Carracks, Cogs and Nefs: The Five Ports

One of those wargames magazines articles that sticks with me from back in the day was Pillage, Plunder and Seasickness, by Keith Benson in Miniature Wargames 72 and 73, in 1989 when the world first became glossy.  The article detailed a game focused on Medieval naval and raiding warfare.  Knights and Merchants raided and traded across the Channel in a medieval version of Monopoly with swords. A follow up article showed how to scratch build a Kogge.

Over here in Paphos I'm recycling my elderly Irregular Miniatures 6mm Feudals, having added a few packs of Baccus Medievals. These were bought some time ago, and I wasn't too sure just what to use them for until I remembered the Miniwargs articles.  Having finally managed to find the magazines on eBay I'm even more enthusiastic.  

Building 6mm ships using crew parties has been a long held ambition.  To be honest my ship building skills have improved to the point where mine rival the ones in the glossy article, well in my head anyway!

The Kogge fleet takes shape, and yes the one at the rear is still a work in progress and needs some paint, sails and crew.

Key Ideas

I cant use all of the rules from the article.  They are written for a club or group of gamers, whilst I am primarily a solo gamer.  The overarching idea however is a great one.  

Pillage Plunder and Seasickness is almost a role playing game in its scope.  An economic game involving trading merchants runs alongside the Military campaign.

My game will use 6mm figures crewing scratch built ships.
Battles on board ships can use the same mechanisms as land battles, crew vs crew.  I intend to borrow a few mechanisms from Keith's article, Longships and Dan Mersey's rules.

In practical terms I have some issues.  Battles can often occur near ports so I need to build a town, and that means sea walls, church, houses. Balsa and stolen coffee stirrers.  I am a figure that inspires dread in the coffee shops of Paphos.

The tabletop is a 6 by 10 grid of 100mm squares.  For land games such as a raid one long side will be the River or estuary line with ten blue squares.  60 cm by 100 cm (or 2 ft by 3 ft to the Imperialists among us) is a small tabletop.  

I'll be using a green felt tabletop, with a purpose drawn grid for land games on a blue backing, that becomes the sea when you turn the board over.  Jumbos in the Paphos Mall sells a poker set that comes with a green blaze that is twice the size I need so I cut a section out with a wavey line along one long edge for the river/coast. This was glued down onto a simple blue card base, also gridded 6 by 10.

Keith Benson recommends using modern Admiralty charts, but I`m a little sceptical.  The coastline has changed over the years but the nearest I can get is a mid 18th Century French Naval chart as the basis for a campaign map.  It looks the part, and I will make it available on this blog as a cyberboard download.  I intend to use some of Keith's rules, but given that Miniwargs has the copyright I'll only put the rules I amend for my own use for download.

The Genoese Greatship of the Grand Constable of France gets its oars out.  It needs its crew parties.

The Rules (from the the article)

1.  Deal, face up, one knight master card to each player.
2. Give appropriate palyesr all the catrds, face down that relate to their knight.
3. Give the appropriate player all the record cards face down, that fall under his ownership.
4.  Give each player, face down one industry card, the player should fold it to opnly expose the type of indsutery.
5.  Deal face up, one merchant card to each player.
6.  Give each playetr a copy of the Campaign Introduction
7.  Set a time limit for the reciept of each players initial orders, preferably to be written.  Communication should only be allowed between players who are physically in the same location.

Ship type table
1  Fishing smack
2  Cog
3  Nef
4  Cog
5  Nef
6  Great Ship

My own add ons

Each port along the coast will supply one group of ships.  In addition a Kings Ship/Carrack will be available to carry the Crown's representative, either the Earl, Constable or Marshal.

These ships intent is to attack a target on the coast.  If a town is caught by surprise raid rules are used.  If the fleet is unlucky the enemy have a larger force in that town and a battle occurs

Six characters compete for initiative. A D6  indicates which character may move this turn.  If one of the Kings Officers is activated he may move to collect other characters of his nationality, and they then act together.

