Galleys & Galleons - The Unfortunate Incident at Xifengwan
Mark has just sent through the latest dispatch from the East Indies:
The annual Goa convoy sailed down the Pearl River estuary. Once out to sea it turned SW to begin the first leg of its thousand league journey. It comprised the old carrack Sa Isabella (Don Manuel Silva), which had been making this annual round trip for many years, and her escorting fragata Sao Martinho (Don Cristobal da Crespo). Here are the profiles -
1 x Carrack (35)
Santa Isabella das Indias
Q4 C5: High castles, Merchantman, Reinforced hull, Sluggish, Square rigged
1 x Frigate (60)
Sao Martinho
Q3 C3: Chaser guns, Galleon rigged, Master gunner, Trained guncrew
Some time later the topmast lookout on the Sa Isabella reported a group of ships on an approaching course. They turned out to be -
2 x Large merchant junks (20)
Ginger Jar, Hainan Trader
Q4 C3: Merchantman, Reinforced hull, Square rigged
1 x Small escort junk (50)
Bamboo Shoot (easily mistaken for a pirate vessel)
Q2 C2: Derring-do, Intimidating, Lateen rigged, Reinforced hull, Yare
As the distance closed, Don Cristobal signalled that he proposed to engage these ships as they were “obviously” pirates. Don Manuel somewhat reluctantly agreed and they prepared to fight the approaching junks.
Here’s the situation as the two groups drew closer. The island is Xifengwan. The view is looking more or less North, with the Portuguese in the R distance and the Chinese in the L foreground. The wind is steady, blowing from the S.
The Chinese commodore (Dong Jun, on Bean Sprout)* had tangled with the Portuguese before, and knew they couldn’t be trusted an inch. He ordered his flotilla to hold course and prepare for action. Just in case. Trying to evade would likely enable the fragata to snap up the merchantmen as they inevitably scattered. If it came to a fight he’d have to meet them head on.
* The names of the merchant captains unfortunately have not been preserved.
The Portuguese had initiative.
For three turns both flotillas held their courses, tho on turn 3 the Chinese merchantmen altered course a point to starboard, and the escort a point to port. It appears the small but dangerous escort is going to come through the gap between the merchants to confront the Portuguese.
On turn 4 the Sa Isabella opened fire at the leading merchant junk, Hainan Trader. The shot missed but it confirmed Dong Jun’s suspicions that the Portuguese had hostile intent. Both Hainan Trader and Ginger Jar fired back, also unsuccessfully. The wind shifted two points clockwise at this moment so it’s now blowing from the SW, diagonally across the table from lower L. The merchants held their courses but the wind shift affected the Bean Sprout, which had to execute a rapid change in course (using its Yare ability) to maintain momentum.
The next photo shows the end of turn 4.
Turn 5, and Don Cristobal on the quarterdeck of the San Martinho had been waiting impatiently for his moment, and now it had arrived, he thought. As his vessel moved opposite the Ginger Jar he ordered a full broadside from the port battery, at close range. And missed. Don C is not pleased. Meanwhile the Sa Isabella likewise fired at the Bean Sprout, scoring 1 hit, then continued forward and changed course to port (and is now in irons).
Dong Jun’s response, predictably, was to turn the Bean Sprout, move into contact with the Sa Isabella, and grapple the giant carrack. He has no activation point to actually launch a boarding attack this bound. The Ginger Jar fired a return broadside at Don Cristobal, but to no effect, then altered course to port and moved off. The Hainan Trader similarly changed course, shortened sail, and both vessels began to move behind the San Martinho.
Turn 6. The enraged Don Cristobal triple-activated San Martinho. He ordered a hard turn to port, and a full port broadside into the Ginger Jar, at point blank range, scoring 1 hit but putting the fragata in irons. Over on the Sa Isabella, Don Manuel had two activation points, so faced a difficult choice. His ship is in irons and grappled by an enemy. Ideally he needs to alter course (to get on the wind again), cut the grapples, and shoot at the enemy*. Doing all this would take 4 activation points.
* in the G&G rules a vessel that is grappled cannot shoot cannons. But I have a local amendment to allow it if no actual boarding attack has commenced.
So Don Manuel thinks “in for a peso, in for a ducat” and orders a full raking broadside (canister on top of round shot) into the Bean Sprout. The shooting was very effective: a 2nd hit, and Dong Jun was badly wounded and carried below, leaving his crew leaderless. It seems Don Manuel made the right decision.
The crew of the Bean Sprout were furious at the wounding of their revered captain (they promptly activated on three sixes) and, seizing the initiative, boarded the Sa Isabella. They swept aboard the carrack in an unstoppable wave, inflicting 3 damage, so that the only resistance remaining was Don Manuel and a few other Portuguese diehards, desperately defending the quarterdeck.
