Originally Posted by
Bligh
A Frigate and a couple of Sloops would often convoy 3 or 4 small traders and a couple of Indiamen. Pirates or Privateers working in pairs or a threesome would try to distract the Naval vessels whilst one of them swooped down on the lame duck of the convoy and cut it out. That would be the most often found scenario. The Indiamen if handled well would be able to protect each other unless several enemy Corvettes were involved. In the Indies pretending to be Line of battle ships a convoy even saw off a French National Squadron.
Rob.