Battle Reports

[a7xfanben]

@vixenishcoder66: Great game and report! It looks like you should have won by a bigger margin, since the Superbe's L-range guns can't normally hit the St. Joan. As for the report, one could argue that it was a little long or had too many pictures for a basic 40 point game, but I thought you did a great job explaining the finer details of what happened.

No offense meant by this to anyone, but for me, seeing physical people in BR's can take me out of the game a little bit. I like to think of the ships as real-life vessels and I imagine them actually sailing during the game, so seeing someone's arm just below the captions I'm reading can take a little away from the "adventure on the high seas" vibe. It might be just me though. (weirdly I have the same Millennium Falcon shirt as the other person in the background lol)

[vixenishcoder66]

a7xfanben wrote:

@vixenishcoder66: Great game and report! It looks like you should have won by a bigger margin, since the Superbe's L-range guns can't normally hit the St. Joan. As for the report, one could argue that it was a little long or had too many pictures for a basic 40 point game, but I thought you did a great job explaining the finer details of what happened.

I'm glad you pointed that out. Interpreting images from two weeks ago I definitely forget how certain parts of the game went. I know that St. Joan's ability was used correctly so I miss interpreted my pictures and overlooked my fleet's abilities. I will probably take down the report and attempt to remember and correct that last bit of the game.

Also I understand how seeing people (or cats ) in battle reports can take a way from the story. It doesn't really bother me because sometimes I like seeing how the game is being played (e.g where and on what type of surfaces or how people organize and store their sets). For more professional looking reports I will try to minimize it.

I'm glad to see so all the recent VASSAl reports. Thanks for sharing those!

[a7xfanben]

vixenishcoder66 wrote:

Also I understand how seeing people (or cats ) in battle reports can take a way from the story. It doesn't really bother me because sometimes I like seeing how the game is being played (e.g where and on what type of surfaces or how people organize and store their sets). For more professional looking reports I will try to minimize it.

I hate the word professional and nearly all it entails. XD I wouldn't say it's less professional, it's just that I find it distracting for an arm to consistently be right below the captions I'm reading. For some of the pictures it's impossible not to think about since it's almost like the person is watching you somehow (facing you with arms on the table), and the "oh he must be married", "oh he has a Darth Vader shirt on", etc, are very hard to ignore and not be distracted by. This isn't meant to sound like a lot of criticism, I just wanted to explain myself more.

What I've thought about for my future games is doing a player profile type thing at the beginning or end of the report, so there's no mystery or distraction during the report itself (ie. Dan is a married Star Wars nut who wants to imagine the Superbe's L-range guns as turbolasers, etc)

[a7xfanben]

Just played a game of Water World on VASSAL with repkosai!

Each of us controlled 2 fleets that would be played independently of one another. The build total was a small but exciting 20 points!

The order of play:

6 gold bonuses at 20 points (a7xfanben)

Corsairs (repkosai)
Queen of Sheba + captain, cannoneer
Arrogant + captain, shipwright

Pirates (repkosai)
Cursed Blade + Coconut, captain, helmsman

Feisty Libellule + Rover (a7xfanben)

4 wild islands with 8 coins apiece, and 4 home forts with 8 cannons apiece.


The game begins, and the Libellule proves feisty indeed! I know much of a game-winner the gold bonus abilities are, and with a lucky SAT from Roimata I was able to cripple my other fleet on the first turn! The Libellule missed her shots and ram, but the boarding part was what mattered. The chieftain was eliminated and rolled a 6 to eliminate 3 of his native canoes!!


Another SAT, and more carnage in the north: the Libellule wreaks further havoc, blasting masts off the Alquimista and Queen of Sheba and eliminating a canoe.


With more extreme luck on my part, the French absolutely dominate! The Libellule is a one-ship wrecking crew, eliminating the Spanish by taking out their last canoe and dismasting the Alquimista! The Arrogant looks to salvage the Queen of Sheba, while the French have even more luck! The Mermaid finds Turtles in the southeast! However, this allows the Cursed Blade to fly under the radar....


After capturing the Alquimista and QoS, Roimata sets her sights on the Arrogant.


The female named crew of the Libellule prove effective once more, as the Arrogant falls and so do the Corsairs! At this point, the Libellule has single-handedly eliminated half of the starting fleets and captured 3 ships.


The Turtles reached the French home fort, where the Alquimista and QoS looked to repair. The French hastily made plans for a possible attack....


The Pirates continue to run gold, while the French amass an empire relative to the tiny build total! Here they control 45 points total, more than twice what they started with. With 5 now-healthy ships, they look to the southwest and the Pirate fort that is burgeoning with shiny coins.


The Cursed Blade is about to round earth to the southeast, while the Alquimista stays behind to finish a little gold factory operation.


The fun of round earth! The Cursed Blade gets Homing Beacon, but can't quite use it.


