the battery will operate as the enemy for firing.
3. You may place your ship within 1 ruler of the island if you spiked the guns or are manning the guns.
4. If you spiked the guns remove the temporary casualty counters and apply any permanent casualties to your crew roster and continue.
5. If you manned the guns retain the temporary crew loss until the end of the game. You may not fire muskets during the game.
Special Rules:
1. Manning the guns. You require 1 crew counter to man each arc, there are two arcs. You require a reload counter for each. You may fire heated shot. This requires two turns to prepare. Any special damage counter drawn by a targeted ship disregard this damage, unless it was a crew damage, and replace with a fire special damage. You can only perform 1 task per turn. To fire heated shot would take 2 turns to prepare, fire on 3rd, prepare 4th and 5th ready to fire on 6th etc.
2. Spiking the guns: Your crew spike the guns and return to the ship. Remove the temporary casualty counters and apply any permanent casualties to your crew roster and continue.
3. Any enemy ship taking 50% hull or 50% crew or 2 mast hits will return to port.

The Enemy:
The failure of their spy to reach the port with the vital intelligence has forced the enemy’s hand. They have decided to set sail and break out. Roll 1d6:
1 = 1 x 74, 1 x 32
2 = 2 x 74
3 = 2 x 32
4 = 1 x 100
5 = 1 x 74, 1 x 32
6 = 2 x 74

With two enemy ships each will use a separate channel, randomly choose which ship will use which channel.
With one enemy ship randomly choose channel.
The aim of the enemy is to exit the playing area anywhere on the opposite long edge.

B Failure: You were in pursuit of an enemy ship heading towards its coastline. Aboard the ship was a passenger carrying vital intelligence. Your mission was to prevent the passenger from reaching shore, and if possible, to capture him. During the night, fog enveloped both of your ships, but as night gave way to day, the fog started to lift.

When all became clear, you found yourself within firing range of the enemy. You were in position to wreak havoc upon the enemy’s ship but failed. In the process you were unable to sink/capture the enemy ship or capture the passenger and gain the vital intelligence. Unable to make plans the commodore has dispatched 1 ship to observe the likely port the enemy may sally forth from.
The commodore has ordered all ships to watch enemy ports and engage any ships leaving port.

Setup:
Same as in A above only the wind is blowing south west.

A night Action/Enemy in sight:
Play through the sequence as above in A.
(Remember though the wind direction has changed.)

Captain Ability Points:
3 Points capturing/sinking a larger ship
2 points capturing /sinking a same size ship
1 point for capturing/sinking a smaller ship or causing 50% damage to any enemy ship/forcing enemy ship back to harbour

Nightmoss
02-04-2015, 18:32
Going to have to think about this one before I play it out. And I may need a bigger ship! :cannon:

Ozariig
02-05-2015, 07:10
Thanks for posting this, Neil!

A couple of questions for clarification:

1) So the only difference between A and B is the wind direction, right?

2) I'm a bit confused by the night action. The crew casualty markers that you put to the side are your landing party, right? Why would you take more than the two needed to man both arcs?

I'm guessing that the idea is that if you take three crew and roll a 2 on the D6 (take 2 crew casualties), then you have a maximum of one crew tokens left to man the guns with, i.e. you can't reinforce the guns from your ship after a successful night action, so you could only man one of the gun arcs. Is that correct?

If that's the case, what if you take the minimum two crew and then roll a 2 on the D6, so your shore party is killed so you can't man the guns. But your night action was technically successful, so could you still spike the guns?

Union Jack
02-06-2015, 11:07
Thanks for posting this, Neil!

A couple of questions for clarification:

1) So the only difference between A and B is the wind direction, right?

2) I'm a bit confused by the night action. The crew casualty markers that you put to the side are your landing party, right? Why would you take more than the two needed to man both arcs?

I'm guessing that the idea is that if you take three crew and roll a 2 on the D6 (take 2 crew casualties), then you have a maximum of one crew tokens left to man the guns with, i.e. you can't reinforce the guns from your ship after a successful night action, so you could only man one of the gun arcs. Is that correct?

If that's the case, what if you take the minimum two crew and then roll a 2 on the D6, so your shore party is killed so you can't man the guns. But your night action was technically successful, so could you still spike the guns?

To answer:
1: Correct.

2: See Enemy in Sight Special Rules:
1. Manning the guns. You require 1 crew counter to man each arc, there are two arcs. You require a reload counter for each. You may fire heated shot. This requires two turns to prepare. Any special damage counter drawn by a targeted ship disregard this damage, unless it was a crew damage, and replace with a fire special damage. You can only perform 1 task per turn. To fire heated shot would take 2 turns to prepare, fire on 3rd, prepare 4th and 5th ready to fire on 6th etc.