Each character gathers a force of 1-6 ships by a roll in port of d6 on the "type of ship table" in the article.  A character also gets seven D6 movement dice.  Movement is by sectors.  Each area has a number of rolls that must be passed, with sectors that contain more shoals having a higher requirement to pass, a "Longships" mechanism.

Activated characters may move their ships using seven dice.  Passing a stage requires a roll equalling or greater than four.  A dice is discarded for each passing roll required. Failing to roll the scores of four needed means that the chatacter's ships cannot enter that area and remain where they are.

So, for instance, Eustace the Monk (1) wins initiative.  He rolls even dice to exit his ships from Boulogne.  He must discard two dice that this stage requires.  He then moves out into the channel where he now rolls five dice to attempt to pass the area.  Two of these must also be discarded.


If two forces meet at sea a naval encounter occurs, similar to a land engagement, using ship models.  Sea fights use a grid identical to the land battle, with shoals as terrain, and each ship's crew using its land values as factors.  If enemy ships enter a location with port a raid game occurs.  On a roll of 5 or 6 the port has been warned and gathered forces for defence  a land battle occurs outside the town. 

The map so far

The detail on the original eighteenth century chart works well as part of the game board.  

Characters

During the final years of King John's reign piracy across the channel became rife.  Pirate raids attacked and pillaged entire towns.  A French Prince lead the fight against John holding London and employing the pirate fleet of Eustace the Monk, a defrocked priest and Mercenary.

1.  Eustace the Monk, French Pirate
2.  William of Rye, Merchant and Pirate
3.  Sir Hugo FitzHenry, of Dover
4.  Alain de Ostende, Flanders pirate.

Both sides have leader figures, representing the two crowns at war, who command the defence contingents for each realm.

5. William Longsword, Earl of Salisbury, the Kings half brother.

6. Dreux de Mello Grand Constable of France, 72 year old Crusader.

Link to my Cyberboard gamebox.  

Link to the Cyberboard Scenario file 1215AD

The Earl of Salisbury and his fleet come out to face the French

And the grapples go over.  Fighting begins.

Eustace great ship Galley suffers casualties

A Cog seizes onto a Nef.  The Archers are confronted by the boarding Men at Arms.

A French Cog is the only survivor of Eustace attack.

The fleet, ten ships with two more Nefs under construction.

The Brig Fortunate Son

Fortunate Son in the Bahamas

One of the stalwarts of my Bahamas game will be the Yankee Brig Fortunate Son.  This is one of the Warlord Brig models, made up with a "baby puke yellow" strake and flying the flag of the new Republic (When I get around to rigging her).
The Captain of the Brig is young Credence Clearwater, of the Newport Clearwater's.



Biography
Captain Credence Clearwater.

Born in Newport Rhode Island in 1750, Credence was the only child of Augustus Clearwater, a shipping magnate and politician.  Even with this "Silver spoon" upbringing Credence was sent to sea in one of his father's merchant ships, John B, Sloop, at the age of twelve, and served as a ships master from the age of eighteen.

Credence commanding
Fortunate Son in action

Augustus political career as Congressional delegate and later Senator for Rhode Island gave young Credence the connections to become one of the first Captains of the fledgling Continental Navy.  When the Revolutionary War broke out he commissioned the Brig Fortunate Son as a Privateer, later taken into the Rhode Island naval Militia and then the Continental Navy.

Criticism was leveled that the Fortunate Son's war focused not on Rhode Island, but on protecting the Clearwater's trade on the Bahamas, however the brig took part in the capture of Nassau, and several actions against Royal Naval and British privateer ships.

Credence

When the Continental Navy was disbanded following the war Credence and his father resurrected their shipping and trade empire, in what became known as the "Clearwater Revival." When in 1794 the Naval Act recalled the younger Clearwater to the Colours, he was given command of the USS Rhode Island against the Barbary pirates.

War with Britain broke out again in 1812 and Credence fought several dazzling single ship actions, before his death on the quarterdeck as Rhode Island was captured by the Royal Navy.
The Senators son was hailed as a founding Captain of the US Navy and posthumously awarded the "Fidelity Medallion" of the State of Rhode Island.

Building the Fortunate Son.

