PURSUIT & EVASION

This was a test of a Pursuit & Evasion scenario for Kiss Me, Hardy! Rules. This is a French Battle Squadron trying to evade a British Battle squadron. The rules we devised were that the Evaders would set up first and pick one opposite table corner as their escape point. Any ships within 18" of that point are considered safe. If either squadron loses two ships (not including frigates), their squadron would be considered dispersed in the Campaign system.

Once the evaders are deployed, the prevailing wind direction is determined to be either toward the escape point or one of its adjoining table edges, as determined by a die roll. The Pursuer is then deployed and then we determine current wind conditions.

The French squadron has two 120 gun 1st rate ships, 2 x 74 gun third rate ships (poor crew), 2 x 64 gun third rate ships, and a frigate: La Madelaine

The British squadron has 1 x 120 gun flagship, a 98 gun second rate (Union), 1 x 74 gun third rates and 2 x  64 gun third rates. All British ships but one have elite crews.

Initially, everything looked to be set up for the British to catch the French mid table where they would engage them aggressively.

Dramatically though, on the second turn of the game, the wind would change to its prevailing direction! The British ships are suddenly caught in irons. The shock tears away the flagship's foremast and it would find itself unable to get itself out of that facing for a long time. They would be taken well aback.

The French squadron takes advantage of the distress of their opponents and carves out a wide path away from them, making for the safety of the open sea. First shots are being fired from the French flagship Formidable. Their line breaks up due to the Commodore taking a few too many turns for the poor crews of two of his ships to follow.

One energetic British vessel makes a desperate play to slow down the French by bottling them up and cutting out their manoeuvre room. She would pay dearly for her courage.

The English are running out of time and space to prevent the French escape.

At the end of the battle, all of the French ships would escape. The Formidable would end up grappled to two British ships while it was across the line. One of them had already struck their colours and the other was losing the boarding action on their decks.

Meanwhile, Le Terrible would get a chance to rake the English flagship and tear away another mast. When those ships collided, the English ship would lose her bowsprit and become dead in the water, but grappled to Le Terrible who's men would swarm over her decks.

Warspite, another British ship, would sail away into the safety zone while on fire and unable to turn but she would count as out of the battle. The Union would be the only coalition ship to not suffer horribly. All French ships would cross the safety line and successfully evade.