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Thread: AAR - January 2015 Mission When the Fog Lifts by ShadowDragon

  1. #1

    Default AAR - January 2015 Mission When the Fog Lifts by ShadowDragon


    When the fog lifts (aka – a short and brutal affair)
    My version of the 2015 Campaign scenario, When the Fog Lifts, by 7eat51:
    https://sailsofglory.org/showthread....-the-Fog-Lifts


    “Buccaneer for hire: Gabriel de Bergerac – greatest terror of the seven seas. How does that sound?”, Gabriel asked Anamaria. Gabriel was the born Gabriel Parese, the illegitimate son of a de Bergerac aristocrat. His father had been executed by the Committee of Public Safety along with any other de Bergerac they could find. As there were no de Bergeracs to claim the name – as far as Gabriel knew – he might as well take it for his own.

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    “It’s weak”, replied Anamaria, “If you’re the greatest terror of the seven seas you’d hardly need to say so and you’d hardly need to advertise for work.”

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    Gabriel might know about sailing and fighting but Anamaria was the real business brains of the outfit. He often thought that she should be in charge – The Pirate Queen – now that sounded real fine, but Anamaria demurred. She’d usually reply, “At the moment it suits me the way it is.” “But why”, Gabriel would usually ask. “It’s better that it should be a man.” “Don’t see why that should be so,” persisted Gabriel – sometimes as he know what would be next. “It’s because you have a pretty face,” Anamaria would smirk. Well that would get under Gabriel’s skin – but it would end the discussion. So – for now Gabriel was ‘in charge’ while Anamaria made all the plans and managed all the accounts. It was better that way – as Anamaria really was the smarter one.

    The had news that Gabriel’s arch-nemesis, Admiral Lamontagne was on a frigate – the Dryad, which was where Gabriel’s pirate career had begun. Anamaria had thought that chasing a war vessel for personal vengeance was a poor business deal – much better to be relieving fat merchantman of the treasure or even better liberating the poor captive souls on those infernal slave ships. Usually a few would hire on to the pirate fleet – and they made excellent pirates. Anamaria knew that well – she had been such a captive until Gabriel and the Hermione had liberated her and her fellow captives. A few smiles and other wily ways and Gabriel had taken her on as a member of the Hermione’s crew.

    They had done well. They even had a small fleet. But that’s another story and this one is already long enough. We must get to the action. They were chasing the French Admiral Lamontagne – at one time a colleague of Gabriel’s but Spanish treasure had made them enemies. Gabriel had turned to piracy while Lamontagne became a respectable admiral and had invested his treasure in the slave trade. Anamaria sometimes wondered if Gabriel had a natural hatred for slavery or if was more because that was one way to get at Lamontagne. She guessed all that mattered was that Gabriel was on the ‘right’ side if not the ‘legal’ side.

    They had followed the Dryade until they were becalmed in a fog. The wind picked up and the fog began to clear. There was the Dryade facing them. If they could move fast enough they’d get first shot and a raking one at that.

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    The Dryade saw it’s danger and turned but not fast enough. Gabriel had the Hermione turn into the wind and into the path of the Dryade. “Fire,” Gabriel cried out and the guns of the Hermione barked as one. Cannonball flew down the length of the Dryade smashing wood and men alike.

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    The Dryade turned to fire it’s broadside – and even though at close range the damage was less than that meted out by the Hermione. They closed further – musketeers in the rigging picked off crewmen on both ships. “Ready the grappling hooks,” ordered Gabriel.

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    The Hermione fired back – the Dryade was being hammered and the Hermione’s pirate crew were getting the better of the musketry.

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    “Now”, shouted Gabriel and the Hermione’s crew had grappled the Dryade. Pirates swung on to the deck of the Dryade as if they had watched an Errol Flynn movie. Before long it was over – the Dryade’s crew were all dead, wounded or surrendered.

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    But – no Lamontagne. It had been a false rumour. Nonetheless the Dryade did have valuable information that would be useful.

    “What shall we do with the crew?” one of the Hermione’s pirates asked Gabriel.

    “The ordinary seamen will a choice – join us or we drop them off at the next port. The officers? Hmmm….maybe turn them over to the British or maybe to the rebels at Saint-Domingue.” The Dryade’s officers shuddered at that last thought.

    “The Dryade’s not taken much damage. She’ll be a fine addition to our fleet,” remarked Anamaria after her inspection of their prize to a disinterested Gabriel. “What are you thinking about?”

    “Something a young man from the Louisiana coast said to me on our last journey to those parts. He said of the Lamontagne’s of this world:
    ‘I am a pirate. The vilify us, the scoundrels do, when there is only this difference, they rob the poor under the cover of Law…we plunder the rich under the protection of our own courage.”
    “Will it always be thus? Damn, if only that scoundrel, Lamontange, had been aboard.”

