Battle of Cape Ortegal, or Strachan's Action, 4th November 1805 - A Kiss Me Hardy Scenario

The Battle of Cape Ortegal is described succinctly in Wikipedia thus:

'The Battle of Cape Ortegal was the final action of the Trafalgar campaign and was fought between a squadron of the Royal Navy and a remnant of the fleet that had been defeated earlier at the Battle of Trafalgar. It took place on 4 November 1805 off Cape Ortegal, in north-west Spain and saw Captain Sir Richard Strachan defeat and capture a French squadron under Rear-Admiral Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley. It is sometimes referred to as Strachan's Action.

Dumanoir had commanded the van of the line at Trafalgar and had managed to escape the battle having suffered relatively little damage. He initially attempted to continue the fleet's mission and enter the Mediterranean, but fearful of encountering strong British forces, changed his mind and headed north to skirt round Spain and reach the French Atlantic ports. On his journey he encountered two British frigates and drove them off; shortly afterwards he encountered a single British frigate and gave chase to it. 

This period map shows the position at about 11.45 am with the French squadron in line (a-d) the
British frigates looking to envelop it from the leeward side having harassed the rear of the French column and Strachan's flagship, Ceasar (1) leading up the other British third-rates (2 and 3) and with the slow old Namur (4) making best speed to try and catch up.

The frigate led Dumanoir within range of a British squadron under Strachan, who was patrolling the area in search of a different French squadron. Strachan immediately gave chase, while Dumanoir fled from Strachan's superior force. Strachan's squadron took time to form up, but he was able to use the frigates attached to it to harass and slow the French, until his larger ships of the line could catch up.

There then followed several hours of fierce fighting before Strachan was able to outmanoeuvre his opponent and double his line with frigates and ships of the line. The French ships were then overwhelmed and forced to surrender. All four ships were taken back to Britain as prizes and  commissioned into the Navy. Strachan and his men were handsomely rewarded by a public who viewed the successful outcome as completing Nelson's victory at Trafalgar.'

The map below shows the setup for this scenario, laid out here for my larger table of 10' by 5' but translated for our game onto my brand new 6' by 4' sea cloth from Tiny Wargames which I purchased to stage my small squadron, single ship actions on at club.

The game setup as seen in our pictures below recreating the scene of battle at about 11.45am on the 4th of November 1805.

This action offers a couple of setup possibilities, namely the historical action seen above as it actually unfolded from or a 'what if' set up which assumes Dumanoir had actually managed to bring his line about on an opposite tack earlier, looking to bring on an action where his line was moving opposed to Strachan's, giving him an opportunity to overwhelm the slow-sailing Namur bringing up the British rear, before his opposing commander could come to its aid.

William James' in his Naval History of Great Britain described the set up above thus;

'At about 11 h. 45 m. A.M., finding an action unavoidable, the French admiral threw out the signal for his ships to take in their small sails, and haul up together on the starboard tack, with their heads to the north-east by east. This they presently did, and then fell into a line ahead in the following order Duguay-Trouin, Formidable, Mont-Blanc, Scipion. From the last-named ship the Caesar at this time bore about south by west rather more than a mile distant: consequently she was well on the weather quarter of the French rear.

The Révolutionnaire managed to bring all of her seven broadside 32-pounder carronades, (see ship sheet below), into action, when she delivered this stinging short-range bow rake to Dumanoir's flagship Formidable late on in our game.  

The Namur and Révolutionnaire had been great gainers by the slight change in the wind. They were now running with it upon the quarter, and bore from the commodore and his line, the one south-west, or nearly astern, distant about 14 miles, the other west-south-west, or a little upon the lee quarter, distant about seven miles. A trifle to the westward of the Révolutionnaire's line of bearing, and just out of gun-shot from the enemy, lay the Aeolus; and much nearer, the Santa-Margarita and Phoenix, who had already performed so well, and who were still doing their utmost to cripple the rearmost French ship.'

