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