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  2. #2
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    Well done again Paul.
    By far the best way to go at it if you are a Pirate or under Letters of Marque. Hit them fast and furious. I would also discount the first two casualties on a ship of those persuasions as that accounts for the overmanning of such vessels in order to provide prize crews. You should also get first dibs in boarding actions for the same reason.
    I am, enjoying these escapades very much. let me know once you reach the 5 AARs for 2015 campaign. Aarrrrr!
    Rob.
    The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bligh View Post
    Well done again Paul.
    By far the best way to go at it if you are a Pirate or under Letters of Marque. Hit them fast and furious. I would also discount the first two casualties on a ship of those persuasions as that accounts for the overmanning of such vessels in order to provide prize crews. You should also get first dibs in boarding actions for the same reason.
    I am, enjoying these escapades very much. let me know once you reach the 5 AARs for 2015 campaign. Aarrrrr!
    Rob.
    Glad you enjoyed the story, Rob. The very short game gave me the opportunity to embellish and make the complete shift from 'respectable' French naval officer to 'scandalous' Pirate as well as set up hero and hero's arch-nemesis. Fleshing it out, there'll be opportunities to add captures, rescues, etc. that aren't as easily done with Wings of Glory games.

    Will do for the 5 AARs.

    Letters of Marque are the way to go. I'd prefer a Letter of Marque (LoM) from a newly independent Latin American (or Caribbean) country but the historical timeline is a bit later than the 1790s and there's always the question of whether or not the country providing the LoM is recognized by the major powers and whether or not that country is at war with the targeted country (mostly Spain but also France - less likely Britain due to its naval power). That's if I stay historical and with pirate stories it's always a bit of myth involved.

    I did think about a LoM from a major power but the more I read about piracy in the late 18th/early 19th century it seemed to me that I had to somehow include the slave trade - which makes the arch-villain, Lamontagne, even more villainous. Reading about the slave trade and slave revolts in the Caribbean colonies kind of put me off the major powers. FYI - Jean Lafitte's LoM was from a newly independent Columbia, from what I read on internet, and he avoided attacking American ships. So the enemy will more likely be French and Spanish as they will be less capable of hunting pirates down.

    I haven't fully sorted it all out and perhaps I'll need to go with a mythological timeline where historical events happen but not necessarily in the same sequence as they did in real life. So more Pirates of the Caribbean than real life stuff.

    And, of course, where would a pirate story be without a female, pirate heroine?

  4. #4

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    By the way, I blame John for going down the route of a woman pirate as the business brains of the outfit. He put me onto the idea with this blog post:

    http://vagabondswargamingblog.blogsp...not-naval.html

    It makes sense to me. It's a generalization but it seems to me that women are more practical - is this going to be profitable - than men with the ideas of the romance of the sea and 'aarrrrrr' I'm a pirate. Maybe I'm thinking of one of my brothers and his wife where she's the pragmatic one and my brother the dreamer.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by ShadowDragon View Post

    I haven't fully sorted it all out and perhaps I'll need to go with a mythological timeline where historical events happen but not necessarily in the same sequence as they did in real life. So more Pirates of the Caribbean than real life stuff.

    And, of course, where would a pirate story be without a female, pirate heroine?
    Go for it Paul.
    Certainly, the later Scenarios which were written by me and also some of Neil's were open to interpretation. I always tried to write open ended ones to allow for the size and number of ships available to all the players, and to have several ways of solving the mission depending on your ability to think outside the box. Ie. do you make a night attack, cut out the ships, send in a fire ship, or try to remove the defending fortifications first. The use of bomb vessels in some cases was a ruse to winkle out some ships. Basically if you fancy your chances do it. taking on and beating a superior force always proves gratifying unless you lose your Captain or Lieutenant in the action.
    As long as you have fun playing the game that is all that really matters. So good luck to you sir says I.

    Rob.
    The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bligh View Post
    Go for it Paul.
    Certainly, the later Scenarios which were written by me and also some of Neil's were open to interpretation. I always tried to write open ended ones to allow for the size and number of ships available to all the players, and to have several ways of solving the mission depending on your ability to think outside the box. Ie. do you make a night attack, cut out the ships, send in a fire ship, or try to remove the defending fortifications first. The use of bomb vessels in some cases was a ruse to winkle out some ships. Basically if you fancy your chances do it. taking on and beating a superior force always proves gratifying unless you lose your Captain or Lieutenant in the action.
    As long as you have fun playing the game that is all that really matters. So good luck to you sir says I.

