The League of Augsburg
The Big One - The Texel AAR Part 1
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| Into battle! Admiral de Ruyter's Centre squadron at the Battle of The Texel August 21st 1673 |
It was with great anticipation that I got ready to throw the first dice in this scenario. It was in the planning for weeks. The largest number of ships I had managed to get on the table, probably stretching the limits of a 4 x 4 feet set-up. I had some question marks about how the rules might hold up in...
The Big One - Part 2 The Fleets
For the game I matched the fleets at around 2575 points give or take. The number of line of battle ships was twelve apiece with the Dutch using one frigate and the Allies two. In addition the Dutch used six fire ships and two hoekers whilst the Allies used four fire ships and two yachts.
Dutch fleet
de Ruyter's Division
De Zeven Provincien (80)
Voorsichtigheid (84)
Spiegel (70)
Maagd van Dordrecht (68)
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Dutch fleet
de Ruyter's Division
De Zeven Provincien (80)
Voorsichtigheid (84)
Spiegel (70)
Maagd van Dordrecht (68)
...
The Big One... Part 1 Getting organized
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| Cruising off the Dutch coast - d'Estrees White Squadron with the English Red and Blue behind. |
I have been motivating myself with the thought of a large-scale fleet type battle for a while. As I have split my painting efforts between English, Dutch, French, Barbary and Chinese vessels I had to find something that would allow me to maximize the number of models on the table within a historical...
Nest of Vipers: Tripoli, July 2nd 1666
Visitors to the blog may remember Sir Jeremy Smith's failed attempt to convoy merchantmen into Tangier past Berber Corsairs:
Weather beaten? Smith at Tangier
Here, Smith attempts to root them out in their home port....
Weather beaten? Smith at Tangier
Here, Smith attempts to root them out in their home port....
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| Looking out from Tripoli at Smith's 'Tangier Squadron' |
The humiliation suffered within sight of Tangier on March 5thso enraged the King and the Navy Board that Sir Jeremy Smith was...
Terrain and something out of nothing
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| A rough mock up of a North African harbour. Stuff just placed on for effect nuthin' fancy. |
There is nothing more boring than a plain blue cloth for naval gaming. As many Age of Sail fights took place very close to shore, I wanted to model terrain for coasts from Ireland to the Tropics.
I have made a fair old stab at it over the last week and by accident discovered a very useful purpose for what...
Campaign Turn 1 complete - Round up
One turn down and five great games each with interesting results. Apart from the plenary information made available to everyone below, each player received a private breifing of events in their campaign orbit. The table shows the raw points scores after ship repairs but before purchases and upgrades for turn 2. The limit is 200 points spent per turn and players can go into debt and spend the 200...
Naval campaign game 5: All hands to the oars!
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| Darkness and fog - ideal for an escape bid from a potentially hostile harbour |
November 23rd, 1688: Copenhagen
Chaos reigns supreme in England. The invasion by Willem of Orange less than three weeks previously has caused the army to disintegrate. The naval service is in turmoil, torn between loyalty to its old commander in chief and King, the officers and men weigh the options for their individual...
Lucky connections or coincidence?
Not only did I get to sail across the very spots that Spragge, De Ruyter et al manouevred and battled with their fleets in the 17th century, I managed to make several other tangible connections with my periods of interest during the annual sojourn to Antwerp.
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| Spanish Gate at Breda Castle.. some irony in the title - the Spaniards left a water gap in their defences |
The girls wanted a stop off en...
Naval campaign game 4: Tocht's raid April 1664
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| Set up |
Naval Campaign game 3: Baert's Baptism!
March 19, 1689
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...
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...
Naval campaign game 2: Free trade? De Ruyter's first scenario
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| Set up |
Peter's Dutch squadron under legendary commander Michiel de Ruyter has its first outing.
De Ruyter - September 1664 off the Gold Coast/Ghana
Scenario name: Free trade?
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...
Naval Campaign game 1: Sovereign of the Seas?
14th February 1665: Off the 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...
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...