Tag Archives: Age of Sail

July 27th 1778 Battle of Ushant Wargame Scenario

My absolute favorite set of wargames to play is fleet-level engagement. In outer space, or WWII, or the Age of Sail, or Galleys. It doesn’t matter, I enjoy fleet battles. When one of the famous naval battles from history hits my calendar, I am going to do a scenario about it.

The Battle of Ushant was about as close to a non-battle as possible. The French were instructed to avoid battle at all costs, while the British failed to properly engage. We will simulate what might have happened had the sides actually engaged.

Great Britain
Augustus Keppel 2470 Total Guns
30 Ships of the Line
– 15 74 Third Rates
– 1 80 Third Rate
– 7 64 Third Rates
– 6 2nd Rates
– 1 First Rate
6 Frigates
– 1 32 Gun
– 4 28 Gun
– 1 20 Gun
Two Fire Ships
One Sloop

France
Comte D’ Orvilliers 2322 Total Guns
30 Ships of the Line
– 12 74 Third Rates
– 11 64 Third Rates
– 2 80 Third Rate
– 1 70 Third Rate
– 1 Second Rate
– 1 First Rate
– 2 Fourth Rate
7 Frigates all 32s
6 Corvets Totaling 52 Guns

Wargame Rules
Black Seas or Other Rulset
Table Size 16×8
Players 2-8
No Terrain

Wargame
You can fight this battle two ways, either A go at it as admirals. The French should have superior mobility but inferior firepower.
The other option is that historically, the French needed to tack across the British line of battle to escape to the open ocean. Set the weather gauge between the two fleets, and the French must flee without losing any of their ships of the line.

July 12th 1801 2nd Battle of Algeciras Wargame Scenario

On July 12th 1801, six British ships of the line pursued and attacked nice French and Spanish ships in the strait of Gibraltar. The French and Spanish were attempting to flee the British but were caught in the middle of the night. The ensuing fighting caused confusion as both sides fired upon their own forces.

To wargame this particular battle will require the use of an umpire or other party to determine who can see whom and what.

Set-up use black seas rules

3 players

2 separate identical tables with a grid clearly marked.

6 British ships of the line and 2 frigates, 9 Spanish and French ships of the line with 3 frigates. plus several extra ships.

No terrain is needed

Light markers

Set-up

Each player should set up their ships on a different table.

The wind should be set with both players sailing with the wind. The Spanish should be spread out with three ships trailing behind the rest of the fleet. The British should be within one move of the Spanish ship.

The umpire should indicate the following, a marker where the closest enemy ship is, and a marker anytime shots are fired. As the battle commences and more ships become involved. The roll of a d6 should be incorporated for friendly shots fired with the 1 indicating the direction to move the marker, and the number of inches away. The goal is to add to the confusion and potentially allied ships being fired upon. Finally if a ship is on fire it should be clearly shown on the opponent board.

An example, the 4th turn of the game a British ship fires where it thinks a Spanish ship is located. The Spanish ship fires where it thinks a British ship is located. The umpire should place two markers on each board. Each marker based on the roll of the dice from the ship that fired.

June 2nd 1676 Battle of Palermo

During the Franco-Dutch War. Dutch and French forces were converging on the city of Messina who was in revolt to its Spanish rulers. The Dutch were allied with the Spanish. The French did far more damage than the Dutch force; however, battered the Dutch were the French pulled off making the victory meaningless.

French

Commander Duke of Mortemart

24 Ships of the line
5 Frigates
25 Galleys
9 FireShips

Dutch-Spanish Force

Commander Jan den Haen, and Diege de Ibarra

14 Ships of the Line
13 Frigates
19 Galleys
4 Fireships

Wargame

RuleSet Black Seas
2-5 Players
Models Needed: 100
Tablesize: 4×8
Terrain: Enough islands or rocks to create a bay.

Set-Up

The Spanish ships should be arrayed in line formation at the mouth of the bay. The Dutch ships should be arrayed in a similar fashion on the opposite side, facing the same direction.

The French should have their ships arrayed in a line approaching from the Spanish side. Frigates and galleys should be in the space between the two lines.

Objectives;

The French must inflict as much damage as possible on both fleets without losing a capital ship. The French must also evade the coastal batteries, which should have the firepower of a first-rate ship of the line.

The Spanish and Dutch forces need to use their screen to avoid losing any ships of the line. They do not need to inflict any damage. The fleet may flee at any time into the bay.

Additional Rules:

Fireships played a significant role in the battle, dealing most of the damage to the French.

Coastal batteries cannot be destroyed and should deal high damage.