Let's Roll II: the Indies Convoy.

 I'll post notes on the scenario design later but the basics are a group of American Privateers and US Navy ships have teamed up to attack a wealthy British Convoy. A squadron of French Privateers also joins the attack. 

Frank's USS Boston cut across the front of British Frigate Lively raking her with a double shotted broadside then boards in the smoke. Paul's brig cuts across the stern and joins the attack the Lively taken from two sides she quickly strikes.

HMS Shannon fired one broadside but it's the best broadside of the game striking USS Constitution for 9 points and two critical hits fire and stearing damage. Captain Grenewald finds his carefully laid plans ruined so he grapples Shannon both ships are now burning and locked in hand to hand combat! 

Meanwhile the French and American Privateers have spared with the smaller British escorts and are getting the better of it with the major British ships occupied they charge toward the merchant ships.

Privateers begin to grapple merchant ships and to hand combat becomes general. 

With fighting raging back and forth on the Shannon and Constitution Captain Sheppard in the Boston makes a desperate decision and fires into the grappled ships! His shot rakes Shannon hurting her badly some shots hit Constitution but she comes out ahead. With Shannon really the crew of the Constitution prevails!

With their Royal Navy guards falling the merchants begin to strike. An clear victory for the Franco-American forces. 

Black Seas Break the Blockade (Let's Roll remote game day)

Six intrepid privateer captains had gathered at a small French Port in the Caribbean hoping to stage a major raid on a British Convoy.  The Royal Navy has gotten wind of the plan and has sent ships to keep them in check.  As the number of ships increases the captains decide its best to break out on as a group then scatter. 

Captain Greenwald decided to make his break early. His tactics were good but shooting on both sides was poor early on. He took more damage than he gave to the British Frigates, but he avoided being boarded and he was free of the big ships and managed to dodge the supporting British cutters.  He even took a prize on the way home.

The English Frigates once again managed to double one of the Privateers but again they failed to grabble the privateer.  Captain Seebald's ship was hurt broke through. 

Captains, O'Tool, Chevrette and Covollo have been making there way up along the East side of the table.  They shot at the frigates and smaller ships at long-range doing minor damage.  All three would escape and take prizes on their trip home. 

Captain Rioux found himself in a tight spot Grabbled by the English 32 Aeolus.  Fortunately, HMS Belvedere went in pursuit of the other ships never imagining its consort would be unable to take a French Privateer.  The gun boats chased Captain Seebald talking out his mizzen mast with a lucky critical hit.  Still Captain Seebald managed to escape despite some unfavorable changes of wind. 

Captain Rioux meanwhile lead his men in a savage hand to hand battle with the HMS Aeolus and managed to take her. He then managed barely to escape the table with HUM Belvedere in pursuit. Still a stern chase is  long chase and Captain Rioux managed to slip away in the end with his prize.  

Black Seas "Pirate encounter" For the Lets Roll remote convention

I was Pleased to be joined by three great players Saturday night for my pirate encounter game for the Let’s Roll remote convention.  Chris had the USS Congress, Andrew had the USS Boston, on the French side Ted took command of the Thetis while Robert was in command of the Surveillante. 

The two fleets closed quickly long-range shots on the merchant of limited and the Congress suffered only minor damage.  

The Boston hit the Thetis hard with its first broad side but the Surveillante got a lucky critical hit with its bow chaser that brought down the Boston's format (this is the 3^rd game Boston has taken such a hit).  Congress turned an fired into the Thetis's port quarter hitting her hard, a Gun Deck and a Quarter Deck Critical. 

The merchant seeing it is cut off took its own shot but missed.  The Boston fired into the Thetis again causing additional damage as the Congress wears around off screen to turn and get back into the fight. 

Both French fire on the merchant and Thetis moves to intercept. 

The Thetis misses its grapple and the merchant collides with it both ships are mauled... The Boston has tacked through the wind and fires a long range. 

The following turn the Thetis successfully grapples but the Serveillante is unable to come alongside safety and collides with the merchant... 

The Thetis secures the merchant in savage hand to hand fighting as the Surveillante moves off board.  The Congress and Boston are both steering to save the merchant ship. 

The Serveillante returns to the board only to have her bow smashed in by a devastating point-blank broadside from the Congress.   The Serveillante sinks beneath the waves.

The Congress grapples the Merchant and quickly subdues the French prize crew.  The Thetis is badly battered but with a a badly damaged merchant and the damaged Boston to look after the Congress is unable to catch her as she makes full sails and races away with the wind behind her.  The result is a clear victory for the fledgling US Navy