The Révolutionnaire was a captured French 40-gun Seine class frigate
converted to a standard 38-gun British one in 1794, (normally using 4d6 for her broadside)
only to be reconverted in 1803 to carry 32-pdr carronades instead of her 18-pdr long-guns
 and the 7d6 broadside she displays here with the restriction to firing at short range..

My notes also included some other factors pertinent to this little battle that would hopefully help capture some of its more unique aspects.

Setup Notes

Dumonoir has ordered line ahead on the starboard tack, with the British to windward just outside of maximum range.

Strachan has ordered his squadron to form line windward of the enemy, looking to close the range to short on a parallel heading and make best use of his gunnery whilst the frigates get to the leeward side whilst harassing the rear of the enemy line in support.

Note the frigates Santa Margarita and Phoenix have been swapping bow and stern chaser fire with the Scipion since 09.30.

Umpire’s Notes

The British frigates were an integral part of Strachan’s battle plan, historically doubling the French line with their combined fire with that of the British battle line and forcing a speedier conclusion to the fight that might otherwise have been. 

A balance will need to be struck to encourage the British player to act similarly because a full broadside from a French third-rate can easily demolish a frigate at short to medium range which is why there was a convention that ships of the line did not fire at frigates unless they fired at them.

Of course a canny French player will easily determine that it might be to the French advantage to fire at full effect on a frigate to quickly cause this to happen and help to impact British fleet morale more readily, than tackling the enemy ships of the line, if the option presents.

 

My suggestion is to insist that if the British present targets on each broadside of a French ship of the line, then a full broadside may only be fired at the principle threat, namely an enemy ship of the line, whilst only a partial broadside will be fired simultaneously against a frigate. Thus if the British unwisely have a frigate present as the only target then they must accept the full broadside likely to follow such a move.

Fleet Morale

Fleets never fought to the last ship, just as armies never fought to the last battalion. After a number of ships had been lost, one side would try to break off the action and retreat to the nearest friendly port. At that point, the victors would usually be too tired, too badly damaged, or too disorganized to pursue (common phenomena among land armies also).

The battle would end with the victors in possession of “the field” and some of the enemy’s ships.

Preservation Level:

Whenever the total preservation point value of ships lost or dismasted exceeds a fleet/squadron’s preservation level, all the ships in that fleet/squadron must test take a retreat test and if passed repeat when a ship in the fleet/squadron reaches a new level of damage (see Damage States below) or strikes. The ship’s entire preservation level is counted if the ship strikes, sinks, burns up, explodes, or is captured by boarding. One less than the ship’s preservation value is counted if the ship is dismasted (loses all rigging squares). The extra point is added back to the calculation if a dismasted ship strikes, etc., later. 

The preservation level of a fleet/squadron is the proportion of the total Preservation Point Values (PPV) the fleet/squadron can lose without trying to disengage and retreat:

The French are on 9 PPV (3 for the flagship and 2 for each for the three other third rates) and will break test on 2.7 PPV lost, i.e. when the flagship is lost or two of the other third-rates. 

Likewise the British are on 13 PPV (3 for the flagship, 2 for each for the three other third rates and 1 each for the four frigates) and will test on 6.5 PPV lost similarly as above.

Retreat Test:

Roll a d6 and add the commander of that fleet or squadron Command Rating (CR). The Fleet or Squadron breaks and disengages on 4 or less. 1 is always a failure. Disengaged squadrons must move to exit the table and may not fire unless enemy ships fire at them.

Admiral/Commodore Command Rating (CR)

Strachan +1

Dumanoir 0

Game End Effects:

The winning side is the last side whose Fleet Morale breaks or the last side with an unbroken squadron on the table. 

If neither side has an unbroken squadron at the end of a turn then game is a draw.

Losing side – roll a d6 for any ships that have suffered Heavy Damage. They founder and sink on a 1 or are captured by the enemy if they have any ships of the same rate or larger that are not more than Light Damage.

