Blockade Runner

John and I played Galleys & Galleons last night, with a couple of runs of the Blockade scenario from the book using the ships from this post. In both games the Spanish galleon Santa Susana has to run a blockade consisting of the English galleons Gloriana, Golden Leopard and their tender the Saucy Jack. It's a tricky one for the English, since the Santa Susana is a monster of a ship, but they do have an edge in quality, and the captain of the Gloriana has a few tricks up his sleeve.

John took the English in both games. In the first he struggled to bring his ships upwind in order to intercept the Santa Susana.

The Golden Leopard was shattered by a close-range broadside from the Santa Susana. The Gloriana struggled to catch up.

Eventually it was left to the plucky little Saucy Jack to pursue the Spanish monster, but with only a bow chaser able to engage it was going to be an uphill struggle. John conceded this one and let the Santa Susana escape.

We set the game up again, and this time the terrain included a maelstrom. It had little effect on the game in the end, but forced both sides to keep clear of one area of the board. I may try some more games with it in a position where it has more of an effect on things.

The Santa Susana had to negotiate a narrow strait between two islands, and the English raced to intercept her as she did so.

John managed to position ships in such a way that my options got fewer and fewer.

As it was, the Spanish galleon collided with the Saucy Jack, but both ships were undamaged.

Unfortunately the Santa Susana then collided with the Gloriana. Both ships were damaged, then a broadside from the English vessel killed the Spanish captain. With the Santa Susana influenced by the Gloriana's charismatic captain, its crew quality rolls collapsed, and it was unable to turn away from the shallows around one of the islands. Rocks ripped open its hull, and the Spanish galleon sank, to give John the win.

These games saw the debut of my cloth with its new sea texture made from oil pastels overlaid by a generous spray of sealant. I think it looks pretty good.