Havanna 1748 again

MengJiao · October 27, 2013, 08:54:01 AM

The English open the action by putting up more sail and tacking. If the Spanish stay in line and go behind, then they will be in the same leeward spot the English were in in the first battle run. If they sail right in (sailing broad/reaching versus sailing close), their van may take a pounding before the rest come up and the whole battle will be a peel-mell fight. If they wear close to the wind, the English may still leave them to the leeward. Putting up more sail and wearing puts them in a parallel position (neutral for the moment, but dangerously close if the English change course).

For this battle, I've added a 4th or fifth rate to each side (Dutch ships, since the Spanish preferred to take advantage later in the 18th century of their good timber and tended to build larger ships).

MengJiao · October 27, 2013, 10:18:35 PM

Quote from: MengJiao on October 27, 2013, 08:54:01 AM

The English open the action by putting up more sail and tacking. If the Spanish stay in line and go behind, then they will be in the same leeward spot the English were in in the first battle run. If they sail right in (sailing broad/reaching versus sailing close), their van may take a pounding before the rest come up and the whole battle will be a peel-mell fight. If they wear close to the wind, the English may still leave them to the leeward. Putting up more sail and wearing puts them in a parallel position (neutral for the moment, but dangerously close if the English change course).

For this battle, I've added a 4th or fifth rate to each side (Dutch ships, since the Spanish preferred to take advantage later in the 18th century of their good timber and tended to build larger ships).

The Spanish elect to go behind the English. Both sides open fire at just under 1000 yds (which now that I look at it was not a possible shot for the Spanish, so I'll have to think of some way to adjust for that):

MengJiao · October 28, 2013, 04:15:14 PM

Quote from: MengJiao on October 27, 2013, 10:18:35 PM

The Spanish elect to go behind the English. Both sides open fire at just under 1000 yds (which now that I look at it was not a possible shot for the Spanish, so I'll have to think of some way to adjust for that):

Terrible must have had some more sail up to reach a position to shoot at Hercules. Hercules wears out of the line of bearing to avoid being canonaded sequentially by the whole Spanish Fleet. Belinda also wears out to cover the rear. Hercules does end up exchanging fire with two Spanish ships at around 900 yds, but she rolls well and gets a total of six hits on Terrible for 4 hits total in exchange. For some reason the marine contingent on both ships takes a beating.

I think the English are in an Okay position at this point and will be to the windward soon whereupon they will attack as their doctrine and the shooting of not- aggressive admirals suggests. But it is early in the fight.

GJK · October 28, 2013, 08:06:54 PM

Have you tried Close Action? (http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3553/close-action). Somebody on CSW is selling an unpunched copy for $20 that I might pick up since I'm enjoying your AAR's covering the age of sail battles.

MengJiao · October 28, 2013, 08:42:18 PM

Quote from: GJK on October 28, 2013, 08:06:54 PM
Have you tried Close Action? (http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3553/close-action). Somebody on CSW is selling an unpunched copy for $20 that I might pick up since I'm enjoying your AAR's covering the age of sail battles.

Close Action is the classic sail fight game. Flying Colors is a kind of simplification and extension of Close Action to larger battles and a broader time frame. After looking at Close Action and accounts of pre-1794 battles, I started working on some minor modifications to Flying Colors using ideas from Close action to make things work for the messier battles of say the 1740s.

People use Close action for games where there are multiple commanders for each side since the plotting and book-keeping is more intensive for Close Action. Close action would work fine for 3-4 people dealing with smaller battles of the post 1794 period, but not as well for solitaire games looking at earlier periods.

GJK · October 28, 2013, 09:33:34 PM

Sounds like it's sort of the "Star Fleet Battles" of Age of Sail table top gaming.

BGG has a number of people selling Flying Colors. Keep posting your AAR, I may just have to pick up a copy of the game. That would something wayyyy out of my norm too (ancient naval warfare). Could be a very welcomed change though!

MengJiao · October 29, 2013, 05:42:51 AM

Quote from: GJK on October 28, 2013, 09:33:34 PM
Sounds like it's sort of the "Star Fleet Battles" of Age of Sail table top gaming.

BGG has a number of people selling Flying Colors. Keep posting your AAR, I may just have to pick up a copy of the game. That would something wayyyy out of my norm too (ancient naval warfare). Could be a very welcomed change though!

Flying Colors is a relatively simple (for Age of Sail games) game with a fair amount of depth. I'm going to stop with this AAR because gunnery is too effective. I must have the range wrong, which means speed and time are off as well. Hercules was just dismasted at 900 yds. Seems unlikely. I'll adjust again and run the same battle later.