Sacking of Port Puissant

[Hjl]

The British fleet are tasted with taking the town by destroying the fort on the cliff.

The Two fleets:
French
1x 3rd rate
3x 5th rate
1x sloop
1x fort (9 burden 2 arc [-,4,3])

British
2x 3rd
3x 5th
1x sloop



I expect this game to take quite a long time. My wife is out of town so i have 2 days to get it done. Ill post updates as i play it. A sort of live report.

Please feel free to chip in any tactical advice you might have and i will implement it accordingly.

[Hjl]

The ships close distance.

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Almost within range! The Goliath comes on from the table edge

[Hjl]

The fleets get into firing range and the thunders of hell break loose.


HMS Terpsichore takes a beating, with all the fires on board it looks as though she is in for a bad afternoon.

[Hjl]

The Terpsichore is right in the thick of it, but manages to avoid any more serious damage as she works hard putting out the fires.

[Hjl]

HMS Terpsichore strikes strikes her colors due to heavy damage and fights no more.



Hermione takes 2 broadsides from the British 3rd rates but their aim is horrible and she gets away very fortunately.

[Hjl]

The ships maneuver to get back into firing positions. 2 of the French vessels have lost masts and are struggling to make much headway.

HMS Cleopatra takes another hit close up from Ebuscade and is destroyed.



The British fleet nears the fort and starts to fire into it. Soon the 3rds will be there and will start pounding it and unloading troops to attempt to capture the fort.

[Hjl]

The ships start unloading marines in the town while pounding the fort.



A squad of marines makes its way up the hill. The 3rds get closer and strike their sails to prepare to unload boats.

[Hjl]

The marines advance to fort and exchange fire. There are not enough of them landed and they get quickly gunned down.

HMS Vanguard and HMS Goliath unload 5 squads each in boats towards to beach.

The Forts guns blast out landing heavy blows on HMS Goliath and HMS Concorde.

[Hjl]

The troops make the beach and advance through the town towards the fort (dice represents number of squads)

The fort battles to put out a fire that has broken out in the main barracks.

Courageuse sinks beneath the waves after the damage the previous turn.

[Hjl]

The british troops reach the fort and the battle commences.

It is over quickly as the troops storm the fort and defeat the defenders.

[Hjl]

So there you have it, The British captured the fort.

The British lose HMS Terpsichore and HMS Cleopatra with heavy damage to HMS Concorde. The two 3rd rates suffered minimal damage and managed to get their marines offloaded without losing too many. The plan was to distract the French with the frigates so that the 3rds could unload their marines and then join the fight.

The French lost the frigate Courageuse. Hermione and Aquilon took heavy damage and Embuscade took only a few hits. The Aquilon dominated the middle of the table being able to punish the British frigates with impunity while the two British 3rds snuck around the back.

Three French vessels suffered multiple broken masts and so lost a great deal of mobility as a result. This helped the British ships control the area around the fort and ultimately win the game.

Next time i shall invest in some better ground forces, plain square GW bases lack any form of visual appeal!

[Bligh]

I think that you achieved a great deal there Hugh.
I hope we will see far more landings, and cutting out expeditions now that you have taken the plunge as it were.
Where's my Longboats and cutters. I really must get them painted post haste.
Rob.

[Hjl]

It was a little arduous doing a solo battle that large but I enjoyed it and am glad I saw it through.

The cost to the British was about 600 men and two ships. As I mentioned before, that's a pretty heavy price to pay. I hope the Admiralty agrees with your assessment Bligh!