£16 from the Durham model shop.  Pretty much a great bargain for the pair of Frigates and four Brigs.  I`m not keen on Warlord's sails or ratlines but my own look not too bad. Given that I acquired two more Brigs from the free giveaway in Wargames illustrated, and scratch built several more to the same scale, this one box game me all the ships I needed.

In fact I still have two Brigs and a frigate unbuilt.

Good value!

One of the Brig sprues.  In a really old fashioned trick I paint the sprues before cutting out.

The hull with a "baby puke yellow" strake. 

With the masts fitted, a coat of stain and one of Marine varnish... what else!  Fortunate Son is taking shape here, resting on the wargames diary I`m supposed to be giving up to use this blog instead.   

A close in detail shot.  She carries eighteen guns, and they are modeled run out for action.  Next steps will be sails, rigging and ratlines.  Fortunate Son will give HMS Ariel a run for her money in the Bahamas...

Modifying Post Captain

Post Captain by GQ is probably the most complicated rule system I use.  Not easy to learn, not easy to play, they have twisted my noodle on many occasions.  Part of the issue is the need to use a simultaneous paper record, although for Age of Sail game this is pretty much standard if you want any level of detail at all.  For these rules however the paper record is a ream too far.

I suppose the Holy grail would be to use a large scale ship model with 28mm figures, damage markers etc. .. but large models don't reflect the movement in an Age of Sail game without a sports hall floor being handy.  Small models and index cards have become the norm.


Many Age of Sail Games use similar if less complicated tally cards, it's inelegant but a necessary evil.

Red, white and blue phases (but not always) load, fire and reload, with different rates for different crews, nationalities and types of gun...

Tasks and extended tasks that may cover different time periods, depending on the training and skill of the crew.  

Changing sail sets, losses and damage.
Repair assignments, Gun crew assignments,  Boarding party assignments.   

And these are just the straightforward things, the basic rules...

I'm not selling it well, and that is a shame because for me there is one area that makes Post Captain my Age of Sail game of choice, and that is single ship actions.  In particular actions involving smaller rate vessels.  In those circumstances this game comes into its own,  exceeding even "Signal Close Action" a brilliant game with a huge flaw- its incomprehensible gunnery rules.   Unlike Signal Close Action however Post Captain actually works.

There is another reason I prefer Post Captain to just about any other set I've tried and it's because, despite the vast complexity, it feels right.  Captaining an age of Sail ship should feel complex, and it does.
All of that still doesn't make me feel any better about the large scale pen and paper use and tiny writing needed.  My solution was to take a look at my 10mm scale model ships.

The ship card in Post Captain is actually one of the things I think is straight forward.  Contrary to its appearance I find it intuitive and easy to use.  With a plastic cover and a non permanent marker it works well, still complicated but in the spirit of the game. 


But take a look at that Deck Log, compiled phase by phase, tiny writing required.  Dozens of factors, an arm load of task codes to take into account, a game that can feel like accountancy, especially if you line up a pair of 74s and go to.

HM Topsail Cutter Pickle,with her Commander, Lt Norman Pitkin RN standing proudly in the bows, having just avoided a roll on the collision table.  Long suffering Masters Mate Wilfred Grimsdale has taken over at the tiller to do the actual sailing. "Mr Grimsdale Mr Grimsdale!"

I'm getting somewhere near the mark with 10mm figures on a 1/144 ship.  HM Topsail Cutter Pickle (above) is of course a little limited for the detail of Post Captain but using my crew figures as "Crew Factors" is a real possibility, and the Officers too would come in  useful. I have  something like 20 British sailor bases 16 Marines, and the same if not even more French. 

The Boarding Phase would also be possible using this level of vessel, but I have storage issues, and for now I'm sold on the 1:700 for my small ship actions, keeping these 10mm  model ships for cutting out actions.

These crew figures however can be recruited for an alternative way of doing all this, as well as representing Boarding parties in that (rarely seen to be honest) stage of the game. game.

Below is my design for an A5 record sheet for HMS Ariel, used to replace all of the detail of the Ship Log and the ship card.  Each ship needs a model on table as well as an A5 control card.

