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Friday, July 14, 2023

Kiss Me, Hardy

Following the series of games refighting the Battle of First Manassas, the gaming table fell silent while travel and other duties intervened.  Returning, work begins on creating the next ACW battle to bring to the table.  In the meantime, I was lucky enough to experience a new wargaming adventure.

What was this adventure?
Sailing ship action on the High Seas!

After discovering that Vol lives within about an hour's drive (see A Miniatures Hobby Room), we scheduled a game to bring his lovely models to a gaming table near me.  With my gaming table clear, Vol brought along all of the necessary ingredients for a squadron-sized action.  Each of his ships is a masterpiece in craftsmanship.  While they look fragile, Vol assured me that they were quite study.  After seeing one or two vessels knocked over without ill effect, my confidence grew that they could sustain the rigors of wargaming.

The setting was the War of 1812 pitting the English against the Americans.  Each squadron mustered three frigates and a sloop.  We rolled for sides and Vol took command of the American squadron.  The rules in play were Kiss Me, Hardy by Too Fat Lardies.  New rules to me but armed with a rulebook, templates, and several QRS, we dove in.

Let's see how my maiden voyage unfolded.

An island was plopped down on the middle of the table and the two squadrons were laid out.  Wind direction was unknown at this point so we held our breath as the wind was rolled up.  The British had the wind while the Americans found themselves dead into the wind! 
British squadron in foreground.
Fate dealt the Americans a cruel hand from the start.

Attempting to turn out of the wind, the American flagship, Constitution, sustains damage while losing its foremast.  An auspicious start to the battle!  The remainder of the American squadron suffers no damage as it turns out of the wind to engage the British.  The British squadron turns to meet the enemy.
The two squadrons turn to engage.
While three of the four British ships turn to cross the American formation, the Amphitrite sails on.  I am still working out how to maneuver these beauties but I will catch on quickly.  The Shannon and Indefatigable unleash their initial port broadsides into the American ships.  The action is on!  
The British turn to engage
while the Amphitrite sails on. 
Initial broadsides unleashed!
Whoops!
I placed the firing markers incorrectly the first time.
Corrections made on the second broadsides.
The Amphitrite, isolated, receives a broadside from the Constellation.  That hurts!  Luckily, the Chesapeake swings in behind the Constellation and her guns are masked.
Broadside from the Constellation.
Chesapeake's guns are masked by the Constellation.
Having received a weak broadside from the Constellation, Amphitrite turns to evade.  The captain of the Amphitrite is skilled. He maneuvers to cross the bow of both British ships.  With one devastating bow rake, Constellation suffers mightily.  The remainder of the British squadron turns to get back into action.  
Crossing the 'T'!
14 hits out of 18 on the Constellation!
The Americans are getting hit from both fore and aft.  The Shannon gives Chesapeake a stern rake.  Having received a near-crippling salvo from Amphitrite, Constellation circles about and delivers a broadside into Amphitrite.  The American gunnery is not as effective as British fire on this day.   
Shannon rakes the Chesapeake!
Constellation blasts Amphitrite.
As the two squadrons jockey for position, Amphitrite comes about and delivers another broadside into Constellation.  At close range the Amphitrite is fearsome.  Constellation is rocked again!  In the separate action farther north, the American sloop is pounded by the British ships.  She strikes her colors!
Amphitrite comes about.
Constellation is raked again!
To compound matters, Chesapeake swings around to sandwich Amphitrite between herself and Constellation.  Unfortunately for the Americans, the British fire first!  Broadsides from Amphitrite rip into both Chesapeake and Constellation. 
Both broadsides rip into the Americans!
With the American sloop out of action, the British focus on the hobbled Constitution.  Encircling the vessel, Shannon and Indefatigable give her some lead.  With her speed slowed, Constitution is in serious trouble.  
The Royal Navy closes in on Constitution fore and aft
giving her a pounding!
With the crippling damage sustained, the Americans bring few guns to bear against their adversary. The Amphitrite slips through the closing noose.  With one more broadside into the American squadron, a series of failures sees the Americans strike their colors one after the other.  The action is over.  
With no arc of fire and few guns,
Amphitrite slips through the American trap. 
One more broadside to finish off the American will to fight.
The British see victory in their first engagement.  Hooray!

The action Vol presented was interesting and engaging.  I picked up the essence of the rules relatively quickly and soon figured out how to best maneuver my squadron.  The key to the British victory may have been cast at the outset when the American squadron, through a cruel act of fate, found themselves dead into the wind.  The British seized upon this bit of misfortune and penalized the Americans severely.  Great fun!

