Slitherine

quote:

ORIGINAL: gdrover

My one suggestion is that perhaps the French AI was set to be much too aggressive with its valuable navies. Rebuilding a whole new navy would be costly and take a long time. Shouldn't they try to husband their resources after a defeat to keep the British fleets pinned watching their ports while they slowly build more fleets?

quote:

ORIGINAL: gdrover

One great little vignette that occured during one of the sea battles:

In the midst of a swirling battle (both lines had crashed together and had exchanged brutal broadsides and were now completely intermingled and blasting away at each other), my 81 gun 3rd-rater 'Cumberland' swung up behind the French 110 gun 1st-rater Invincible which was fouled with another French behemoth and therefore a sitting duck.  The Cumberland eased by the stern and let loose a devastating broadside.  However, before the splinters had landed, the French crew managed to grapple the smaller Cumberland.

The Cumberland's crew looked on horrified as almost 800 members of the French crew and marines prepared to storm across on the British ship.  Knowing that they would likely not survive the boarding battle that was about to occur, the British captain ordered his gunners to load grape-shot! The gun crews worked quickly and were just able to get off a devestating broadside just as the French mob thronged to the aft quarter.  The first broadside did cruel execution and mowed down almost 200 men, and before they could recover, a second swept the Frenchmen from the decks.  In total almost 300 French crewmen had been cut down before they could board.

The situation had been completely reversed, theFrench morale was shattered, and the British crew charged onboard the massive French 110 gun vessel and took control.  The prize money would make them all wealthy men if they could survive and get back to Bristol!

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns

quote:

ORIGINAL: gdrover

One great little vignette that occured during one of the sea battles:

In the midst of a swirling battle (both lines had crashed together and had exchanged brutal broadsides and were now completely intermingled and blasting away at each other), my 81 gun 3rd-rater 'Cumberland' swung up behind the French 110 gun 1st-rater Invincible which was fouled with another French behemoth and therefore a sitting duck.  The Cumberland eased by the stern and let loose a devastating broadside.  However, before the splinters had landed, the French crew managed to grapple the smaller Cumberland.

The Cumberland's crew looked on horrified as almost 800 members of the French crew and marines prepared to storm across on the British ship.  Knowing that they would likely not survive the boarding battle that was about to occur, the British captain ordered his gunners to load grape-shot! The gun crews worked quickly and were just able to get off a devestating broadside just as the French mob thronged to the aft quarter.  The first broadside did cruel execution and mowed down almost 200 men, and before they could recover, a second swept the Frenchmen from the decks.  In total almost 300 French crewmen had been cut down before they could board.

The situation had been completely reversed, theFrench morale was shattered, and the British crew charged onboard the massive French 110 gun vessel and took control.  The prize money would make them all wealthy men if they could survive and get back to Bristol!

Hmm grappled vessels should not be able to loose broadsides at each others decks or rigging. Into each others hulls, sure with some penalty as the hulls are touching and thus some ports are unable to be opened, but the decks? I don't see how that could even be possible.

Jim

quote:

ORIGINAL: Charlie Lewis

quote:

ORIGINAL: gdrover

My one suggestion is that perhaps the French AI was set to be much too aggressive with its valuable navies. Rebuilding a whole new navy would be costly and take a long time. Shouldn't they try to husband their resources after a defeat to keep the British fleets pinned watching their ports while they slowly build more fleets?

There is a portion of the French AI routine that decides in January (and presumably at game start) whether it is going to attempt any amphibious invasions that year. I'm guessing you were busy forestalling a potential French invasion of ole' Blighty.