My 10mm figures are used as the Crew Factors on the record sheet, moved in their assigned roles boxes/circles each phase.  A clear plastic covering allows damage to rigging and hull to be recorded with a simple non permanent marker.  

If you want to load the guns, cannon balls (ball bearings, on washers to avoid rolling) go into the shot boxes.  You want to double shot, add an extra ball!  Fire marker flames go on the parts of the ship  so affected.  Boarding Parties are mustered on the Foc'sle, Waist or Aft, using an Officer figure and the crew and Marines assigned.

HMS Ariel has six crew factors, and two Marine Factors.  She has three gun boxes per side representing 9x12pdr guns each side.   Her remaining two guns have been moved forward as chasers, one on each bow.  At full sail she can make an impressive 13 Movement Factors, and even under Battle sail can use 8MF.

Some of my house rules.

Well if I'm going to go to the trouble of using miniatures to record the progress of my games I may as well clear up some of my niggles at the same time.

Post Captain recognises different sized gin crews for different sizes of gun.  Crew factors represent 24 men but break down into fractions to crew each three guns represented by a cannon box. The big 18pdr chasers on Fearless are however about the heaviest guns I intend to use, except for the carronades, which by their very nature don't need huge crews, so I assign 1 Crew factor to 1 gun box, type irrelevant.  
I
do have some single figure crewmen marked 1/2, because some damage will kill half a crew factor, or half a Marine but fractions? Really? Forget it.

To keep a small ship sailing one crew factor is needed on sail trim, but to turn the crew must climb about in the rigging.  I modified this to include a mast box.  Assign a crew factor to each of the masts to change sail or trim during a turn.

Similarly I introduced repair boxes for crew allocation.  If you are hulled past the Bold marked boxes the ship will begin to sink without repair, so crew must be allocated to repair and to the pumps.

Given that in Post Captain there is barely enough crew to man the guns it makes the Captain's life one of difficult choices.  

The sail boxes also get a dry wipe pen mark through as that sail is furled.  Speed is determined by the sail press and can be seen at a glance this way.

For campaigns I don`t "reconstitute" crew factors.  They go to the "Orlop," or more accurately into a box to be diced for after the game.  Huge casualties from gunfire were exceptional, but the morale effect must have been terrifying, and keeping crew factors fighting is often impossible.  

There are ways to breathe additional life into the game by using this system that do not add much in the way of complication.  Post Captain for instance, takes little notice of Midshipmen, Warrant Officers or Petty Officers. 
I have single figures on 10mm washers representing all of my key Non Commissioned Officers.  

The Carpenter goes to supervise the hull repairs, the Gunner gets on the chaser with its gun crew, etc... My Midshipmen are allocated to lead Crew Factors, as are my Lieutenants.  Lose a crew factor and the Officer with them risks himself too.  The Marines are lead by their Officer or failing that the stout Sergeant.  

A Ships Doctor, one of the Pendraken 18th Century Civilians, sits in an open topped little black box at the side of the table marked "The Orlop."   Casualty figures are sent to join him, and may not survive the experience.  French British or Yankee they all visit the same Orlop and Dr Bogenbroom eventually.

And a game!

HMS Ariel on passage to the Bahamas sights the French Brig Brie.  She comes about to investigate and hoists the challenge.  At 2000 yards both Captains prepare for battle.

Ariel may be a 20 gun 6th rate, but the Brig at 18 guns is a pretty even match, especially given that Ariel has two of her 12pdrs moved forward as chasers.

HMS Ariel 20 guns and scratch built

Brie 18, with Warlord sails and proper ratlines.

The ship card for Ariel.  The gunner is on the chaser already.

The ship card for Brie.  Crew on the yards.

Dr Bogenbroom in the Orlop awaiting his first customer.

Brie loads double shot and runs out.  The French take an extra phase to load, thus the extra balls...

But its Ariel that opens up with a chaser.  Miss!

The Gunner's crew reload and fire again

A hit, a palpable hit!  Strike one hull box for that damage roll of 1.

And a hull box is marked off on Brie. 

They cross, but Ariel gets first shot in.  On the uproll the 9 is a critical hit.  Brie is on fire.

