Age of Sail - Frigates in the Bay

I have been working on a modified set of hex based naval rules (called KAOS) for fighting medium sized Age of Sail battles on hexes based on the old Avalon Hill Wooden Ships & Iron Men rules and using ships from the Sails of Glory range.

I plan to use a playing area with 40 mm hexes but for this test (under Corona-isolation) I used the grass green 35 mm hex playing are that I had readily available and hastily made ship bases.

This  battle was between four 28 gun frigates, the Royal Navy's HMS CONCORDE and HMS CLEOPATRA verses the French Navy's Hermione and Embuscade.

Because of the Corona situation, the battle was fought via a Skype link.

HMS CONCORDE and HMS CLEOPATRA leaving soundings somewhere WSW of Scilly as they enter the Bay of Biscay beating SW towards the Groyne.

Out in the Bay of Brittany, CONCORDE with CLEOPATRA following in her wake, were close hauled under easy sails with the wind from larboard. Having recently left Spain, the Hermione with Embuscade following in her wake, were broad reaching under easy sails with the wind from starboard.

They started 11 hexes apart, just out of cannon range. The wind marker shows the wind blowing from the bottom of the picture.

1)
The French closed with the British and then turned up into the wind. CONCORDE turned downwind with CLEOPATRA still following in her wake. All broadsides remained silent.

2)
The sailing masters now sensed that a wind change was about to happen.

CONCORDE and Hermione continue forward and exchanged broadsides. CLEOPATRA and Hermione were still too far away to be able to engage an enemy.

3)
The wind backed 120 degrees (and is now blowing from the top right corner of the picture).

The captain of the Embuscade had misjudged the wind change and was now in irons. CONCORDE and Hermione continued to exchange broadsides.

4)
CONCORDE rakes the Embuscade. Hermione continues to fire on CONCORDE.

5)
CONCORDE and Embuscade exchange broadsides. CLEOPATRA and Hermione exchange broadsides. Hermione sets full sails.

6)
CONCORDE and Embuscade continue to exchange broadsides. CLEOPATRA opens fire on Hermione with chain shot doing terrible damage to the Hermione's full sail rigging. Hermione returns fire.

7)
CONCORDE yet again rakes the Embuscade. CLEOPATRA continues to fire on Hermione with chain shot; Hermione's full sail rigging is shot to pieces. Hermione returns fire.

8)
CONCORDE and Embuscade yet again exchange broadsides. CLEOPATRA and Hermione exchange broadsides.

9)
With her rigging shot to pieces, Hermione flees the battle, repairing and splicing as fast as she can. CONCORDE and CLEOPATRA head for the Embuscade

10)
CONCORDE and CLEOPATRA concentrate on the Embuscade. Hermione has fled from the picture. 

11)
Both CONCORDE and CLEOPATRA fire on the Embuscade who returns fire.

12)
CLEOPATRA closes in to finish off the damaged Embuscade. CONCORDE sets off to chase down the Hermione.

13)
A close range broadside from the CLEOPATRA causes the Embuscade to strike her colours. CLEOPATRA sailed on past, preparing to turn, board and capture the Embuscade, but before that could happen she exploded. Flaming debris descended all around the CLEOPATRA, but luckily without doing serious damage.

14)
CONCORDE continued her long stern chase to catch the Hermione.

The wind veered 120 degrees, back to its original direction blowing from the bottom of the picture.

The Hermione turned around to face her pursuer.

15)
CONCORDE and Hermione collided and became fouled. The captain of the CONCORDE ordered his crew to grapple, board and take the Hermione. But the 's crew came out of the melee victorious, and instead CONCORDE was captured.

At the end of the day, honours were equal.

Age of Sail - Off the Brittany coast

I have been working on a modified set of hex based naval rules (called KAOS) for fighting medium sized Age of Sail battles on hexes based on the old Avalon Hill Wooden Ships & Iron Men rules and using ships from the Sails of Glory range.

I plan to use a playing area with 40 mm hexes but for this test (under Corona-isolation) I used the grass green 35 mm hex playing are that I had readily available and hastily made ship bases.

This second battle was between four 74 gun ships of the line, the Royal Navy's HMS BELLONA and HMS VANGUARD verses the French Navy's Commerce de Bordeaux and Generaux.

Because of the Corona situation, the battle was fought via a Skype link.

HMS BELLONA closely followed by HMS VANGUARD leaving Spithead for a cruise in The Channel.

Off the coast of Brittany, HMS BELLONA with HMS VANGUARD following in her wake, were broad reaching under easy sails with the southerly wind from larboard. Having recently left Brest, the Commerce de Bordeaux with Generaux following in her wake, were broad reaching under easy sails with the wind from starboard.

They started 12 hexes apart, just out of cannon range.

1)
Both squadrons headed towards each other, with the French lead ship, Commerce de Bordeaux, turning downwind at the last possible moment and opening fire with her starboard broadside at medium range without the British being able to return fire.

2)
The french closed with the British, while HMS BELLONA copied the French previous tactic and turned downwind to fire of her larboard broadside raking the Generaux.

3)
The Commerce de Bordeaux turned downwind to bring her starboard broadside to bear. HMS BELLONA continued downwind with HMS VANGUARD following in her wake. The Generaux turned close hauled into the wind bringing her larboard broadside to bear on HMS VANGUARD. All ships fired off a broadside.

