A Frenchman Sighted

 Following the defeat of the illegal Logwood Cutters, my ships (along with Piraguas and prisoners) reached the safe harbor of Puerta Cabellos. There I turned the captives over to the local authority and replaced my lost sailor with a new recruit. Leaving the Piraguas to be maintained in my absence, my Barks then continued on their patrol eastward along the coast towards Santa Catalina, which the English have taken to call Old Providence. Not two days out, sails were sighted to the north...

It's a Fluyt flying French colors, another trespasser of Spanish waters! I order the lead Bark to close range, while the trailing Bark is ordered to come up behind the French ship prior to boarding. I will use my cannons to damage her rigging to slow her down then close in and take her! This is the enemy...Her Captain (center) must be anxious to make up his mind...attempt to run, or strike...

She runs! Following a couple of turns of maneuvering, my lead Bark as well as the Frenchman volley their cannons! His strike my spars/sheets so that must be repaired. My crews place a full hit upon his rigging. My consort pushes hard to gain on the Fluyt. A fair start...

I order my Soldados to take a ranging shot, and it is no surprise they score no hits. At least it gives the French Captain something else to worry about!

As my ship slowly closes the range, we get our second volley...and what shots they are! Four hits including a Critical on his sails. That will slow him down to 3"...

The first casualty is also inflicted. Good shooting!

I'm actually surprised he has not struck his colors. I order the Soldados to again bring fire upon these trespassers, but no hits again...

He dares to fire again on my ship! Only one cannon fires and misses (His second gun could not be reloaded due to the casualty, and the Frenchman was moving another group of sailors to take over the gun position)

He sails on so we must continue to punish him. While he unfortunately repaired the damage done to his

sails/spars, we put two more Critical Hits on him. Another sails/spars and a hit to his sheets. A second Frenchman goes down as well. When will this Captain get it into his head he must surrender!

As my Bark kept getting closer to the Frenchman, I knew I was now taking a massive gamble. Could I sail around the bow of the Fluyt and not get rammed by the heavier ship? I ordered the attempt to be made, and even though we experienced a short slackening of the wind, my ship's master pulled off the maneuver...barely missing the bowspirit of the Frenchman. My gunners then poured a most devastating blast into the ship. To close for a rigging shot, both guns smashed into the hull , with a Lucky Hit as well that knocked one of his cannon off its carriage. 

Much more destructively however was the fact the Frenchman failed all four of his saving throws! Four crewmen (50%!) were blown over! And even if they had wanted to continue, my vessel was now on the other side of where the Frenchman's manned cannons were located...

The Captain now faced up to the facts of the situation. With his crew badly damaged, the ship hurt, he lowered his flag...

Now to board her and count the valuable treasure, some 250 pts in our system. That will come to 73.5 for the Captain's share! Possibly a new ship, guns, more crew?

 

An Unexpected Enounter

 As a Spanish Corsario Sloop was cruising NW through the Florida Straits another Sloop belonging to the Brethren of the Coast, appeared out of the NE. The Corsario Crew consisted of 2x 3 Trained Corsarios; 7 Trained Marineros; along with a Master Gunner and a Sharpshooter. The Brethren have 4 Trained Zeelieden; 3 Trained Zeelieden; 4 Trained Kapers; and a Sharpshooter as well. (Wonder if these Captains figured on someone choosing that option?)

Corsario on right with the Brethren (Flying a neutral Danish Flag) on the left...

Closeup view of the Corsario Sloop...

And a view of the Brethren's Sloop...

With the Wind Advantage, the Corsario gets in the first lick, its Broadside scoring one hit. The Brethren on that deck however succeed their save both to Casualty AND fatigue...

The Brethren Captain orders a hard turn to port, but can't quite bring his guns to bear. That will have to wait until next round...

The Brethren maneuver for a partial broadside...and they get a hit and a casualty! The Brethren don't gain a fatigue however. 

Then the Brethren Kapers (with their Sharpshooter) score another casualty and a fatigue. Things were looking good at that point...

The Corsarios answer with a volley of their own and drop a Zeelieden!

The two sides then exchange a broadside. The Brethren bring down two Marineros (but no fatigue), but the Corsarios get three kills. Worse yet, their first ranging shot results in a Lucky Hit...a fire breaks out on deck! (Blood & Plunder provide many game tools, inc dice with various damage markers). Time perhaps for the Brethren to escape to fight another day...if they can...

