Galleys & Galleons: The Portuguese raid on Songkhla
Mark is back with another dispatch from the Indies: the Portuguese raid on Songkhla.
Don Marco da Pattaya has decided it’s time the Sultan of Songkhla received an unfriendly visit from the Portuguese. He leads a squadron North into the Gulf of Ayutthaya.
The Portuguese sailed with 414 points, comprising -
1 x Galleon (Santa Caterina da Goa) (106)
Q3 C4: Chaser guns, Drilled soldiers, Flagship, Galleon rigged, Master gunner, Trained gun crew. Don Marco is a Swaggering commander (I made him re-roll and he delivered another D6=6).
3 x Fragatas (Santa Barbara, Sao Jorge, Sao Martinho) (60 each)
Q3 C3: Chaser guns, Galleon rigged, Master gunner, Trained gun crew.
1 x Submersible ram (Baderna) (58)
Q3 C2: Ramming, Submersible, Unarmed, Unorthodox
1 x Dragao (Dragao) (70)
Q3 C2: Airship, Bombs, Fiery attack, Lateen rigged, Master gunner
The Songkhla fleet was not expecting (§ contingent event) this attack and some of it’s galleys have been hauled out for off-season repairs and maintenance.
But the following vessels (338 points) were available -
2 x Galeasses (Banda Aceh*, Hat Yai) (72* + 50)
Q4 C5: Bow guns, Drilled soldiers, Flagship*, High castles, Sluggish, Square rigged, Sweeps, Veteran NCOs. Al-Haj Ali is a Middling Seaman (he also re-rolled and that was his better shot).
4 x Galleys (Ayutthaya, Borobudur, Songkhla, Srivijaya) (54 each)
Q3 C3: Drilled soldiers, Galley, Shallow draft, Swashbucklers, Yare
Here’s the scene of the action, the coast around the port of Songkhka on the E coast of the Malayan peninsula, but over the border in what is S Thailand nowadays. The view is NE. I have placed the vessels on the table but these aren’t necessarily their starting positions. (Photo #1).
The gap in the coast leads to an extensive - and mostly shallow water - lagoon, where deeper draft ships without local pilots venture at their peril. The entrance is also well fortified. The city is inland on the edge of the lagoon, not on the coast, although there are some fishing villages. The coastline is also infested with mud flats and mangroves, and trends away westerly N and S of the lagoon entrance.
So what is Don Marco doing, attacking a place like this with a force that can surely achieve little? Is there some method in his madness? Perhaps we shall find out.
Turn 1
Some contingent rolls determined that (§) Don Marco has kept his squadron out of sight of land in order to achieve surprise, but that (§) a local fishing boat saw the Portuguese two days ago and raced in to report, and the cat is out of the bag. So that as the Portuguese submersible (travelling on the surface) and dragao sail on, the Songkhka defenders are beginning to file out (Photo #2).
The above view is E and the wind direction is NW, so blowing diagonally from lower L to upper R. It’s a monsoonal breeze so will not change during the game.
Turns 2 & 3
The Dragao has been signalling, and Don Marco brings his ships onto the table in the NE corner, with the fragatas leading the line. The Baderna has submerged (blue token) and it and Dragao continue to close with the Songkhka vessels as they emerge from the channel (Photo #3).
Before I forget to mention it: anywhere wet within 1S of a mangrove patch is shoal water.
Turns 4 & 5
Don Marco orders his surface ships to shorten sail. He seems in no hurry to close in. The Dragao continued moving forward and was shot at, ineffectively, by two galleys. In response Dragao tried a fiery attack against Ayutthaya, and also misses (Photo #4).
Turn 6
The lookout in the main top of the Sa Caterina (§) spotted sails on the E horizon. It seems to be a small convoy of Chinese merchant junks. Is that what Don Marco has been looking for, and what the Songkhka navy is pushing out to cover ?
The Portuguese line picked up speed, and the leading fragata, Sao Jorge, altered course to port after its sailing action. Baderna, still submerged, closed up to the Hat Yai, which is the leading galeass. Dragao tried another fiery breath, which again missed, then moved forward over the Ayutthaya and dropped a bomb, causing a hit (Photo #5).
