Black Seas: Scouting Mission of the Stinging Nat

AAR: its April 1804 the Spanish brig Picadura Nat commanded by Capitán Don Estabon Castanza (Sometime smuggler and pirate) and a French 5th rate frigate, Les Feuilletée ( not seen in photo), commanded by Capitaine Sept Blanc are ordered to make a run out of Cadiz to scout the British Atlantic Fleet position. On their second day out of Cadiz they are intercepted by Captain William Dungeness commanding the 3rd rate frigate HMS Klondike and 2nd Lieutenant Horace Braithweight of the brig HMS Sapphire.

Alas, I only took 1 picture of the entire game. 
Top left, HMS Sapphire, center is the Picadura Nat, lower is the HMS Klondike (not yet with all her sails)

The wind was blowing out of the north making it hard for Castanza and Blanc to beat their way up the coast.  As the day dawned it found the four ships about a mile away from each other, with the British moving in a westerly tact.  Castanza and Blanc had the weather gage and the Picadura Nat came straight for the British at battle sails.  Les Feuilletee took a more westerly angle opening a gap between the two ships.  2nd Lieutenant Braithweight maneuvered the HMS Sapphire to the port side of the Picadura Nat and delivered two well aimed broadsides that caused significant damage to the ship, while the HMS Klondike moved towards the Picadura Nat's starboard side.

Undaunted, the Picadura Nat returned fire causing damage to the HMS Sapphire, but amazingly delivering two well aimed critical shots into the HMS Klondike, inflicting 25% damage to its overall strength of 74.  As the crew of the HMS Klondike cleared away the wreckage of their mast, Captain Dungeness fired both broadsides of his ship.  The Picadura Nat taking minor damage and the Les Feuilletee receiving three critical hits that disabled her ability to make any course change and left her sailing away from the engagement for the remainder of that turn.

Another two turns were taken up with the captains of all ships attempting to gain the weather gage and turn their ships back into the fight.  The Les Feuilletee having to perform a difficult turning maneuver into the wind which had stayed constant from the North.  Unfortunately, the French seamen were unable to demonstrate a mastery of nautical skill to help perform these maneuvers and the French frigate took additional damage as it made it's turns.

While the Les Feuilletee was wallowing in incompetence, Capitán Castanza engaged both of the British vessels alone.  His initial attack on the HMS Sapphire delivered additional critical hits which rendered the the HMS Sapphire out of action and adrift for the remainder of the fight.  His second attack got behind the HMS Klondike and raked the ship at close range.  Captain Dungeness added more sail to the HMS Klondike and pulled away from the Picadura Nat.  With the Spanish ship behind him and the French ship to his north, it looked to everyone that the HMS Klondike had show the white feather and was running.

The Spanish and French immediately changed course to pursue, slowly gaining on the British vessel.  However, this maneuver had only been done to gain sea room and the HMS Klondike changed course, catching the wind and raced back towards the enemy ships, aiming a course between them.  The HMS Klondike fired the port-side guns as she went past the Picadura Nat, missing her, much to Captain Dungeness's disgust.  The HMS Klondike's starboard broadside into the Les Feuilletee inflicted horrible damage with additional critical hits that rendered Les Feuilletee's guns inoperable.  In a blind panic, the Frenchman ordered his crew to grapple with the HMS Klondike.

The ensuing fight saw the British strength of 50 against the French strength of 20.  The British tars, although taken aback by the initial French attack, rallied and quickly defeated the French boarders.  As the tide turned, Captain Dungeness led the counter attack and stormed the Les Feuilletee, capturing it within minutes as the French crew, exhausted, dispirited, their beloved leader dead, called for quarter.  As a the French prisoners were being stowed in a forward hold, and a prize crew was being organized, Capitán Castanza and the Picadura Nat struck again.  Coming out of the shadow of the disabled Sapphire, the Spaniard delivered two well placed shots which caused additional damage to the HMS Klondike.  One shot flew high across the quarterdeck and inflicted additional damage to the now captured Les Feuilletee.

With that last "sting" at the British, the Picadura Nat turned back towards Cadiz, seriously damaged but undefeated (Presently at a 9, on a 7 the ship is disabled).  However, Captain Dungeness was not a man to allow such arrogance to go unpunished.  He immediately ordered the stern chaser to find the target and put a shot into her.  Gunners Mate Thomas Plant carefully called adjustments to the gun, stood back and fired.  The shot delivered a critical hit to the fast disappearing Spanish vessel.  A rousing cheer went up from the British seamen as they watch the shot disable the rigging on the Spanish vessel.  Alas, the shot, for all of its luck in finding it's target, only slowed the Spanish vessel. 

The British claimed victory, securing the HMS Sapphire with a tow line and headed back towards England with the Les Feuilletee for prize money.  Capitán Castanza returned to Cadiz vowing to fight another day.