To add fuel to the fire (so to speak), the Corsarios' muskets (and their Sharpshooter) bring down yet another Zeelieden, wiping a unit out! The Brethren have one Strike Point (various events such as 25% casualties reward an opponent these, which can lead to the end of a fight) while the Corsarios now have two. If the Brethren hadn't stuck down three Corsarios, it could have been all over.

The Brethren Captain orders the Sloop to escape into the wind as his surviving Zeelieden fail to put out the fire! The Corsarios miss with another musket volley. A roll is now made to see if the fire spreads...and it does! If at least one of these is not put out by the end of the next turn, the ship will be destroyed! 

The two Sloops maneuver, the Corsario attempting to rake the stern while the Brethren work to refuse that as well as escape...

The Brethren move their Sloop to forestall the Corsario ranking their stern just in time. As it is the cannon volley drops one of the Kaper and further damages the ship itself...

The Brethren were able to gain some space but the Corsario may have at least one more try to slow her down...

At the end of the round, the Brethren extinguished both fires! In the next round,  the luck of the Brethren returned and they activated first. This enabled them to sail 'off the edge of the board' thereby ending the game. They lost this fight, but lived to fight another day. Avast my maties, may you make all of your saving throws!

A Buccaneer runs Down a Merchant Bark

 Our English Buccaneer out of Tortuga headed out looking for victims. After only two days of moving through the area, sails were spotted to the north heading their way. It was an English-flagged Bark. That didn't stop Aaar Captain Dirtbag (quite the name) to order his men to close. Both ships appeared to be of the same speed, but the Buccaneers eventually closed the range as the Bark tried unsuccessfully to sail past him.

The Captain commanded a Privateer Sloop manned by 7 Experienced Sea Dogs; 6 Inexperienced Sea Dogs; and 4 Inexperienced Freebooters. The Sloop carried 6 6lb cannons. The unfortunate Merchant was crewed by two groups of 6 Inexperienced Sailors each; and 4 Inexperienced Militia, carried 4 6lb guns.

After several turns of maneuvering, Captain Dirtbag ordered the cannons to open fire. And what a volley it was, scoring three hits inc a Lucky Hit. (rolling a 10 on 10d) In Blood and Plunder, each Lt Gun gets two more dice per hit, and with these, he scored two more 10s! Hits on the Sails and also Sheets did just what he wanted...it slowed the Bark down. Now the Sloop had a slight advantage in speed. A fantastic start...

Now that the chances for flight had been reduced, the Merchant Captain ordered his guns to fire, but to no avail...

As the range closed, Muskets from both ships (Sloop above) blazed away, but no hits were scored...

The Buccaneer Freebooters fire a second ineffective volley...

The Merchant sailors succeed in repairing damage to the sails, but then a second destructive volley. Again a Lucky Hit (another 10) scores another point of damage to the sails, slowing it down once again...

But now, the Buccaneers successfully grapple with the Bark and pull themselves together to storm across the gunwales...

The Buccaneers successfully cut down an opponent but for two rolls for saves by the Merchant crew, it would have been far worse...

The Buccaneers continued their assault, cutting down four and routing the fifth Sailor...

The Merchant crew counterattacked with a second unit of Sailors, inflicting the first two Buccaneer casualties...

The Freebooters and Militia exchange musket and swivel fire. One Buccaneer goes down but they gain no fatigue, while three Militiamen are lost (and the fourth routs!). Again saves are made so there is no fatigue. The Merchant Captain needs to make a Strike Test, and by using his last doubloon (you get three a game, and they act as a free re-roll) makes the save. This crew, down over 75%, is fighting to the death...

The Merchant Sailors fight desperately, and take down two Buccaneers. They do pick up one fatigue...

But more Buccaneers pour over the gunwales, and take down more Sailors, leaving three while their Captain still on quarterdeck to right) looks on glumly. Can this go on?...

The bloody fight continues as two Buccaneers and one Sailor are lost...

The Merchant Captain and his last sailors are attacked...and the Sailors are lost!

The Captain fails his Strike Test, and he surrenders. Can't image what the Buccaneer Captain is going to do next!

A victory for the Buccaneers! Game system continues to be loads of fun. If you are interested in this amazing period, check out Blood and Plunder at Firelock Games. Avast you maties...set set! 