The Mermaid tries to block the Cursed Blade's route home, while the Libellule waits for an SAT from Roimata to start the assault on the fort.


Attack!! Sudden chaos at the Pirate home fort! The Cursed Blade got home via Homing Beacon (not using round earth), but the French attacked in full force. The first bombardment took out 3 of the fort's 8 cannons, while the Arrogant, Mermaid, and Alquimista tried to get into position.


The Cursed Blade dismasts the Mermaid and damages the QoS. The fort sank the Libellule, ending her string of luck and taking out the surefire MVS (Most Valuable Ship) of this contest. The Alquimista and Arrogant battled the fort for a few more turns, but eventually were overcome by the superior firepower. The Arrogant barely escaped...


... but she was cornered by the Cursed Blade to end the game! Despite the 10 gold from Turtles 6 gold from the Alquimista's bonus, it wasn't even close. The Pirates had found all the good coins for a whopping 59-31 victory!


This was a fun and unique game that saw absolute domination by a single ship until the actual gold was counted. Repkosai enjoyed the introduction to the Water World rules, and we look forward to playing more unique games in the future! Hope to see you on VASSAL on August 11th-13th!

[repkosai]

The following contest was scheduled for two 40pt fleets, using 6 islands and a... bit of terrain...


Yeah, a bit...

In this corner, comprised of three two-masted galleys, Repkosai's Runners!
Queen of Sheba
Captain
Helmsman

Scorpion
Helmsman
Oarsman

Sahara
Helmsman
Explorer

And their opponents, hailing from the gilded waterways of the Armada's own personal playground, Wifey's Spanish Smackdown!
La Monarca
Helmsman

El Duque
Captain

Asesino de la Nave
Captain

The battle began with southerly movements by both fleets. The Corsair ships fan out to explore as much as quickly as possible, while the Spanish fleet sticks closer to each other at the start.

Good Fortune comes the way of the Corsair Galleys early, as a unique treasure is found on the second turn of the game - Homing Beacon!



Having such a break allowed the Queen of Sheba to dock and unload before the Spanish fleet was far from the shadow of their own home island. Additionaly, the Queen leaves her Explorer at home, making more room for future treasure. Sensing the urgency of the moment, the Spanish deploy La Monarca on a mission to collect as much gold as possible, while El Duque and Asesino de la Nave attempt to corral their prey.

Unfortunately, the galleys deftly evade their pursuers. With the trio proving too swift to capture, El Duque reluctantly enters the gold game. With Asesino de la Nave stranded in open ocean with no clear objective, the Corsairs' gold advantage steadily grows.


Not over yet, but starting to get late

The Queen of Sheba manages to catch La Monarca dipping into southern waters without an escort, and opens fire! The galley lands a hit on the Spanish ship, but is scared away by an emerging Asesino de la Nave, who changed course to try interference around the Corsair's home island.Finally, the Spanish maneuver the Queen of Sheba into a tough spot! Rather than outrun the Asesino de la Nave, the emboldened Queen turns back to fire on her pursuer... and misses! These errant shots allow Asesino to turn her guns loose, and she wouldn't waste her opportunity. With one ship down, a ray of hope emerges for the Spanish!


Asesino de la Nave, holding true to her name

Taking an eye-for-an-eye approach, the Corsairs set sights on La Monarca. The Spanish runner had collected a fair amount of gold, but putting her out of commission would certainly put a damper on any late-game collection thoughts the Spaniards might have. In a few turns, the Sahara and Scorpion manage to corner La Monarca, and dispatch the speedy vessel to the deep.


The 'Unwelcome' party.

With available coins dwindling, El Duque cuts off the most direct path for the Corsairs to reach the island previously explored by the Spanish alone. The galleys find an alternate route, but lose valuable time. The Spanish use this time to set the Asesino de la Nave up to ambush the galleys on their return voyage.



And in a few turns, the Spanish plan is sprung! with only the narrowest of margins, the Sahara places herself in harms way, obsuring the Asesino's line of sight to the Scorpion, who carries the last of the treasure with her. The Asesino fells the Sahara, but cannot catch the Scorpion as she speeds home. The contest ends in a 41-13 victory for the Corsair galleys.

[a7xfanben]

Just played a game with Repkosai using Cadet-Captain Mike's random setup tables! Repkosai made the rolls to avoid my bad luck giving us a more boring setup. He rolled a 5-4-6, which gave us: "Free ships totalling 8 masts; One generic crew on each ship, plus two generic crew & one named crew (all free)".

With that, it was clear that you could afford many of the lesser used small ships with high point costs.

Repkosai went first with an American fleet:
Enterprise + Commodore David Porter , cargo master, helmsman
USS Kettering + captain, helmsman

I went with one of the strangest fleets I've ever constructed, and possibly one of the oddest fleets of all time:
Barnacle + helmsman
Loki + helmsman
HMS Swiftsure + captain, stinkpot specialist
Seven Brothers + helmsman
Sea Storm + captain, helmsman
Dharma + Bonny Peel , helmsman
Kalaallit + captain
Le Jongleur + helmsman

Round earth rules. I made sure to include various UT's, including some wacky and potentially game-changing ones!


