AAR. Scenario Two: April 2018. 'There are never enough frigates.’

[Bligh]

PREAMBLE.

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Captain Joseph Porter had never before stepped inside Government House Cape Colony previously, but then it had only been in the hands of Britain for a couple of years, and he had never been an acting Commodore up until this point.
He waited nervously in the Anteroom with the portrait of the previous governor Sir David Baird scrutinizing him from above the doorway,

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and the current incumbent Du Pre Alexander, the second Earl of Caledon, from the portico opposite.

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Then he was quite suddenly ushered into the Governor's inner Office.
Several unknown Officer's were present, both naval and Army.

Apart from the Governor, the ones he instantly recognized were his own Admiral, Sir Joshua Pound, Captain Daniel Florrin of the Agamemnon, and Captain Angus Groat of the Amelia, both of whom were to serve in his Squadron. After all the formal introductions had been made, the Earl passed the proceedings over to Admiral Pound.

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" As you will know gentlemen, the Army has been ordered to render the Isle De Napoleon, non persona gratia to the French." He briefly indicated the Senior Army Officer standing in the background of those assembled. " To this end Colonel Keating here intends to embark with his Brigade and a strong force of Naval personnel plus Marines to wrest the Isle from the French."
You may recall that in order to clear the way for this expedition, two of your colleagues, Commanders Shilling and Guinea in their Sloops cooperated with Captain McBride of the HEIC, in capturing one of the large French Frigates which was threatening our enterprise. To cut to the chase gentlemen, documents were retrieved from the Frigate which revealed a much greater threat to our plans. The French have dispatched a Squadron from Brest under the command of Commodore Jaques Hamelin to intercept Indiamen in the South Atlantic who are bringing reinforcements to the Cape.


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His Flagship is the 74 Redoubtable, accompanied by several Frigates and smaller ships.This could not have happened at a worse time for us here at the Cape. Most of the Fleet is away blockading Isle de Napoleon, or refitting here. The only Vessels available to counter the French threat are HMS Phoenix, Agamemnon, and Amelia. You gentlemen must do all you can to destroy the French Squadron, and retake any Indiamen without harming the British soldiers who will be prisoners aboard them.

I am sure that under Commodore Porter's command you will acquit yourselves in the true spirit and best tradition of the Royal Navy."


Bligh.

[Bligh]

AAR Scenario Two: April 2018. 'There are never enough frigates.’


In the early afternoon and two days out from the Cape with a following wind, the lookouts on Captain Porter's squadron spotted sails to the Westward running in toward the coast.


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As the two Squadrons closed Joseph made the signal for close action.


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Captain Groat in Amelia Broke toward the Convoy, whilst the two liners endeavoured to cut the enemy line.


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As the British approached, the French Commodore Jacques Hamelin signaled his ships to tack in succession in order to come between the convoy and the aggressors.


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The first shots were exchanged between the frigates Sybille and HMS Amelia at. 14.03hrs.


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Both ships suffered structural damage. Sybille also losing crew and rigging.


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At 14.09 HMS Agamemnon and the French Flagship Redoubtable also exchanged broadsides and the battle became general.


37404


Agamemnon suffering a small fire on the foredeck, soon extinguished by the fire party. Her Grape doing much execution on the Frenchman's main deck in exchange.


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Meanwhile, the frigate L'Inconstante gave fire with her forrard section upon the British flagship HMS Phoenix at 14.11.


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Some superficial damage resulted.


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L'Inconstante turned to Starboard to avoid the return fire from Phoenix, but in so doing left her next in line Le Fortune exposed to the full broadside of Porter's ship. Which commenced fire at 14.20 badly damaging the Sloop which immediately struck.


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Agamemnon now came about and raked the stern of Redoutable causing several leaks twixt wind and water.


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The French frigate Sybille now came into play against the rear Port side of Agamemnon damaging the Mizzen and creating casualties amongst her crew. The time being 1442.


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Small arms fire was also taking its toll amongst the ships crews.


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At 1456 HMS Amelia opened upon Sybille damaging the structure, sails and taking further toll on her crew.


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Sybille's return fire did similar damage.


.37413


However, Porter's strategy seemed to be working in so far as he was forcing the French to the South West in order to cover their convoy.


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In fact in trying to closely protect their troop ships Redoutable came too close and collided with one of them, causing both steering and sail damage to her bowsprit although just managing to avoid entanglement.


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The collision did, however, allow Agamemnon to Port her helm and fire upon the French Flagships stern quarter, holing her below the waterline.


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On her starboard side she was also able to get her forrard guns to play upon Sybille which was by this juncture in a parlous state.


