AAR: Feb 2015 - Our Ships Were French Oak And Hearts of Oak Our Men - Vive la France!

[Mycenius]

Ohé matelots,

News is coming in of an action involving a vessel of the République (Vive la France!) and the english Royal Navy: Read More Here! (at Wargaming.info) (http://wargaming.info/2015/our-ships-were-french-oak/).


13194
The english vessels emerge from the harbour entrance...

[Mycenius]

Rules
Played Basic Rules with the following additions: Initial Broadsides; Rakes; Collision Damage; Entanglement; Boarding Actions; and obviously terrain effects (Coast, Shoals, Reefs, etc).

Preliminaries
Chose Night Action, assigned +2 Crew (4 Crew Total).
Roll of 2: Stormed the Battery, Took 2 Casualties, Manned the Guns with remaining 2 Crew.

Ship Deployment
Deployed the Duguay-Trouin about 1½ rules to the North-West of the Island - about ½ a ruler from the coast - as the wind is blowing to the South-West this was the most tactically advantageous for a captain to position his vessel to cover both channels...

AI Fleet (and assigned vessels)
Roll of 1: 1 x 74 (HMS Vanguard) & 1 x 32 (HMS Meleager).

AI Fleet Deployment
HMS Vanguard randomly assigned to Eastern Channel, HMS Meleager then assigned to Northern Channel. As Meleager is faster deployed her first about ½ ruler from table edge as close to North Shore as possible. HMS Vanguard then positioned behind as close to east shore as possible. Vessels placed to have clearest heading between coast and island as possible.

Turn Summary

Turn 1
Duguay-Trouin 74 (P): Plays Card 5R.
The Fort 7/2 (P): --
HMS Meleager 32 (AI): Plays Card 6*
HMS Vanguard 74 (AI): Plays Card 5S*

Turn 2
Duguay-Trouin 74 (P): Plays Card 5R, Fires Initial Full Larboard Broadside Bow Rake at HMS Meleager (Range A).
The Fort 7/2 (P): Fires Initial North Battery at HMS Meleager (Range B), and Initial East Battery at HMS Vanguard (Range A).
HMS Meleager 32 (AI): Plays Card 5L, Takes the following Damage: 4L, 4, 3, 3, 2L, 2S, 2, 2, 1, C, C, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, then SINKS!
HMS Vanguard 74 (AI): Plays Card 5S*, Takes the following Damage: 4C, 2R, C, 0.

* Endeavoured to use AI calculator for turns 1 and 2 but proved impossible even when treating coast as the enemy not the Duguay-Trouin (constantly making ships do hard turns into the coast or island, etc) - On Turns 1 & 2 I replaced cards rolled with closest numerically with a sensible action. Turn 3 on I abandoned AI system and I assigned cards myself using the logic: Stay as close the the coast as safe, then go as fast as possible directly away from Larboard, then adjust minimum needed to avoid collisions or any close enemy (½ ruler away) or any obvious potential moves that give enemy major advantage (rakes)... Note: HMS Meleager got sunk on Turn 2.

Turn 3
Duguay-Trouin 74 (P): Plays Card 5L, Reloads Larboard Broadside.
The Fort 7/2 (P): Reloads both Batteries, Takes the following Damage: 3F, 1C, 0, 0, 0, 0.
HMS Meleager 32 (AI): Colours Struck, Sinking...
HMS Vanguard 74 (AI): Plays Card 5S, Fires Initial Full Starboard Broadside at Fort (Range A).

Turn 4
Duguay-Trouin 74 (P): Plays Card 6, Fires Full Larboard Broadside at HMS Vanguard (Range A).
The Fort 7/2 (P): Fires East Battery at HMS Vanguard (Range B).
HMS Vanguard 74 (AI): Plays Card 4, Reloads Starboard Broadside. Takes Damage: 4, 3, 1S, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0.

