Assualt on the Barbary Coast Cyber Wars

On July 24th, 1804 4 intrepid American captains: Robert Newis of the President, Joseph Lembo of the United States, Zax "God Save Congress" Small of the Congress and Jed Docherty of the Chesapeake, lead their ships and crews on a daring attack on a Corsair harbors somewhere on the Barbary Coast. 

USS President leads the way through the north passage basting the shore batteries with both broadsides. USS Congress follows in its wake.

Corsair ships cross the Presidents T hurting her but doing not critical dameage.  The USS United States leads the attack on the South Passage taking out another battery.  Two Xebecs combine fire on her inflecting modest damage. 

The President and Congress pass through the North passage they make short work of the Xebec thought it does manage a Raking shot on the Congress.  The United States pushes Though the South passage Guns blazing as every ship in the corsair fleet takes its best shot at her or the Chesapeake.

The Unites states Fire blasts one Xebec out of the water and forces a second to strike its color.  Then the United Stakes colides with the Corsair firgeate Crecenet then a squadron go gun boats and just comes up short of hiting another corsair Xebec.  Adding insult to injurty one of the shore batteries sets the United States a blaze.  USS Chesepeke blaste the Crecent...

and she rolls over her deviated crew are unable to save themselves form running aground on the rocks. 

The American Ships Anchor.  Fire rages back and forth between the ships and the shore but the shore forts are getting the worst of it.  USS United States takes more fire and technically "strikes" but her marines are in their boats and the other US Frigates are in good shape a clear victory for the USN

3D Printed Ships

These ships are the first of several that where generously given to me by Arofan.  Two Xebecs and a light frigate. Also how do you like the new background for my table.

The light frigate is supposed to be the USS Essex it will make a fine 6th rate or small 5ht rate frigate. She's not as nice as the Warlord ships but she is good enough.

There are two Xebecs this one has 10 guns a side. I think I'll give it a broadside of 2 light guns. 

The next Xebec has only 5 guns a side I'm going to assume they are heavy guns giving her a broadside of on heavy gun. Or maybe one light gun if its a true merchant not a corsair.

HMS Sutherland: The Unloveliest Ships of the line

My second ship-of-the-line HMS Sutherland the only ship-of-the line commanded by Horatio Hornblower.

Hornblower in the struggle to man and fit out his ship calls he the "Unloveliest" ship of the line in English service. She was captured from the Dutch so she has a shallow draft at the cost of sea-wothyness. On the plus side she has a large captains cabin and a sturn gallery that allows Hornblower to pace in privacy.

The Sutherland is mistaken by several ships as a French ship allowing Hornblower to make his first prize money since he was a lieutenant.  

French Ship of the Line: Auguste

Finished my first Warlore ship of the line I Painted her in French colors and have crisened her Auguste 

She looks quite nice in her bright yellow and blue. 

The Historic Auguste was very active in the American War of Independance as the flagship of one of my favorite admirals Louis-Antoine, Comte de Bougainville. Playing a key roll in the Battle of the Chesapeake.  She was latter renamed the Jacobin. 

the stern didn't come out as nice as I would have liked but what can you do. 

Remote wargaming: Franco-Prussian War Spicheren

The games starts with the French holding positions near Stiring-Wendel and Forbach.

Prussians lead by Frank and Will begin to arrive.

Prussians press forward trying to take advantage of the disordered French unit on the hill.  The Zouaves defending town disorder. 

 The Prussian attach on the left is thrown back but the second unit is able to rally and deploy.

 French cavalry ride down an exposed Prussian infantry unit then fall back in the face of an infantry counterattack.  Fire drives the Prussian on the hill back.

A follow up cavalry charge is ineffective hurting but not destroying a second infantry unit. Prussian reinforcements begin to pour out of the woods. 

Fire drives the Prussians back of the hill but without doing serious damage.  

Prussian guns demoralize the troops in Forbach but they rally and drive back the first Prussian assault but cannot hold in the face of the second assault.  French Cavalry break a Prussian unit in a counterattack. The French troops in Stiring-Wendel are driven out. The French could occupy it but with our supply depot taken its time to fall back. Prussian losses were very high.  Arofan call it a draw I would say minor Prussian victory. 

Luckau 1813

My Friend Arofan hosted this game Thursday night. I commanded the Prussian and Russians. Mark had the French on the right and Chris the Saxons on the left.

It was a long and savage slugging match mostly at long ranges with artillery. 

I lost two unit early on and despite hammering several French units with artillery fire and cavalry strikes the French troops kept hanging on the battle field no matter how battered. 

My men after the first few bad break held well and kept trading blows. There was a French general who claimed it was insufficient to kill a Russian you also must knock him down. So, it proved tonight. 

The finally the French troops begin to fall back in exhaustion but not all of them dit was a frustrating (but fun) battle all around. My troops are in as bad a shape as the troops of the French Army. It’s a Draw. 

Black Seas Quasi-War Catch the the Prize.

This is adjusted from the catch the prize scenario from the rule book.  USS President and USS United States each with a brig tender have been sent to rescue an agent who being taken back to France for interrogation.  I played the French Rob Burr ran the Americans. 

Seeing themselves between the hammer and the anvil the French go forward blazing away with both broadsides.  I get a lucky Critical Sail hit on the USS President.  The Surveillante the (second frigate in line) suffers a quarter deck critical.  

With the Serveilleante(which carries the prize) hit and unable to maneuver the Thetis turns to challenge the President with the help of one escorting corvette. The second corvette with another Quarter Deck hit gets very up-close and personal with USS United States.  

Fire goes back and fore in a savage exchange there are no less than seven critical hits on three ships. Three critical on the President.  

In a stunning feat of seamanship, the French corvette manages to thread the needle between two burning ships and then avoids colliding with the President!  

The USS President Breaks free of the Thetis (I failed to graple her) and the French corvette to cut behind the Surveillante and devastate her with a raking broadside.  

The USS United States sails up and boards the shattered ship (after avoiding a collision with the President. The crew are still stunned from the Presidents fire and surrender.