Flight Of The Clontarf

I played a couple of quick games of Galleys & Galleons on Sunday, running the Blockade Runner scenario and setting it around the post-ECW Isles of Scilly. And Irish privateer, Clontarf, is attempting to escape an anchorage in the Isles, and three government vessels are poised to intercept.

The ship stats:

Clontarf - Q3 C1 - Lateen Rig, Yare, Razee, Shallow Draft, Swashbucklers

Verity, Providence - Q3 C3 - Galleon Rigged
Abigail - Q3 C1 - Lateen Rig, Yare, Razee, Shallow Draft

Here's the Clontarf, ready to make her run for safety.

An early shift of wind disadvantaged the Irish vessel. Here's the line of government ships - Verity, Providence and Abigail

Clontarf tried to dodge past Providence.

Providence opened fire with a steady long-range broadside. Clontarf was damaged and holed. The hole severely restricted the ship's ability to turn.

However Clontarf was past Providence, who would now have to make a slow turn to resume pursuit.

But Abigail was coming up fast and even Verity added in some long-range fire. Clontarf was taking a battering.

Unable to manuever easily Clontarf fell to a stern-rake from Abigail, and sank.

I set it up again. However tis time I increased Clontarf's Q to 2, and dropped the Swashbucklers trait as improved boarding isn't really much use in a scenario that involves trying to run away.

Here's the line of blockaders.

Clontarf made an initial run for some rocks, hoping to cut down the ability of the opposing vessels to manuever.

Abigail cut the Irish vessel off and Providence was coming up rather too fast as well.

Some swift sailing from Clontarf saw it inflict a damaging rake on Abigail, which shot away her tiller.

But a broadside from Providence inflicted the same damage on Clontarf.

Abigail moved to cut Clontarf off from escaping.

Clontarf tried to slip past but was grappled and boarded, losing the first round of combat.

Clontarf cut grapples, but the delay had allowed Providence to turn back into action, and another shot from the larger vessel saw Clontarf holed and seriously damaged.

A final shot from Abigail sank the Irish privateer.

To be honest the low C value of Clontarf meant that it was very vulnerable to being shot at, making it's task fairly difficult. You really do have to avoid the two larger ships and a rake from the nimble Abigail is always a possibility as well. Giving Clontarf a Q of 2 for the second run certainly helped though.

It was good to get toys on the table at home though. It's something I've not, for a variety of reasons, done for a while.