The Return Of The Crimson Count

It's a pleasant Saturday in the late 17th century. A convoy of three French merchant vessels is working its way down the Gascony coast.

But the dastardly Spanish are in the offing, with two war-dirigibles and a pair of Van Klunk ornithopters.

Fortunately for the convoy help is at hand, in the person of the Comte de Morcerf - the daring aviator known as The Crimson Count!

This was a standard Galleys & Galleons pursuit scenario, with three French merchant vessels escorted by The Crimson Count being attacked by two airships and two ornithopters.

The opening moves saw the dirigibles caught by a slight shift in the wind, which left them close-hauled. The pushed doggedly on, whilst their ornithopters forged ahead looking to knock a few spars off the merchants before the bigger airships got into action.

As the merchantmen negotiated the islands and shallows, The Crimson Count took his ornithopter into action, exchanging fire with a Spanish foeman.

The Spanish ornithopters closed on the ships.

And The Crimson Count lined up an attack on the dirigibles.

Cannons blazed on both sides (for the ships can engage aerial targets, albeit it at a range disadvantage), but no damage was inflicted.

However as The Count circled for another attack on the dirigibles, a shot from a stern-chaser caused some minor damage.

The dirigibles prepared to bomb the French ships.

But the merchantmen had teeth, and one of them damaged an airship as it made its attack run.

The Crimson Count added to the damage.

Bombs away! The other airship attacked a merchant ship, but scored no hits.

Both sides were now hotly engaged.

One Spanish airship found itself in irons, and began to ponderously turn back into the action. The other, despairing of getting a good run with its bombs, dropped to sea-level in order to engage effectively with its broadsides. But the merchant vessels were up for a fight, and shot the dirigible's rudder away.

Crippled and unable to steer properly, the dirigible crashed into one of the ships. The ship was damaged, but the Spanish airship was totally wrecked.

It got worse. One of the Spanish ornithopters swooped down for an attack run, but ran straight into an accurate broadside, which not only caused serious damage but set the aircraft on fire.

You want more? The Crimson Count's persistent gunnery paid off, crippling the remaining Spanish dirigible.

The convoy looked set to escape. Two ships quickly made it to safety.

The third found itself under attack from the other ornithopter, and took damage.

The pilot of the damaged ornithopter was so occupied extinguishing the fire on his fragile steed (and extinguish it he did) that he couldn't change course, and he crashed into the merchant vessel. Again, the French ship was damaged, whilst the Spaniard was wrecked.

Despite being crippled the Spanish dirigible was still fighting, and a broadside badly damaged The Crimson Count's aircraft.

The merchantman was making its final run for safety, but the Spanish ornithopter kept up a dogged pursuit.

The Crimson Count swooped in to try and save the day.

But another broadside saw the Count's aircraft so badly damaged that he was forced to crash into the sea. Don't worry. He'll survive to fight another day.

The ornithopter kept up a steady fire, knocking out one of the merchant vessel's masts.

But it wasn't enough; the merchant had his course set true, and sailed to safety.

Despite the loss of The Crimson Count this was very much a French victory, with the convoy making an escape (despite some damage), and the Spanish losing an ornithopter and a dirigible, with the other dirigible being badly damaged.

Here are the stats for the various 'ships':

French
Merchantman - Q3 C3 - Galleon Rig, Merchantman, Pilot - 34pts
The Crimson Count - Q3 C2 - Ornithopter, Aerobatics, Bow Chasers, Master Gunner, Yare - 50pts

Spanish
Dirigible - Q3 C2 - Airship, Square Rig, Chaser Guns, Bombs - 52pts
Ornithopter - Q3 C1 - Ornithopter, Bow Chaser, Yare - 26pts