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With more firing between the tops of Redoubtable and Agamemnon. Flags now broke out on the British Flagship signaling "General chase."


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At 15.11 Phoenix began to move in on Redoutable and opened fire.


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Return fire came from Redoutable at 1514 as she started to bear but did little damage save starting a plank in her side. With too much damage to carry on the contest and her Captain struck down she surrendered to Phoenix at 1520


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Some minutes later, Phoenix opened upon the fleeing L'Inconstante, and set her on fire.


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Despite this the Frigate defiantly returned fire.


.37422


Unable to douse the fire without utilizing the remainder of her crew she then fled from the flagship straight into the long range arc of fire from Captain Groat and the Amelia at 1520.


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Groat, however, was hell bent on finishing off Sybille and continued his turn to Starboard getting in a stern rake on the unlucky Frenchman as his guns came to bear.


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As Captain Florrin in Agamemnon tacked at the same time as Sybille they also exchanged fire. The British ship doing considerably more damage to Sybille's spars. The French ship struck to her at 1536.


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Agamemnon, itself needing time for damage repairs, heaved to and dispatched a prize crew to the stricken Frigate's assistance.


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At approximately the same time on the Western edge of the battle Captain Porter was dishing out much the same sort of treatment to L'Inconstante.


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All ships were now well separated, but the French convoy was still un touched , so Captain Groat having lost his prize to Agamemnon put about and gave chase to the troopships.


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Phoenix and L'Inconstante now rubbed shoulders for what must be the end of the doughty frigate.


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The frigate took a terrible mauling.


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Nevertheless, her Marines gave as good as they got from the much larger ship.


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She managed to slip away as Commodore Porter's attention was arrested by a much larger prey looming up on his Port bow which he turned toward without delay.


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L'Inconstante meanwhile made good her escape, drawing the remaining British ships after her and away from the convoy.


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A signal to close with the Flagship soon had them converging on the plucky French Captain's frigate.


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As the three ships inexorably closed in, the French skipper made one last ditch effort to slip through the net.


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He even had the temerity to give one last defiant shot into the British flagship.


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Refraining from decimating such a worthy adversary, Porter left the closing shots of the battle to Captain Groat.


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The battle closed at 16.26.


The whole action having lasted approximately some 2hours and 20 minutes.


Despite L'Inconstante leading the British ships away from the lumbering Troopships, they were brought to heel during the evening by the much faster Frigate Amelia. Thus the French Garrison on the isle de Napoleon were deprived of a strong Naval reinforcement, and the British Cape Garrison reinforced by the British prisoners, releasing even more troops for the efforts to take the French Island.

Porter's leadership in this enterprise was to lead to a Baronetcy as soon as the despatches reached the Palace.

Bligh.

[Bligh]

Butchers Bill.

Ships name………………………..…..PHOENIX.
Type of Ship……………………….....THIRD RATE.
Captain's name…………………..….Porter.

Returned to port (RtP)…………….RTP
Captured (C) ……………………......NO
Killed in action (KIA………………..NO
Total hull boxes undamaged…….FOUR
Total crew boxes undamaged…..FIVE

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Ships name…………………...……...….AMELIA.
Type of Ship……………………..….....FIFTH RATE.
Captain's name…………………..….. Groat.

Returned to port (RtP)…………….…RTP
Captured (C) ……………….……….....NO

Killed in action (KIA…………………..NO
Total hull boxes undamaged……….FIVE
Total crew boxes undamaged…..…EIGHT


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Ships name……………………….......…. AGAMEMNON
Type of Ship………………………........THIRD
Captain's name…………………......….Florrin..

Returned to port (RtP)………………..YES
Captured (C) ………………………........NO
Killed in action (KIA…………………....NO
Total hull boxes undamaged………...FOUR
Total crew boxes undamaged…..…..ONE


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Total burdens of all enemy ships sunk or captured……THIRTEEN
Did the squadron meet its goals?.................................YES


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Bligh.

[TexaS]

I don't know if you treated it as such, but the fore battery arc can't rake. It's only a rake if it's the center arc.

Very interesting battle. Hard fighting!

[Wentworth]

Wow, this is a very cool AAR -- makes mine look feeble by comparison -- really great job!

[Bligh]

Don't despair dear chap.
I must have done at least 60 of these on here and the Drome over the years.
You have made a cracking good start yourself.:clap:
Rob.:drinks:

[Bligh]

:hatsoff:My dear sir, it would also appear that you have done me the singular honour of bringing up my 500th rep point.:medal:
So that makes me indebted to you to the extent of another dram or three.:drinks:

Many thanks Bill.
Bligh.

[Wentworth]

Entirely my pleasure!
Bill