The real fog of war.

[Bligh]

Having enjoyed Boney10's Fleet action using his rules for fog in a scenario, I decided to combine my idea for the Flying Dutchman picture I did earlier in the year with an action between two ships in the fog. Over Christmas I found the time to play out the following action.


47499

Here we see HMS Amelia setting out on a fine day in early October to try and locate a French Frigate which has been marauding off the coast and attacking homeward bound merchantmen.



It is not long before a sea mist descends and envelopes the ship.


47500

The rest of the scenario will be posted as soon as the pictures are worked up.

Rob.

[Bligh]

The Action.

FOG!



As the Amelia sailed along the coast seeking the whereabouts of the French convoy raiders a sea mist suddenly swept in blanketing ship and coastline. Captain Groat immediately ordered a shortening of sails, the log to be cast fro soundings, and an alteration of course out to sea away from any outlying shoals or rocks.

47627



Quite unbeknown to him, the French commerce raider that he was seeking had adopted almost exactly the same attitude and was, unknown to either Captain drawing ever closer to the Amelia.

47628




The Dryad's Captain also groped his way through the cloying mist, unable to see more than a cable ahead of the bowsprit end.
Knowing the coast better than the British, he turned a couple of degrees to port to follow the indentation of the bay ahead and wear ship in order to retrace his course to what he supposed was his safe home hideaway.

47629




On the opposite course and in the very light winds with little headway Groat was fighting to maintain his course as the incoming tide drifted him back toward the land.

47630



47631



Dryade had now succeeded in tacking and was heading home.

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Amelia continued to make course changes to avoid the coast.

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As the wind started to pick up and clear the fog Dryade tacked again.

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Whilst Amelia continued to claw her way to windward.

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Within a few minutes the lookout at Amelia's Fore-top mast sighted the mainmast of Dryade emerging above the fog.

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As soon as dryad's lookouts spotted Amelia, her Captain put her about.

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This ploy was spotted by Captain Groat who had taken his Dolland glass up into the shrouds.

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He immediately signaled to the First Officer to bring Amelia about on a converging course, and having the advantage of the wind gauge she came about in splendid fashion.

47640




As the fog receded even further both ships approached each other head on as if to see which Captain would flinch first.

As it was Dryad was the first to make a move trying to slip around Amelia and gain the wind gauge by veering out to sea.

47641




This maneuver also gave her the chance to bow rake Amelia at long range.
47642




Unfortunately for Dryads Captain the freshening wind chose this moment to veer towards the land and Amelia was caught in stays thus preventing the preemptive move by Dryade.

47643




In fact it eventually brought her within the arc of Amelia's forward battery, which took full advantage of this unexpected bonus.

47644

47645



After an exchange of fire from the tops, both ships having come together slid along each other side and disengaged.

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47647



Amelia immediately tacked, and set off in pursuit of the Dryade.

47648

47649



The wind now chose this moment to slacken again as the two ships jockeyed for an advantageous position.

47650

47651



It then veered once more.

47652




Using the wind to advantage Amelia came about and her broadside almost succeeded in raking the Dryade.

47653




With her rudder damaged all she could do was to luff whilst repairs were taken in hand.

47654


As Amelia came about in an attempt to close with her Dryade got off a desultory shot with her aft most battery.

47655




The wind now veered due south.

47656

With her rudder now patched up, a stern chase now commenced for Amelia.

47657




Her slight speed advantage gradually allowed her to overhaul the Dryade.

47658

As Dryade tried to outfox Captain Groat by turning away.another exchange of fire took place.
Once again Amelia came out on top as Dryade's guns and crews were gradually put out of action by the attrition.

47659




The chase continued as both crews feverishly reloaded.

47660




and each captain tried to out maneuver the other.

47661


Dryade was first to get off a desultory broadside.

47662




However, with consummate skill Captain groat put up his helm and swept down on the Frenchman, and crossing his stern raked his ship, mauling both men and structure badly.

47663




Groat now continued his turn whilst reloading.

47664



There was nowhere for the Dryade to run.
The forrard guns spoke again.

47665


Dryade was doomed. Unable to out turn Amelia she could only wait for the inevitable reloading yet again.

47666

47667


.
Again the sequence was repeated.

47668


However coming up into the eye of the wind both Frigates tacked in sequence.
With a last defiant attempt Dryade fired her depleted broadside into Amelia's hull.
The devastating reply of Amelia's broadside, forced the Dryade's captain to strike at once, as his decimated crew could no longer manage the ship.

47669




Thus was yet another of Napoleon's chess pieces removed from play in the Indian Ocean.



Bligh.

[Bligh]

The Butcher's Bill.

Bit of a crushing defeat for the French.
I felt a bit embarrassed and rather hope the rematch sans fog will be a bit less one sided.

.47675

[Comte de Brueys]

Impressive shooting!

Great AAR, Rob. :salute:

[Bligh]

Thanks Sven.
The fog was the real reason for playing that. Capt Kiwi and I enjoyed Chris's game at Donny so much, we wondered how we could run it with just a couple of ships for the Solo campaign. The main problem we found was the two ships could miss each other much more easily than a Squadron, so the rules will need a tweak here or there.
Rob.

[Naharaht]

Thank you for the good A.A.R., Rob, and the photographic special effects! :thumbsup: It was interesting to see that you used the rules for changing wind direction.

[TexaS]

Nice engagement!

Good to see some action on the forum again.

[Bligh]

Thank you for the good A.A.R., Rob, and the photographic special effects! :thumbsup: It was interesting to see that you used the rules for changing wind direction.

Thank you for the Rep David.
I was trying to simulate the dispersal of the fog by starting the wind on low and dispersal coming with a rise in the wind. However it almost backfired because both ships had not gone anywhere near each other and the wind change came after about nine moves. When Chris did his he only allowed six cards to be drawn and then played simulating the fog. nine random cards was what made the Dryade start to retrace her steps. We need to refine that by removing some turns from the deck or replacing them with straights if they come up when revealed.
Other than that hiccup it all seemed to play out pretty well.
Rob.

[Bligh]

Nice engagement!

Good to see some action on the forum again.

Glad you liked it Jonas. I hope to get another action fought soon.
Rob.

[DeRuyter]

Nice AAR. Love the fog! Reminds me of the Mr. Hollum's dilemma; Shall we beat to quarters? You're the officer of the watch.....

BTW - Is that a commercial sea mat or something you made?

[Bligh]

I have to fess up Eric, the mat was bought when I completed my new wargames room. I did not want to trim down my old mat as it is big enough for games at shows and Doncaster. It also goes very well with Chris's mat for the really big games like his Trafalgar. The last fog game I did was a follow the stern lights of the ship in front and heaven help you if you get lost. I did not however have the mastery of Photoshop at that time so the fog was not all that it was cracked up to be. I am now wondering what we can do with a night action. Visibility a bit better I fancy!

Rob.