Battle stations with all ships cleared for action as the French line 'haul up together on the starboard tack, with their heads to the north-east by east' to quote the late-great William James

So with our players briefed and the situation of this historical scenario firmly established we set up the table as seen above and below with Bob taking the role of Commodore Sir Richard Strachan aboard his flagship HMS Caesar 80-guns, ably supported by Mark leading the British frigate squadron, Whilst Ian took the roll of Rear-Admiral Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley likewise ably supported by one of his senior captain's Sam

The same view above from the rapidly deploying British pursuit column with the old Namur bringing up the rear, closet to camera supported by the frigate Révolutionnaire. Note the ship reccord cards, range sticks, turning circles and gunnery arc templates we use for games of KMH.

All the standard chits for a game of Kiss me Hardy (KMH) were in the bag together with chits for Strachan's squadron, the British frigate squadron and of course Dumanoir's squadron.

Also, with this game set in the November stormy Bay of Biscay we additionally had the 'Wind Directional Change' chit and the 'Getting Choppy' chit, both of which would end up playing a pivotal role in our refight.

Initially both sets of players decided to stay with the plans adopted by both historical commanders, that saw the lead British frigates exchanging chase fire with the rearmost French ship Scipion, taking care to keep out of the broadside arc of the larger third-rate, whilst Strachan led the deploying British line forward to parallel the French line on their starboard (windward) side.

Likewise Dumonoir opted to signal his lead ship Duguay-Trouin to tack and come about on the opposite heading hoping to catch the British out before they could shake out fully into line.

However, as the saying goes, 'the plan changes on first contact with the enemy' or should that be weather, which was often the common enemy to mariners of all nations; whatever, the plans certainly changed in our game, as the lead French ship Duguay-Trouin tacked, only to be taken aback 'in irons' with a sudden shift in wind direction that was to be just the first of three such shifts in the game.

Duguay-Trouin is seen successfully tacking at the head of the French line, just as the wind shifts and changes everyone's plans!

The French commander had only just signalled his change of course but, with his ship effectively leading his line, now took advantage of the change in wind heading to wear around on the larboard side leading his line with him and leaving the Duguay-Trouin to sort herself out as best she could and rejoin her compatriots on the new heading.

Strachan also saw an opportunity present, and with the wind still in his squadron's favour, either on the quarter or stern, allowing him and them to make best speed to cut the French line as it turned, whilst the frigates continued to group to the leeward side of the French keeping in step with their larger consorts so as not to allow the French an easy target of opportunity.

The Duguay-Trouin, bottom right, has recovered going into irons and is coming about to rejoin the French line, while HMS Caesar has pierced the French line as he signals to his squadron to 'engage the enemy more closely'.

HMS Caesar initiates a close range salute as she administers broadsides to Formidable and Mont Blanc

Strachan's aggressive move had placed his flagship amid three enemy third-rates as he sought to disrupt the French line and bring on the pell-mell struggle that would likely favour his ships, however the following British third-rates Hero and Courageaux were struggling to come with yet another change of wind direction that put both 'in irons' but with both British crews managing to avoid damage to their respective ships as they managed to successfully swing their bows to starboard, whilst keeping their foremasts intact.

As the action hots up with Caesar's attack, the British Frigates gather their strength to come to the support of the British flagship

Thus the honour of coming to the support of the British flagship fell to the British frigate line which now, finding the wind on their quarter, spread their canvas and formed line on the starboard side of the French, with Santa Margarita 36-guns and Phoenix 36-guns lending their fire in support of Strachan's attack.

The British third-rates Hero and Courageux follow the Caesar in towards the French line as Duguay-Trouin looks to get clear and come about

HMS Caesar surrounded by enemy third rates as she takes the fight to the centre of Dumonoir's disorganised line

The frigate line had come up just in time, as the Caesar had lost the use of her helm in the previous rounds of firing, and unable to alter her course dropped out of the fight, to make necessary repairs as her following battle line came up to cover her from the rest of the French line.

The British frigate line joins the attack on the Formidable, as Santa Margareta, Phoenix and Aeolus, pour on the hurt.

Suddenly it was now Formidable's turn to feel surrounded as at first three British frigates passed her bows administering broadsides enroute to go with the fire already received from Strachen's flagship Caesar.

