Down The Orinoco

I'm still making progress on my Renaissance galleys, and have started painting them. I'd hoped to have had some done by today so I could have given them a quick Friday evening baptism of fire, but one thing and another this week has slowed progress on them I'll try and get the majority of them done over the weekend if I get chance.

Anyway, during the week I have been reading the various excellet naval battle reports on the League of Augsburg blog, and quite liked the idea of adapting some of the scenarios for Galleys & Galleons. I decided to try this one: Against The Wind. A ship has to work its way along a narrow channel to safety, against the wind and pursued by enemy ships.

I decided to relocate it, and thus around 1590 we find the English galleon Gloriana, under Sir Toby Spenser, making some minor repairs near the banks of a wide South American river, which we'll call the Orinoco, for no other reason than the fact that it's a wide South American river. Unfortunately the Spanish have got wind of the English presence, and have sent two guard-ships to deal with it, the San Antonio de Padua and the Augusta. Sir Toby ups anchor and attempts to take his ship down-river, but the wind is against him. His consort, the little Saucy Jack, is entering the river in support - can the two English ships foil the Spanish so the the Gloriana can escape? Read on ...

The ship details:

English
Gloriana (72pts) - Q3 C4 - Galleon Rig, Chasers, Pilot, Trained Gun Crews, Swashbucklers
Saucy Jack (40pts) - Q3 C2 - Galleon Rig, Chasers, Yare

Spanish
San Antonio de Padua (56pts) - Q3 C3 - Galleon Rig, Chasers, Pilot, Sweeps
Augusta (56pts) - Q3 C3 - Galleon Rig, Chasers, Sweeps, Carronades

The Gloriana and the Spanish ships started in adjacent corners, heading directly ito the wind. The Gloriana had to exit the opposite end of the table, but in the opposite corner to the one she started in. The Saucy Jack started in the exit corner.

And, yes, Saucy Jack is apparently a real contemporary ship-name.

Anyway, here's the ships at the start, heading down-river. I didn't worry about current, although I might try it if I run it again.

The first couple of turns saw the wind shift back and forth a little. The Gloriana was able to make some progress, but the Spanish were wrong-footed despite their use of sweeps. The Augusta attempted to close with the English vessel in order to bring its heavy cannon to bear at close range.

The Gloriana fired, its well-drilled crews inflicting damage even at long range; the Augusta's captain was beheaded by an English ball, and the ship's crew fell into some confusion.

The San Antonio was edgeing ahead of the Gloriana, looking to cut off its passage of the islands by staying exactly upwind.

The Saucy Jack made good progress upriver, and prepared to turn into the action. Meanwhile the Gloriana continued to inflict damage on the Spanish at long range, damaging the rigging of both ships.

A brief interruption ...

The Gloriana had to tack in order to pass between two small islands. Caught in irons it became an easy target for the San Antonio, who raked the English ship, reloaded and raked it again.

A bungled order on the Augusta saw it turn into the wind instead of try and close with the Gloriana. But an enterprising chaser crew saw a target of opportunity in the Saucy Jack, and were rewarded with a wisp of smoke and flicker of flames on the small English escort.

Things were looking bad for the English now. The Gloriana remained in irons, and was pounded once more by the San Antonio. Meanwhile the Augusta brought its heavy guns to bear, crippling the Saucy Jack.

The end. Another broadside from the San Antonio saw the English galleon catch fire and, as the Saucy Jack's crew abandoned their burning vessel, explode.

Not a good result for the English.

The English have a tricky job in this one, but it was fun to play, and I shall try running it again, maybe using currents this time.