    Rob.
    All I can say is.....ARRRRR thar be blood and plunder aplenty followed by drinkin' and wenchin' aplenty!

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by ShadowDragon View Post
    All I can say is.....ARRRRR thar be blood and plunder aplenty followed by drinkin' and wenchin' aplenty!
    I'll drink to that.

    Well it didn't take you long to get cracking on 2015, I think there are a few outstanding scenarios in this year so I'm sure you'll enjoy playing th hem and we shall enjoy reading them.

    Pirates Ahhhh Jim lad and shiver me timbers. Whatever that means.

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Vagabond View Post
    I'll drink to that.

    Well it didn't take you long to get cracking on 2015, I think there are a few outstanding scenarios in this year so I'm sure you'll enjoy playing th hem and we shall enjoy reading them.

    Pirates Ahhhh Jim lad and shiver me timbers. Whatever that means.
    I've scanned the scenarios, so I have a general plot line in mind. Of course, the games will make hash of that.

    "....shiver me timbers. Whatever that means. " We'll have none of that innuendo, double entendre, shivering of timbers and what not here... This be a family story here, me bucko, Long John. Arrrrrrrrr.

    Oh don't mind the parrot. He thinks he's getting the lead role in the Diz flick. Personally I think he's too....well, too...whatever it is, it's too too for a Disney movie.

    And thanks for the rep.
    Last edited by ShadowDragon; 02-11-2021 at 18:18.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vagabond View Post
    I'll drink to that.

    Well it didn't take you long to get cracking on 2015, I think there are a few outstanding scenarios in this year so I'm sure you'll enjoy playing th hem and we shall enjoy reading them.

    Pirates Ahhhh Jim lad and shiver me timbers. Whatever that means.
    I'm more worried about Avast behind.
    Rob.
    The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.

  10. #10
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    And I told you to keep vermin infested parrots out ove this Paul. We all know the rules about no Polly ticks.

    Rob.
    The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bligh View Post
    I'm more worried about Avast behind.
    Rob.
    Certainly that's a worry for a certain town governor who's "lay down low with gold" plus "broad and fat and loose in the stays".

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bligh View Post
    And I told you to keep vermin infested parrots out ove this Paul. We all know the rules about no Polly ticks.

    Rob.
    No worries, any parrot will have been treated for vermin. So Polly without the verminy ticks.

  13. #13
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    That passes muster then Paul, quick sign him on!
    Rob.
    The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bligh View Post
    That passes muster then Paul, quick sign him on!
    Rob.
    Is it allowed to have pirates without a parrot?? Certainly no Polly Ticks parrots even if they're cheap to rent and available in every colour under the sun, but perhaps a talking parrot that's easily understood (good but cliche), a talking a parrot not easily understood (better but under contract to those Disney Corporate Pirates), a mute parrot (hard to find, very rare and possibly extinct), a dead....er restin' parrot - perhaps a Norwegian Blue pinnin' for the fjords (very possible - if only one can find a Britrail train that goes to Bolton instead of Ipswich).

  15. #15
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    It's a palindrome Paul.
    seceip fo thgie , or ybraD wargcM. That's what parrots say.
    Rob.
    The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bligh View Post
    It's a palindrome Paul.
    seceip fo thgie , or ybraD wargcM. That's what parrots say.
    Rob.
    eeS uoy no eht niart ot notloB neht.

  17. #17
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    Ko luap! tob ot yob a torrap lotsirB dluow eb retteb.
    boR.
    The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.

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    Evah uoy htob enog gnimalf dam?

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vagabond View Post
    Evah uoy htob enog gnimalf dam?
    Slang term for Bolton, particularly used by fans of Monty Python who immortalised Bolton as a failed palindrome of Notlob.
    "The palindrome of Bolton would be Notlob! It don't work!" - Monty Python parrot sketch.


    The Pet Shoppe

    A customer enters a pet shop.

    Customer: 'Ello, I wish to register a complaint.

    (The owner does not respond.)

    C: 'Ello, Miss?

    Owner: What do you mean "miss"?

    C: I'm sorry, I have a cold. I wish to make a complaint!

    O: We're closin' for lunch.

    C: Never mind that, my lad. I wish to complain about this parrot what I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique.

    O: Oh yes, the, uh, the Norwegian Blue...What's,uh...What's wrong with it?

    C: I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad. 'E's dead, that's what's wrong with it!

    O: No, no, 'e's uh,...he's resting.

    C: Look, matey, I know a dead parrot when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now.

    O: No no he's not dead, he's, he's restin'! Remarkable bird, the Norwegian Blue, idn'it, ay? Beautiful plumage!

    C: The plumage don't enter into it. It's stone dead.

    O: Nononono, no, no! 'E's resting!

