The English Punished

Continuing on in our Buccaneer Campaign of the 17th Century, an English Sloop was caught by surprise off the coast of the Dutch colony of Sint Maarten, which the English Captain had incorrectly identified as English! It raised anchor in an attempt to flee the oncoming French Privateer Sloop (slightly faster) and a Dutch Heavy Bark (same speed, but not in photo yet). Realizing he couldn't outrun at least one of his adversaries, the English Captain (top) began maneuvering into the wind (coming from the loser right) and fired a broadside in an attempt to damage the Frenchman's rigging (lower). No hits were made however...

With the Englishman moving away again (onto a second table...and I forgot to bring two sea-mats! The joke became the sea was turning grey because of an oncoming storm!), the Frenchman fires a volley, and scores two hits! The Englishman takes some damage to his rigging, not enough to slow him down, yet...

Sailing into the wind (and making several successful tacts through the wind), and leaving the French Sloop (top) behind temporarily, the Englishman (right) is now forced to engage the arriving Dutchman (left), but again misses...

Just when it appears that the Englishman might pull away, the Dutch Captain takes a gamble of his own, steering into the wind. He makes his Advance Sailing test, and successfully grapples with the English Sloop!

The English Captain doesn't wait for the Dutch however and leads a small band of his own Sea Dogs which succeeds in downing a Dutch Zeelieden...

The English Militia now succeed in firing a volley into the Dutch Kapers (right) at the stern of their ship, bringing down one!

But the Dutch get the final revenge when their Zeelieden (who outnumber the Sea Dogs) fight back and take down tow of the three Sea Dogs! The English Captain then surrenders, drawing the engagement to a conclusion...

While the game took a while to really get going with a lot of sailing and long-range cannon fire, when the Dutch Captain aggressively pressed against his adversary, it became an exciting finish with the boarding conflict. Another enjoyment installment. 

May your loot be vast, and your luck golden, til next time...

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The Dutch Smugglers of Puerta Cabello

 As part of our continuing 17th Century Adventure, my personal character, Don Antonio, has had success. Earlier we had a game where a French Fluyt was captured and significant booty was taken. With that (in our game mechanics) Don Antonio purchased an upgrade, a Sloop armed with 4 6lb and 2 9 lb guns. He also hired on some new men in Cartagena where they had come ashore for resupply. He then continued on his patrol eastward towards eventually Trinidad. That was the easternmost island colony of the Spanish at the time. Towards the end of that particular week (our campaign turns are in weekly portions), he decided to pay a visit to a known Dutch smuggling settlement that was claimed by the Spanish, but not settled and controlled by Spain until the next century.

The Dutch used Puerta Cabello (present-day Venezuela) as a base to smuggle mostly Cocoa to their nearby colony of Curacao. It was a small post, not even totally fortified. It was located on the north shore of a large bay (on left) more for protection against local natives than anything...

With his Sloop leading his Flotilla (Flying Dutch Colors I might add!), Don Antonio has one Bark break off to the NW (bottom right) to eventually anchor off the shore of a narrow peninsula that the Dutch might try to use as an escape route...

As the Flotilla continued their entrance into the bay, Dutch sailors of a Perugia, move towards her just in case...

On shore, the remaining Dutchmen are moving closer to get a look at the newcomers. It would appear that it is a merchant (or two?) coming for their cocoa...

A Dutchman on board the Piragua hails the Sloop and is answered (by the sole Dutch-speaker!). The Sloop glides forward slowly as the crew reef their sails. The trailing Bark maneuvers into position as well..

The second Bark drops anchor and the crew prepares to man its cannon...

Suddenly, as the Sloop continues forward only slightly, the gun ports open and a tremendous cannon volley splits the air...the balls shatter the hull of the Piragua, and all four Zeelieden are blown away! At this range all the shots are on target, and only one fail to strike home. The Dutch only make one save so its one Strike Point to the Spanish right away...

The Dutch Kapers ashore quickly react. They fire a long range volley and score a hit! 

The Piqueros Marineros fail their saving throw and one goes down...

The only possible bad news for the Spanish is the Inexperienced Marineros on the second Bark, fail not once but three times in attempting to lower their sails. They are getting close to the dock

As a group of Zeelieden pass into sight, the waiting Bark lets loose with a long range volley, needing a ten to hit...and they get one! The Zeelieden fails the saving throw and down he goes...

The Soldado fire their own long range volley, and they too are lucky as a Dutch Militiaman fails his throw and goes down. This gives the Spanish a second Strike Point which causes the Dutch to roll a Strike Test which they barely pass...

The Militia fire in return but make no hits. The Zeelieden and Kaper move to escape via the narrow peninsula to the north (bottom right). The second Bark fails again to lower sails and so must veer off to the starboard to avoid crashing into the flagship! Don Antonio is not amused! The Piqueros Marineros dash onto the dock...

Fearing a volley from the Dutch Militia with no cover, the Piqueros Marineros fell back to the Piragua. The Dutch did then miss with a volley, but the advancing Soldado did no better...

The Bark did get one shot on target with a roll of a nine, but the Dutch Kaper made its throw to save...

