El Paßatimps Naziunal (The National Pastime)
Sept 21, 2016 7:18:35 GMT -6
Sir C. M. Siervicül, Sir Alexandreu Davinescu, and 1 more like this
Post by Ián B. Anglatzarâ on Sept 21, 2016 7:18:35 GMT -6
I spent some hours at the gaming table this weekend past:
Doing battle against the odds
A small squadron consisting of three fifth-rate ships of the line, L’Inconstante, Le Succés, and Unité, are patrolling in the Mediterranean to protect French shipping, when they round a promontory and catch sight of a large British man of war to the west. She is identified as HMS Hibernia, a first-rate ship of the line, in fact one of Great Britain’s largest warships with a complement of 850 men.
This will be a tough fight, and the odds are stacked in favour of the British ship, but the squadron commander onboard Unité has been starved of glory and decides to take the risk. He signals to the captains onboard L’Inconstante and Le Succés to sail in formation with 100 yards distance right at the Englishman, and try to manoeuvre to get a chance to fire at her all ships at once, raking her if possible, taking advantage of their superior manoeuvrability. The wind is of moderate strength, from the north.
Foreground, L to R: Unité, Le Succés, L’Inconstante. Background: HMS Hibernia.
As the ships approach each other, the wind veers to north-east, and HMS Hibernia is taken aback. On the French ships, the sails billow and their speed increases.
HMS Hibernia straightens up to face the oncoming French. Unité reduces sails to battle sails. The other two French ships continue straight on westwards.
The wind keeps shifting to the east. As the British ship comes closer, L’Inconstante and Le Succés reduce sails. L’Inconstante veers to port and HMS Hibernia to starboard. HMS Hibernia and Le Succés are now within firing range and let loose their port bow broadsides at each other. The damage on both ships is moderate, but HMS Hibernia is pierced below the waterline and a mast is knocked down on Le Succés.
L’Inconstante and Le Succés reduce sails again, as they are getting closer to each other and Le Succés is difficult to handle with a broken mast. Onboard HMS Hibernia, the pumps have started up. Le Succés veers to starboard, which the captain of L’Inconstante had not expected. Unité fires a starboard bow broadside at HMS Hibernia and gets a full broadside in return. The French suffer heavy damage to both ship and crew and the deck is awash with blood. HMS Hibernia on the other side hardly feels what Unité threw at her.
Onboard Unité the carpenter’s team carry out repairs to the hull. Fearing a collision with Le Succés, L’Inconstante increases sails to try to get out of her way. HMS Hibernia keeps the pumps going as the carpenter hurries down into the hull to locate the leak. As it turns out, L’Inconstante fails to stay clear of the oncoming Le Succés whose broken mast fouls up her commander’s attempts at navigating her, and the two ships crash into each other. Something in the galley is overturned on L’Inconstante, and a fire breaks out. L’Inconstante and HMS Hibernia fire their broadsides at each other. Le Succés assists with a port quarter broadside. L’Inconstante is badly mauled; another fire breaks out. HMS Hibernia is once more hit below the waterline so that water gushes in through a second breach. HMS Hibernia and Unité are just a score yards apart and on both ships the marines fire their muskets, with devastating results on the Unité. Onboard Le Succés, the carpenter manages to jury-rig a replacement mast and HMS Hibernia’s carpenter plugs one of the leaks.
The wind stays easterly, but decreases. The fires ravage L’Inconstante and the water keeps rising slowly in the well onboard HMS Hibernia who keeps the pumps going. On L’Inconstante the carpenter patches up the worst damage to the hull. HMS Hibernia’s carpenter moves on to the new leak. Onboard Le Succés and Unité the captains order grog for everyone, to boost morale. As the wind has calmed, Unité increases sails and fires a very effective broadside at HMS Hibernia.
The fires onboard L’Inconstante are far beyond control and now reach the ammunition storage with catastrophic consequences: The ship explodes and disappears beneath the waves. A few cheers can be heard from HMS Hibernia. Some survivors are fished out of the water by Le Succés. Because of the weak wind, Le Succés also sets more sail. HMS Hibernia keeps pumping and fires a full starboard broadside and a musket volley into Unité, whose returning fire consists of a scattered, feeble burst of musketry. Unité is torn up badly and takes staggering losses. The ships falls silent and after a little while she strikes her colours. Massive cheers break out onboard HMS Hibernia, whose second leak is then plugged.
The carpenter of Le Succés repairs hull damage and the ship increases sails to full sails. Onboard HMS Hibernia grog is served and a prize crew is dispatched for Unité.
The captain of Le Succés does not know how badly damaged HMS Hibernia is and also fears a court-martial if he flees from such a catastrophic encounter, so he decides to take his chances and fight on. The ship is very lightly damaged and still fast and manoeuvrable. HMS Hibernia carries out some basic repairs of the worst damage and Unité makes her escape manned by the prize crew. The remaining two ships approach each other. Le Succés fires a broadside at some distance. The damage to HMS Hibernia is moderate, but a mast is knocked down.
The captain of HMS Hibernia manages to handle her fairly well despite the mess with the broken mast and presents Le Succés with a broadside when she comes around. The damage is not too bad, but the ship springs a leak and a fire breaks out on deck.
The fire spreads on Le Succés and the water rises in the well. The ship’s carpenter rushes into the hull to locate the leak, while HMS Hibernia’s carpenter starts clearing away the remains of the broken mast to erect a new one. Le Succés suffered significant losses and there is no one to organise fire fighting or pumping. The carpenters on both ships finish their allotted tasks. However, the fire gets out of hand onboard Le Succés and she strikes her colours.
