Hook, Line, and Sink Her

[Continentaleye]

This solo AAR is a playthrough of Capn Duff's Trojan Horse scenario.
https://www.sailsofglory.org/showthr...e-Trojan-Horse

May 1779 It felt good to back at sea thought Captain James Favorsham savoring the smell of the sea and the cold sting of the Channel mist from the quarterdeck of his command, the HMS Vanguard. The Vanguard had spent the previous month and one-half in Portsmouth being repaired and refitted after its two recent battles, one with the American Bonhomme Richard and French frigate Courageuse in which both enemy ships were severely damaged but managed to escape under the guns of Fort Angelique (Limping to Safety), and the other with the French frigates Unite and L’Inconstante, both of which were destroyed (Limping to Safety part 2).

The word of the Vanguard’s victory over the two frigates reached Plymouth before the ship did and Favorsham was treated as a hero upon his arrival. But the escape of the other two ships nagged him to distraction and he could not enjoy the several dinners held in his honor. And there was a rumor circulating throughout the Admiralty that the Americans had fit out another former East Indiaman with even more guns than had been on the Bonhomme Richard. This rumor had made him even more impatient to set sail.

“Ahoy on deck, two, no make that three ships boats adrift two points off the larboard bow,” shouted the lookout.

What’s this all about Favorsham thought to himself and ordered the Vanguard to heave to and recover the boats, but not before he called for the marines to beat to quarters. A group of sailors, merchant seamen by the looks of them, came aboard and were ushered below to be fed saying they had not eaten in three days. The last man, presumably the captain, asked for an audience with Favorsham. The captain, a Scot, told Favorsham that his ship, the Merchantman Ipswich, had been taken by an American pirate, the Bonhomme Richard, and after a brief but bloody fight, he and his men had been put in the boats without food or water. After learning the American had sailed away in a westerly direction, Favorsham sent the man to rejoin his crew.



Per Favorsham’s orders, the Vanguard set all sails aloft and alow and headed westerly. Extra lookouts were posted and a double rum ration was promised to the first man to spot the raider. After three hours a sail was spotted on the horizon and an hour later it was confirmed to be an East Indiaman build though it flew no colors. Favorsham was surprised when the ship hoisted the American colors and turned to fight; the Vanguard far outgunned the Bonhomme Richard. Perhaps the American had been emboldened by the damage its bow raking shot had caused the Vanguard on their first meeting. Whatever the reason for the American’s brashness, Favorsham looked forward to finally finishing the business. “Clear for action,” he shouted without betraying the excitement he felt starting to build.

He had his glass fixed on the American whose gunports were now open and at first did not realize the commotion he heard was not the men beating to quarters but of a melee between the Vanguards and the men that had been “rescued” only hours before. Normally a man able to control his emotions, Favorsham was incensed by the ruse (and probably more so at himself for falling for it) drew his sword and jumped into the fray searching for the Scot that claimed to be a captain. (Each time I drew a crew damage chit inflicted on the Vanguard, I rolled to see if Favorsham was injured). Meanwhile, the raider continued to bear down with full sails.

It was a bloody hand to hand fight, at first the imposters giving better than they got, but finally with the full might of the ships crew and marines, the Vanguards were victorious. Valuable time had been lost, the enemy ship (Bonaventure) had closed the gap considerably and the Vanguards had not yet been able to load their guns.






It a time for Favorsham to play a trick. He told his men not to raise sail while the guns were being loaded and right before the Vanguard was within the Bonaventures broadsides arc he ordered the sails raised just enough to get steerage and ordered the helmsman to put hard to larboard delivering a full broadside on the surprised American. The Bonaventure’s rudder was hit and a leak brought water belowdecks.



The ships circled each other, the Vanguard being taken aback as it tried to come around. The English ship was exposed to the Bonaventure’s full starboard broadside while only being able to bring its aft guns to bear. But the mismatch in the number of guns between the two ships became evident as the American ship received the brunt of the damage. The rudder that had already been repaired once was again hit and a new leak brought more water rushing in.



The American captain should have run while he still had the wind in his favor but not knowing the fate of his men on the Vanguard he tried get close enough to grapple and board. But, to no avail, the Vanguard moved far enough away that the grapples fell harmlessly in the water. Not deterred, the Bonaventure was again able to fire a broadside which caused a fire on the Vanguard.




But once the Vanguard was able to bring its aft guns to bear once more, the business was finished. The survivors that were rescued from the sea this time were treated a lot more warily than their shipmates had been earlier in the day.




Hats of to Chris Capn Duff for a fun and imaginative scenario. I decided to use the 62 gun version of the Bonhomme Richard to be my Bonaventure as it fit in with my campaign storyline. The Vanguard was able to dispatch it fairly handily. Had I used a 64 as Chris recommended in the original scenario it might have been a much closer battle. As it was, the AI outmaneuvered me other than on the opening shot, and I did have several beneficial chit draws so perhaps a replay would have a different outcome.

In the interest of brevity, I did not post some of the pictures of the ships closing and circling each other. In looking at the pictures I did post, I probably should have included the wind indicator as there was no other point of reference to explain the movement of the ships and my personal preference is not to picture the movement cards.