Once a month the community college library I manage hosts a game night for the students. Anything goes as long as it is not electronic or computer based. We call it gaming unplugged.
Well I have been working on some 1:1000 3d printed ships at lunch and my staff twisted my arm to put on a game this Friday night. Everyone is pretty much new to miniature gaming although we will have a bunch of role players and an x-wing player in attendance. I will be using Bloody Broadsides from Portsmouth Miniatures since I find them a quick pick up. To liven it up a bit I am doing a bit of role playing with the various commands. Thus was born the scenario:
The hunt for the Marie Noire
Following the disaster at Trafalgar the commander of the Le Sagesse, a French 2nd rate, Michael Beauchamp saw the writing on the wall. A true child of the Revolution, Beauchamp had risen from near peasant origins, through luck, common sense, and a innate understanding of command to be the master of the le Sagesse. Rather than return to port he sent a message to Paris that he was going to enforce the blockade by raiding merchantmen heading to England. What he did not communicate however, was that the was going to raid such ships in the Spanish Main. Beauchamp had decided that the it was just a matter of time before the Emperor took on too many enemies. Until then he would fly the French flag, capturing merchantmen and selling their cargoes to American intermediaries, with a slight? percentage held back to pay his men and purchase supplies. After the war, well the life of a pirate had its appeal over returning to France and facing a new regime. He found the field ripe, the English commander in the area was a doddering fool and the spoils were rich. After a few battles, easily won, the Le Sagesse was rechistened the Marie Noire, or Black Mary due to it dark hull and smoke stained sails.
Things were to change. The British Admiralty did not fail to notice the failings of the local commander, Lord Mountcalm. A new captain was dispatched, Sir Ashley Whitewhit, a veteran of many battles in the Med and Atlantic. The young Whitewhit was promised a more prestigious command once the Caribbean was secured. Sir Whitewhit had risen through the ranks the old fashion way, his family had purchased his postings. But he was not without a smidgen of command talent. He was given a 3rd rate, the Whirlwind, to sail to his new post.
Once there, he relieved Lord Mountcalm and sent him back to England. His forces were small initially, a handful of 5th rate war sloops. But with that he set off to hunt the Black Mary.
The forces:
French
The Marie Noire. 2nd rate, above average commander, excellent crew (due to the slight? percentage of the spoils being taken that were distributed to the crew.)
English
The Whirlwind, 3rd rate, average commander, below average crew. (Sir Whitewhit believed in the saying that the floggings will continue until morale improves.
War Sloop 1, 5th rate below average commander, average crew. The captain was posted out her to keep him out of trouble as a favor to his father.
War Sloop 2, 5th rate. below average commander, above average crew. The captain is a rare breed. Someone aware of his limitation and willing to learn from his subordinates.
The Kicker
English War Sloop 3, 5th rate, above average commander and crew. The captain, Roger Powdyr was an English (Welsh?) version of Beauchamp. Rising through the ranks he caught the eye of Lord Nelson himself. Recommended in dispatchs several times and promised a command by the old man himself. Unfortunately the untimely death of Lord Nelson resulted in his command being this sloop in a malarial backwater. The admiralty was not quite as engaged with meritocracy as was the French. The new station commander Whitewhit (or Halfwit as Powdyr referred to him) had already made clear his career was at an end and either resignation or a dismissal for incompetence was in his future. Powdyr would do his best to avoid the latter but also would not allow himself or his crew to be sacrificed. In a crux, he might be willing to join Beauchamp in the lucrative raiding business, for the slight? percentage cut, of course.
Victory conditions:
French: Decisive: sink the 3rd rate, failing that survive by getting off the board for a minor victory
English: Decisive: sink or capture the Marie Noire. Failing that a minor victory would have Powdyr damaged enough to either sink or be put out of action, leading to his cashiering.
Powdyr: Decisive: Be the last man standing. Standard: Survive, while Whitewhit doesn't. Marginal? Switch sides.
I am hoping this will keep everyone engaged and let the role players have some fun.