Did Vol take it easy on me in my first game? 

Thank you, Vol!

97 comments:

  1. As an ex-matelot it is nice to see the Royal Navy take a win. A good read and the ships look lovely. Having just spent some time looking at the Mary Rose and Warrior it is easy to understand the hell of warfare between wooden walls.

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    1. The RN came away with a decisive victory in this clash. All four American ships struck their colors.

      Glad you enjoyed the battle recap!

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  2. Or it could have been the Jolly Tars and the Hearts of Oak they sailed on!

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  3. Lovely looking models and intriguing game. Well reported as usual Jonathan. Nice to engage in a wetter theatre for a change.

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    1. Vol's models are gorgeous. If you take a look at his blog, be prepared to be amazed at his handiwork.

      As always, I appreciate your encouragement of the battle report-out! I do not often take to the water.

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  4. Been a committed landlubber I can't really comment except to say the vessels look rather shipshape. Did I tell the tale of when I rammed my own sides flagship in game😟

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    1. I am much in the same boat (!), Phil. Do tell your tale...

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    2. Let's just say I have a problem with port and starboard 😂

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  5. Rahter like Phil, being a landlubber I can admire the wonderful models on display, but really have no idea how to play naval games in the age of sail. Out of interest, how big are the bases, to give an idea of scale?

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    1. The models, to my eye, are museum quality and I get to play with them!

      The ships are 1:1200 scale. I never measured a base. Maybe three or four inches?

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  6. That was a excellent report and a most beautiful looking game.

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  7. Fabulous looking models! Another landlubber here, who doesn’t know his mainbrace from his spinnaker. But a rousing Chorus of Huzzahs for Jolly Jack Tar and Commodore Freitag!
    Oddly enough, I was thinking about the role of ships and boats on the waterways of North America during the Revolution.
    Chris/Nundanket

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    1. The models certainly are fabulous looking, Chris. I really cannot imagine how he pulls it off. The rigging is all hand-tied.

      Thinking about AWI naval battles with an eye toward gaming some of the engagements? Hmm. Interested in a Zoom game with Vol and I running his beautiful ships over the table while you fellas command? That might be a fun exercise.

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    2. Do bears perform their functions in the forest? That would be great Jon.
      Chris

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  8. Great looking models and sounds like a fun game

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  9. I'm not sure if Stew played this rules set for the Age of Sail games I've played against him, but maybe?

    Vol's fleets were lovely works for sure and at least the game sounded like it was full of action that both players could enjoy.

    Has playing this planted a seed that might grow into a new project for you Jon? :)

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    1. Perhaps Stew will come along and weigh-in on the answer to whether he has played these rules? Vol's shipwork is amazing, really.

      Tempted by a new project, me? Never...

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    2. Looong time ago.

      Here can see if do desired;

      https://tllw.blogspot.com/2017/08/international-naval-wargame-day-kiss-me.html?m=0

      I personality did not love the rules and have found better in my opinion. Course my opinion is worth exactly what you paid to get it (nothing). It’s one of those rules that I would play again if someone wanted to but I would never reach for first.

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    3. OK. Which rules would you reach for first?

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    4. I'm interested in an opinion as well, recognizing that tastes are different with different gamers. I have quite a few 1:1200 ships and several rules sets to try out, if I ever find the time and an open table!

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    5. Vol has been collecting rules for this period and he has many he would like to try out. Perhaps we can help answer this question. Well, at least for ourselves.

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  10. Nice to see Vols lovely ships in action, even better to see a British victory!
    Best Iain

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    1. I agree on both counts completely!

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    2. Great game, Jonathan! As a former sailor in the Soviet Navy, I have always been interested in the history of the naval forces. At one time I planned to organize games on this topic. I collected more than 30 ships in 1/350 scale for the period of the Invincible Armada of the 16th century, but it so happened that no one supported and the ships gather dust in boxes in the pantry ... However, I am very glad for you that you touched on this topic.

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    3. Thank you!

      While I rarely do much naval wargaming, this was an interesting and fun diversion. With Vol willing, you may see more sailing ship wagaming on these pages.

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    4. Wow, 1/350 would take a lot of room to game. I have been building 1/450 scale ships, and they are large.

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    5. Perhaps these 1/350 games would have been single ship to ship actions?

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    6. Why? The ship is about 5 inches long, which is even smaller than a battalion in a land game. But the scale of 1/350 gives optimal detail - guns, anchors, even the crew!

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    7. OK. I would like to see photos of this. Perhaps a post on your blog one day?