The Americans head northwest, while the mixed fleet immediately scatters. My strategy was to raid the American HI with the Loki and Jongleur after the Enterprise docked home. The Sea Storm was a suicidal pest, while the Dharma and Swiftsure were more tactical gunships (especially the Dharma, with Bonny Peel potentially being a nice surprise between the named crew in the opposing fleet and the Longship's +1 boarding bonus). The KL was a hybrid, but ran gold at the start. The Seven Brothers and Barnacle were the most direct gold runners, and I wanted the Barnacle to find at least one of the UT's I dumped in...


In an annoying circumstance for both sides, the Enterprise picked up Enemy of the State! Not only could the Americans not unload her gold, but the mixed fleet couldn't steal it via HI raiding! At the extreme south and east of the sea, the Dharma and Loki look to round earth and surprise the Americans. The Swiftsure and Sea Storm watch the Kettering, almost as eager to stay out of range as they are to pounce.


In the south, the KL finds Ammunition and Driftwood. In the north, the Barnacle finds a UT and some good gold, along with the Dead Man's Chest UT. The DMC was included since the unique setup rules allowed me various free generic crew. I purposely included only 1's for regular coins, in order to maximize my personal benefit if the DMC was used properly. With 3 of the islands explored and only one left, the Swiftsure knows what she must do....


With the Enterprise unable to dock, the Americans headed northeast to try and eliminate the Dead Man's Chest UT from the Barnacle. I made a comment about blowing the game up, but little did the Americans know, I meant it literally! In what looked like a bizarre and suicidal move, the gold-laden Barnacle rammed the huge and powerful Enterprise! The other UT the Barnacle had found was... Explosives! I rolled a lucky 6 and both the Barnacle and Enterprise were blown up!! Luckily the Enterprise had found some Driftwood of her own (separate from that on the KL), which saved Porter, who grabbed onto a log just in time for the explosion to simply throw him to a nearby wild island.

However, this was just the beginning of my nefarious plans, as the Seven Brothers finally explored her island to find another crazy UT: PLAGUE! The Swiftsure had the fastest base move in my fleet, and immediately zoomed up to the SB and grabbed the Plague. This eliminated the Swiftsure's captain and stinkpot specialist, but the Plague was more valuable in deterring the Kettering from interfering with the endgame, which was approaching quite rapidly. As for my other ships, the KL is headed home with gold, the Jongleur looks to grab some gold from the SB so she's not trucking it home at just S speed, the Dharma is unable to attempt crew captures from the Kettering due to bad fog rolls, the Sea Storm heads north again to provide bait for the Kettering, and with no gold on the American HI available for stealing, the Loki looks to pick up a coin left over from the KL's haul.


The Kettering loaded Porter aboard, and the Sea Storm let herself sink so the Swiftsure could ram the Kettering and unload the Plague to kill all the American crew. (the Kettering wouldn't have caught the KL in time anyway, who was busy unloading gold from the Mercenary ship Jongleur) The Dharma eventually got in on the action against the Kettering, but soon it was evident that the mixed fleet had prevailed. In a very strange setup, the mixed fleet had won 13-0.

This is a great example of what happens in Pirates - just as Gore Verbinski said, "everything that can go wrong will go wrong". Not a single strategy in either fleet worked properly. The Enterprise wasn't able to run gold or fight, and was simply blown up without firing a shot. The Kettering managed to do some damage late in the game, but to no avail. My fleet wasn't able to steal gold from the American HI, capture crew with Bonny Peel, or use many of the ships as intended.

It was a fun game, though lopsided as I tried to exploit the setup rules as much as possible, going with the maximum number of ships and generic crew. I believe my fleet totalled 126 points against just 53 for Repkosai, which is one of the only flaws of the random setup tables. However, we both enjoyed the game and hope to use the tables again in the future!

[godmason]

Played my first game in over a year today! Just a pick-up game, nothing too serious. I used one of my fleet ideas and got spanked, so that didn't go so well, but lessons learned. One of the finest moments was when my dad, whose fleet consisted of La Danae, Le Descharges, and La Bonne Chance had filled the hold of Descharges and was pursuing with Bonne Chance and he said out loud to the whole table...

"I'm coming at you with my junk, and I've got a full discharge!"