The Formidable, like Caesar was a large 80-gun third-rate, somewhat reduced in offensive capability due to damage taken during the Battle of Trafalgar and the recent chase by Strachan's squadron, that saw three of her 12-pounders dismounted in the previous battle and another twelve from her quarter deck thrown overboard in the chase leaving her with just 65 guns and fighting as a 64-gun third rate in our game.

The battle has turned into a bit of a confused dogfight as the lines have become mixed and formations disrupted by the unpredictable wind, leaving the players much to ponder as each side struggles to gain the ascendancy.

However the Formidable was living up to her name in terms of her structure and heavy timbers which meant that she was more than capable of soaking up a lot of British firepower before her day was done and no matter how many strike tests were administered the ships bulk and her status as a flagship maintained the crew's morale sufficiently for her to shrug them off on each occasion.

Frigates Aeolus and Révolutionnaire perform the 'frigate sandwich' with a French 80-gun third rate for the filling

Still the Formidable came under yet further attack as the Révolutionnaire made full advantage of the quartering wind and her frigate sailing qualities to rapidly close with her three sisters and nimbly turning to starboard to cross the bows of the French flagship at short range, to administer a wood crunching bow rake with her eighteen 32-pdr carronades and five 9-pdr long guns thrown in for good measure.

This attack was doubled up with short range stern rake from the 32-gun Aeolus up-gunned to carry 18-pdr long guns instead of the usual 12-pdrs for a 32-gun frigate, able to pour in shot from her thirteen 18-pdrs, two 6-pdr long guns and five 24-pdr carronades, leaving Dumonoir the challenge of passing yet another strike test.

The Formidable has struck (far right of picture) and the Révolutionnaire has stopped to lower boats to send over a prize crew as the rest of the French squadron turn about and head in the direction of France, as the other British ships start to appreciate the change of events.

The game had reached it's turning point, with the other British third-rates starting to take a toll on the French line, the French flagship was still on only a basic 20% chance of failing a strike test, based on the damage she had taken.

However the effect of the fire from Aeolus and Révolutionnaire added in the morale shaking factors of being raked and suffering High Officer Casualties as a result of a critical hit from all that frigate fire, leaving Formidable teetering on a 35% chance to fail, which she did, seeing Dumonoir haul down his colours and force a squadron morale test for the rest of his force, which they also duly failed.

The announcement to the French players of their force morale failure was kept to them alone and left the British players having to form their own opinion as to why the French were now not initiating attacks of their own volition but simply replying to British attacks, and their sudden change of course, seemingly looking to head for one specific table edge.

With the French move to obviously vacate the table, the race was on to stop any such escape and even the weather wanted to get involved in the drama, as the 'Getting Choppy' test produced a positive result and, with the swell on the rise, all the third rates were forced to close their lower gun ports to avoid swamping in the heavy seas

At this stage of the game, it begun to look less and less likely that any of the French would make their escape and with the pub calling us to shore we called the game with Rear Admiral Dumonoir presenting his sword to Captain Hotham commanding HM Frigate Révolutionnaire and an end to much fun had by all in a very entertaining day's play.

All the vessels involved bar the frigates and Namur were carrying significant scars of battle towards the end and with some of the French having lost masts with the wind changes and leaving the British ahead on points at the stage when Formidable struck, but I guess the game is amply illustrated by a look at the respective ship cards for both flagships, with the Caesar having lost her mizzen mast from her earlier battle and half her guns pushing her into the heavily damaged criteria as illustrated above, requiring much repair work ahead in the Plymouth repair yard. 

Similarly the Formidable displays a similar picture with about half her remaining guns knocked out but with only light damage from all that frigate gunnery, with the dead and wounded officer count and getting raked making the final difference when asked if she would keep fighting.

The picture below of the aftermath of the battle by Francis Sartourius from 1807, entitled 'Bringing Home the Prizes', definitely captures the spirit of our little encounter with ships bearing their scars of battle, even if the Formidable in Sartourius' depiction seems to have acquired an extra deck.

Thank you to Jack, Bob, Mark, Sam and Ian for all the fun and looking forward to the next game.

JJ