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    8. Dear Jonathan, if you are interested, you can look at my blog dated September 7, 2022... If the earlier pages on the Invincible Armada are blocked for me because of these damn sanctions.

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  11. Beginners luck, or the hands of the dice Gods, Jon? Either way, nice to see you leading the Brits to a rare win over the Yanks, even if we had to rely on the navy rather than the army to do it!

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    1. Well, it could be parts of both! At times, British shooting was very good and American shooting poor. Early on, I misjudged how to maneuver the ships and made more than a few mistakes. Eventually, I figured it out and literally ran circles around the Americans as they were battling the wind and me!

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  12. I went over to a friend's house on Tuesday last week and played our first game of Black Seas, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Kiss Me Hardy sounds like a fun set of rules as well. As I learned, turning into the wind in the midst of a battle is not a good thing to do and can make for tough going.

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    1. Sounds like fun, Lawrence. What are your first impressions of Black Seas? Being dead into the wind is no laughing matter in the heat of battle.

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    2. Yes, another vote some more feedback on black seas, one of 2-4 sets I have to try out. It looks like the Tin God (joe) has proclaimed those will be the rules used for any naval actions in out Imaginations campaigns. and muy Treasure fleet is en route from the New world, with several competing nations issuing letters of Marque. None of them are *officially* issued for action against my ships, but who ever claimed privateers were sticklers for the fine points of maritime law?

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    3. Peter, how about your feedback on Black Seas when it gets to your (or Joe’s) table?

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    4. Black Seas is designed for the larger 1/700 scale. I have not seen anyone adapt it for 1/1200 yet. I have been building ships in that scale, but I don't have anywhere near the number built that I do in 1/1200.

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    5. I can't see why that would make much difference (1:1200 vs 1:700); worst case scenario woukld be to halve all the distances, which is pretty easy. I suspect even that may be unnecessary.

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    6. First impressions for me of Black Seas is that they strike the right balance between providing a quick and entertaining game with just enough realism. We played a couple of scenarios with just the basic rules one or two ships per side and each took around forty minutes. There are a dozen or so optional rules including boarding, fire ships, at rigging versus hull, national characteristics etc which can be added once you have the basic play mastered, and I particularly liked the points system where you can add things like skilled ships surgeons or master craftsmen to ships which helps repair damage at a faster rate.

      There is not a lot of record keeping involved and the sets come with ship cards, although the little plastic hook on indicators are fiddly so my gaming opponent purchased some rather attractive purpose-made MDF boards from New Zealand which allow the cards to be inserted and a crib like counter moved around the outside to record damage.

      The system uses a set of rulers for movement, but I don't see a problem with either scaling these down for 1/1200 or just keeping them as is. The problem would be replicating the ship cards which I don't think are available without purchasing the models, although the rules themselves are available for download at something like $US8. The models are beautiful and if I didn't already have a hundred plus 1/1200 Langton ships sitting in the pile I would have gone the Black Seas route.

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    7. Lawrence, excellent overview of Black Seas. Thank you very much! We may throw Black Seas onto the pile of rules to try.

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    8. That is the way it's done with KMH, where the 1/700 use inches for movement instead of centimeters. Without having the BS rules, I ca imagine it could work the same way in reverse.

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  13. Marvellous, one of those times when game and what can only be described as exquisite art come together …. I love nicely presented sail ships.

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    1. The Art of Wargaming takes on a whole new meaning with Vol's ships on the gaming table.

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  14. Nice AAR of our little fight Jon. This illustrates perfectly what was meant by having the "Weather Gauge" when entering a naval battle during the age of sail. Usually which ever side had it was at a huge advantage. You forgot to mention what a monster your Amphitrite was with 42×32 pdr carronades. At close and point blank range she was devastating with double the hit dice plus modifiers. Hard to withstand the way you were rolling. The game was great fun and I definitely want a rematch! On another note, perhaps a larger battle would be good for a remote game, with several squadrons to a side?

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    1. Thanks! This was a very enjoyable introduction to the rules and your fab ships. Yes, the Amphitrite was a killer at close range. Doubly deadly when both broadsides can be unleashed at once.

      A rematch would be fun and we can discuss how to make this doable in a remote setting. Thanks for bringing your kit and kaboodle over for an entertaining afternoon of combat.

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  15. Nice that you and Vol were able to meet and play a game together. Vol’s ships are a really great and served as inspiration for my own age of sail ships (which I haven’t touched in a long time). 😀

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    1. Very good to finally meet. The pandemic kept us quarantined for a long time and we finally organized a game. Glad we did!

