Origins 2024 - Breakout
Origins 2024 – Game 5 – SOG – Breakout
The French were waiting for an opportunity to slip a squadron past the Royal Navy blockade and out into the Atlantic.
They noticed that the blockading squadron had been weakened, several ships had been sent off on another mission. Time was ripe for a breakout attempt as the odds were now even.
Terrain features limit where the French can exit. The French have to cross the board and exit from the far corner marked red.
Sadly I was a bit distracted at the beginning of the game and missed the opening moves with no photos.
Label # = Ship
1 HMS Defense
3 HMS Zealous
5 HMS Vanguard
2 Genereux
4 Berwick
6 Commerce de Bordeux
Mike in the Commerce de Bordeux veers off to the right and takes on the entire British squadron hoping the remaining French ships can slip past.
After trading full broadsides, the Bordeaux turns through the wind and threads the needle, getting past the three Royan Navy SOLs. The British will now have to concentrate on stopping the Genereux(2) and Berwick.(4)
Berwick fires a broadside at the HMS Zealous, the RN ship most likely to cut off Berwick’s escape.
HMS Vanguard fires before the Berwick gets out of range.
With the wind holding steady the Commerce de Bordeux is on its way to the open ocean. The Berwick and Genereux though have a problem. With all the tacking they will have to do the Royal Navy has them firmly bottled in.
The HMS Vanguard is temporarily out of position while the HMS Zealous(3) and HMS Defense (1) briefly think about chasing Bordeux.
Mike cannot escape without two more tacks and does his first early so to be able to help out the Generoux.
HMS Zealous takes fire from Bordeux and Genereux.
Berwick opens fire on HMS Vanguard as she returns to the fight.
Genereux takes on HMS Defense and HMS Zealous while Berwick sinks HMS Vanguard.
The Berwick must now make haste to return to support Genereux.
Genereux and HMS Defense trade shots.
A Royal Navy frigate enters the bay and makes the Bordeux think hard about its next maneuvers.
(When Tim’s Vanguard sank its replacement enters with him now sailing a frigate)
The Genereux loses the battle against two Royal Navy SOLs.
The Bordeux has reached the open ocean leaving the frigate well behind. (the frigate had run aground on a sand bar. By the time she was free the Bordeux was beyond reach)
Berwick now takes on the remaining RN SOLs.
The HMS Defense, having had a tough fight with the Genereux cannot stand up to the somewhat fresh Berwick.
HMS Zealous now does what it can to prevent Berwick from escaping.
HMS Zealous slips under the waves but has damaged the Berwick so much she cannot risk the open ocean and must return to port.
There was 1 wind change at an opportune time that helped the Commerce de Bordeux get past the temporarily grounded RN frigate.
All three RN SOLs went down, one French SOL sunk, one returned to port, and one was successful breaking out.
Not a stellar day for the Royan Navy.
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"Not a good day for the British." is too kind Peter. 
Had they been a squadron in my fleet and had the captains survived their wetting and been exchanged, they would have been on the beach for the next twenty years. 
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