 

Blood & Plunder: A Campaign

The gang decided to try a Campaign based on B&P Rules by Firelock Games. We have played numerous one-up games over the years, and have found them to be quite enjoyable. Now we're going to take a step up using a modified system that will have us ranging the Spanish Main. So far we have a Spanish Armada Commander (myself); a Spanish Corsario;  English, French and Dutch Buccaneers; an English Pirate Hunter; and one Brethren of the Coast. I myself represent His Excellency Don Antonio Sebastian de Toledo Modena y Salazar, 2nd Marquiss/Mancera, who represents His Most Catholic Majesty Carlos II of Espana, as the Captain General of Nueva Espana. 

During each turn, the player may attempt to move his vessel, (if he chooses) up to 7 hexes on our map. This can be more/less depending on the trade winds and Random Events that are rolled once per week per player. As a result of said rolls, weather/wind can change, and Merchants or Warships are spotted. 

I put together a 100pt force of said inexperienced commander; a unit of 4x Trained Marineros, and 4x Trained Soldados on a Heavy Bark armed with 4x 6lb Light Cannons. On a second regular Bark, I place a unit each of 4x inexperienced Marineros and Piqueros Marineros. Both Barks are also equipped with 4x Swivel Guns each. With this 'fleet', I set sail from Compeche on the Yucatan to Puerta Cabellos on the route to Panama.

On my sixth day out, we spotted two beached Piragua along the Moskito Coast. This was known to be a target of illegal Logwood Cutters, usually out of Port Royal. Assuming they were trespassers, I ordered my flotilla to attack!

This is the Heavy Bark with the Captain and Soldados on the rear deck and the Marineos forward. All of the ship models and miniatures, come from Firelock Games... 

This is the regular Bark (no cannons) with Marineros (Spanish Sailors) rear deck and Piqueros Marineros (Sailor Pikes) forward...

The view of the beached Piraguas, with the Logwood Cutters in the background...

My approaching flotilla is forced to tack back and forth as we are sailing into the wind. We also have to be wary of the surf so as not to run aground. The Barks draw much more water than the light weight Piragua...

These following photos highlight the Logwood Cutters. First the Engages or Indentured Servants to the Freebooters...

The aforementioned Freebooters and their Captain...

And last but not least, the Sea Dogs (English Sailors)...

After several turns of tacking up the coast (and the Logwood Cutters racing for their boats), the first shots are fired by the swivel guns on the Heavy Bark. Unfortunately for the Spanish, both fail to hit.

As my second Bark approached, it too fires a swivel, but again learns the distance is too great for a good chance to hit!...

The Heavy Bark drops anchor in a perfect spot, but again misses with its swivel guns! Those accursed English Dogs will now make their boats...

Finally, Lady Luck sides with us as my two gun volley gets six hits (raking the stern gives bonuses) But after the English make four saves (!) we take down only two of the Dogs!

The regular Bark is heading for a collision-course with a Piragua...

But before it does, English Freebooters let loose with musket fire (that misses), while the Spanish Piqueros Marineros also miss with another swivel gun volley (will they never hit?)...

The Bark smashes into the Piragua doing a point of damage while driving her ashore. (The Bark is a larger ship. Just as she was about to start using her sweeps (oars) to try to escape...

Some Freebooters let loose but although they score a hit, the Spanish save both the hit and the possible Fatigue...

Another miss from the Engages' Swivels...

The Soldados likewise miss on their initial musket volley...

Even though the English Sea Dogs pulled away from shore and began pivoting its stern away, there is a  major score for the Spanish. 2 6lb guns rip through the Piragua's, causing major damage to the boat (her Fortitude and Integrity are bottomed out) while also inflicting a casualty each on the Engages and Freebooters. Only two Engages remain, and as he now has four Fatigues (twice higher than #figs) the last man Routs! This causing a Strike Test which the English Captain fails! They Surrender...

But the English get a small measure of revenge when their second group of Freebooters drops a Marineros. I am not happy. What to do with the prisoners now?...

The Marineros on the Bark, having failed either to lower sails or to grapple (despite 4 attempts to do so!), are bringing their vessel around for another go...

Initial fight was a learning tool. Must get Swivels much closer for any real chance of success is one point, but it was an enjoyable adventure. At least for the Spanish. On to more engagements...