4)
The British ships turned to close the French. The Commerce de Bordeaux continued downwind, while the Generaux fell off to regain speed and manoeuvrability. Commerce de Bordeaux fired upon HMS BELLONA and HMS VANGUARD raked the Generaux.

5)

HMS VANGUARD and the Generaux exchanged broadsides.

HMS BELLONA collided with the Commerce de Bordeaux and they became fouled. HMS BELLONA grappled the Commerce de Bordeaux and then boarded whereby a melee occurred.

6)
HMS VANGUARD and the Generaux continued to exchange broadsides.

The captain of HMS BELLONA realised that the Commerce de Bordeaux had a large crew which was wearing his down and attrition would eventually beat him. So he ordered the his crew to un-foul the ships and cut the grapple.

7)

HMS VANGUARD and the Generaux were now running parallel downwind while continuing to exchange broadsides.

HMS BELLONA and Commerce de Bordeaux were now moving under sail again and exchanged broadsides By this time HMS BELLONA's rigging was looking shabby and her speed reduced.

8)
HMS VANGUARD and the Generaux were still running parallel downwind while continuing to exchange broadsides. The Generaux  now had severe damage especially to her hull.

HMS BELLONA and Commerce de Bordeaux continued their duel. Both fired broadsides into their opponent, but HMS BELLONA managed to cross the Commerce de Bordeaux's stern and fired a raking broadside at point blank range.

9)
The Generaux struck her colours as HMS VANGUARD fired a broadside raking her stern at point blank range.

HMS BELLONA and Commerce de Bordeaux continued their duel. Despite having more damage to hull and cannon, Commerce de Bordeaux had an advantage because she was still more manoeuvrable than HMS BELLONA.

The Commerce de Bordeaux used her superior speed to retire from the action. On HMS BELLONA, the boatswain set about splicing the rigging, but it would never be repaired in time to catch her opponent.

HMS VANGUARD took possession of the Generaux.

Age of Sail - Duelling 74's

I have been working on a modified set of hex based naval rules (called KAOS) for fighting medium sized Age of Sail battles on hexes based on the old Avalon Hill Wooden Ships & Iron Men rules and using ships from the Sails of Glory range.

I plan to use a playing area with 40 mm hexes but for this test (under Corona-isolation) I used the grass green 35 mm hex playing are that I had readily available and hastily made ship bases.

This first battle was between two 74 gun ships of the line, the Royal Navy's HMS BELLONA and the French Navy's Commerce de Bordeaux. I commanded the BELLONA and Capitaine de vaisseau Branche de Bosquet commanded the Commerce de Bordeaux via a Skype link.

HMS BELLONA under full sail heading out to sea.

HMS BELLONA was broad reaching under full sails with the southerly wind from starboard and the Commerce de Bordeaux was broad reaching under battle sails with the wind from larboard.

They started 12 hexes apart, just out of cannon range.

1)
Both ships moved straight ahead. HMS BELLONA attempted to change to battle sails but hadn't yet finished. Neither ship had it's opponent in its broadside arc.

2)
Both ships turned downwind. Because HMS BELLONA was still moving faster with full sails, she managed to then cross the bow of the Commerce de Bordeaux, raking her with her initial starboard broadside. HMS BELLONA then changed to battle sails.

3)
Commerce de Bordeaux turned to her left while HMS BELLONA repeated her previous manoeuvre of turning left, running downwind and then turning right. HMS BELLONA was still in a position to rake the Commerce de Bordeaux without having fire returned.

4)
Both ships now turned downwind and fired their initial broadsides at point blank range.HMS BELLONA continued aiming at the Commerce de Bordeaux's hull while the Commerce de Bordeaux aimed for BELLONA's rigging. Capitaine de vaisseau Branche de Bosquet now ordered the Commerce de Bordeaux to start using chain shot.

5)
Commerce de Bordeaux turned to her right while HMS BELLONA turned left, both try to cross the other so as to get in a raking shot. Both ships were consistent in their tactics for choice of target. The BELLONA fired into her opponent's hull while Commerce de Bordeau fired her initial larboard broadside into her opponent's rigging.

6)
Commerce de Bordeaux turned tightly to her left while HMS BELLONA edged away to her right. This opened the range slightly. Commerce de Bordeaux continued to fire chain shot into the rigging and HMS BELLONA fired roundshot into the hull.

This fire from the Commerce de Bordeau did enough damage to the rigging of the BELLONA that her speed was now reduced. At the same time the fire from HMS BELLONA was seriously damaging the Commerce de Bordeau's hull, knocking out guns and killing large numbers of her crew.

7)
HMS BELLONA continued forward at reduced speed while Commerce de Bordeaux turned back to follow the BELLONA. Both ships could fire at the extremes of their broadside arcs.

8)
HMS BELLONA continued forward at reduced speed while Commerce de Bordeaux turned left close hauled. Both ships could fired their broadside arcs.

9)
The fire from the Commerce de Bordeau did enough damage to the rigging of the BELLONA that her speed was now reduced and she could not make any headway close hauled.

The fire from HMS BELLONA had seriously damaged the Commerce de Bordeau's hull, knocked out guns and killed large numbers of her crew.

Both Captains at this time decided to disengage and repair the damage to their ships.

As a first test of these rules the game played well. There will be a few simplifications before the next game.

The slightly too small, and very green hexes worked great for play-testing but will need to be replaced by an ocean map with 40 mm hexes when the corona situation allows. Even playing via Skype worked well; better than expected.

Great fun was had by both sides.