The action of ... somewhere, somewhen

Had an excellent annual naval bash with the good old beer'n'pretzels game, Limeys and Slimeys. Unfortunately ... I forgot to take my notes with me when I left. And by the time I remembered, I couldn't even turn around, because whilst we were playing, an accident and attendant police and police tape had blocked the entrance I normally take into and out of the complex where the club is.

So this report will be as incoherent as usual. At least I got plenty of pictures.

The field of battle. One player wears an appropriate shirt for the occasion.

The smallish British flagship Ajax, leading the van towards...

Two Spanish relative heavies (22 guns each).

Our British line jogs to port, intending to get to the side
of the Spanish squadron and fight just half of them
with all of our own. The center ship is a 26-gun frigate.

The Spaniards forge ahead at 12" a turn...

And start angling to take the flagship under fire.

Ajax starts taking hits.

It is at this point that our Commodore reveals the rest of his cunning plan: Cut the Spanish line. 

But the Spanish go next (turn order is random each turn)
and grapple at the bows. Despite a gallant fight, Ajax
is swept and taken by boarding.

Despite this, the following ships - partner Francisco with the big frigate and me with another sloop and a bomb vessel (present for no apparent reason, as there is nothing for it to bom) follow their commander's instructions and continue the "break-in."

Frigate nearly out of view to the left, with my sloop about to turn.
The frigate is about to blast its broadside down the length of the
Spaniard for her temerity.

A bit of a mess as our frigate cuts the Spanish line,
which includes our own flagship which we're trying
to sink by hull hits to prevent them carrying it off.

But what's this on the horizon?

A very short horizon, as I never saw them coming after
my bomb vessel.

I am beleaguered and bracketed!

But, much to their chagrin as they really wanted to board and take me as a prize, instead they rolled eight hull hits for damage and sank me outright! (You get double damage for crossing the T, and at 3" range, you hit on 2+.) So ... no bomb vessel, but surprisingly a little cathartic.

Above, a typical ship card. My HMS Cleopatra has 12 broadside guns, two chasers, ten hull points, eight rigging points, and 36 crew, including four officers and eight Marines. The latter two have double value in boarding actions, while Marines may fire muskets at enemy crew when in close range. While I only had six guns to the broadside, most of my (long-range, 5+ to hit) broadsides got three or four hits - until the very last one which returned the balance by getting zero.

The rest of the Arab squadron enters the board.
Fortuitously, the loss of the bomb ship has
opened up a target for my aft chasers.

Closeup on a Dhow/Xebec/Whatever.

Still exchanging broadsides. There were no alliances
of convenience - the enemy of our enemy is still our enemy.

Because the British have cut the Spanish in two,
the forward Spanish inadvertently slam into the
oncoming Arabs, whose smaller but much nimbler
vessels are cutting up the already hurt starboard vessel.

At the other end of the table, the British 26 and smaller
Spaniard are slugging away at each other.

Another good shot of the Arabs. The full rigged ships
have resin hulls, these are wood with sheet metal under
the decks to magnetize the crew to them. Everything has
removable flags to change allegiance according to scenario.

Spaniards entangled.

The smallest Spaniard about to ram a dhow.
Ships must move, and must spend the first half
of their movement going straight ahead,
so even at half move (3") she'll be entangled.

Meanwhile the sluggers hammer away.

While on the far broadside, the frigate indiscriminately
batters both opposing sides.

A closeup of my Cleopatra as she tries to get into
position to support the frigate, unfortunately turning
slightly into the wind in the process and being badly slowed.

Despite the crew figures left aboard, this Spaniard
is basically crewless and gunless.

Several of the Arabs were towing extra fighters who
sadly never got into action.

Unsuccessfully trying to get some of the spoils.

Last turn: I finally cross the Spanish T while the other remaining Spaniard is bracketed. The "dagoes" have had the worst of the battle. 

The Brits have also lost two ships, while the Arabs, concentrating on the Spaniards, failed to get much loot. But as usual, all players (including two newbie guests) had a glorious time. Limeys and Slimeys is one of those games we can all play without thinking, moving ships around and tossing dice while at the same time just having conversation, eating pizza, drinking beer and all around just enjoying ourselves. We made a couple converts into the bargain. This is what gaming should be about.

Pete Panzeri's Bulge game has been postponed, so my next visit to Das Krig Haus will probably be in the New Year. See you then.