The galleys all moved forward, eschewing the safety of the shoals, towards the Portuguese line. There was some shooting, but it all failed. The Galeasses, now close hauled as they reached open water, both fired small arms at the Dragao but failed to score a single hit (Photo #6).
Turn 7
So where are the Chinese? I hear you ask. It depends. Starting on turn 9 (§) it’ll become another contingent event.
Meanwhile … the lead Portuguese fragata, Sao Jorge, poured a raking full broadside into the galley Songkhka, which took 1 hit and caught fire. The second fragata, Sao Martinho, followed the lead and similarly attacked the galley Srivijaya, causing 1 hit. Then Sa Caterina followed, and sent another full broadside at Srivijaya, causing a 2nd hit. Baderna popped up to the surface and rammed Hat Yai, causing 1 damage (I forgot to take away the blue token indicating it is submerged). The Dragao moved forward and tried another fiery blast at the Hat Yai, but missed again (Photo #7).
Al-Haj Ali urged his own vessels onwards against the infidels. But his words were drowned out by a defeating explosion as the fire on the Songkhka reached the galley’s magazine. Undeterred the Ayutthaya powered forward into contact with the Sao Martinho, grappled, and started a boarding action, which was a drawn fight. The other two galleys closed in on the Sa Caterina.
The leading galeass, Banda Aceh, altered course and moved towards the Sao Jorge, and opened fire with her heavy bow guns at 1L. The Sao Jorge took 1 hit (after I let the galeass re-roll to get an even dice).
The rear galeass Hat Yai ignored the annoying submersible gnat, and has no broadside guns anyway, and sailed on (Photo #8).
Turn 8
The Sao Jorge started its activation by firing at Banda Aceh, but with no effect. Sao Martinho captured the Ayhutthaya after 3 rounds of boarding actions. Sa Caterina fired a full raking broadside into the galley Borobudur, causing 1 hit, then sailed on. Dragao kept harassing the Hat Yai, with a fiery attack and bombs, but all missed. Baderna (now on the surface again) turned and started to chase after the galeasses.
The surviving galleys were also chasing their prey, in this case the Sao Martinho and Sa Caterina. Srivijaya fired at the stern of Sa Caterina, breaking a mirror in one of Don Marco’s staterooms but otherwise doing no damage.
Hat Yai lumbered towards the Sao Jorge and opened fire, giving the fragata a 2nd damage (which I recorded in my notes but didn’t add to it’s red hit token. I was clearly having a bad day with token management) . Banda Aceh didn’t activate so well, and kept on course but took no other action (Photo #9).
Turn 9
So when will the Chinese convoy arrive? And do we have any information about its composition. Yes and yes. It’ll arrive on turn 10, in the NE corner (where the Portuguese started). It comprises two merchant junks (12 points each) laden with high value cargoes ordered from Canton by the Songkhka merchants, and is escorted by two small but fierce mercenary wako junks (50 points each). The merchants must get through. The mercenaries not so much.
Meanwhile … Sao Jorge turned to starboard and fired a close range broadside into the Hat Yai, but caused no damage. Sao Martinho cut the grapples linking it to the (now captured) Ayutthaya, turned across the stern of Banda Aceh and fired a raking broadside at point blank range, for 1 hit. Sa Caterina then crossed Banda Aceh’s bow and did the same, but without further damage. Dragao kept up its harassing attacks on Hat Yai, with the usual lack of success. But Baderna did a lot better, moving 1L to ram Hat Yai at the stern, and sinking the galeass with 3 additional damage (Photo #10).
Banda Aceh closed to contact Sa Caterina amidships, and grappled, but had no activation to start a boarding action. The galleys started moving to support Banda Aceh, but didn’t activate well so didn’t make much progress.
Turn 10
The Chinese convoy came on, moving in line abreast with the escorts closer to the action. They are all making directly for the Songkhka lagoon.
Sa Caterina cut the Banda Aceh’s grapples, sailed forward, and began to turn to starboard, firing a broadside into the galeass causing a 2nd damage. Sao Martinho then fired a broadside (not raking) into the stern of Banda Aceh at short range, but without effect. Baderna turned and chased the Banda Aceh, hoping to do another stern ram. Dragao wittered about as usual, dropping more bombs harmlessly.
