Santa Rita vs Maria Teresa

I'd planned a moderate sized game of Galleys & Galleons for yesterday afternoon, but a last minute decision to go to the cinema meant that I had less time to play that I'd set aside. 

So I set up a quick duel. I've run this one a couple of times before and it's an interesting and challenging scenario. Set during the lengthy and complicated conflicts around the Rio de la Plata from 1811 to 1823, it features a privateer, (Santa Rita) at anchor, being attacked in a night action by a smaller Portuguese brig (Maria Teresa). The privateer is larger than the brig - 26 guns to the brig's 14 - but is unaware of the enemy's approach. However the brig is downwind of the privateer, so must creep up in the darkness hoping not to be spotted. 

Both vessels are simple designs:

Santa Rita (26) - Q3 C3 - Square-Rig, Chasers
Maria Teresa (14) - Q2 C2 - Square-Rig, Chasers

The year is 1820. The Santa Rita at anchor. In the distance is the Maria Teresa. 

The dice next to the Santa Rita shows its current alert status. Each turn it gets to roll a number of quality dice depending on how close the Maria Teresa is. Any successes improve its alert status. When it reaches 4 the privateer can begin to act. Until then it sits doing nothing until fired on. At this stage the Maria Teresa is working upwind as far away from the Santa Rita as practical. Even so the crew of the Argentine vessel is suspicious. 

The Maria Teresa has almost got into position for a turn to attack the Santa Rita, but the Argentines are pretty sure something is up. 

The jig is up! Alerted to the presence of an enemy the Argentine vessel ups anchor and clears for action.

As the Maria Teresa approaches Santa Rita fires a raking broadside, causing some damage. 

But their reload time is low, and a chance to get in a second shot is missed ...

... allowing the Maria Teresa to stern-rake the privateer, starting a fire.

The crew of the Santa Rita quickly extinguished the fire, but a second hurried broadside from the Maria Teresa swept the privateer's quarterdeck, killing the captain and throwing the vessel's crew into confusion. 

Several turns of inaction ensued as the two vessels were on opposite tacks. The Maria Teresa turned across the wind, but sluggishly thanks to the damage it had taken. The Santa Rita wore and took the opportunity to perform some repairs.

But the damage it had taken was beginning to tell. As it tried to turn to bring a broadside to bear on the Portuguese brig, the Maria Teresa cut across its stern and raked it once more. 

This started another fire, which quickly spread.

As the Maria Teresa turned to fire another broadside the Santa Rita exploded. 

This is the third time I've played this and the first time the Portuguese have won. The Santa Rita got some bad rolls on  the initial spotting (and I may tweak how many points of alertness they need to get), allowing the Maria Teresa to get in fairly close. But its initial reactions were good. Its activations fell apart once their captain was killed. 

So not the game I planned to play, but a fun game nonetheless.