Turn 5
Duguay-Trouin (P): Plays Card 2, Reloads Larboard Broadside, Takes Damage: 4L, 4L, 4, 2, 1, 0, 0.
The Fort (P): Reloads East Battery.
HMS Vanguard (AI): Plays Card 5L, Fires Full Starboard Broadside Bow Rake at Duguay-Trouin (Range A).

NOTE: At this point I allowed HMS Vanguard to assume 'normal' AI function (and combat) on the basis her best way to escape was to defeat the Duguay-Trouin. Otherwise HMS Vanguard would have almost certainly received an Initial Full Broadside Stern Rake in 1-2 moves time from Duguay-Trouin which would have sealed her fate.

Turn 6
Duguay-Trouin (P): Plays Card 5S, Initial partial Starboard Broadside is now in arc & range of Vanguard but is WITHHELD for better shot.
The Fort (P): Fort takes no further part in the combat.
HMS Vanguard (AI): DBC Roll 4+1 (Card 9) Plays Card 8, Reloads Starboard Broadside.

Turn 7
Duguay-Trouin (P): Plays Card 8, Fires Initial Full Starboard Broadside at Vanguard (Range B), Takes Damage: 5, 4C, 4, C, 0.
HMS Vanguard (AI): BBD Roll 4+2 (Card 9) Plays Card 8, Fires Full Starboard Broadside at Duguay-Trouin (Range B), Takes Damage: 4L, 3F, 3R, 3, 1C, C, 0.

Turn 8
Duguay-Trouin (P): Plays Card 2, Reloads Starboard Broadside
HMS Vanguard (AI): DDB Roll 1+2 (Card 1) Plays Card 2, Reloads Starboard Broadside.

Turn 9
Duguay-Trouin (P): Taken-Aback Turning Card 4-, Fires Full Larboard Broadside at Vanguard (Range A), Takes Damage: 2, 0, 0.
HMS Vanguard (AI): AI Roll Card 8 (Forgot to write down specifics), Fires Stern Starboard Broadside at Duguay-Trouin (Range A), Takes Damage: 4M, 2, C, C, 0.

NOTE: At this point HMS Vanguard has had 50% Damage so ceased using AI movement and reverted to choosing cards to plot the most direct fastest moves back to Larboard.

Turn 10
Duguay-Trouin (P): Taken-Aback Turning Card 4-, Reloads Larboard Broadside.
HMS Vanguard (AI): Plays Card 5S, Reloads Starboard Broadside.

Turn 11
Duguay-Trouin (P): Plays Card 5S.
HMS Vanguard (AI): Taken-Aback Turning Card 6+, Thrown around onto rocks - Runs Aground, Takes Grounding Damage: 4, 4, 2, 2, 0 (special damage ignored). STRIKES!

Turn 12
Duguay-Trouin (P): Moves in to claim her prize and attempt recovery.

[Mycenius]

HMS Meleager after receiving her telling rake and Fort barrage!
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HMS Vanguard after running aground and striking her colours
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The victorious Duguay-Trouin
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The Fort (Lieutenant Dubois)
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Captain’s Logs:
Capitaine de vaisseau Côme Rainier Fabian (P) / Returned To Port / 2 Victories (3 Points total) & possible Prize Vessel
Captain Louis Domenic Church (AI) / Prisoner of War / Vessel Lost To Enemy (HMS Vanguard)
Lieutenant Cadwalader Rhydderch Floyd (AI) / Missing In Action* / Vessel Sunk (HMS Meleager)

* Lieutenant Floyd's fate to be determined - is he POW, or does he manage to RTP, or did he go down with his ship? NOTE: No wound roll was made for Lieutenant Floyd as his vessel did not suffer 50% crew casualties.

[Mycenius]

Post Game Activity & Wrap Up

Questions (perhaps especially for Eric as Organiser & Neil as Scenario Designer):


What happens to Lieutenant Cadwalader Floyd when HMS Meleager Sinks/Strikes - is there a chance he is captured or KIA or does he automatically RTP?
Can the French recover HMS Vanguard - or is it deemed unfeasible in the time given with the proximity of the enemy port? If so assume she is scuttled & burned?
Does Capitaine Fabian get just the 2 Points for Vanguard (+1 for Meleager) for a total of 3 - or more because both ships sunk or captured?

