AAR: The Treasure Galleon - by Uthoroc (British Royal Navy)
Some caveats: Having found the solo campaign rules and the July scenario pretty late, my playthrough might have been a little hurried (see setup). I also jumped back into the rules pretty cold, so please forgive any mistakes I made. Seeing the great in character AARs here, I can't really do that justice, so for now I'll keep this technical.
Scenario: The Treasure Galleon (July)
Spanish (AI): Buque de Plata (represented by Généreux) , Capitan Salvadore Narez (no skill)
British (Player):
HMS Concorde, Captain Geoffrey Charles Hurst (Reloading Captain)
HMS Terpsichore, Commander Martin Stanford Peters (Aiming Captain)
Rules used: Standard rules, but only ball ammunition allowed.
Setup
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...0a%20Setup.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...0b%20Setup.jpg
As you may notice I set up the two frigates too close too each other, forgetting the "one ruler apart" requirement. I hadn't printed the scenario description and was going back and forth between the table and the computer in the next room. :P
Turn 1
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20Movement.jpg
The ships slowly close, with the British frigates trying to stay ahead of the Buque de Plata to minimize the effect of the first broadside they are expecting. The AI randomly chooses BAC over BAD (wind straight from astern), but with a 4 rolled this does not matter anyway, the chosen maneuver is the 4 in either case.
Everybody is still out of range, so no firing occurs.
Turn 2
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20Movement.jpg
The ships are closing fast now. HMS Terpsichore stays out of the Buque de Plata's field of fire, but HMS Concorde is in range. The Spanish captain decides to fire although he can only bring the forward part of the broadside to bear.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...b%20Combat.jpg
This was the only time I remembered the firepower reduction for the Spanish ship, completely forgot about it after turn 1 (the excitement of battle does that to you). Still, with the raking shot the HMS Concorde was lucky to escape with only a little damage.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...e%20Damage.jpg
Turn 3
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20Movement.jpg
The battle is joined and the frigates are going in, cannon ranges will be short. HMS Terpsichore nicely crosses the Buque de Plata's bow, but HMS Concorde should turned farther (either port or starboard). Luckily for her, the Spanish are busy reloading their starboard guns.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...b%20Combat.jpg
I forgot to take a picture of the damage chits here, so we'll have to do with a look at the ship logs.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20Genereux.jpg
HMS Terpsichore laid some heavy damage on the Spanish ship, with a full broadside and a (just) raking shot. HMS Concorde added a little. Unfortunately almost none of it was crew damage. The British captains already saw their precious prize sinking to the bottom of the ocean.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...erpsichore.jpg
HMS Terpsichore took some damage in return, but it could have been worse.
Turn 4
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20Movement.jpg
Wow, this is getting tight now. HMS Terpsichore is taken aback (as expected), while the Buque de Plata swings around her stern. Luckily the Spanish need to reload their port guns!
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20Movement.jpg
And this is how the ships end up. The Britsh ships avoid a collision by a hair's breadth (literally).
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...d%20Combat.jpg
HMS Concorde is the only ship firing cannons this turn, everybody else is buy reloading. Her guns kills a lot of crewmen, but the Spanish retaliate with a deadly hail of musket fire.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20Genereux.jpg
The Spanish ship is feeling the damage now.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20Concorde.jpg
Lots of wounded and dying soldiers on the HMS Concorde, but the well-trained gunners still manage to reload quickly. The captain is not yet in danger.
Turn 5
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20Movement.jpg
The Spanish ship is coming around into the wind, while HMS Concorde swerves a little to avoid the Terpsichore. At this point I noticed that the AI had maneuvered into a position where leaving the table could not be avoided next turn (the B deck not allowing a tight enough turn). As I didn't want to stop the scenario I cheated a little and "enlarged" the playing area by moving the whole gaggle of ships south to avoid the edge.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...b%20Combat.jpg
HMS Terpsichore is out of the battle for moment and HMS Concorde is facing the Spanish guns alone. But neither can bring a full boradside to bear.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...c%20Combat.jpg
And the range is just a little too far for muskets. Sorry for the cutoff damage chits, it included another crew damage, so an injury roll for Captain Hurst had to be made: Result 6, no modifiers, Captain Hurst was safe.
Turn 6
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20Movement.jpg
HMS Terpsichore is frantically trying to get back to help the Concorde. The other two ships sail in parallel while reloading their guns.
Turn 7
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...a%20Combat.jpg
With HMS Terpsichore still out of range, HMS Concorde and Buque de Plata fight while both taken aback. The British take a lot of damage to the hull and luckily no further crew losses, while more Spanish sailors are killed. Perfect distribution of damage for me!
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20Genereux.jpg
The Buque de Plata is seriously short-handed now, close to surrendering. Her hull doesn't look all that good either.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20Concorde.jpg
HMS Concorde is still doing okay I guess.
Turn 8
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20Movement.jpg
While HMS Concorde's sails are catching the wind again, the less nimble Buque de Plata is still taken aback.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...b%20Combat.jpg
Some long range gun fire is exchanged. Commander Peters' good aim takes out a top sail of the Spanish, but more importantly another batch of Spanish sailors is taken out.
Turn 9
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20Movement.jpg
It's HMS Terpsichore's turn to take the fight to the treasure galleon, while Concorde rests a bit.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...b%20Combat.jpg
Neither British frigate can fire, because they are both reloading. But HMS Terpsichore is close enough for her marines to fire muskets. And while she takes some damage from the Spanish guns, too many crew on the Buque de Plata are now wounded or dying, and Capitan Narez decides to strike his colors!
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20Genereux.jpg
Badly damaged, but still afloat, the Spanish silver now belongs to His Majesty!
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...erpsichore.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20Concorde.jpg
Both frigates have taken some serious damage, but nothing that can't be repaired. Both captains are alive and well and are looking forward to ample prize money!
Result:
Spanish Galleon captured: 5 points
Neither British frigate destroyed: 0 Points
5 Points, for a clear British victory!
