Napoleonic Naval Game Report and Rules

Last week my daughter visited for the day. When she is over we will often play a couple of One-Hour Skirmish Wargames using my Games Workshop Necromunda figures. It is a fast card-driven game that delivers plenty of fun moments.

A naval action underway using some ships scratch built from MDF and card.

This time, however, I decided to try something different, a Napoleonic naval wargame. I started with a simple set of rules from the Junior General website, but modified them to use a deck of playing cards instead of dice. I also introduced changes to the activation and movement rules, and the model ships are moved on  a hex grid rather than free movement. The full set of rules can be found under the “Napoleonic Naval Rules” tab at the top of the blog (or you can click here). The idea to play a naval came was prompted by week marking the anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar on 21st October, 1805.

Over the course of the day, in between a few other tasks, we managed to fit in three games. The first couple of games were small engagements with just a few ships as we familiarised ourselves with the rules. The opening scenario was a simple patrol, with opposing ships unexpectedly crossing paths. The second scenario saw a blockade runner attempting to slip past three enemy ships.

A patrol game.

A blockade game underway.

For the third and deciding game had both the French and British fielding a squadron four ships, with the objective simply to engage and destroy the opposing force.

The French squadron, deployed in two lines running with the wind, closes in on the small British squadron sailing in line ahead. 

The French ships move into gunnery range, opening fire as they bear down on the British who return fire.

One French ship becomes entangled in the British line while others swing around to cut off the lead British ship.

The battle lines quickly become confused amid the smoke and cannon fire. One French ship has already struck its colours.

The fighting devolves into a series of fierce, ship-to-ship duels as the formations breakup.

Both fleets have suffered heavy damage, with several ships sunk or with colours struck. The remaining vessels manoeuvre to re-engage any enemy still afloat.

In the end, two battered ships remain locked in combat, neither able to gain the upper hand. The battle ends in a hard-fought draw.

A fun day of wargaming, with the final battle ending in a draw and honours shared. After the games I thought about adding a few more ships to the fleets, but with the space I have available, anything more than four ships per side would start to limit the ability of ships to manoeuvre.