From: Niek van Diepen Subject: Camperdown 200th Anniversary post (was Age of Sail Games) Alan Saunders wrote: > We hope to refight Camperdown next week (48 vessels) as this year is the > 200th anniversary of the battle and next week is the nearest session we > can get to the actual date (11th October). We will use 'Form Line of > Battle' for this; I've drawn up the rosters for both sides and they come > to one side of A4 each. This inspired me to polish up my scenario with some details (on Bloys and the ship Mars) I recently learned about. This is for Wooden Ships and Iron Men, but I am sure it can be adapted to other rulesets. We have played this three times, each time with 8 to 12 players over two days, advanced rules, and it is a cliff-hanger, victory counts within 10 % of each other each time. Score 2:1 to the Brits unfortunately. Enjoy! Niek van Diepen (niekd@cs.kun.nl) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Scenario Wooden Ships & Iron Men BATTLE OF KAMPERDUIN (CAMPERDOWN) October 11, 1797 Designed 1993 by Niek van Diepen and Wes Miller, encouraged by Jim Jordan, based on scenario's by James M. Lutz (The Royal Navy Triumphant, General 23-4) and Anton van der Tweel (Conflictgazet 112). Slightly revised October 1997. I. INTRODUCTION The balance of naval power shifted in France's favor with the establish- ment of the Batavian Republic in the Seven United Provinces (the modern day Netherlands) and the unwilling alliance of that state with France. While the Batavian fleet was smaller than that of Spain, it was of much higher quality and its bases were geographically situated to pose a greater threat to England. In 1797, a Dutch squadron was formed to participate in a French invasion of Ireland. On October 11, a British squadron met this fleet off the coast of northern Holland. The British force bore down on the Dutch battle line, which was sailing north with the wind. After a sharp engagement, a number of Dutch ships were captured, and the remainder of the fleet was scattered. The danger of the Dutch combination with French naval forces and the immediate threat to Ireland was avoided, and the superiority of the Royal Navy over yet another opponent of the day was established. II. PREVAILING WEATHER CONDITIONS Wind Direction: 2 Wind Velocity: 3 -- Normal Breeze Wind Change: 6 III. SPECIAL RULES 1. Hexrow R-RR (the main Dutch line) is 24 feet deep, and it gets more shallow one foot per row (S-23, T-22, U-21, V-20, W-19, X-18, Y-17, etc). The bottom is sandy and the values given are minimum depths for those hex rows. When a ship enters a hexrow with a minimum depth equal to or less than the ship's depth, throw a die. Add the difference between ship's depth and minimum depth. If the result is greater than or equal to 6, the ship has run aground. To cast the lead a ship can only move a maximum of 1 hex. Then you can throw for the next turn (only) for all hexes adjacent to your ship. 2. No land hexes. 3. Towing permitted. 4. Normal (but no bow or stern) anchoring allowed. 5. Chain Shot is not available. 