Last Saturday we played the final game in our French and American naval campaign in the Caribbean 1799 and following.
Here is the AAR:
A tough game with a lot of damage!
Starting French Squadron:
50-gun (24lb) Frigate Egyptienne (150 Victory Points)
48-gun (18lb) Frigate Vengeance (137 points)
40-gun (18lb) Frigate Creole (107 points)
32-gun (12lb) Frigate Fidele (90 points)
32-gun (12lb) Frigate Fraternite (90 points)
22-gun (8lb) Corvette Berceau (58 points)
760 Victory Points at Start
Starting American Squadron were:
44-gun (24lb) Frigate Constitution (158 Victory Points)
38-gun (18lb) Frigate Congress (128 points)
38-gun (18lb) Frigate Philadelphia (124 points)
28-gun (12lb) Frigate Boston (74 points)
28-gun (12lb) Frigate General Greene (69 points)
24-gun (9lb) Sloop-of-War Portsmouth (63 points)
761 Victory Points at Start
The French system of rating ships gives a picture of more power squadron than the Americans, but the poundage of the cannons on the main gun deck and the Victory Points for each ship, which reflects tonnage of the ships, shows that the two squadrons were as closely matched in tonnage and gun power as could be set up using historical ships from each country. With six instead of the planned eight players, four ships not listed above were removed. The removed American ships were higher quality crewed than the removed French ships, which resulted in the remaining American and French squadrons being equal in crew quality.
The battle started with the two squadrons sailing on converging broad reach courses. They then turned towards each other to engage. The General Greene collided and fouled with the much stronger Vengeance and the crew of the General Greene commenced a forlorn hope boarding action against the larger and better crew quality Vengeance. The Constitution and other American ships engaged various of their opponent ships blasting and wreaking the Berceau early on. The Egyptienne and French ships also blasted and wreaked the Portsmouth early on. The crew of the Vengeance wiped out the crew of the General Greene and took possession of the General Greene, but then struggled to disengage from the fouled General Greene as several of the American squadron ships moved in to shoot into the Vengeance. The Vengeance finally worked free but then was pounded hard by the Congress and the Boston. In turn, Congress took a large amount of damage and the Boston was set on fire. Fraternite, Fidele, Creole and Philadelphia all gave and took damage in the swirling fight. Fidele suffered severe rigging damage and moved away. While blasting various opponents, the Constitution and Egyptienne finally engaged each other at medium distance, but did not close to resolve the question of which flagship was the better. Both were relatively unscathed at end of the battle, as were Creole and Philadelphia.
At end, the Americans "won the field" and took possession of the sinking hulks of the French Vengeance and Berceau, and their own sinking hulk of the Portsmouth and severely damaged Boston. The French escaped with their prize General Greene.
French Squadron at end:
50-gun (24lb) Frigate Egyptienne (-35 out of 150 points)
48-gun (18lb) Frigate Vengeance (-95 out of 137 points)
40-gun (18lb) Frigate Creole (-16 out of 107 points)
32-gun (12lb) Frigate Fidele (-35 out of 90 points)
32-gun (12lb) Frigate Fraternite (-35 out of 90 points)
22-gun (8lb) Corvette Berceau (-40 out of 58 points)
-255 points out of 760 Victory Points
Starting American Squadron were:
44-gun (24lb) Frigate Constitution (-24 out of 158 Victory Points)
38-gun (18lb) Frigate Congress (-52 out of 128 points)
38-gun (18lb) Frigate Philadelphia (-30 out of 124 points)
28-gun (12lb) Frigate Boston (-46 out of 74 points)
28-gun (12lb) Frigate General Greene (-53 out of 69 points)
24-gun (9lb) Sloop-of-War Portsmouth (-48 out of 63 points)
-254 points out of 761 Victory Points
A well fought game with severe damage to a number of ships! A very very small American victory was achieved.