[pirateaj14]

This is the first battle report I have written so comments are appreciated:)
This game used Cadet-Captain Mike's random setup tables. The setup was a 4 player, 40 point game with no 0LR or +5 crew. The fleets were set up as followed:

American:
Enterprise + Captain
Freedom
Rattlesnake

English:
HMS Nautilus + Captain
HMS Clear Wind
HMS King John + Helmsman
HMS Galway

Pirate:
Pride + Captain
HMS Rickets
Cutlass
Bloody Jewel

Spanish:
La Resolucion + Victor de Alva
El San Jose
La Serpiente
El Algeciras

The overview of the map (from Spain's point of view) Spain in the south,
America in the west, England in the north, and the Pirates in the east.
The outer 8 islands had 4 gold on them and the center island had 10 gold.


The Americans went first, and the ships all moved for the first turn: The gold runners for the islands, the gunships toward their nearest neighbor.

In the second turn, the Enterprise moved and shot at La Resolucion and scored two hits.


HMS Nautilus moved and shot two of the Pride's masts and HMS Galway rammed a mast off the Cutlass.


With a ram from HMS Rickets and a shot from the Cutlass the HMS Galway is derelict and HMS Rickets starts towing it. The Pride knocks a mast off HMS Nautilus

The Spanish vengeance was quick and deadly. La Reso, courtesy of Victor de Alva, shot two masts off the Enterprise and killed the Enterprise's captain in a S-board. The El Algericas/La Serpiente combo rammed two more masts off, leaving the Enterprise in bad shape.


Turn 3:
The Enterprise retreated and the Freedom tried to help, but missed 3 times at El Algericas.

HMS Nautilus dismasts the Pride and the Cutlass.


HMS Rickets for the Pirates tows HMS Galway towards home, and the Pride's scuttle roll succeeds.

La Resolucion continues its rampage by derelicting the Enterprise and knocking a mast off the Freedom. El Algericas starts the long procedure of towing the Enterprise back home, and La Serpiente doubles its cannon ranges and shoots a mast off the Freedom.


During this time, the Rattlesnake, Bloody Jewel, El San Jose, HMS Clear Wind, and HMS King John were all collecting gold.

Turn 4:
The two-masted Freedom rammed one of El Algericas' masts off.


HMS Nautilus moved around the derelicts and shot 1/2 against the HMS Rickets.


With a ram from the Bloody Jewel and a shot from HMS Rickets, the Nautilus is derelict and the BJ(short for Bloody Jewel) tows the hulk. The Pride sinks by scuttling.


El Algericas and La Reso dismast the Freedom, and La Serpiente decides to pick up some gold at a wild island.


Turn 5, 6, & 7:
To not bore you with monotony through these three rounds, I will sum it up for you. Gold was docked home by the Rattlesnake, Bloody Jewel, El San Jose, HMS Clear Wind, and HMS King John. The derelicts the Pirates captured were brought home and the gold runners headed towards the center island, which was brimming with loot.


Turn 8:
The gold ships from all the factions but England close in on the center, but the HMS Clear Wind stops and picks up a leftover 1 coin from its original gold run and the HMS King John docks at the same wild island it first went to and picked up 2 3s. The BJ reaches the center island, and the Nautilus and Galway repair while the HMS Rickets heads out towards the center. El San Jose rams a mast off the BJ.


Turn 9:
The Rattlesnake docks at the center island to grab some goodies.

The HMS Clear Wind and the HMS King John head toward the center.

The BJ shoots a mast off El San Jose and HMS Rickets and HMS Galway sail to help while HMS Nautilus repairs.

El San Jose misses its shot at the BJ, La Serpiente heads out to support her, and La Resolucion and El Algericas are nearing home.

The overview of the center:


Turn 10:
The Rattlesnake gets first crack at the gold, getting 2 4s and 3 3s.

The HMS Clear Wind attacks by ramming the Rattlesnake, missing and losing the board as well, losing a 1 coin in the process. The HMS King John rams the BJ, knocking her last mast off and starts towing her.


HMS Galway rams and boards the HMS King John, losing both, while HMS Rickets rams the last mast off El San Jose, and the repaired HMS Nautilus heads out to the center.


La Resolucion docks home with the Freedom while El Algericas and the Enterprise repair, the latter with an EA. The El San Jose tries to scuttle and succeeds. La Serpiente heads toward the center.


Turn 11:
The Rattlesnake misses both shots but builds the Thompson's Island fort on the center island, who shoots 5/5 dismasting HMS Clear Wind and HMS King John. The Clear Wind is captured and is going to repair at the fort next turn.


The English have to scuttle all their ships, but only the BJ succeeds.

HMS Rickets and HMS Galway shoot a combined 3/3 and sink the BJ, HMS King John, and El San Jose. The HMS Nautilus moves and shoots 2/3 on the fort, taking off two flags. The English are eliminated.

The big 3 Spanish ships all repair as El Algericas heads out and La Serpiente docks at a wild island.

Turn 12:
The Rattlesnake and the American fort combined to leave the HMS Nautilus with 1 mast.


HMS Nautilus rams the Rattlesnake and boards her, missing the ram but stealing a 3 coin. HMS Rickets and HMS Galway combined to knock another flag off the fort.