6. Optional: The British ship Agincourt has as captain a certain Captain Williamson, a coward probably unequalled in the history of the British navy. Hence, after the battle he has been court-martialled and dismissed dishonorably from the navy. This, by the way, is totally undeserved a better lot than that of Admiral Byng. This ship can be upgraded by mutual consent to Crack crew (20 victory points), but the following restriction comes into effect: The Agincourt may approach the Batavian ships no closer than either the distance where hit table 0 is reached, or 10 hexes if the hit table is higher at that distance. When the Agincourt accrues Crew Hits, a die is cast. On a roll of 6 Williamson is "hors combat" and this restriction is raised. 7. Optional: historical Dutch squadrons. Rear-admiral Bloys van Treslong actually commanded a squadron consisting of the first four Dutch SOLs as well as his own flagship. Due to a misunderstood or faulty signal he ended up in the middle of the center squadron. Reyntjes commanded the last 5 SOLs, De Winter the 6 SOL's from Vrijheid to Mars, except Brutus. Bloys got the blame for the defeat in a court-martial (which had the odor of party politics) in 1798, and he was dismissed the service. He was rehabilitated in 1808 by king Louis-Napoleon of Holland, brother of the French Emperor, and he ended his carreer as a Vice-Admiral. 8. Smaller scenario's: a. delete all ships of 18 guns and less. b. delete all ships of 32 guns and less. Point count: Batavian 7b: 350, 7a: 392, standard: 420. British 7b: 387, 7a: 432, standard: 452. 9. Recommended scenario length for competitive play: 30 turns. IV. SPECIAL VICTORY CONDITIONS 1. The Dutch player may, at his option, remove any ship which is more than 10 hexes north (i.e. in direction 1, use the hex numbers to calculate the difference) of the northermost British ship of equal or more guns. These ships are deemed to have escaped back to Den Helder (the main Dutch naval base). He receives one fourth of the value (rounded down) of every ship removed in this way. 2. Captured ships count twice their point value. 3. British ships run aground count full value, Dutch ships count full value minus one for every crew square still aboard (minus 1/2 when using Advanced Rules). [This is because so close to the coast the experienced sailors could be saved -- important in view of the difficulties involved in training replacements when blockaded]. V. ORDER OF BATTLE The two WS&IM boards are laid end to end with hex A35 aligned with hex AA1, with one new hex A36 in between. Hex B34 is similarly aligned with hex BB1, with two hexes, B35 and BB0 in between. E.g. the Wassenaer is in beteen the two boards on new hexes R35 and RR0. Use French and American counters for the Batavian ships. id Bow Dr Crew Gun Car Dpth Name Gn Cls nr hex nr Hl Ql 1 2 3 L R L R Rig ft Val BATAVIAN (DUTCH) FLEET, Vice-Admiraal De Winter (Vrijheid) Beschermer 56 SOL 2201 R17 1 9 Cr 3 3 3 5 5 1 1 3x7 16 16 Gelijkheid 68 SOL 2202 R20 1 12 Cr 4 4 3 7 7 1 1 3x7 18 22 Hercules 64 SOL 2203 R23 1 11 Cr 4 3 3 6 6 