Back to Quiberon Bay

HORNBLOWER: There is some speculation

about our destination, sir.

PELLEW:  What would you say if I were to tell you we were heading for- the coast of Brittany?  What would be your guess then?

HORNBLOWER: In that case, I would say Quiberon Bay, sir.

PELLEW:  Would you?  Why?

HORNBLOWER:  From my recollection, Quiberon  affords a good landing.  It is the logical choice after all.

PELLEW:  Let us pray, Mr. Hornblower, that the French Republicans don't share your logic.  Otherwise, Quiberon Bay may not be such a welcoming spot, after all.

Since I'm still building "Canadian" looking terrain for a Bay of Fundy game I decided to return to the Bay of Biscay to run a solo game.  My map in this is not the virtual one used last time but rather a large physical sea chart with 1:2400 miniatures.  It's much more A traditional Kriegsspiel type game.

HM Brig of War Fearless is once again ordered into Biscay, to run down the coast and investigate the French ports.  We are looking for their battle line ships, and let's be frank, we want Prize Money.

This time I'll be using the Black Sails rules although to be honest the rules get brigs wrong.  Fearless is one of the first carronade armed RN brigs, but other than those 6 pdr (more rarely 9 pounders) would be the common Armament.   Black Sails has them with heavy guns, when clearly a real broadside of 24 pounders would tear the ship apart.  Fearless has two 12 pounder chase guns mounted forward, and these are added to her ship card, giving her a broadside of 2C, and a forward 1LC.  

Tactically I need to close in for a fight.  

Fitting Out

Commissioned Officers
Commanding: Lieutenant "Flash" Harry Farthingdale. Wealthy background. Drinks.

Sailing Master: Alain Patissery, a Jerseyman.  Bit of a rough tarpaulin. 
Midshipman  Lucky Jack Quilp "Half-mast" Bespectacled, keen but dim. Suffered a splinter to the groin in the bay.  Strained facial expression.

Midshipman Quentin Whitemoore "Post" (since he is deaf as a post)  old naval family with patronage.

Midshipman Young Mike Stoner, of the Inverness Stoners. A mad cocksure scamp of youthful high spirits.

Warrant Officers
Masters Mate Parker Sweedlehulme. Speaks with an incomprehensible accent. 
Gunner's Mate,  The Ancient Nell McTurk
Carpenter's mate Willie Wood
Surgeon's mate Sam Saw 

Petty Officers
Sail maker  Sye Stitch
Rope maker  Henry Hemp 
Steward and Clerk: Preserved Catchmole "Which it is."
Quartermaster  Walter Wheel
Quatermaster's Mate Sammy Spoke
Bosun's mate  Kev Kosh
Coxswain  Larry Launch

Marine Sergeant, Rod Ram,
Corporal Sid Shout
Stevie Screamer, Senior Man
and Eleven men.

Seamen
Able Seamen  x 8 (2 ready for promotion to Petty Officer) 
Ordinary Seamen  x 14  (1 Drunkard)
Landsmen  x 12  (1 King's Bad Bargain) 

The Character of a Man, or indeed Woman
1	A dull fellow	11	Know-it-all
2	Dimwit	12	Shy
3	Nasty fellow	13	Prudent
4	Cellist	14	Rake
5	Lovie	15	Dandy
6	Slightly deaf	16	Sickly
7	A loud fellow	17	Over Clever
8	Cocksure	18	Bold
9	Indecisive	19	Dynamic
10	Over Confident	20	Calculating

The Log

Date:	Events
First watch: 2000 to 0000
Middle watch: 0000 to 0400
Morning watch: 0400 to 0800
Forenoon watch: 0800 to 1200
Afternoon watch: 1200 to 1600
First dog watch: 1600 to 1800
Last dog watch: 1800 to 2000
First watch: 2000 to 0000
Middle watch: 0000 to 0400

Sea State Degree	Description (Wave Height ft)	Max Sail	Sea Swell
0	Calm (Glassy)  0		0	None
1	Calm (rippled) 0	Full	1	Average
2	Smooth            1	Full + studdings	2	Long
3	Slight               4	Full + studdings	3	Short
4	Moderate         8	Main Courses +	4	Average
5	Rough             13	Tops only	5	Long
6	Very rough      19	Topgallants &  Jib	6	Short
7	High                29	Jib only	7	Average
8	Very high        45	Bare poles	8	Long
9	Phenomenal    50   +	Rolling under risk	9	Confused

My chart for Biscay is hand drawn, based on an Eighteenth century chart, mounted on a pin board.  I have read both contemporary and modern accounts of sailing in the bay, as well as maritime information for local shipping, and I wanted to add that level of detail.  I also wanted to be able to place a Campaign QRS onto the chart itself. (yet to do)  The game uses encounter and event cards when running, enabling it to work as a solo.  Some of these are pre planned set pieces taken from Napoleonic naval literature, but some are all my own.

In my last campaign game set in the bay the crew of Fearless were represented by my 10mm Napoleonic Naval collection.  This time around those are in Cyprus and I'm tempted to collect a 28mm crew for a Sharpe Practice setup.  Of necessity this would be limited in size but I sent for some samples from Newline, and the "Lucky Jack" figure from Warlord so it looks like that is the way I'm going.

The implications of a Sharpe Practice setup in 28mm for Napoleonic Naval are of course that I will need to build Fearless as well as some ships boats and shore emplacements.  Naval games would still be decided by Post Captain, or Black Seas as a simplified option, but land games or boarding actions fought out in 28mm using Sharpe Practice.

Orders

April 1794, the Admiralty have dispatched the newly built shallow draught Brig of War, HM Brig Fearless, to a patrol of the coast of Brittany and a reconnaissance into Quiberon Bay.

The Fearless is a new type, armed largely with carronades, able to work into shallow water under sweeps, and their Lordships consider this a risky yet important cruise.  This is a passage mission into Quiberon Bay followed by a blockade mission in the bay to last two weeks...

HM Brig of War Fearless fitted out in Deptford, March 1794.  (Conquest class gun brig)

Random encounters setup.

Quiberon Encounters

Area One, Around the Raz

The patrol is to pass along the coast to the South east corner.

Wind is a prevailing Northerly.  

Contact rolls each watch:

6.  Weather worsens

5.  Weather clears

4.   Fishing smack 

3.   Merchant vessel

2.   Enemy (Lower strength)

1.   Enemy (Higher strength)

Area 2, the Maelstrom

1.  Engagement off the Pennemarc rocks

2.  The Privateers of the Penmarch

3.  The Battery at Fort Saint Marine

4.  Point L'Abe

5.  La Hume

6. The Maelstrom 

Area 3, The Quimper Privateers

1.   The Bay de la Florets.

2.   A broken 74.

3.   The Devil's Teeth

4.   Action off Le Pignon

5.   The Isle Penfret

6.   The Chase into Quiberon 

Area 4 Quiberon

1.  The French Prize

2.  A captured RN Frigate

3.  The Houat shore battery

4.  Weather change

5.  Fishing smack

6.  The Directory's Privateer and the Beniguet Passage.  Nine cables wide and seven fathoms deep.