A fire marker.  Damage parties are mustered

Brie also loses her rudder.  Gunner McTurk on Ariel is a real professional.

Brie returns fire, killing a marine group and inflicting two hull damage boxes.

A delighted Dr Bogenbroom gets his first Customers.

Brie sails on, trying to get the fire out and repair the rudder.

Ariel comes about and has another shot

...and another!

Brie gets the fire out, but not the rudder damage.  She has hull and rigging damage.

The distance opens, but that is still three hits.  Double eleven, four rigging boxes!  Brie is dismasted

...and the pumps are destroyed.  Brie is taking on water too.  

With that Brie is forced to strike.  

And lastly a look forward to next year's Bahamas game.

A Solo Jacobite Kriegspiel

Between 1745 and 1755 the Royal Survey created the "Great or "Military Map" of Scotland.  I`ve chosen the 25 miles of road between Edinburgh and Dunbar as my area for a Kriegspiel.  This is not intended for the armies of the Jacobite rebellion, but for limited battalion, company, squadron and Clan sized forces.

In Kriegsiel terms of course, in the never ending struggle between the Red and Blue, the long awaited "Return of the Exiled Prince" has occurred.  Bonnie Prince Charles Edward has erected his standard in the Highlands and the clans have rallied to him.  The Kingdom of the Red can`t be having this sort of thing occurring, and an army has been sent north to deal with the Prince.

The King's Forces have a Garrison at Dunbar, comprising a battalion of 20th Foot and a Squadron of 2nd Dragoons.  A Company of 20th Foot are garrisoning North Berwick, and Dragon patrols are sent daily as far as Haddingtown.  Two guns have been brought up from Berwick upon Tweed, with drovers and a few specialist gunners of the Royal Artillery.  

The Garrison at Dunbar is commanded by Colonel the Hon Quincey Whigamore,  friend of the Duke of Cumberland.. He commands the 20th Foot.   Captain, the Viscount Farthingdale, a hopeless idiot, commands the 2nd Dragoon Squadron.


The Jacobites have raised their standards in Edinburgh, but to little apparent enthusiasm from the locals. 

A troop of Ballbag's Horse are in Preston and two Companies of Regt Irelandais in Pinkie .  Four guns have been supplied from Edinburgh Castle.  

Quincy Breck Stuart has been confirmed as being among the rebel leaders, with clansmen from the McQuilps, and the McLurks (under Rob Roy McLurk himself).  The real threat however comes from the presence of four Companies of 2nd Regt Irelandaise, Wild Geese, Irish Regulars trained and paid for by the French King, under Major Seamus O'Finnigan.

The map, Edinburgh to Dunbar

The forces I will be using are 10mm, by far my biggest collection.

I also feel that even though I am a solo wargamer, I must declare I am a Jacobite sympathiser.  Robert Louis Stevenson is to blame for this.  The game however will be written as a solo, and it will be easier to play the Government Forces.  

With this in mind I know that the Jacobites are somewhere on this map, in three forces, but not where they are.  They will be encountered through either an event, or one of the three Government forces passing an encounter mark on the map.

Civilians on the Map: 2D6

2   Bonnie Flora McDoughnut
3   Wee Davie Balfour of Shaws
4   Captain Hoseason of the Ship Covenant
5   Ebenezer Balfour of Shaws
6   Mr Campbell the Minister
7   Robin Oig the turncoat Scout
8   Broon Parker o' the Glens
9   Overbold Mistress MacPherson
10 "Soupie" Campbell of North Berwick
11 Wee Crankie Jimmy
12 The Poet, Scotland's own bard, William McGonagall

Events

Rolled every hourly turn for each Government Officer commanding a Force on the map.

