Here is a look at our upcoming Galleon in action! This battle report was sent to us by a local gamer and and play tester, Luis Larrazabal.
01. The 18-gun Spanish Galleon, Santa Cruz, (c.1635) leads a detachment of the Armada de Barlovento under the command of Comodoro Andrés de Ochoa y Zárate. Alongside is its Barque escort (known as a patache) under Captain Pablo Vera.
02. The Santa Cruz and the 4-gun Barque, Andaluz, form the line of the Armada de Barlovento.
02b. Captain Thomas sails on the Barque, Cormorant, and Captain Adrian on the Sloop, Angry Minnow, while Captain Morgan commands the English flotilla from the Corvette, Satisfaction, as they prepare for the oncoming battle vs. the Santa Cruz and its patache.
03. Captain Andrés de Ochoa y Zárate demonstrates superb tactical skills by controlling the weather gauge and therefore gaining the engagement advantage vs. the English. His soldados decimate the English sailors at long range (32 in) by bringing fire from above (Fighting Tops), negating the -1 Hard Cover bonus.
04. Captain Andrés de Ochoa y Zárate moves the Santa Cruz closer for a barrage of deadly heavy musket fire. Captain Thomas and Captain Adrian brace for the worst as our numbers would seemingly dwindle. Only Henry Morgan's “Luck” would deny many a casualty and/or fatigue in the ensuing saving throws.
05. The Angry Minnow tries to evade the Santa Cruz's broadside Line of Fire after causing some steering damage.
05b. Captain Andrés de Ochoa y Zárate successfully repairs the steering damage and moves for the kill on the isolated Angry Minnow, while the Satisfaction and the Cormorant struggle in the wind's eye and can only look on in horror, unable to assist.
06. Captain Andres de Ochoa y Zarate unleashes a deadly barrage of cannon fire, hitting the Angry Minnow, the Satisfaction, and the Cormorant with a single broadside. This causes moderate damage and casualties.
07. The English switch their strategy based on some recently revealed intelligence, and point all guns to target Captain Andrés de Ochoa y Zárate's command deck in an attempt to cause some high ranking casualties.
08. Captain Andrés de Ochoa y Zárate dies of a heart attack after failing the feeble test.
09. The Satisfaction's broadside causes some casualties on the Spanish flagship, but no raking shot damage. The Spanish draw a random event card which limits Captain Andrés de Ochoa y Zárate's replacement's command.
10. In a surprise maneuver, the Angry Minnow offensively intercepts and grapples the Santa Cruz, in a desperate attempt to capture the behemoth. However, the landing force on board did not consider that particular move appropriate, and quickly mounted a defense and counter.
11. As Bartholomew the fearless leads his veteran Sea Dogs in boarding the Santa Cruz, the Spanish Piqueros counter-assault the Angry Minnow, killing Captain Adrian and what remains of his command unit. May he rest in peace.
12. British Naval Intelligence Liaison Officer,. Juan De La Nuez, explains the finer details of advanced sailing maneuvers as the Santa Cruz and the Angry Minnow drift along, clutched in a deadly embrace at the wind's mercy.
14. The Santa Cruz cuts grapples from the Minnow, but continues to drift into...
15. ... the nearby shoals! The Santa Cruz runs aground and becomes immobilized!
16. Captain Morgan's Satisfaction lines up for a raking broadside on the Santa Cruz as Captain Thomas of the Cormorant looks on with forlorn hope!
17. Captain Morgan lines up for a raking shot in a last-ditch effort to avenge the Angry Minnow at sub optimal odds.
18. The Satisfaction's Raking Broadside as Captain Morgan bellows: “Get a li'l captain in ya!”
19. Captain Thomas and Captain Adrian Contemplate an improbable victory... must roll 10s 3 times. Time seems to slow down. Seconds become minutes, and minutes become... Wait, whut? It's midnight??
20. The improbable happens... A lucky hit leads to an epic (across the table roll) Natural 10 causing the Santa Cruz's powder magazines to explode magnificently, to everyone's amazement.
21. Juan De La Nuez tries to save Bartholomew the fearless from the exploding ship.
22. Bartholomew the fearless jumps ship as the Santa Cruz's powder magazines begin to explode. They say every dog has its day, and this one will live to fight another.
23. Captain Morgan's 6-gun corvette, the Satisfaction, living up to its namesake. Captain Morgan was very, very “Lucky” today.
24. The Heroes of the day… They held the line!! Bartholomew the fearless, and his crew of Veteran Sea Dogs sacrificed their lives in the line of duty to grant the English Buccaneers a chance at victory. Fortune answered the call.
The Galleon will be available Spring 2018 via the Firelock Games website.