Banda Aceh failed all activation rolls and sailed on. The galleys re-thought their tactics, backwatered, and turned towards the lagoon (Photo #11 somehow got lost).
Turn 11
The Portuguese surface combatants all began the laborious task of turning upwind to meet the Chinese convoy. The Baderna however, rammed Banda Aceh in the stern, causing 2 more damage (accumulated total 4) and sinking the galeass. The convoy and surviving galleys all held their courses for the lagoon entrance (Photo 12).
Turn 12 & 13
The Portuguese ships worked on their turns, and the galleys took advantage as the fragatas hung in irons. Sao Martinho took a hit from Srivijaya, and Sao Jorge was contacted and grappled at the bows by Borobudur. Dragao is now harassing the convoy, with no more success than before. Baderna (still on the surface) is lining up Borobudur as its next ramming target. The prize crew on Ayutthaya is taking it out of the action and doing repairs (Photo 13).
Turn 14
Sao Martinho fired a full broadside into Srivijaya, causing 2 hits including a hull critical. Sao Jorge cut the grapples thrown from Borobudur, but lacked AP to do more and was pushed 1S downwind. Baderna continued its dream run by ramming Borobudur and causing 2 hits (accumulated total 3) so the galley is crippled.
Srivijaya fired back at Sao Martinho to no effect, but the crippled Borobudur showed fight and caused a 3rd hit on Sao Jorge (crippled, but red damage token still shows only 1 hit ;). The convoy kept running for safety, including the escorts (Photo 14).
Turn 15
Sao Martinho got a full raking broadside at S range into Srivijaya, for 3 hits including a critical (hull damage) so both surviving galleys are crippled now. Baderna submerged, moved under Borobudur and began to stalk the convoy. Then Borobudur sank as it was pounded by a S range broadside from Sa Caterina. Sao Jorge began a port turn across the wind.
Srivijaya failed activation, unsurprisingly. The convoy kept sailing, harassed ineffectually by Dragao (Photo #15).
And that’s where the game ended. The Portuguese have convincingly beaten the Songkhla defenders, but they cannot risk chasing the convoy all the way into the coast in these shoal waters, and with the fortress guns too. They have sunk both Galeasses including the enemy flagship, and sunk 2/4 galleys, captured another, and crippled the survivor. But the fragata Sao Jorge is crippled and will need to be shepherded home. Of the Super Weapons, Dragao was a big disappointment but Baderna is definitely MVP.
Opinion is split about whether it’s a great Portuguese victory though. Those who were hoping to kick the Sultan of Songkhkla’s backside are happy. Those who were hoping for prize money from the convoy are less happy. Don Marco is outwardly spruiking the advantages of having curtailed the future depredations of the Songkhka corsairs, and he is brushing off the failure to intercept the convoy. In the city of Songkhla of course, the merchants take a different view. Take your pick.
Cheers from Pattaya
Mark
*****
Don Marco da Pattaya has decided it’s time the Sultan of Songkhla received an unfriendly visit from the Portuguese. He leads a squadron North into the Gulf of Ayutthaya.
The Portuguese sailed with 414 points, comprising -
1 x Galleon (Santa Caterina da Goa) (106)
Q3 C4: Chaser guns, Drilled soldiers, Flagship, Galleon rigged, Master gunner, Trained gun crew. Don Marco is a Swaggering commander (I made him re-roll and he delivered another D6=6).
3 x Fragatas (Santa Barbara, Sao Jorge, Sao Martinho) (60 each)
Q3 C3: Chaser guns, Galleon rigged, Master gunner, Trained gun crew.
1 x Submersible ram (Baderna) (58)
Q3 C2: Ramming, Submersible, Unarmed, Unorthodox
1 x Dragao (Dragao) (70)
Q3 C2: Airship, Bombs, Fiery attack, Lateen rigged, Master gunner
The Songkhla fleet was not expecting (§ contingent event) this attack and some of it’s galleys have been hauled out for off-season repairs and maintenance.