Roll 2d6
2  Weather D6, 6 good, 1 bad
3  The smell of the heather
4  Burning buildings
5  A Discipline problem
6  Can I smell haggis and neeps?
7  A lame horse for the Officer
8  A manure cart blocks the road
9  King George's Writ
10 The mist comes in/goes out
11 A skirmish A to F
12 A scenario  G to L

Scenarios

SCENARIO A: First Clash, the Baldy Moor
SCENARIO B: The ship from France
SCENARIO C: McGregor's Bridge
SCENARIO D: Musket balls and turnips
SCENARIO E: The Dragoon patrol
SCENARIO F: Retreat to the stone walls
SCENARIO G: Widow Broon's Bridge
SCENARIO H: Attack on the garrison
SCENARIO I:  The enemy's enemy.
SCENARIO J:  A long way from home. 
SCENARIO K: Starry starry night. 
SCENARIO L: Defending Quilp's Battery

Forces

The Government 

Colonel Quincey Whigamore 20th Foot
Major Fergus Sair-arse
6 Line Infantry @ 4 points each  
2 Shock Infantry @ 6 points (Grenadiers)
1 Medium Gun @6 points
Lt Foule-Stench
1 Dragoons @ 6 points

20th Foot, Advance Party
Capt Best-Arsewynde
3 Line Infantry @ 4 points each
Lt. Bryan Bythebook 
1 Shock Infantry @ 6 points (Grenadiers)
1 Light Infantry @ 6 points

2nd Dragoons Captain Farthingdale
3 Dragoons @ 6 points each
Lt. Roy Broon (Chubby)
2 groups of Vestrymen @ 4 points each

The Jacobites

Major O'Finnigan French Regular
2 Line Infantry, Regt Irlandaise @ 4 points each
1 Large unit Aggressive Highlanders @ 6 points each
1 Light Gun @4 points

The Clan McLurk
Rob Roy McLurk, The Savage Wee Laird
3 Large units Aggressive Highlanders @ 6 points each
1 Light Gun @4 points
1 Gillies, Irregular Light Infantry @ 6 points

Ballbag's Hussars
Colonel Sir Elliot Ballbag
2 Light Dragoons @ 6 points each
The Laird of Prebends Dragoons
1 Dragoons @ 6 points 
The McQuilp Clan under the Fierce Lard
1 Large unit Aggressive Highlanders @ 6 points each

Additional Kings Officers

Lt the Hon (Slippery) Dick Twister
Lt Gaylord Thrust
Lt the Hon, Richard "Wheezer" Barfe-Chunks. Trait: Wheezy
Vivian Swift-Cummings (Cad)
Roger Ewes (the favourite nephew)
Lt. Norman Pitkin RN, of HM Cutter Pickle

Additional Highland Officers
The Laird, Sean of Cannery
Rod of the Stewart's
Laird Jackie of the Stewart's
Sir Graham of Souness
Wee Kenny of Dalgliesh
Sir Alexander of Fergus' son.

Character table using quotes from Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped...

1. A worthy, Christian man
2. He is a steady lad, a canny goer
3. Of an ancient, honest, reputable house
4. A man of learning as befits his position
5. All well-kenned gentlemen have pleasure in his society
6. A man with a country rearing
7. Quick at the conception.
8. Slow of speech
9. Prays a little while aloud, and in affecting terms.
10. A traitor of black ingratitude
11. Afflicted by the dumb palsey
12. Suffers the Gout
13. Smokes like a kiln
14. An old red-faced gentleman on a grey horse
15. A dapper little man in a beautiful white wig,
16. Stout, dark and sour-looking
17. A mean, stooping, narrow-shouldered, clay-faced creature
18. Smallish in stature, but well set and as nimble as a goat
19. A face of good open expression, but sun-burnt very dark
20. Heavily freckled, ginger haired and pitted with the small-pox
21. His eyes betrayed a kind of dancing madness in them.
22. Someone both engaging and alarming
23. A ragged man
24. Mighty plainly habited with a knitted nightcap atop his head

Encounters.  
Passing a red or blue dot on the map generates an encounter.

Red: Encounters on the High Road

1. A fine view of Bonnie Scrotaland 
2. A local farm hand
3. A fine healthy milk maid
4. Mist and/or rain
5. Character on the map table
6. A skirmish.  A to F

Blue: Encounters on the Low Road

1. The mist is rising/falling
2. A local beggar
3. A good Protestant Minister
4. Wagon load of farm produce/manure 50/50
5. Character on the map table
6. A skirmish G to L