The Ginger Jar turned again, fired at the Sao Martinho without effect, and moved off. The Hainan Trader shadowed its sister ship but lacked the AP to shoot.
Turn 7. The San Martinho continued its turn, coming out of irons, fired at the Hainan Trader (the closer target) to no effect, and moved off. The remnant crew of the Sa Isabella got 2 AP and fought to save their ship and themselves. And they did so to such good effect they inflicted 3 damage on the Bean Sprout, driving the boarders off the decks and capturing it.
The merchant junk captains watched the demise of the Bean Sprout with dismay. With holds stuffed with merchandise belonging to the leading merchants of Canton they knew where their duty lay. So they began to make their escape. Hainan Trader turned and ran. Ginger Jar seemed to be having a problem (failed activation) and sailed straight towards Xifengwang.
Turn 8. Don Cristobal watched the enemy merchant junks flee, disappointed. He turned the Sao Martinho and shortened sail, knowing that, even if he chased them down he couldn’t leave the Sa Isabella unprotected for that long. And on the bright side, there was still a chance the Ginger Jar would run aground and be available for plunder.
The wind shifted counterclockwise, back to a southerly, blowing up the table from the near edge.
Don Manuel, on the Sa Isabella, was busy. He ordered the grapples of the Bean Sprout cut, and as the small junk foundered, put his carrack back on the wind and got under way.
The Hainan Trader continued its escape, followed by the Ginger Jar which turned in time to avoid the island.
The immediate aftermath of this incident was that the vessels of both sides continued on their way, less of course the Bean Sprout. The Sa Isabella was able to repair at sea the damage caused by the boarding action, as it wasn’t structural. Most of the crew were also still alive, having fled below as the wave of enemy boarders engulfed them.
When the Chinese merchantmen reached Canton a couple of days later there was alarm at the news, in case the attack foreshadowed a general war with Portugal. But as both vessels (and their cargoes) had arrived safely, with the only loss being Dong Jun and his let’s-face-it highly expendable Wako mercenaries, no real harm had been done and the alarm soon evaporated.
On the Portuguese side both Dons agreed to stick to a concocted story when they reached Malacca a month later. The Chinese ship attacked first, but it seemed to be a rogue captain, now safely underwater. No harm done, nothing to worry about.
An unfortunate incident, but that was all.
Cheers from Pattaya
Mark
The annual Goa convoy sailed down the Pearl River estuary. Once out to sea it turned SW to begin the first leg of its thousand league journey. It comprised the old carrack Sa Isabella (Don Manuel Silva), which had been making this annual round trip for many years, and her escorting fragata Sao Martinho (Don Cristobal da Crespo). Here are the profiles -
1 x Carrack (35)
Santa Isabella das Indias
Q4 C5: High castles, Merchantman, Reinforced hull, Sluggish, Square rigged
1 x Frigate (60)
Sao Martinho
Q3 C3: Chaser guns, Galleon rigged, Master gunner, Trained guncrew
Some time later the topmast lookout on the Sa Isabella reported a group of ships on an approaching course. They turned out to be -
2 x Large merchant junks (20)
Ginger Jar, Hainan Trader
Q4 C3: Merchantman, Reinforced hull, Square rigged
1 x Small escort junk (50)
Bamboo Shoot (easily mistaken for a pirate vessel)
Q2 C2: Derring-do, Intimidating, Lateen rigged, Reinforced hull, Yare
As the distance closed, Don Cristobal signalled that he proposed to engage these ships as they were “obviously” pirates. Don Manuel somewhat reluctantly agreed and they prepared to fight the approaching junks.
Here’s the situation as the two groups drew closer. The island is Xifengwan. The view is looking more or less North, with the Portuguese in the R distance and the Chinese in the L foreground. The wind is steady, blowing from the S.
The Chinese commodore (Dong Jun, on Bean Sprout)* had tangled with the Portuguese before, and knew they couldn’t be trusted an inch. He ordered his flotilla to hold course and prepare for action. Just in case. Trying to evade would likely enable the fragata to snap up the merchantmen as they inevitably scattered. If it came to a fight he’d have to meet them head on.
* The names of the merchant captains unfortunately have not been preserved.
The Portuguese had initiative.
For three turns both flotillas held their courses, tho on turn 3 the Chinese merchantmen altered course a point to starboard, and the escort a point to port. It appears the small but dangerous escort is going to come through the gap between the merchants to confront the Portuguese.