La Serpiente and El Algericas clean out a entire island which had a 5, a 3, and 2 2s. The Enterprise, La Resolucion, and the Freedom repair.


Turn 13:
The Rattlesnake derelicts and captures the HMS Nautilus and docks it at the fort. Thompson's Island dismasts HMS Galway and HMS Clear Wind repairs.


HMS Rickets shoots 1 flag off of the fort and the Galway can't scuttle.

The Enterprise and the Freedom repair while La Resolucion heads out toward the center. El Algericas and La Serpiente head home with gold.

Turn 14:
HMS Nautilus and HMS Clear Wind repair while the Rattlesnake heads home with gold.

HMS Rickets misses its shot at the fort and the Galway still can't scuttle.

The Enterprise with an EA starts out to chase down the Rattlesnake while the Freedom finishes repairing. La Resolucion keeps going as El Algericas docks home and La Serpiente gets close.

Turn 15:
The Rattlesnake tries to make it home before the Enterprise can get close, and the two captured English ships repair. The fort shoots a mast off HMS Rickets.

HMS Rickets finally ends the fort's reign of terror by disabling it.


The Enterprise catches up to the Rattlesnake, ramming a mast off and stealing a 3 coin. The Freedom and El Algericas head to join La Resolucion, who is near the center. La Serpiente reaches home with gold.

Turn 16:
The combined fire of the Rattlesnake and HMS Nautilus take off two mast of the Enterprise. HMS Clear Wind sinks HMS Galway as well.


HMS Rickets destroys the fort, leaving the island free for the taking.

The Enterprise dismasts both the Rattlesnake and HMS Nautilus and starts towing the Rattlesnake. La Resolucion docks at the center island with the Freedom close behind while El Algericas turns off to pick up a leftover coin at a wild island. La Serpiente heads toward the middle.


Turn 17:
HMS Clear Wind rams a mast off HMS Rickets and the Nautilus' scuttle roll succeeds.


HMS Rickets fails her shot at HMS Clear Wind.

La Resolucion emerges and shoots 2/4 sinking HMS Rickets and the Enterprise heads slowly toward the center. The Freedom docks at the center island while El Algericas and La Serpiente pass each other on their ways to their destinations. The Pirates are eliminated.


Turn 18:
HMS Clear Wind hits one out of two shots at La Resolucion and HMS Nautilus sinks.

The Freedom loads a 3 and 3 2s from the middle island and La Resolucion dismasts the Clear Wind, ending the game.


The final gold tally:

America - 9
England - 27
Pirate - 13
Spain - 62

The Spanish win with a crushing victory!

La Resolucion and the Rattlesnake both earned battle honors for their actions in this battle.

Recap:
The Spanish succeeded in the gold game and in combat. The Americans got battered at the beginning, but the Rattlesnake kept them alive for a while. The English lost their two attack ships early, but did well in the gold game. The Pirates suffered from small gold values and no coordination in attacking. Overall a very entertaining game:)

Thanks for reading!
pirateaj14

[a7xfanben]

Nice first report! I enjoyed the various pictures and the different angles shown. Without a lot of crew, the high volume of ramming was understandable. I was very happy to see a lot of towing and captures, which is something I underrate actually.

A few tips for next time:
-It helps to have some kind of narrative rather than just a play-by-play of almost every action taken. Maybe a Spanish/American rivalry in this case, or some kind of amusing note about how discombobulated a particular nation is that day (for example). Granted, this is MUCH easier with larger and larger games, and I see you rolled for basically the standard 40 point setup on the tables (and therefore didn't have anything unique to discuss in regards to fleet construction and associated strategy). In fact, I've struggled to do this in the past, as I find it much more engaging to write (and sometimes read afterwards) BR's for huge games than for smaller ones. All that said, you also don't want to force a story that wasn't actually really happening, and sometimes you'll play a game that just isn't very exciting. (in which case I simply make a short report and look forward to the next game)

-Sometimes varying the punctuation can provide excitement or keep readers more on edge. For example, it depends on the pictures I took, but sometimes I like to end a caption with ... and then start the next picture with what happened (so the reader might think "did she miss everything or maybe hit with all cannons to dismast that flagship?!") Also, certain times throughout the game are turning points or at least points where a notable event occurs, and I like using "!" to show this. (examples in this game could be when certain factions were eliminated, and when the fort was destroyed) Once again, I sympathize with the simple 40 point setup and associated "standard" nature of the game and report. It's tough to make things seem exciting compared to some epic rivalry in a campaign game or a record-setting battle in a huge game, etc.

I assume you know these rulings already or have house ruled them/etc, and I might be interpreting the BR the wrong way, but anyway:
-In multiplayer, gold is kept face down when unloaded at HI's.
-Forts can't shoot the same turn they're built (seemed like it shot right away but I probably read it wrong).

Looking forward to more from you!

