The Return of Citoyen Camembert

One of the dangers of knocking about Quiberon Bay in a Brig has been made plain to me.  The old adage,  "bigger than anything faster, faster than anything bigger," does not hold true.  A frigate, with more sail press can overhaul Fearless in a chase, given enough time.

The real advantage the Brig has are it's shallow draft and it's ability to use sweeps, and let's face it those carronades are pretty deadly at close quarters.  The carronades are something I must address.  Word has gone around Quiberon by now, and the French, from now on, will be trying to keep their distance and use their long guns in a fight.

I have also made an archenemy of Citizen Camembert of the Paris Naval Directory, and intend to dice at each future encounter to have him show up again.

Daylight Day five.
The dice roll is a 3, the horizon is clear.  I stand down the crew from quarters and send them to breakfast. Fearless proceeds around Belle Isle.

Hex 37
Morning watch: 0700   Clear

Hex 32/27    Forenoon watch: 0900 Clear
Wind drops to Force 2
Wind shift South Westerly
Fearless pace slows to a crawl.

Hex 26 Clear Noon

Afternoon watch: 1200
Wind shift Westerly

Hex 25/31  
Afternoon watch: 1500
Wind Holding Westerly
A French Brig off Le Cote Sauvage, beating North East
AND
Citizen Camembert in his Naval Directory Cutter, named after himself, puts out of Le Palais on Belle Isle
A sea fight is in the offing.

Langres a French Brig commanded by Captaine Taleggio, a rabid Italian Republican and the random dice roll indicates that she is in company with the cutter Camembert under Citoyen  Camembert of the Paris Naval Directory.  The Cutter has only a 50 man crew aboard this time, since the Citizen has learned his lesson on overmanning.

Fearless is now rated as Crack.  Langres is Regular and Camembert is Green.
With 2NM between them they go on table.  
The weather phase reveals that rain has started to fall.  Wind is light and holding Westerly.
Fearless goes to quarters.  The Gunner and his party are sent to the bow chasers.  The Ancient McTurk readies his 18 pdrs.  With the Weather gauge Fearless moves first, and chooses to run down onto the French Brig. 

The French respond by turning onto converging tacks, but the French Brig is forced to go about to make progress.  They too go to quarters, but also double shot.

At 1000 yards the McTurk fires the port chaser.  He needs a 1 on a d12 to hit so its a long chance.
The French can't respond to this.  Presumably they begin to sing the Marseillaise to stiffen their resolve. 
Fearless turns onto a direct approach with the French brig and fires both bow chasers at 400 yards.  The odds are better, and needing a 1-4 the McTurk hits twice.  Hooray for our side!
Rigging damage on the Brig

A neat little move as Fearless turns for the Cutter and fires her carronades at 300yards.  Three hits.  Give the gunner an extra tot.  We knock out rigging and one of her starboard battery of guns.

Citizen Camembert in the faster cutter closes to board.  But the idiot masks the Langres fire!

Its Fearless that moves first and delivers a carronade broadside into the cutter at 25 yards.  I need only 1-9 to hit but miss one.  Fortunately one of my hits is critical.  an 11 and Camembert's rudder is shot away.  The cutter spins as the wind turns it upwind.

But Langres moves next and finally delivers her main battery broadside.  One hit on the up-roll, and its a good one, two rigging boxes.

Flash Harry moves slower due to rigging damage but it is perfect to allow him a return broadside.  Two rigging and a hull point.  The Frenchman will seek to board next turn I think. Harry orders grape loaded in the carronades. 

Langres loses three boarding parties in short order.  A combination of the grape loaded carronades and the fighting ability of a crack crew.  

Fearless tries to cut free, and succeeds.  The ships drift 25 yards apart.  In a rare moment of serendipity Fearless gains initiative.  Before Langres can close again the gunner gets a broadside off.

Aiming on the uproll., that 9 is a critical.  

A six and its more rigging and spars.  Langres is dismasted.  It was a close fight until that point.  We will allow the defeated Captaine Taleggio to keep his sword.   

The Langres strikes.  Fearless heads for Camembert where the good Citizen has repair crews at his rudder post.  

A reminder from the gunner as Fearless fires a bow chaser.  Camembert strikes.  He won't enjoy the food in England.

Camembert!

Midshipman Quilp (don`t look so strained boy) to take command of the cutter.  Five crew, sail her back to Portsmouth.  

Since I decided earlier that the cutter was a prize taken from the royal navy I have serious doubts that the Admiralty will pay prize money for her.  therefore Fearless will also seize the Brig. 

Two hours rigging a jury sail on Langres.  Her crew confined below, with the crew of Camembert.  At least both French crews were smaller this time!

Citizen Camembert and Capitaine Taleggio are kept aboard Fearless.  They won't like the food prepared by Preserved Catchmole, Captain Farthingdale's steward either.  "Which it is Lard pie!"

End of First dog watch: 1800
Sighting Hex 30
A fishing smack under skipper Rigotte Condrieu, with information 1 poor 6 good
I roll a 4.  Seems pretty solid information.  A French ship is anchored off the Northern point of the Isle of Houat.
May be worth a look!

Next time in Quiberon, a land action against a new battery, and cutting out operation.