This is our first game using these new rules, Black Seas. Jimmy has been secretly building and painting a fleet of ships for some time now. They are a sailing adaptation of the Cruel Seas rules we are already familiar with. The mechanics of the cards, shooting, and movement are quite similar, as are the extra rules for wind and manoeuvring. Additionally, there are different model activation rules. Overall, the gameplay remains very simple.
UMPIRING: Jimmy
1. Forces.
2. The Game.
British merchant ships, carrying French prisoners of war, were being escorted by a strong force of British frigates. This convoy was set to be attacked by a significant number of small French brigs. We played on a 4-by-8-foot table: the British had to swim across the table from one long side to the other, while the French attacked from the two short sides—Andy and Alasdair on one side, and Gordon, Mike, and I on the other.
It quickly became clear that the entire British escort was only supporting one side. Peter had to allow the merchant ships to proceed ahead, while he moved swiftly to our side, alongside Mike and me. Gordon followed closely behind our ships. Meanwhile, on the other side, Tim engaged Alasdair's brigs and ultimately sank both French vessels. However, the situation on the other side of the convoy was quite different for us.
Our ships quickly positioned themselves to engage the convoy. My ship even managed to hit one of the merchant vessels. However, their speed and the arrival of Peter's ships significantly complicated the situation. I came up with a rather drastic idea: I decided to sacrifice one of our ships to sail in front of the merchantmen, block their path, cause a collision, and then sink them! It's also important to read and understand the scenario rules; I overlooked the note about French prisoners of war...
The only person who appeared to understand these instructions was Andy. While Tim was busy with Alasdair, and Peter was occupied with Mike and me, Andy took the opportunity to approach the first merchant ship and board it. After a struggle, he forced it to surrender. He attempted the same with a second merchant ship, but my attempt to board it was unsuccessful; I failed to capture it.
A series of ship collisions took place during the game. My ship and Mike's ship were struck by Peter and Jimmy's vessels. The chaos was so intense that the captured merchant ship sank, along with one of the frigates, both of Mike's ships, and one of my own. In the end, the game concluded in a draw, with the French losing four brigs, while the British lost a frigate and both of their merchant ships.
Regarding the rules, it's difficult for me to provide a detailed opinion just yet. As I mentioned in the introduction, they are quite similar to those of Cruel Seas. However, there are a few aspects I need to verify in the rules before I express any criticisms to ensure my understanding is accurate. I will have a good opportunity to do this this Thursday when we play another game using these rules.
3. Links.
SESWC:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/631841809210352
FLICKR:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720332556991
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