Battle of Trafalgar Refight

Video of the battle.

Here is a short video clip from a mobile phone of the battle.  Its pretty poor quality but has given me ideas to video our games in future. Just click and it should run in the browser - or rt click and save.

This is just a short article on a Trafalgar Refight we played at the Stourbridge Wargames Open Day 23rd October 2005.

The Game was organised by Steven Gray of the Stourbridge Club.

We used the Pirates of the Spanish Main, Crimson Tide and Revolution  ships - many reflaged as Napoleonic ships of the Line and only used 3, 4 and 5 masters. The result was quite a cheap game to put on. A both fleets together came to some 60 vessels and you get 2 ships in a £2.50 pack then in theory such a game could cost just £75 to put together - if you dont mind using a few smallet vessels - or maybe £100 if you try and get bigger ships. An remember the ships are already painted and take minimal assembly. Steve then put them on small cards with names and we were off.

That makes it a mighty cheap way of playing BIG napoleonic battles compaired to the gorgeous but expensive metal ships that are available.

We played on a 6 foot square table and were able to get all the ships of the line on - but ignored the frigates.

Rules

These were back of a postcard and i reproduce them here:

Turn Sequence:
Allied (Spain/France) Move then Fire
British Move then Fire

Allied ships can turn 45 degrees and British 60.  No
ship can sail more than 45 into the wind.
Movement
A nil (into wind)
B 3”   (wind between 45 astern and 45 ahead)
C 6”   (wind coming from rear and upto  45 degree from rear)

Shooting
Roll 4 dice, Allied ignore best British ignore worst

Up to 3” 4,5,6 hit
3-6” 6 hits 

First rates can reroll one dice

Saving Throws
Each ship rolls 3D6 after hits, 6 save for normal
ships, 5,6 for 1st rates

Damage
All ships can take 5 hits.  All ships loose 1 shot
firing for every hit after the second.

Comments

These rules made for fast and bloody combat. On reflection the number of guns (dice) firing maybe should continue to diminsih as hits are taken). Also when 5 hits are taken rather than sinking or striking a morale dice can be rolled perhaps on a 4-6to continue afloat and able to flee the battle.

I was Nelson with the other players (Ian, Pat, my dad John and Steve plus a couple of kids who wandered by and played a few turns) playing Collingwood and the Allied Fleet.

The Battlle occured fairely close to reality . The Victory and the Royal soverign lead their lines into the combined fleet and soon the superior British maneuvering and firepower began to tell.In the end the allies lost some 21 ships (as opposed to 17 in reality) and the British had 7 dead in the water/ sunk. However rather embarisingly I managed to get Victory sunk and an unfortunate confused freindly fire incident lead to me sinking Collingwoods flag ship myself!!

In the end it was a fun and fast game and I think these basic rules ( with maybe a little extra detail) work well for a big game.

 Thanks to Steve for  organising this.
Now as sole remaining British admiral on the ship that accidentally sank Collingwood I have to ahem write the true and official dispatch. Now how to I say great and glorious victory but we lost two admirals....

Steve's pics follow:

The British sqaudrons approach the Combined Fleet. The British cut the line.

Below: The Battle in full swing:

Below: its pretty much all over now: