Here are the first five missions for the chosen fleets in overview. One has already been fought, I have written orders from another and await the instructions of the remaiing Generals at Sea.
In no particular order:
De Ruyter - September 1664 off the Gold Coast/Ghana
Scenario name: Free trade?
O'Brien - November 1688, Copenhagen
Scenario name: God and King James!
It is November 1688. English, Scots and Irish ships are distributed throughout the world. A quorum of captains has met secretly in a Copenhagen tavern and decide to declare for King James and immediately run the gauntlet for the Kattegat, hoisting their colours as they break through the coastal defences. Although Denmark has yet to make an official comment on the English unrest it is known that the ships are likely to be detained should their intentions become known. An English 2nd rate is at anchor nearby on a diplomatic mission. Two other warships lie moored in the heavily defended approaches to Copenhagen. A French man o' war has been arranged as an escort and is cruising somewhere over the horizon. O'Brien's mission is to break free of Denmark, make it to the open sea and hopefully on to Dublin!
Baert -March 1689, North Sea
Scenario name: Schomberg's reinforcements
Baert has word of a troop convoy bound for either Hoylake or Belfast. It is carrying English and Dutch soldiers to Ireland to fight King Louis's cousin James II. His ships left Dunkirk three days ago and are approaching the convoy from the north and windward. He is ordered to sink or capture as many of the transports as possible. The convoy is escorted but Baert is not sure how many warships have joined since it left Walcheren four days ago. It may have picked up more escorts at sea as it has taken a long time to reach the current position.
Tocht - April 1666, Plymouth, England
Scenario name: Plymouth Hoe!
Tocht's squadron has sailed down the Channel and is off Plymouth. Several English warships are at anchor off Plymouth town in the open waters south of the Hoe. Tocht has a mind to attempt to destroy as many vessels as possible. He has not spotted any sail in the channel thus far and nothing is moving around the squadron at anchor. It is difficult to tell what size and state of readiness the enemy vessels are but clearly they are 5th rate or larger, he suspect 3rd rates. Time to sail into the jaws of the English haven.
Barre - November 1665, Isle of Wight
Scenario name: Sovereign of the Seas
His Majesty King Charles II demands that every foreign vessel passing through English waters acknowledges his position as Sovereign of the Seas. In so doing each ship must lower its colours when an English warship is within sight. Although not at war, tension with France is mounting due to its support for the Dutch Republic which may soon fight England. A French squadron sailing from Brest to Boulogne appears to be ignoring the convention and has thus attracted the attention of an English patrol leaving the Solent.
In no particular order:
De Ruyter - September 1664 off the Gold Coast/Ghana
Scenario name: Free trade?
The Dutch East India Company (VOC) has been building trade via Gold Coast ports for several years. The English have become increasingly interested in bolstering their cash strapped economy and its own Royal Africa Company has enlisted the support of warships to restrict Dutch trade at the expense of English prosperity. Two large merchantmen are three months overdue in Amsterdam. De Ruyter's squadron was ordered to sea to find them. He has tracked the VOC merchantmen to a bay controlled by the RAC where they are being 'detained' for unpaid duty on goods to be shipped to Europe. The vessels are being protected by an English warship and are under the guns of a large fort. The wind is blowing offshore making an approach to the coast difficult.
The mission is to free the vessels and allow them to make their way home. De Ruyter is ordered to avoid if possible, direct conflict with the English and is knows neither their attitude to challenge nor the size and readiness of the vessel at anchor.
O'Brien - November 1688, Copenhagen
Scenario name: God and King James!
It is November 1688. English, Scots and Irish ships are distributed throughout the world. A quorum of captains has met secretly in a Copenhagen tavern and decide to declare for King James and immediately run the gauntlet for the Kattegat, hoisting their colours as they break through the coastal defences. Although Denmark has yet to make an official comment on the English unrest it is known that the ships are likely to be detained should their intentions become known. An English 2nd rate is at anchor nearby on a diplomatic mission. Two other warships lie moored in the heavily defended approaches to Copenhagen. A French man o' war has been arranged as an escort and is cruising somewhere over the horizon. O'Brien's mission is to break free of Denmark, make it to the open sea and hopefully on to Dublin!
Baert -March 1689, North Sea
Scenario name: Schomberg's reinforcements
Baert has word of a troop convoy bound for either Hoylake or Belfast. It is carrying English and Dutch soldiers to Ireland to fight King Louis's cousin James II. His ships left Dunkirk three days ago and are approaching the convoy from the north and windward. He is ordered to sink or capture as many of the transports as possible. The convoy is escorted but Baert is not sure how many warships have joined since it left Walcheren four days ago. It may have picked up more escorts at sea as it has taken a long time to reach the current position.
Tocht - April 1666, Plymouth, England
Scenario name: Plymouth Hoe!
Tocht's squadron has sailed down the Channel and is off Plymouth. Several English warships are at anchor off Plymouth town in the open waters south of the Hoe. Tocht has a mind to attempt to destroy as many vessels as possible. He has not spotted any sail in the channel thus far and nothing is moving around the squadron at anchor. It is difficult to tell what size and state of readiness the enemy vessels are but clearly they are 5th rate or larger, he suspect 3rd rates. Time to sail into the jaws of the English haven.
Barre - November 1665, Isle of Wight
Scenario name: Sovereign of the Seas
His Majesty King Charles II demands that every foreign vessel passing through English waters acknowledges his position as Sovereign of the Seas. In so doing each ship must lower its colours when an English warship is within sight. Although not at war, tension with France is mounting due to its support for the Dutch Republic which may soon fight England. A French squadron sailing from Brest to Boulogne appears to be ignoring the convention and has thus attracted the attention of an English patrol leaving the Solent.