    C: All right then, if he's restin', I'll wake him up!

    (shouting at the cage)

    'Ello, Mister Polly Parrot! I've got a lovely fresh cuttle fish for you if you show...(owner hits the cage)

    O: There, he moved!

    C: No, he didn't, that was you hitting the cage!

    O: I never!!

    C: Yes, you did!

    O: I never, never did anything...

    C: (yelling and hitting the cage repeatedly) 'ELLO POLLY!!!!!

    Testing! Testing! Testing! Testing! This is your nine o'clock alarm call!

    (Takes parrot out of the cage and thumps its head on the counter. Throws it up in the air and watches it plummet to the floor.)

    C: Now that's what I call a dead parrot.

    O: No, no.....No, 'e's stunned!

    C: STUNNED?!?

    O: Yeah! You stunned him, just as he was wakin' up! Norwegian Blues stun easily, major.

    C: Um...now look...now look, mate, I've definitely 'ad enough of this. That parrot is definitely deceased, and when I purchased it not 'alf an hour ago, you assured me that its total lack of movement was due to it bein' tired and shagged out following a prolonged squawk.

    O: Well, he's...he's, ah...probably pining for the fjords.

    C: PININ' for the FJORDS?!?!?!? What kind of talk is that?, look, why did he fall flat on his back the moment I got 'im home?

    O: The Norwegian Blue prefers kippin' on it's back! Remarkable bird, id'nit, squire? Lovely plumage!

    C: Look, I took the liberty of examining that parrot when I got it home, and I discovered the only reason that it had been sitting on its perch in the first place was that it had been NAILED there.

    (pause)

    O: Well, o'course it was nailed there! If I hadn't nailed that bird down, it would have nuzzled up to those bars, bent 'em apart with its beak, and VOOM! Feeweeweewee!

    C: "VOOM"?!? Mate, this bird wouldn't "voom" if you put four million volts through it! 'E's bleedin' demised!

    O: No no! 'E's pining!

    C: 'E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker!

    'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies!
    'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig!
    'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!!

    THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!

    (pause)

    O: Well, I'd better replace it, then.

    (he takes a quick peek behind the counter)

    O: Sorry squire, I've had a look 'round the back of the shop, and uh, we're right out of parrots.

    C: I see. I see, I get the picture.

    O: I got a slug.

    (pause)

    C: (sweet as sugar) Pray, does it talk?

    O: Nnnnot really.

    C: WELL IT'S HARDLY A BLOODY REPLACEMENT, IS IT?!!???!!?

    O: Look, if you go to my brother's pet shop in Bolton, he'll replace the parrot for you.

    C: Bolton, eh? Very well.

    The customer leaves.

    The customer enters the same pet shop. The owner is putting on a false moustache.

    C: This is Bolton, is it?

    O: (with a fake mustache) No, it's Ipswitch.

    C: (looking at the camera) That's inter-city rail for you.

    The customer goes to the train station.

    He addresses a man standing behind a desk marked "Complaints".

    C: I wish to complain, British-Railways Person.

    Attendant: I DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS JOB, YOU KNOW!!!

    C: I beg your pardon...?

    A: I'm a qualified brain surgeon! I only do this job because I like being my own boss!

    C: Excuse me, this is irrelevant, isn't it?

    A: Yeah, well it's not easy to pad these python files out to 200 lines, you know.

    C: Well, I wish to complain. I got on the Bolton train and found myself deposited here in Ipswitch.

    A: No, this is Bolton.

    C: (to the camera) The pet shop man's brother was lying!!

    A: Can't blame British Rail for that.

    C: In that case, I shall return to the pet shop!

    He does.

    C: I understand this IS Bolton.

    O: (still with the fake mustache) Yes?

    C: You told me it was Ipswitch!

    O: ...It was a pun.

    C: (pause) A PUN?!?

    O: No, no...not a pun...What's that thing that spells the same backwards as forwards?

    C: (Long pause) A palindrome...?

    O: Yeah, that's it!

    C: It's not a palindrome! The palindrome of "Bolton" would be "Notlob"!! It don't work!!

    O: Well, what do you want?

    C: I'm not prepared to pursue my line of inquiry any longer as I think this is getting too silly!

    Sergeant-Major: Quite agree, quite agree, too silly, far too silly...

    Rob.
    Last edited by Bligh; 02-13-2021 at 04:48.
    The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.

  20. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by Vagabond View Post
    Evah uoy htob enog gnimalf dam?
    !seY LoL
    Last edited by ShadowDragon; 02-13-2021 at 20:29.

  21. #21
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    A raf erom tcniccus rewsna naht enim luaP.

    boR.
    The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.

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