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Thread: AAR January: When the Fog Lifts (by Ozariig)

  1. #1
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    Default AAR January: When the Fog Lifts (by Ozariig)

    Scenario: Mission 1: When the Fog Lifts

    France (Player):
    Capitaine de frégate Henri Bellamy commanding a frigate
    • Unité (72 points)
    • Novice Gunners (-6 points)
    • Total: 66 points


    Britain (AI):
    Captain James Nicoll commanding a frigate
    • HMS Terpischore (68 points)
    • 1x Crew Damage (-2 points)
    • Total: 66 points


    French Order: Sink or capture the enemy frigate.

    Game settings:
    Basic rules
    fredmiracle's solo rules
    Plus additional rules: Raking Shots, Boarding (basic), First Broadside, Crew Damage Effects on Captains, Disengagement


    RESULTS:

    Capitaine de frégate Henri Bellamy (P) / captured / no victories
    Captain James Nicoll (AI) / returned to port / captured 1 ship

    Time to play: ~37 minutes


    Notes:
    Excellent scenario. Very straightforward, lots of fun. Thanks Eric!

    I chose to use Basic Rules and my particular load-out of special rules in order to optimize play for speed. I also tried to balance each side using points.

    I have pictures documenting the battle, but my play area is pretty spartan. I'll consider uploading them for a play-by-play if anyone wants 'em. In the meantime, here's a general description of what happened:

    • Cpt. James appeared to the South East, facing South.
    • Cpt. James got the first broadside at long range, dealing trivial damage.
    • Cpt. Henri's broadside at long range the following turn did significant crew and hull damage.
    • For the next several turns, the two ships circled each other in the South West quadrant of the board.
    • As expected, Cpt. James had the firepower advantage, dishing out lots of hull damage at long range.
    • Cpt. Henri took a particularly nasty broadside (4, 5) which forced him to disengage. Unfortunately he was in a poor position to do so.
    • Cpt. James finished him off in the next turn with a short range raking broadside on the rear of the ship.

    My strategy was to use my burden as an advantage by closing to board. Obviously my sailing could use some improvement

    Novice Gunners was definitely a significant handicap, but I can't say yet whether that proved critical in this battle. Cpt. Henri was lining up a good shot when he was forced to disengage. Had Cpt. Henri taken more crew damage instead of nearly all hull damage, it could have easily gone the other way.

    Special thanks to spiessbuerger, as the formatting for this AAR belongs to him.
    Last edited by Ozariig; 02-05-2015 at 03:22.

  2. #2
    Admiral of the White
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    Interesting results. Just curious if you used the original solo rules or the newer set from Richard?

    Very sorry to see your captain was captured, but at least I'm not alone in losing to the AI. Hopefully there will be an exchange of prisoners later this year?

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    Whoops, knew I forgot something I'm still on the original solo rules. I'd like to try Richard's sometime for comparison. Maybe next scenario?

    I started out with a lower-ranked captain for a reason! Now I know better than to underestimate the British gunnery, and I have a vendetta to pursue!

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ozariig View Post
    Whoops, knew I forgot something I'm still on the original solo rules. I'd like to try Richard's sometime for comparison. Maybe next scenario?

    I started out with a lower-ranked captain for a reason! Now I know better than to underestimate the British gunnery, and I have a vendetta to pursue!
    Thanks for the answer. I'm also still using our original solo rules, but do plan on trying the new set soon.

    I understand your reasons for using the lower-ranked captain as I did something similar (a captain with no special abilities). I think the February scenario will call for a veteran though? I'll need that expertise to pull off the fight?

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    I agree, but I'm still not sure I want to risk a skilled officer so early in the year, especially with my track record

    What do you think? I will if you will?

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ozariig View Post
    I agree, but I'm still not sure I want to risk a skilled officer so early in the year, especially with my track record

    What do you think? I will if you will?
    Right now I'm thinking that 'Good Aim' may be critical. If I'd used that skill in the first scenario I'm pretty sure I would have won as it came down to just one hull box. Not sure that 'Charismatic Captain' here would be much use, which now makes me think how this skill is impacted by the rolling for disengagement once your crews boxes are half full (rounded up)?

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    Kevin, sorry to see the capture of your captain. I will update the roster, accordingly.

    I'm glad you enjoyed the game. I, too, am using the linked solo chart. Some interesting maneuvers occurred during my game (soon to be posted).
    “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” ― Plato

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Nightmoss View Post
    Very sorry to see your captain was captured, but at least I'm not alone in losing to the AI.
    Tell me about it! In addition to losing I was in fear of ending up like Kevin's Capitaine Henri Bellamy myself in my game (AAR: Jan 2015 - When the Fog Lifts - A Dark Day For France). Luckily I was so close to the edge of the playing area disengagement was basically instantaneous once it happened...



    Or perhaps it's just us poor French...?!

  9. #9
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    Another useful bit of information gleaned from previous AARs today.
    Thanks Kevin.
    I should have read these before embarking on my trail of meyhem and destruction. Mostly on my ships.
    Rob.

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