Chasing the retiring Militia, the Soldado missed again. While the Dutch retreated the surviving Zeelieden off the board (and causing a second Strike Test), the Dutch maintained their morale! At 50% they are stubborn men!

While the Piqueros move under cover, both the Dutch Kapers and Soldado fire at each other. Both score one hit and both fail their saving throws...

One Bark fires another long-range cannon volley but fails to hit...

A blast from one of the Sloop's swivel guns comes up short...

The completely incompetent Marineros on the second Bark fail two more times to trim their sails and are force to turn away from the action to avoid the shore line of the bay! Don Antonio may be hanging this lot!

As the Dutch Kaper escape (and the Dutch succeed yet again in their forced Strike Test!), the Piqueros chase after the Militia...

The Spanish gain the initiative and charge their Piqueros into the remainder of the Militia. The Dutch get defensive fire...and they roll twos and miss! The Spanish charge into the Dutch, and bring all three down. The Spanish will now loot the Trading Post, then burn it all to the ground. 

Not really much of a fight, but loot is loot, and thats how the forces grown. Till next time...Viva Espana!

An Inland Strike Against Plantations

 Having subdued the garrison of Ft. Lampsinberg, and begun to work out the ransoms, Captain Searle started organizing parties to scour the countryside. More loot was to be had!

One such band consisted of 3x Inexperienced Sea Dogs and 7x inexperienced Freebooters. Foreseeing only a few Plantation Guards, it seemed more than enough. Searle, however hadn't counted on the aggressive Carib Natives in the interior...

The band of Buccaneers heading down the track towards their target, Plantation at the top of the field. 

The Plantation, which had been forewarned by the sounds of heavy cannon fire to the south. Slaves locked in their shed, Planter and guards holed up in the building inside the stockade...

The Sea Dogs moved uncaringly  along the track, when suddenly, before the Freebooters could even catch up, they were deluged by arrows from the woods ahead.

One Sea Dog is down! He won't be getting any loot. It's a group of young Carib warriors..

Not planning on being stopped by a bunch of savages, the Sea Dogs push on. Before the Freebooters could support, they too, found themselves under a storm of arrows. Two of their number go down after failing their tests! (Bows in B & P cause less damage, but they fire twice a turn w/o fatigue)...

The young Warriors are positioned to strike again...

The WarChief himself is directing the second band of warriors...

The young Warriors take down two more Sea Dogs, and the survivor retreats back to the Freebooters who lose a third man to the WarChief. The Buccaneers finally draw blood however. After making their Fatigue Tests, they get a shot off into the woods and they bring down a Carib...

It may be time to head back to the Fort and the others!!

The Caribs get the first strike however, taking down yet another Freebooter. Unloaded muskets in hand, the Buccaneers decide to try to escape the slaughter...

Unfortunately for the Buccaneers, the young Warriors had moved closer, and with the initiative won, they scored on all four shots...and the Buccaneers failed all four! Oh well, wonder what they'll think when the men don't return?

Interesting fight with the seldom used Natives. Their bows can be lethal! Aaarr...

Fort Lampsinberg, Jan 1666

 During the night, Captain Stedman was ordered to take his Schooner to the west side of the island to scout the Dutch fort there. Captain Searle had his men repositioned the captured 9lb into the street facing the fort (r), while other men prepared fascines, behind which his men could fire on the fort from cover. His vessel also repositioned itself to bring its guns closer to the fort... 

The sun rises and both the Barque and Fort fire a volley. The Dutch shot falls short into the ocean, and while one of the Buccaneer guns strikes the wall of the Fort, it doesn't penetrate...

The Dutch SW Bastion gets the initiative and hits the Buccaneer emplacement in the town, killing one of the crew! With only two gunners left, it can't reload. 

But its first shot (already loaded) is incredibly destructive. It penetrates the wall, and the Dutch fail all three saves! The crew is wiped out!

The first Freebooters fire on the Fort's SE Bastion, but make no kills as the Dutch roll their saving throws. A Dutch Militia unit fires but miss everything...

A second Freebooter (r) unit scores two hits...

And the Dutch fail two throws!

A second Dutch Militia unit and then another Freebooter, both fail to score any hits. It was nevertheless, a bloody first turn...

A hit on the Barque! Didn't affect the crew, but it was the first point of damage to the ship...

Following the small success, the Dutch keep Lady Luck as the Freebooters miss another volley. But then it begins to turn disastrous for the Dutch. The Barque returns with a Broadside, and gets a Lucky Hit (a roll of 10 on the initial roll scores this) and the result is Debris with no save. A Militiamen goes down (c)...

It just becomes a torrent of bad luck now. First the Buccaneer 9lb (reinforce crew) fires and scores...a Lucky Hit, and more Debris which takes down another Militiamen. As some Sea Dogs and Freebooters rush the walls with ladders, a Freebooter volley gets through and a second Militiamen is hit! This results Searle accumulating 2 Strike Points. That causes the Dutch Commander to roll a Strike Test...and he fails! The Flag is hauled down. Probably a good thing as the Buccaneers are on the verge of getting in over the wall; not something you want during a siege! 

Note some of the married gentlemen (l)are standing guard outside the barracks...

Some very lucky and timely shooting ended this fight suddenly, but it was an enjoyable little engagement. On to the next adventure! Aaarr!