A great cheer onboard HMS Hibernia greets the British victory.
Doing battle against the odds
A small squadron consisting of three fifth-rate ships of the line, L’Inconstante, Le Succés, and Unité, are patrolling in the Mediterranean to protect French shipping, when they round a promontory and catch sight of a large British man of war to the west. She is identified as HMS Hibernia, a first-rate ship of the line, in fact one of Great Britain’s largest warships with a complement of 850 men.
This will be a tough fight, and the odds are stacked in favour of the British ship, but the squadron commander onboard Unité has been starved of glory and decides to take the risk. He signals to the captains onboard L’Inconstante and Le Succés to sail in formation with 100 yards distance right at the Englishman, and try to manoeuvre to get a chance to fire at her all ships at once, raking her if possible, taking advantage of their superior manoeuvrability. The wind is of moderate strength, from the north.
Foreground, L to R: Unité, Le Succés, L’Inconstante. Background: HMS Hibernia.
As the ships approach each other, the wind veers to north-east, and HMS Hibernia is taken aback. On the French ships, the sails billow and their speed increases.
HMS Hibernia straightens up to face the oncoming French. Unité reduces sails to battle sails. The other two French ships continue straight on westwards.
The wind keeps shifting to the east. As the British ship comes closer, L’Inconstante and Le Succés reduce sails. L’Inconstante veers to port and HMS Hibernia to starboard. HMS Hibernia and Le Succés are now within firing range and let loose their port bow broadsides at each other. The damage on both ships is moderate, but HMS Hibernia is pierced below the waterline and a mast is knocked down on Le Succés.
L’Inconstante and Le Succés reduce sails again, as they are getting closer to each other and Le Succés is difficult to handle with a broken mast. Onboard HMS Hibernia, the pumps have started up. Le Succés veers to starboard, which the captain of L’Inconstante had not expected. Unité fires a starboard bow broadside at HMS Hibernia and gets a full broadside in return. The French suffer heavy damage to both ship and crew and the deck is awash with blood. HMS Hibernia on the other side hardly feels what Unité threw at her.
Onboard Unité the carpenter’s team carry out repairs to the hull. Fearing a collision with Le Succés, L’Inconstante increases sails to try to get out of her way. HMS Hibernia keeps the pumps going as the carpenter hurries down into the hull to locate the leak. As it turns out, L’Inconstante fails to stay clear of the oncoming Le Succés whose broken mast fouls up her commander’s attempts at navigating her, and the two ships crash into each other. Something in the galley is overturned on L’Inconstante, and a fire breaks out. L’Inconstante and HMS Hibernia fire their broadsides at each other. Le Succés assists with a port quarter broadside. L’Inconstante is badly mauled; another fire breaks out. HMS Hibernia is once more hit below the waterline so that water gushes in through a second breach. HMS Hibernia and Unité are just a score yards apart and on both ships the marines fire their muskets, with devastating results on the Unité. Onboard Le Succés, the carpenter manages to jury-rig a replacement mast and HMS Hibernia’s carpenter plugs one of the leaks.
The wind stays easterly, but decreases. The fires ravage L’Inconstante and the water keeps rising slowly in the well onboard HMS Hibernia who keeps the pumps going. On L’Inconstante the carpenter patches up the worst damage to the hull. HMS Hibernia’s carpenter moves on to the new leak. Onboard Le Succés and Unité the captains order grog for everyone, to boost morale. As the wind has calmed, Unité increases sails and fires a very effective broadside at HMS Hibernia.
The fires onboard L’Inconstante are far beyond control and now reach the ammunition storage with catastrophic consequences: The ship explodes and disappears beneath the waves. A few cheers can be heard from HMS Hibernia. Some survivors are fished out of the water by Le Succés. Because of the weak wind, Le Succés also sets more sail. HMS Hibernia keeps pumping and fires a full starboard broadside and a musket volley into Unité, whose returning fire consists of a scattered, feeble burst of musketry. Unité is torn up badly and takes staggering losses. The ships falls silent and after a little while she strikes her colours. Massive cheers break out onboard HMS Hibernia, whose second leak is then plugged.
The carpenter of Le Succés repairs hull damage and the ship increases sails to full sails. Onboard HMS Hibernia grog is served and a prize crew is dispatched for Unité.
The captain of Le Succés does not know how badly damaged HMS Hibernia is and also fears a court-martial if he flees from such a catastrophic encounter, so he decides to take his chances and fight on. The ship is very lightly damaged and still fast and manoeuvrable. HMS Hibernia carries out some basic repairs of the worst damage and Unité makes her escape manned by the prize crew. The remaining two ships approach each other. Le Succés fires a broadside at some distance. The damage to HMS Hibernia is moderate, but a mast is knocked down.
The captain of HMS Hibernia manages to handle her fairly well despite the mess with the broken mast and presents Le Succés with a broadside when she comes around. The damage is not too bad, but the ship springs a leak and a fire breaks out on deck.
The fire spreads on Le Succés and the water rises in the well. The ship’s carpenter rushes into the hull to locate the leak, while HMS Hibernia’s carpenter starts clearing away the remains of the broken mast to erect a new one. Le Succés suffered significant losses and there is no one to organise fire fighting or pumping. The carpenters on both ships finish their allotted tasks. However, the fire gets out of hand onboard Le Succés and she strikes her colours.
A great cheer onboard HMS Hibernia greets the British victory.