Scenario Notes, Observations & Questions


Wasn't 100% clear on how AI vessels should initially deploy (e.g. distance in from table edge - how close to each other - etc).
Duguay-Trouin's deployment was as permitted by scenario - but was that the intent or should distance from island also apply for distance from coast?
Just couldn't get AI rules to work to make ships sail as per scenario parallel to coast - might be better in these cases to have simple matrix (i.e. yes no questions) or use die roll to choose from the only practical cards usable (i.e. the 5's) with note to resort to AI under certain circumstances...

[spiessbuerger]

Why does Vanguard "Strike" while running aground? I see one left hull box. Or did you capture her?

[Nightmoss]

Congratulations on a overwhelming victory. :salute:

[Mycenius]

Why does Vanguard "Strike" while running aground? I see one left hull box. Or did you capture her?

My understanding is IRL during that era a ship would strike in that situation - although she was in a position to deliver one last broadside to the French, after that would be unable to sail or move and given the island was also in enemy hands too it seemed appropriate. A final broadside would not have defeated the enemy and would have only resulted in more casualties for the Vanguard which would have been defeated regardless.

The only question was should she have fired that last broadside before striking? I believed it would have been ungentlemanly (given the protocols of the time) - but as it may have been a bow rake and semi-decisive (e.g. may have wounded the French Captain) I did roll 50/50 to determine if she would or wouldn't fire that once grounded and before she struck her colours.

Also I could not see any point from a 'game' perspective in playing out 2-3 more turns solely so Duguay-Trouin could manoeuvre herself to deliver the death-knell broadsides unopposed, including a stern rake!

EDIT: P.S. Does that sound reasonable or do you believe my logic is flawed?

[Mycenius]

Congratulations on a overwhelming victory. :salute:

Thank You Jim! :salute:

[spiessbuerger]

My understanding is IRL during that era a ship would strike in that situation - although she was in a position to deliver one last broadside to the French, after that would be unable to sail or move and given the island was also in enemy hands too it seemed appropriate. A final broadside would not have defeated the enemy and would have only resulted in more casualties for the Vanguard which would have been defeated regardless.

The only question was should she have fired that last broadside before striking? I believed it would have been ungentlemanly (given the protocols of the time) - but as it may have been a bow rake and semi-decisive (e.g. may have wounded the French Captain) I did roll 50/50 to determine if she would or wouldn't fire that once grounded and before she struck her colours.

Also I could not see any point from a 'game' perspective in playing out 2-3 more turns solely so Duguay-Trouin could manoeuvre herself to deliver the death-knell broadsides unopposed, including a stern rake!

EDIT: P.S. Does that sound reasonable or do you believe my logic is flawed?

Mmmh... Ok... Sounds very reasonable :salute:

[Union Jack]

Striking to the enemy on a friendly coast, perhaps he was cashiered and court martial on his wet return to port.

[Mycenius]

Striking to the enemy on a friendly coast, perhaps he was cashiered and court martial on his wet return to port.

Well the island was arguably an enemy coast on the day... :wink:

...Anyway I'm still open to any consensus on what the outcome should have been, if different from what I tabled, given the facts provided? :happy:

[Union Jack]

As the surviving crew outnumbered the crew on the island, fight it as a boarding action and see what the outcome is. Give a bonus to the defenders for being inside fortifications, say 2 more crew and if the ship beached in front of the guns a round of fire and a free boarding hack against the ship crew for lost at sea crew off the ship.

[Bligh]

Another very enjoyable read.
I felt that the British captains would not have done well at their respective Courts Martial.
However, I don't see that adding to the loss of life could have made things any better for them. Loss of a ship to the enemy would not doubt have put them on the beach anyway.
Bligh.