[pirateaj14]

I honestly didn't know about either one so thanks for pointing those out

[vixenishcoder66]

Good report! I look forward to more. 4 player games are always interesting because so much can happen before your next turn. More narration would be useful as it was hard to follow at times.

The amount of ramming and towing was also noteworthy plus so many scuttle attempts! Capturing the the enterprise was a great prize for the spanish!

[a7xfanben]

I have an idea. If people would like, I can feature a picture (and associated caption) from their battle report on my Instagram. I can give a shoutout to your username and provide the url of the report in the post and/or a comment. (100 followers isn't much, but hey it's kinda cool to have your stuff get seen by more people, especially with the hashtags too)

You can message/email me about it, or state it in the BR itself since I certainly plan to keep reading all the new BR's as time goes on.

[vixenishcoder66]

a7xfanben wrote:

I have an idea. If people would like, I can feature a picture (and associated caption) from their battle report on my Instagram. I can give a shoutout to your username and provide the url of the report in the post and/or a comment. (100 followers isn't much, but hey it's kinda cool to have your stuff get seen by more people, especially with the hashtags too) You can message/email me about it, or state it in the BR itself since I certainly plan to keep reading all the new BR's as time goes on.

Instagram plus perhaps the Facebook page would be a good way to show off what the community is doing. I see your vassal posts on there quite often and it's a good way to keep people in the loop.

I don't use reddit much but would that be a good place to also occasionally post or highlight Battle Reports?

[a7xfanben]

vixenishcoder66 wrote:

a7xfanben wrote: I have an idea. If people would like, I can feature a picture (and associated caption) from their battle report on my Instagram. I can give a shoutout to your username and provide the url of the report in the post and/or a comment. (100 followers isn't much, but hey it's kinda cool to have your stuff get seen by more people, especially with the hashtags too) You can message/email me about it, or state it in the BR itself since I certainly plan to keep reading all the new BR's as time goes on. Instagram plus perhaps the Facebook page would be a good way to show off what the community is doing. I see your vassal posts on there quite often and it's a good way to keep people in the loop. I don't use reddit much but would that be a good place to also occasionally post or highlight Battle Reports?

Yeah, I just wish more people from the FB group and other Pirates sites would make accounts and participate here, since this is the main hub. I have nothing against people promoting their own content on the FB page (obviously, based on how much I post there lol), which is something anyone can just do themselves.

I occasionally post links to BR's on the subreddit - mostly ones that are exceptional for some reason. (on the first page now is the first live 4 player VASSAL game, and a great 3-game session from T2 for example) I do something similar at BoardGameGeek (but more frequently), recording all of my BR's as plays and a solid percentage of them get submitted as session threads. Reddit has a different code/tag system, and you can't put pictures directly in the post, so making a BR native to reddit wouldn't work very well. (so I just link here instead)

I mentioned Instagram specifically since I haven't seen many people from here on it, at least not posting Pirates CSG stuff. My account is also the only one focused specifically on this game, so it seems fun to feature others when they want to be shown there to break up the constant stream of my own pictures.

[repkosai]

Been a while since I've done a narrative report, so here's another in the 'Fictitious Royal Navy' series. It's based on a VASSAL game wifey and I played last night. The fleets are as follows:

Repkosai - Allied Delegations

Ship 1 - HMS Ark Royal
First Mate Ismail
Thomas Gunn
Commodore Rhys Gryffyn Owen
Helmsman

Ship 2 - Persian Victory
Smokepot Specialist

Ship 3 - La Resolucion
Roberto Santana
Captain
Helmsman

Wifey - Insert Pirate-y Fleet Name Here!

Ship 1 - Darkhawk II
Explorer
Captain
Shipwright
Helmsman

Ship 2 - Neptune's Hoard
Helmsman
Explorer
Captain

Ship 3 - Foresight
Captain
Helmsman
Explorer
Shipwright

Ship 4 - Bonnie Liz
Helmsman
Explorer

From the Archives of the Royal Fictitious Navy, in the Year It Was Recorded, and Not a Moment Sooner...

AN UNEASY ALLIANCE: Lord Thomas Gunn, then Captain of the newly christened HMS Ark Royal, sets out to a conference discussing war-time alliances with the Spanish. Also in attendance at the Conference are Commodore Rhys Gryffyn Owen, retired, who'd become somewhat of a legend in the Barbary Coast after narrowly surviving a crushing defeat in the Battle of the Blinding Sea. The Spanish delegation is headed by the renowned strategist, Roberto Santana.

The talks proceeded from the English Colony of Farceshire, a port city along the Barbary Coast. After three days, with neither side wholly satisfied by the agreements in place, the delegations packed up to leave, when Pirates were seen waiting on the horizon...