Para 3 and 4: Correct, as above.
2. Spiking the guns: Your crew spike the guns and return to the ship. Remove the temporary casualty counters and apply any permanent casualties to your crew roster and continue.

Obviously with only 2 crew counters there are no crew to return and you take 2 permanent crew casualties. But the guns are spiked. If you took one crew off the ship plus the two 'free' counters you could have a minimum of 1 crew to man the guns if you rolled a two on the dice. With 2 crew plus the 2 'free' you could man both gun arcs on the dice roll of 2. However should you be successful overall and retrieve your crew from the battery any casualties are permanent crew casualties.

Ozariig
02-07-2015, 04:31
Thanks for the clarification, I think I'm all set now :salute:

Union Jack
02-07-2015, 09:32
Looking ahead Kevin are you going to any shows in the north east?

Teesside April 4
Sheffield Triples May 19/20
Carronade Falkirk Early May
Claymore Edinburgh Aug 1
Border Reiver Sept 5

There could be some SoG and WoG on at some if not all.

Ozariig
02-08-2015, 07:40
Good question! I haven't really considered it. Sheffield is the most likely, but the timing might not be good for me. I'll let you know closer to the day.

spiessbuerger
02-11-2015, 11:12
Two questions:

1. The AI ship(s) sail directly to the opposite edge without atacking the Players ship (only opportunity shots)? Or is there any trigger that forces the AI to atack players ship?

2. What is a 7:2 battery?

Union Jack
02-11-2015, 16:02
Two questions:

1. The AI ship(s) sail directly to the opposite edge without atacking the Players ship (only opportunity shots)? Or is there any trigger that forces the AI to atack players ship?

The Ai ships shold consider the table edge as the enemy for deciding which card they play. All shots at your ships will only be opportunity shots. They are trying to break out.

2. What is a 7:2 battery?
A 7 battery with 2 arcs of fire. Difficult if you don't have the coastal battery extension pack. However the stats are:
2/3:2/3:2/3:2/2:2/2:1/2:1/2:0/1 Guns and arcs
3:2:2:2:1:1:1:1 tasks
2:1:1:1:1:1:1:1 crew (for every crew you have count from the right then block off all the remainder to the left)

spiessbuerger
02-12-2015, 13:03
Thanks for the clarification. Now I'm ready to set sails.
The battery won't be the problem but I have no 100-guns ship in port. So for my game I only roll a 1d5. :wink:

Union Jack
02-12-2015, 13:28
Replace it with another choice of whatever ships(s) you do have.


Thanks for the clarification. Now I'm ready to set sails.
The battery won't be the problem but I have no 100-guns ship in port. So for my game I only roll a 1d5. :wink:

Nightmoss
02-12-2015, 20:07
Finished the scenario this evening, but I have a clarification question before i write up the AAR. Instructions state that the AI ships will return to port when they take 50% damage in either crew, hull or two mast damage. Does the 50% hull damage box need to be filled completely up to burden, or does any damage qualify for the ship to return to port? Thanks.

Nightmoss
02-16-2015, 09:10
Finished the scenario this evening, but I have a clarification question before i write up the AAR. Instructions state that the AI ships will return to port when they take 50% damage in either crew, hull or two mast damage. Does the 50% hull damage box need to be filled completely up to burden, or does any damage qualify for the ship to return to port? Thanks.

Still waiting on an answer to this question? Thanks.

Union Jack
02-16-2015, 09:51
Apologies missed this one. To clarify the hull/crew box must be completely full. If there are an odd number of boxes then count the odd box as the half way point. (ie 7 boxes, ship returns to port if 4 boxes are filled, same as for crew)


Still waiting on an answer to this question? Thanks.

Nightmoss
02-16-2015, 11:30
Apologies missed this one. To clarify the hull/crew box must be completely full. If there are an odd number of boxes then count the odd box as the half way point. (ie 7 boxes, ship returns to port if 4 boxes are filled, same as for crew)

Thanks for the clarification. Then I'm going to have to redo the scenario as I read it the same as any damage going into the last hull box means the ships strikes. In retrospect I now have another question for clarification. When the ship does take 50% damage do you remove it from play or do you have it attempt to sail back to port with the resulting opportunity fire taking place from the AI as well as the possibility of pursuit by the player ship?

Union Jack
02-16-2015, 14:31
I intended it to be sail back to port but with time constraints you can end the scenario there and claim the victory. If you've already played it I wouldn't worry, justvtake it that the enemy captain struck or headed back to port. (unless the ship was yours?)

Nightmoss
02-16-2015, 15:48
I intended it to be sail back to port but with time constraints you can end the scenario there and claim the victory. If you've already played it I wouldn't worry, justvtake it that the enemy captain struck or headed back to port. (unless the ship was yours?)