But the following vessels (338 points) were available -
2 x Galeasses (Banda Aceh*, Hat Yai) (72* + 50)
Q4 C5: Bow guns, Drilled soldiers, Flagship*, High castles, Sluggish, Square rigged, Sweeps, Veteran NCOs. Al-Haj Ali is a Middling Seaman (he also re-rolled and that was his better shot).
4 x Galleys (Ayutthaya, Borobudur, Songkhla, Srivijaya) (54 each)
Q3 C3: Drilled soldiers, Galley, Shallow draft, Swashbucklers, Yare
The gap in the coast leads to an extensive - and mostly shallow water - lagoon, where deeper draft ships without local pilots venture at their peril. The entrance is also well fortified. The city is inland on the edge of the lagoon, not on the coast, although there are some fishing villages. The coastline is also infested with mud flats and mangroves, and trends away westerly N and S of the lagoon entrance.
So what is Don Marco doing, attacking a place like this with a force that can surely achieve little? Is there some method in his madness? Perhaps we shall find out.
Some contingent rolls determined that (§) Don Marco has kept his squadron out of sight of land in order to achieve surprise, but that (§) a local fishing boat saw the Portuguese two days ago and raced in to report, and the cat is out of the bag. So that as the Portuguese submersible (travelling on the surface) and dragao sail on, the Songkhka defenders are beginning to file out (Photo #2).
The above view is E and the wind direction is NW, so blowing diagonally from lower L to upper R. It’s a monsoonal breeze so will not change during the game.
The Dragao has been signalling, and Don Marco brings his ships onto the table in the NE corner, with the fragatas leading the line. The Baderna has submerged (blue token) and it and Dragao continue to close with the Songkhka vessels as they emerge from the channel (Photo #3).
Before I forget to mention it: anywhere wet within 1S of a mangrove patch is shoal water.
Don Marco orders his surface ships to shorten sail. He seems in no hurry to close in. The Dragao continued moving forward and was shot at, ineffectively, by two galleys. In response Dragao tried a fiery attack against Ayutthaya, and also misses (Photo #4).
Turn 6
The lookout in the main top of the Sa Caterina (§) spotted sails on the E horizon. It seems to be a small convoy of Chinese merchant junks. Is that what Don Marco has been looking for, and what the Songkhka navy is pushing out to cover ?
So where are the Chinese? I hear you ask. It depends. Starting on turn 9 (§) it’ll become another contingent event.
Meanwhile … the lead Portuguese fragata, Sao Jorge, poured a raking full broadside into the galley Songkhka, which took 1 hit and caught fire. The second fragata, Sao Martinho, followed the lead and similarly attacked the galley Srivijaya, causing 1 hit. Then Sa Caterina followed, and sent another full broadside at Srivijaya, causing a 2nd hit. Baderna popped up to the surface and rammed Hat Yai, causing 1 damage (I forgot to take away the blue token indicating it is submerged). The Dragao moved forward and tried another fiery blast at the Hat Yai, but missed again (Photo #7).
Al-Haj Ali urged his own vessels onwards against the infidels. But his words were drowned out by a defeating explosion as the fire on the Songkhka reached the galley’s magazine. Undeterred the Ayutthaya powered forward into contact with the Sao Martinho, grappled, and started a boarding action, which was a drawn fight. The other two galleys closed in on the Sa Caterina.
The rear galeass Hat Yai ignored the annoying submersible gnat, and has no broadside guns anyway, and sailed on (Photo #8).
The Sao Jorge started its activation by firing at Banda Aceh, but with no effect. Sao Martinho captured the Ayhutthaya after 3 rounds of boarding actions. Sa Caterina fired a full raking broadside into the galley Borobudur, causing 1 hit, then sailed on. Dragao kept harassing the Hat Yai, with a fiery attack and bombs, but all missed. Baderna (now on the surface again) turned and started to chase after the galeasses.
The surviving galleys were also chasing their prey, in this case the Sao Martinho and Sa Caterina. Srivijaya fired at the stern of Sa Caterina, breaking a mirror in one of Don Marco’s staterooms but otherwise doing no damage.