Journal Entry - From the Private writings of ret. Commodore Rhys Gryffyn Owen:
I cannot believe this is how it all ends! As if being marooned in this post isn't bad enough... 'Diplomatic Envoy', heh... now, I've spent three days arguing with that grumpy old Spaniard about these 'marvelous Corsair galleys', these childrens' toys posing for ships in this area. The Gunn boy just laughs quietly and pushes forward... good enough lad, much to his father's credit... needs a shave, though. Well, at least I'll be taking leave of this pitiable location tonight, heading home to file a report with the High Command... and maybe convince them that younger blood would be better suited to the conditions here...



The Allied Fleet opens in a generally westerly heading, with the Ark Royal and Persian Victory bearing for the closest island. La Resolucion makes her way due west. The Pirates head eastward from their Home Island, save the Neptune's Hoard, who makes a break north, possibly setting the stage for early conflict. As the fleets carry on, the Hoard is the first to explore an island! Being crewed as she is, two coins are loaded up for the return run. The HMS Ark Royal breaks from her heading and tails La Resolucion, hoping to catch the Pirate schooner before she can make her escape...

Journal Entry - Commodore Rhys Gryffyn Owen, ret., Guest of Captain Thomas Gunn aboard the HMS Ark Royal:
Well now, this is more like it! Finally, after weeks of signing meaningless treaties and pointless directives, true service to the Crown has found its way back to me! Though it's not as seasoned a vessel as the Concorde was, this boat seems top-of-the-line in its handling, a testament to the superior shipbuilders in their Majesty's service. The Gunn boy has given me the finest lodgings available, and though comfort is never a priority during such times, I really must find out where he got this whiskey. The savages down this way drink the most awful swill imaginable...

Indeed, the Allied Fleet would just make it to the Neptunes's Hoard as she was turning from the island! Battle ensued, with La Resolucion scoring three hits. The HMS Ark Royal swung around the fray, hitting twice herself. With the Neptune's Hoard sunk, her 13 points of treasure are split between Home Islands.


First Blood

While the combat raged in the west, the Darkhawk II and Persian Victory safely docked at their targetd islands. The Bonnie Liz, under the protection of the Foresight, continued east. With their foe disposed of, the English/Spanish gunships turn homeward, vying to ensure safe passage for the Corsair galley and her cargo. All seemed calm in the waters...


An Unexpected, Unexplained Weather Phenomenon

...until the Bonnie Liz explored the southeast island! The small Pirate ship uncovered a variety of treasure on the isle, including the unique treasure - Lost. On a roll of 5, Fog Banks and Whirlpools are added to the map. The Pirates continue plundering the southern islands, while a more daring plan starts forming for the allied ships. La Resolucion cuts straight east, providing a visible escort for the Persian Victory. The Ark Royal, however, takes a moment to explore the island at which the Neptune's Hoard had been sunk. In the south, the Foresight passes a returning Bonnie Liz, while the Darkhawk II brings in three more coins for the Pirate cause!

Journal Entry - Commodore Rhys Gryffyn Owen, Diplomatic Envoy of the Empire of Britannia:
Hah! The overwhelming dominance of our finest holds true again! That pile of driftwood stood no chance against the might of the Ark Royal's cannonry. Little wonder it didn't drop to the ocean floor out of pure fear! I suppose it's worth noting that the Spaniards landed a glancing blow to her, as well. More of a 'warning shot' that accidentally found its mark, if you will. The Gunn boy, by our Lord, you'd swear combat was his gentle lady back home! I've never seen such fire in a man's eyes as his as she watched that dilapidated pile drop into the waters. Almost seemed angry he couldn't shoot it more, hah!

Though, now that I think of it, that ship did seem familiar. I vaguely recall a ship bearing similar sails in port some years ago, during my first campaign aboard the Concorde. Ah, such a ship... such crew... shame, the sea always seems to claim her fiercest champions at the most inopportune times... hasn't got me, yet... The locals, they say this cape is haunted... something to so with the seaweed... claim it's the hands of a thousand shipwrecks below, looking to claim another for their ranks... bah, who'd buy such silly superstition? Maybe the Countess Doone... ah, there's a woman hiding a few dozen or so things in her smile...

As the Pirates clean up the southern wild islands and prepare for a northward expedition, the Allied ships put their new gambit into play - hopping through the very whirlpools that seemed to pop up as a deterrent! The Ark Royal uses the short cut to hasten her return trip, but loses a mast in the process. The Foresight and Darkhawk II each make swiftly for home, bearing a slightly northern heading, so as to make the northern turn as smoothly as possible. The Bonnie Liz courageously ventures north unescorted, making a tempting (if not distant) target for La Resolucion.



Journal Entry - Rhys Gryffyn Owen, Commodore in Service to the English Crown:
Is he MAD!!! That damnable Gunn boy! He - he just... he DOVE this fine ship into the mouth of the tempest!!! We've somehow or other survived, damaged, unquestionably... this lad, he's just not right in the head! That's it, where's the whiskey? If I'm to be prisoner to this man-child's delusions of immortality, I'm having a good drink on the way! He'd best be forking over generous gratuities to his lads for this, I can't imagine a crew could stand behind such lunacy without a sizeable payoff!

