Trafalgar 1805 Scenario to be played Memorial Day Weekend

**Walram** · 05-17-2016, 21:59

The team that brought you the “Glorious First of June” is back with another mega scenario. On Memorial Day weekend (Saturday, May 28th) we will be playing the scenario “Trafalgar, 1805” from 8:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Enfilade! 2016, Northwest Miniature Gaming Convention in the main hall of the Red Lion Inn, Olympia, Washington.

Each of the 60 ships-of-the-line will be represented by a Sails of Glory ship model and the game will be played out on twelve Sails of Glory mats. Due the size of the game, we will be primarily using basic rules plus a few scenario specific ones.

Hope some of you can make it. Should be a great time.

**Hjl** · 05-17-2016, 23:49

That sounds like a great time! Shame TX is so far away :(

**Diamondback** · 05-18-2016, 00:47

Dave, did I send you my force breakdown I worked up based on you guys' GFOJ spreadsheet?

**TWR** · 05-18-2016, 02:48

I look forward to seeing some photos in due course.

**Hyperfocal** · 05-18-2016, 03:44

Even a small video clip would be most welcome.

**Bligh** · 05-18-2016, 03:58

Ground breaking news David.
Good luck to you and all who sail wit you.
I hope that Andrea is aware of this upcoming mega game.
I also look forward to the photographs.

Rob.

**TexaS** · 05-18-2016, 06:47

Definately looking forward to pictures as the rest.

It would have been great to have been there. I'd brought my own Tonnant-class conversion and hoped to get to play that ship.

**Nightmoss** · 05-18-2016, 11:21

Great news, Dave. Without the Meregildos sculpts from Ares I did not think you'd actually attempt Trafalgar this year? Sure would have been nice to see the real Spanish fleet making an appearance.

As others have said I hope to see tons of photos or even a YouTube video or two? Best of luck to you and the crew who'll be running the scenario this year?

How ever will you top Glorious First of June, The Battle of the Nile and now Trafalgar?!?

**fredmiracle** · 05-18-2016, 13:38

Originally Posted by Nightmoss

Without the Meregildos sculpts from Ares I did not think you'd actually attempt Trafalgar this year? Sure would have been nice to see the real Spanish fleet making an appearance.

yes we were really hoping Wave 3 would be ready in time, but its been pretty clear since the fall that it wasn't going to happen. I haven't looked carefully at the rosters Dave has made up, but I imagine it will be French first-rates filling in...

Originally Posted by Nightmoss

How ever will you top Glorious First of June, The Battle of the Nile and now Trafalgar?!?

So I guess now we will have to do Copenhagen?

**Nightmoss** · 05-18-2016, 13:43

Originally Posted by fredmiracle

yes we were really hoping Wave 3 would be ready in time, but its been pretty clear since the fall that it wasn't going to happen. I haven't looked carefully at the rosters Dave has made up, but I imagine it will be French first-rates filling in...

So I guess now we will have to do Copenhagen?

LOL. I was going to mention that, but I though someone else might want to.

**Diamondback** · 05-18-2016, 23:13

Trivial note: I just worked the math based on maps of the two battle-lines, and keeping "ground scale" matched to "ship scale" would mean a table around 50 feet long, with an extension in the middle to about the same width.

Very definitely a "marquee event" for this game.

**Naharaht** · 05-19-2016, 00:22

Best wishes, David. I hope that it all runs smoothly, you have an exciting game and attract lots of interested spectators.

**Bligh** · 05-19-2016, 02:06

I just had a look at the size of ships and if yo leave 2.5 inches between each ship the Combined fleet will fit into about eleven feet of table. Give it five feet of forward movement, and that gives you a sixteen foot table. If the British Fleet only come on just before they reach firing distance you could manage with a six foot wide table. So with a bit of wiggle room, and sacrificing some of the spectacle of the whole fleet approach, anyone could play it on a six by sixteen foot table.

Rob.

**KDz** · 05-19-2016, 04:05

I can not wait to see some photos/video from this great event.
I wonder, if history will repeat itself on the mats?
I wish you a lot of fun

**fredmiracle** · 05-19-2016, 10:59

Originally Posted by Bligh

I just had a look at the size of ships and if yo leave 2.5 inches between each ship the Combined fleet will fit into about eleven feet of table. Give it five feet of forward movement, and that gives you a sixteen foot table. If the British Fleet only come on just before they reach firing distance you could manage with a six foot wide table. So with a bit of wiggle room, and sacrificing some of the spectacle of the whole fleet approach, anyone could play it on a six by sixteen foot table.

Rob.

Yes as I understand the plan it will be like Glorious First (http://sailsofglory.org/showthread.p...-great-success!) but with some more gamemats at the side where the 2 British columns are coming in

**Walram** · 05-30-2016, 15:33

The game was played and was a resounding success! All said they had a great time. Had a couple of players that would have liked more detail, but realistically, with so many new players and the time constraint, it wasn’t possible to go much beyond the basic rules. (What they would have liked to see is in the advanced rules, so nothing missing from what they wanted in the actual rule set.)
Things ran very smoothly. It helped having a flip chart with the basic turn sections listed and a controller with considerable vocal stamina (thank you Aprilbooks!) to keep the captains on track. Additionally, thank you to my excellent crew of assistant controllers and fleet/squadron commanders. Fredmiracle as Villenueve, his son as Lord Nelson, Seahawk76 as Collingwood, and Dean as Gravina.

As to the results, the French had a marginal victory. The deciding difference was that the French/Spanish had three of its ships (from the vanguard) off the board with the HMS Africa in tow and Admiral Nelson was shot by a sharpshooter from the Redoutable. (50% chance if it was in musket range of the HMS Victory and got a hit.) Victory Points were assessed by giving victory points to the side that had a prize crew aboard ships that had struck. (They assessed one crew damage to their ship and placed a crew counter on the ship base of the captured ship to show a prize crew had been transferred.)

I’ll provide more (and hopefully so will Fredmiracle – he writes much better than I) after a couple of days rest and a few household chores get finished after my absence for the weekend. And as a teaser, here is a shot of the gaming table set-up!

**Union Jack** · 05-30-2016, 18:37

Looks impressive, can't wait for the expanded AAR.

**Nightmoss** · 05-30-2016, 18:39

Awesome David. Thanks for the sneak peek. Very anxious to see and hear more about the battle. Until then rest up and recharge AND start planning for next year?!

**Hjl** · 05-30-2016, 20:24

wow, what a spectacle! i hope you did an AAR!

**Bligh** · 05-31-2016, 02:01

Very impressive Dave.
Also well done for taking on such a mammoth task.
Your pictures are just the sort of thing to greet me on my return today.
Thanks.
Rob.