On turn 4 the Sa Isabella opened fire at the leading merchant junk, Hainan Trader. The shot missed but it confirmed Dong Jun’s suspicions that the Portuguese had hostile intent. Both Hainan Trader and Ginger Jar fired back, also unsuccessfully. The wind shifted two points clockwise at this moment so it’s now blowing from the SW, diagonally across the table from lower L. The merchants held their courses but the wind shift affected the Bean Sprout, which had to execute a rapid change in course (using its Yare ability) to maintain momentum.
The next photo shows the end of turn 4.
Turn 5, and Don Cristobal on the quarterdeck of the San Martinho had been waiting impatiently for his moment, and now it had arrived, he thought. As his vessel moved opposite the Ginger Jar he ordered a full broadside from the port battery, at close range. And missed. Don C is not pleased. Meanwhile the Sa Isabella likewise fired at the Bean Sprout, scoring 1 hit, then continued forward and changed course to port (and is now in irons).
Dong Jun’s response, predictably, was to turn the Bean Sprout, move into contact with the Sa Isabella, and grapple the giant carrack. He has no activation point to actually launch a boarding attack this bound. The Ginger Jar fired a return broadside at Don Cristobal, but to no effect, then altered course to port and moved off. The Hainan Trader similarly changed course, shortened sail, and both vessels began to move behind the San Martinho.
Turn 6. The enraged Don Cristobal triple-activated San Martinho. He ordered a hard turn to port, and a full port broadside into the Ginger Jar, at point blank range, scoring 1 hit but putting the fragata in irons. Over on the Sa Isabella, Don Manuel had two activation points, so faced a difficult choice. His ship is in irons and grappled by an enemy. Ideally he needs to alter course (to get on the wind again), cut the grapples, and shoot at the enemy*. Doing all this would take 4 activation points.
* in the G&G rules a vessel that is grappled cannot shoot cannons. But I have a local amendment to allow it if no actual boarding attack has commenced.
So Don Manuel thinks “in for a peso, in for a ducat” and orders a full raking broadside (canister on top of round shot) into the Bean Sprout. The shooting was very effective: a 2nd hit, and Dong Jun was badly wounded and carried below, leaving his crew leaderless. It seems Don Manuel made the right decision.
The crew of the Bean Sprout were furious at the wounding of their revered captain (they promptly activated on three sixes) and, seizing the initiative, boarded the Sa Isabella. They swept aboard the carrack in an unstoppable wave, inflicting 3 damage, so that the only resistance remaining was Don Manuel and a few other Portuguese diehards, desperately defending the quarterdeck.
The Ginger Jar turned again, fired at the Sao Martinho without effect, and moved off. The Hainan Trader shadowed its sister ship but lacked the AP to shoot.
Turn 7. The San Martinho continued its turn, coming out of irons, fired at the Hainan Trader (the closer target) to no effect, and moved off. The remnant crew of the Sa Isabella got 2 AP and fought to save their ship and themselves. And they did so to such good effect they inflicted 3 damage on the Bean Sprout, driving the boarders off the decks and capturing it.
The merchant junk captains watched the demise of the Bean Sprout with dismay. With holds stuffed with merchandise belonging to the leading merchants of Canton they knew where their duty lay. So they began to make their escape. Hainan Trader turned and ran. Ginger Jar seemed to be having a problem (failed activation) and sailed straight towards Xifengwang.
Turn 8. Don Cristobal watched the enemy merchant junks flee, disappointed. He turned the Sao Martinho and shortened sail, knowing that, even if he chased them down he couldn’t leave the Sa Isabella unprotected for that long. And on the bright side, there was still a chance the Ginger Jar would run aground and be available for plunder.
The wind shifted counterclockwise, back to a southerly, blowing up the table from the near edge.
Don Manuel, on the Sa Isabella, was busy. He ordered the grapples of the Bean Sprout cut, and as the small junk foundered, put his carrack back on the wind and got under way.
The Hainan Trader continued its escape, followed by the Ginger Jar which turned in time to avoid the island.
The immediate aftermath of this incident was that the vessels of both sides continued on their way, less of course the Bean Sprout. The Sa Isabella was able to repair at sea the damage caused by the boarding action, as it wasn’t structural. Most of the crew were also still alive, having fled below as the wave of enemy boarders engulfed them.
When the Chinese merchantmen reached Canton a couple of days later there was alarm at the news, in case the attack foreshadowed a general war with Portugal. But as both vessels (and their cargoes) had arrived safely, with the only loss being Dong Jun and his let’s-face-it highly expendable Wako mercenaries, no real harm had been done and the alarm soon evaporated.
On the Portuguese side both Dons agreed to stick to a concocted story when they reached Malacca a month later. The Chinese ship attacked first, but it seemed to be a rogue captain, now safely underwater. No harm done, nothing to worry about.
An unfortunate incident, but that was all.
Cheers from Pattaya
Mark
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