My friend and I tried out TFL’s Kiss Me Hardy naval wargame rules. We tried one quick action, and as a professional mariner myself, I was blown away. The rules were far less fiddly than Wooden Ships and Iron Men but damage still impacted gunnery and speed. The weather gauge was critical. My opponent got caught in irons when attempting to tack instead of wearing ship and I passed under his stern and ended it. These rules are fast paced and really make you feel like a ship’s captain.

Our second battle (sans pictures unfortunately) involved a battered French 74 running from a Royal Navy 74. Relief forces entered the table at random locations.

French Forces:
Swiftsure 74
Formidable 74

Royal Navy:
HMS Leviathan 74
HMS Conqueror 74

Monsieur,

I must regretfully report the loss of our 74 gun 3rd Rate Swiftsure and the damaging of my own Formidable for the damaging of HMS Leviathan, which will need to be laid up in ordinary for a season.

On the night of the 18th, a front passed through our area, scattering the Royal Navy. The 74 gun Swiftsure attempted to sail for the Irish Sea in keeping with your direction. On the night of the 19th, the westernmost semaphore tower reported recognition lights being shown off the point. Swiftsure then communicated that she was unable to beat upwind to accomplish her mission due to the presence of a large British force.

The decision was then made for Formidable to escort Swiftsure into Brest, two 3rd rates providing a potent force. A screening force of frigates was dispatched to the northeast to distract the British.

At 1330 on the 20th we had sighted not only Swiftsure but also a British 74 in close pursuit. Astern and leeward of us another enemy 74 was working her way to windward. I made the decision to close and assist Swiftsure believing that 2 independant engagements to not be in our favour.

We made good 8 knots and closed Swiftsure, who was wearing to pepper her pursuer, Leviathan. Swiftsure‘s gunnery did her credit, but the British had the weather gauge and were able to close and batter her mercilessly.

I must needs give you notice that the obusier de vaisseau performed terribly in the action. At a critical junction, the entire starboard quarterdeck battery simply exploded, giving the British a great advantage, allowing Leviathan to cross under Swiftsure‘s stern and do most horrendous damage and set her alight.

I was 8 cables to leeward of the action, but my excellent gunners did great execution with my heavy guns and allowed Swiftsure a moment to pass ahead of the tenacious Leviathan and dismount many of her guns.

I continued to close, being momentarily distracted by the loss of mizzen top, which was shot away by the trailing 74, HMS Conqueror. I assessed her too far to make a difference and put my helm up to close HMS Leviathan. I poured two broadsides into her, as she wore and attempted to pass under my stern. Swiftsure was close aboard my port quarter and I lacked sufficient headway to tack, having lost my flying jib. I wore to port and passed down Swiftsure‘s port side as HMS Leviatan, seeing she was overmatched, disengaged. Our parting shots had my own obusiers explode, doing more damage to me than the guns of the enemy! Swiftsure also had another gun explosion, worsening the fire, which had now spread to her orlop.

The fire aboard our consort was so thick that I was unable to see HMS Conqueror turn abeam Swiftsure at 3 cables and pour heavy fire into her. The report of the guns was clear though, so I passed down Swiftsure‘s disengaged side and made to close HMS Conqueror. Swiftsure, however, was not aware of my location, the smoke from her blaze was so strong. She therefore turned hard towards me and we collided. My mizzenmast was carried away, and I took on such an amount of water aft that I could not open my lower gunports. Swiftsure lost her foremast and lost the battle to contain the conflaguration. She struck as I disengaged.

The obusiers must need to be removed from our ships, being no true answer to carronades.

Vive La Republique!

NOTE: The gun explosions were so devastating that we needed to come up with an excuse. The obusiers made perfect sense. HMS Leviathan being windward and having a better crew made a huge difference in the battle, as did the inadvertent collision at the end or else I may have been able to finish HMS Conqueror, despite the damage I had taken from my own guns!

Overall, a great rule set and one which will see more action on here – with pictures next time I promise!