Run out the guns!

Today was my annual festive season game with James and Carl. For the past couple of years we've tried to play something that doesn't get trotted out very often and this year we decided to revisit Trafalgar, the Napoleonic naval game from Warhammer Historical. This set of rules was actually the game that featured in the very first post on this blog, which shows how long ago it was we played. Unfortunately, in that time I've not painted any more ships, so the OOB was the same, but we played a different scenario. In this, the Royal Navy, under Admiral James, was trying to capture the moustache-twirling scourge of the Carribean - the Spaniard Don Carlos! There was a simple, small island in the middle and the wind was blowing from the East as the Spanish ran North into a Royal Navy ambush.

The two Spanish ships run with the wind as the Royal Navy attempt a pincer move.

Don Carlos places the San Justo (74) between the enemy and his prize vessel, the mighty Santa Ana (112).

The two larger RN 3rd rates, HMS Caesar (80) and HMS Captain (74) turn to cut off the escape route while HMS Agamemnon (64) rounds the island in pursuit.

Caesar and Captain engage San Justo, which turns into the enemy  to divert attention from Santa Ana.

Caesar and Captain pass San Justo on both sides and deliver  devastating broadsides which knock out her rudder. She  will never recover and took no further part in the battle. Santa Ana turns to make her escape as Agamemnon races in.

Caesar and Captain execute a beautiful turn and  prepare to punish the Spanish 1st rate with  a stern rake!

Santa Ana limps away, her hull ablaze, but Caesar and Captain are now worryingly far behind. Agamemnon strives to gain a position, but, crucially, the wind starts to turn into the ships and we all have to start to tack. As the Spanish sailors manage to deal with the blaze, the Royal Navy have lost the initiative.

Santa Ana sustains another broadside from Agamemnon, but lives to tell the tale! She sets full sail and stretches out a lead which the British cannot close quickly enough.

A good, fun game was had by all! Both Spanish ships were very roughly handled but managed to make good there escape, giving Carl a narrow victory. Santa Ana escaped with just a single hull point left! We all really enjoyed it and vowed to not let it wait another two years before we played again. And who knows...I might even paint another ship or two by then!