With treasure unloaded on the Allies' Home Island from the Persian Victory and HMS Ark Royal, La Resolucion continues to stalk the Bonnie Liz, who makes her way to the western island where her sister ship fell. While the Ark Royal spends time in port to repair, the Persian Victory is the next to venture the whirlpool, managing to come through unscathed. Her position allows her to take an easterly facing when docking at the nothern island, which should allow for a swift escape, lest she be persued by the large Pirate ships in the not-too-distant south.


The Pirates, With a Tangible Coin Advantage

The Bonnie Liz docks, grabbing 7 points worth of treasure before trying to flee. Unfortunately for the Pirates, the Spanish 4-master arrives on the scene before help can arrive, sending her to the deep, and collecting 4 of the points aboard her!

As the Bonnie Liz sinks, her fellow Pirate ship sail northward to confront the Spanish aggressor. Outgunned for the first time this game, La Resolucion manages to maneuver just out of cannons' range for a turn, allowing the Ark Royal to chance the whirlpool once more. Coming through undamaged this time, the Ark Royal enters the scene as La Resolcion takes her full fury out on the Foresight, scoring 4 hits!. Unlucky rolls from the Darkhawk II allow La Resolucion to stay undamaged as the Spanish ship and her English ally combine to finish the Foresight off before she could flee.


Combat on the High Seas

The Darkhawk II hits thrice upon the Ark Royal in response, leaving the English ship derelict. The Spanish gunship manages to hit her Pirate adversary twice, but is unable to stop it from sinking the HMS Ark Royal...



...only to see her rise again at her Home Island! A moment of the Eternal keyword working out well enough, the Darkhawk II and La Resolucion leave the scene and head for their respective homes. With half the remaining ships under serious repair. the Persian Victory is free to go after what gold remains in play unimpeded. La Resolucion, serving her purpose admirably, now drifts aimlessly through the waters, guarding against a threat that no longer exists.

With the last collection unloaded at the Allied Home Island, the final tally is taken.



In a razor thin margin, the Allies win the gold game vs. the Pirates by a score of 43-42!

Journal Entry - Commodore Rhys Gryffyn Owen of the Royal Navy:
Witchcraft!!! Plain and simple, witchcraft is afoot in these waters! The Gunn boy, he's in on it too, I'd swear it! Nobody just throws himself, ship and all, into the mouth of the ocean itself! No ship should take as much water as this... this devil barge.. and stil make it home the next morn, a little wet but otherwise sturdy and reparable... No, this was the work of something dark, something sinister...

Oh, and the Countess! Lest we not forget her treachery!!! I read the Spaniards report - well, had it read TO me... that was definitely the Bonnie Liz, though she is no more! Hah! That'll teach 'Her Grace' not ot order hits on her own navy!

I wonder what she had to gain from this attack? Perhaps wanting to sabotage the alliance? It would cramp her 'negotiations' over the release of Spanish captives to be sure, but still, to attack a ship of the Crown openly...

Well, just wait until I return home! I'll begin writing my report this very night! When their Highness hear of my bravery, not just assisting such proud sailors in defense of her standard, but in uncovering these other-worldly deceptions from within, my post as an active officer will doubtless be reinstated... and with the Gunn boy most likely hung for witchcraft and heresy... this 'fine' vessel will be in need of a captain...

It should be noted that, following their return home, Captain Thomas Gunn was awarded a medal for valorous conduct in the face of peril, saving his ship and crew from the clutches of death itself. He would soon after receive command of the ship most synonymous with himself - the HMS Apollo.

As for La Resolucion, a ship thought by and large by this time to be old and incapable of handling serious combat, her role in the battle wound up largely forgotten by history for years until the writings of Roberto Santana were won in an auction of period memorabilia in 2016. Records indicate that, for the third time in his life, Santana was offered a full commission to lead the Armada, and for the third time, passed on the opportunity. The 'Old Man' whose tactics and experience helped the Spanish amass wealth unimaginable at the time of their peak naval dominance, chose instead to retire to a quiet life at his family's vineyards, where he remained until his death eight years later.

Commodore Owen's report was heavily redacted in the official record, and unofficially, regarded as drunken ramblings from a bitter old captain. Owen was given a week in a London Barracks to 'dry out' and sent back to Farceshire with the blessings of the Crown to expand the Empire's influence along the Coast. However, the retired Commodore's rage at his 'being put out to pasture' only sparked tensions with the native peoples, and eventually lead to outright war between the Royal Navy and a confederation of Corsair fleets.

This battle would come to be known as 'The Battle of the Sargasso Keys', though some locals quietly refer to it as the 'Revenge of the Drowned'.