1 1 3x7 17 20 Tjerk Hiddes de Vries 68 SOL 2204 R26 1 12 Cr 4 4 3 7 7 1 1 3x7 18 22 Vrijheid (1) 74 SOL 2205 R29 1 14 Cr 4 4 4 8 8 2 2 3x7 19 27 Staten-Generaal (4) 76 SOL 2206 R32 1 14 Cr 5 4 4 8 8 2 2 3x7 19 28 Wassenaer 64 SOL 2207 R35 1 11 Cr 4 3 3 6 6 1 1 3x7 17 20 Batavier 56 SOL 2208 RR2 1 9 Cr 3 3 3 5 5 1 1 3x7 16 16 Brutus (3) 74 SOL 2209 RR5 1 14 Cr 4 4 4 8 8 2 2 3x7 19 27 Leyden 64 SOL 2210 RR8 1 11 Cr 4 3 3 6 6 1 1 3x7 17 20 Mars (razee)(*) 44 SOL 2211 RR11 1 8 Cr 3 2 2 6 6 - - 3x6 15 15 Cerberus 64 SOL 2212 RR14 1 11 Cr 4 3 3 6 6 1 1 3x7 17 20 Jupiter (2) 74 SOL 2213 RR17 1 14 Cr 4 4 4 8 8 2 2 3x7 19 27 Haarlem 68 SOL 2214 RR20 1 12 Cr 4 4 3 7 7 1 1 3x7 18 22 Alkmaar 56 SOL 2215 RR23 1 9 Cr 3 3 3 5 5 1 1 3x7 16 16 Delft 54 SOL 2216 RR26 1 9 Cr 3 3 3 5 5 1 1 3x7 16 16 Galathe 18 B 4501 U21 1 3 Cr 1 1 1 - - 2 2 4x4 7 7 Daphne 18 B 4502 U24 1 3 Cr 1 1 1 - - 2 2 4x4 7 7 Ajax 18 B 4503 U27 1 3 Cr 1 1 1 - - 2 2 4x4 7 7 Waaksaamheid 24 C 4401 U30 1 5 Cr 2 2 1 2 2 - - 4x5 8 10 Minerva 24 C 4402 U33 1 5 Cr 2 2 1 2 2 - - 4x5 8 10 Heldin 32 F 2301 UU5 1 7 Cr 2 2 2 3 3 - - 4x5 13 11 Ambuscade 32 F 2302 UU10 1 7 Cr 2 2 2 3 3 - - 4x5 13 11 Atalanta 18 B 4504 UU16 1 3 Cr 1 1 1 - - 2 2 4x4 7 7 Monnikendam 44 F 2303 UU19 1 8 Cr 3 2 2 4 4 - - 4x5 15 16 (1) Vice-Adm. De Winter, (2) Vice-Adm. Reintjes, (3) Rear-Adm. (Schout-bij-Nacht) Bloys van Treslong, (4) Rear-Adm. Storij (*) Mars seems to have been armed with 32-pounders, the heaviest guns on the Dutch side. A standard razee would have a gunnery factor of 4. BRITISH FLEET, Admiral Duncan (Venerable) Venerable (a) 74 SOL 1201 K33 2 14 Cr 4 4 4 8 8 2 2 3x7 20 27 Triumph 74 SOL 1202 J34 2 14 Cr 5 4 4 9 9 2 2 3x7 21 29 Ardent 64 SOL 1203 H32 2 11 Cr 4 3 3 6 6 1 1 3x7 19 20 Bedford 74 SOL 1204 G35 2 14 Cr 4 4 4 8 8 2 2 3x7 20 27 Lancaster 64 SOL 1205 E35 2 11 Cr 4 3 3 6 6 1 1 3x7 19 20 Adamant 50 SOL 1206 B34 2 8 Cr 3 2 2 4 4 1 1 3x6 17 27 Director 64 SOL 1207 DD2 2 11 Cr 4 3 3 6 6 1 1 3x7 19 20 Belliqueux 64 SOL 1208 A36 2 11 Cr 4 3 3 6 6 1 1 3x7 19 20 Isis 50 SOL 1209 Z2 2 8 Cr 3 2 2 4 4 1 1 3x6 17 17 Circe 28 C 1301 DD6 3 5 Cr 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 4x5 12 11 King George 18 B 1501 DD10 2 3 Cr 1 1 1 - - 2 2 4x4 7 7 Active 32 F 1302 GG14 2 6 Cr 2 2 1 3 3 1 1 4x5 15 12 Martin 14 B 1502 BB14 2 3 Cr 1 1 - - - 1 1 4x4 6 6 Diligent 18 B 1503 AA12 2 3 Cr 1 1 1 - - 2 2 4x4 7 7 Rose 28 C 1303 CC18 2 5 Cr 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 4x5 12 11 Speculator 24 C 1401 Z19 2 5 Cr 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 4x5 9 11 Monarch (b) 74 SOL 1210 KK21 2 14 Cr 4 4 4 8 8 2 2 3x7 20 27 Powerful 74 SOL 1211 JJ25 2 14 Cr 4 4 4 8 8 2 2 3x7 20 27 Monmouth 64 SOL 1212 II27 2 11 Cr 4 3 3 6 6 1 1 3x7 19 20 Russell 74 SOL 1213 GG27 2 14 Cr 4 4 4 8 8 2 2 3x7 20 27 Montagu 74 SOL 1214 FF24 3 14 Cr 4 4 4 8 8 2 2 3x7 20 27 Veteran 64 SOL 1215 DD29 2 11 Cr 4 3 3 6 6 1 1 3x7 19 20 Beaulieu 40 F 1304 CC24 3 7 Cr 2 2 2 3 3 1 1 4x5 15 15 Agincourt 64 SOL 1216 AA31 2 11 Av 4 3 3 6 6 1 1 3x7 19 17 (a) Admiral Duncan, (b) Vice-Admiral Onslow