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  16. Great looking game, best models for the period arr the 1/1200 shown. Nice work maneuvering to advantage in your first game. Not fa,iloar with the rules, but everyone has their favorite.

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    1. Yeah, Vol’s models are terrific and they look fab in battle. I am starting with a clean slate with respect to rules.

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  17. Such a pleasure to watch these magnifical ships...A superb naval battle!

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    1. Seeing these beauties on the table was a pleasure for me as well.

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  18. A great game ending in victory, a lovely set of models, and a fellow gamer living so close. What could one want more?

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  19. Thess ships are beautiful! I can't imagine the time it takes to build a naval force like this 8-)

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    1. The ships are stunning, indeed. I cannot imagine building these either.

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  20. A very different break from your recent ACW endeavours, and a win in your first action on the high seas.

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    1. A very different break, indeed! I would need to dig very far back into the annals to find the last naval Wargame played.

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  21. A great narrative on both your blogs. Perusing Vol's blog (Vol is short/nickname for ???), it would look like you acquired his Castle. That is exactly the same Gallia castle that I have, which you noticed the gateway piece for in my Wachau write up. Mine has a few more towers and wall sections, but is otherwise identical. I can vouch for the fact that the resin pieces are indeed VERY heavy!

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    1. Thanks, Peter! Glad you enjoyed the write-up! I know only ‘Vol’! Yes, it is his castle that made the move to my house and it is the same as yours sans gatehouse.

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    2. It's just Vol, Peter, but through the years many people have assumed it stood for Volume or Volcanic, Volatile, Vollyball, etc.

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    3. Peter, if you could provide me with a photo of the Gallia gatehouse you have, perhaps I could build a duplicate from foam for Jon.

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    4. Happy to do it Jon, since I feel bad for not having one in the first place, and fully expect to be invited to play with it at your house in the future! (Hint-hint)

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    5. No need to feel badly. I knew what I was getting in the original exchange. Having a gatehouse would be tres bien. No need for hinting. It will be fun fight over.

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    6. The gate section is designed to work with the octagonal towers, which have parapet level doors on opposite sides. One goes on either side of the gate piece, which is the same dimensions as the wall sections The round towers are for the corners of the castle. I'll send some photos to Jon, and he can forward them to vol. I have gates for the entry way as well, but there's nothing hard about doing them.

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    7. Peter, received, acknowledged, and forwarded! Thank you so much!

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    8. No problem, a very small thing for sure!

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  22. Awesome, Jon. You really should do a bit more of this stuff.

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    1. It sure was! Like playing with toys in a museum display. I reckon that since we have now broken the ice, more ships may pass through.

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  23. Good to hear you hooked up with a fairly close-by fellow gamer, Jonathan. Nice ships by Vol too!

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    1. Indeed! I now have a Friend With Ships!

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    2. I was going to say, "Friends with Benefits" but opted for "with Ships"...

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    3. Yes. while all of our friendships are (hopefully) beneficial, that phrase certainly has a connotation we definitely do NOT want to get into here.

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    4. We all benefit from our friendships.

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  24. Excellent looking game and a great AAR. I enjoyed that, especially as the Rejects are currently getting into some 17th century naval warfare. Our first order of ships arrives soon and then the long task of assembling and painting the fleets begins. It's a joint project so hopefully we can make short work of it.

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    1. Thanks, Lee! I look forward to following along as your project develops. With luck, winds are favorable and the Rejects see smooth sailing.

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  25. Lovely ships with a lot of details on them. I use Fighting Sails by Osprey although the chance to capture ships is very small which is feeling somehow strange.

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    1. Fighting Sail? How do you like the rules besides boarding mechanism?

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    2. Very well if you like very easy rules. I just don't have much time for naval wargaming as I play the rules only when I'm visiting my father in law who loves the period (French vs. British around 1800). We use the ships by Sails of Glory. So we don't have to paint them. I only put some shade on the sails to make it look better and we make nice small bases.

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  26. A lovely looking and sounding game Jonathan…
    I’m always drawn to the naval side of the War of 1812…
    Especially the actions on the Lakes…
    Unfortunately I really don’t like the idea of doing all that rigging on the ships…

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Thank you, Aly! Like you, fighting Age of Sail would be much easier if I did not have to build the ships and rig them.

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  27. Beautiful. It is always difficult to start a sailing ship encounter with your vessels in irons!

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    1. Indeed. Vol's squadron was hobbled from the beginning.

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  28. Great to see some ship action on your blog! The game looked and sounded a lot of fun.

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    1. Indeed! Not a period I game much but it sure was fun. I expect more sailing ship action in the future.

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