I'll review my notes and photos again. I may just post the AAR and call it a learning experience. I suffered no losses and I don't think it would have made any point difference between capturing/sinking a ship or sending it back to port?

Union Jack
02-16-2015, 17:10
Only if it was bigger/smaller.

Nightmoss
02-16-2015, 19:33
Only if it was bigger/smaller.

It was smaller, a 32 gun (Terpsichore) sent home. The 74 gun SOL (Defense) was one point shy of getting the boot as well, but rules are a full fifth hull box required so it got away.

Mycenius
02-28-2015, 15:04
2/3:2/3:2/3:2/2:2/2:1/2:1/2:0/1 Guns and arcs

So when reduced to 2:1 for example it means 2 chits but can fire from only 1 of it's arcs - and it's starting 3:2 rating means 3 chits and can fire them out both of it's arcs...

(I'm playing scenario today and my forts haven't arrived - I'm using Fred's(?) stats spreadsheet to do a paper mat...)

P.S. FWIW UJ - I think there might be a small typo in your data above, spreadsheet presents it as 3:2/3:2/3:2/2:2/2:2/2:1/2:1/1:0 (being Gun Power:No. of Arcs I presume) - so even if your numbers are Arc then Gun it doesn't match - the spreadsheet I have could of course be wrong....

:happy:

Mycenius
02-28-2015, 22:02
Neil - A scenario question - how do you determine how far the AI vessels start from the table edge? I couldn't seem to find that.

I also assumed the Player's vessel could be anywhere as long as it was obeying the minimum of 1 or 2 rulers from the Island...? (i.e. see my AAR (http://www.sailsofglory.org/showthread.php?3120-AAR-Feb-2015-Our-Ships-Were-French-Oak-And-Hearts-of-Oak-Our-Men-Vive-la-France!) for how I actually deployed my vessel).

spiessbuerger
03-01-2015, 02:41
My AI ships had some trouble with running aground.
First caused by backing and second by standard AI manouvering. So they did destroy themselfes mostly by that.
How do you handled that? Do you take another manouever card for example to prevent running into the island?

Nightmoss
03-01-2015, 09:19
I had the smaller AI ship run for the edge with all possible speed, playing consecutive #5|'s. I don't think any captain in an unrated ship would actively engage a SOL, but opportunity fire did occur. The second AI used the same maneuvers until it cleared the island and then used regular AI movement to engage my ship on more or less equal terms.

Rolf's rules for fixed destination maneuvering work very well. See post #17 here: http://sailsofglory.org/showthread.php?2559-Intermediate-Solo-Rule-Development-Discussions-for-October-December-Campaign&p=37710#post37710

Mycenius
03-01-2015, 14:31
My AI ships had some trouble with running aground... How do you handled that? Do you take another manouever card for example to prevent running into the island?

Yep I was ahving the same issue and abandoned using the AI - see my AAR Thread (http://sailsofglory.org/showthread.php?3120-AAR-Feb-2015-Our-Ships-Were-French-Oak-And-Hearts-of-Oak-Our-Men-Vive-la-France!).


I had the smaller AI ship run for the edge with all possible speed, playing consecutive #5|'s.... The second AI used the same maneuvers until it cleared the island and then used regular AI movement to engage my ship on more or less equal terms.

This is essentially what I did too (again see my AAR Thread (http://sailsofglory.org/showthread.php?3120-AAR-Feb-2015-Our-Ships-Were-French-Oak-And-Hearts-of-Oak-Our-Men-Vive-la-France!)).


Rolf's rules for fixed destination maneuvering work very well. See post #17 here: http://sailsofglory.org/showthread.php?2559-Intermediate-Solo-Rule-Development-Discussions-for-October-December-Campaign&p=37710#post37710

Thanks Jim - I hadn't seen these... :happy:

Union Jack
03-07-2015, 08:46
i used the edge they were sailing to as the target for reference not the enemy ship as their task was to escape not engage if possible. I must apologise I am too used to AAR's and BRF's on the Aerodrome site, I should have explained fully.

Neil


My AI ships had some trouble with running aground.
First caused by backing and second by standard AI manouvering. So they did destroy themselfes mostly by that.
How do you handled that? Do you take another manouever card for example to prevent running into the island?

TexaS
03-15-2015, 04:12
I played this scenario today, and apart from some problems with AI manoeuvres making me decide that the coastlines were very steep. No risk of running aground. I ended up playing the AI pretty much anyway.

Bligh
04-12-2015, 08:16
I played my game today, and although not officially in this campaign, I found great difficulty getting my ships out of port into a headwind blowing from the SW. I feel that I must be reading the Brief wrong in some way.
Bligh.