Hat Yai lumbered towards the Sao Jorge and opened fire, giving the fragata a 2nd damage (which I recorded in my notes but didn’t add to it’s red hit token. I was clearly having a bad day with token management) . Banda Aceh didn’t activate so well, and kept on course but took no other action (Photo #9).
Turn 9
So when will the Chinese convoy arrive? And do we have any information about its composition. Yes and yes. It’ll arrive on turn 10, in the NE corner (where the Portuguese started). It comprises two merchant junks (12 points each) laden with high value cargoes ordered from Canton by the Songkhka merchants, and is escorted by two small but fierce mercenary wako junks (50 points each). The merchants must get through. The mercenaries not so much.
Banda Aceh closed to contact Sa Caterina amidships, and grappled, but had no activation to start a boarding action. The galleys started moving to support Banda Aceh, but didn’t activate well so didn’t make much progress.
Turn 10
The Chinese convoy came on, moving in line abreast with the escorts closer to the action. They are all making directly for the Songkhka lagoon.
Sa Caterina cut the Banda Aceh’s grapples, sailed forward, and began to turn to starboard, firing a broadside into the galeass causing a 2nd damage. Sao Martinho then fired a broadside (not raking) into the stern of Banda Aceh at short range, but without effect. Baderna turned and chased the Banda Aceh, hoping to do another stern ram. Dragao wittered about as usual, dropping more bombs harmlessly.
Banda Aceh failed all activation rolls and sailed on. The galleys re-thought their tactics, backwatered, and turned towards the lagoon (Photo #11 somehow got lost).
The Portuguese surface combatants all began the laborious task of turning upwind to meet the Chinese convoy. The Baderna however, rammed Banda Aceh in the stern, causing 2 more damage (accumulated total 4) and sinking the galeass. The convoy and surviving galleys all held their courses for the lagoon entrance (Photo 12).
The Portuguese ships worked on their turns, and the galleys took advantage as the fragatas hung in irons. Sao Martinho took a hit from Srivijaya, and Sao Jorge was contacted and grappled at the bows by Borobudur. Dragao is now harassing the convoy, with no more success than before. Baderna (still on the surface) is lining up Borobudur as its next ramming target. The prize crew on Ayutthaya is taking it out of the action and doing repairs (Photo 13).
Sao Martinho fired a full broadside into Srivijaya, causing 2 hits including a hull critical. Sao Jorge cut the grapples thrown from Borobudur, but lacked AP to do more and was pushed 1S downwind. Baderna continued its dream run by ramming Borobudur and causing 2 hits (accumulated total 3) so the galley is crippled.
Srivijaya fired back at Sao Martinho to no effect, but the crippled Borobudur showed fight and caused a 3rd hit on Sao Jorge (crippled, but red damage token still shows only 1 hit ;). The convoy kept running for safety, including the escorts (Photo 14).
Sao Martinho got a full raking broadside at S range into Srivijaya, for 3 hits including a critical (hull damage) so both surviving galleys are crippled now. Baderna submerged, moved under Borobudur and began to stalk the convoy. Then Borobudur sank as it was pounded by a S range broadside from Sa Caterina. Sao Jorge began a port turn across the wind.
Srivijaya failed activation, unsurprisingly. The convoy kept sailing, harassed ineffectually by Dragao (Photo #15).
And that’s where the game ended. The Portuguese have convincingly beaten the Songkhla defenders, but they cannot risk chasing the convoy all the way into the coast in these shoal waters, and with the fortress guns too. They have sunk both Galeasses including the enemy flagship, and sunk 2/4 galleys, captured another, and crippled the survivor. But the fragata Sao Jorge is crippled and will need to be shepherded home. Of the Super Weapons, Dragao was a big disappointment but Baderna is definitely MVP.
Opinion is split about whether it’s a great Portuguese victory though. Those who were hoping to kick the Sultan of Songkhkla’s backside are happy. Those who were hoping for prize money from the convoy are less happy. Don Marco is outwardly spruiking the advantages of having curtailed the future depredations of the Songkhka corsairs, and he is brushing off the failure to intercept the convoy. In the city of Songkhla of course, the merchants take a different view. Take your pick.
Cheers from Pattaya
Mark