Battle - 1721 - April 16 - Assault on Gibara

Ships in Action:
Captain Earl Berett - HMS St. George, Invincible-class 1st-rate Ship of the Line

Captain Collister - HMS Longbow, Mercy-class 5th-rate Frigate

Captain Blatchford - HMS Fortitude, Archelon-class 5th-rate Frigate

21 other British and 23 Spanish Captains.

British Fleet:
Black group - First-rate Ships of the Line

Prince first rate, Admiral Ben Royan

Prince first rate, Captain Chris Phoenix

Prince first rate, Captain Jimmy Firth

Prince first rate, Captain Joel Chase

HMS St. George, Invincible first rate, Captain Earl Berett

Prince first rate, Captain Mark Jones

White group - 3 Ships of the Line + 3 Frigate escort

Wenden third rate, Captain Edward Carlisle

Reason fourth rate, Captain James Summers

Dauntless fifth rate, Captain Jenrai Venom

Couronne second rate, Captain Red Dragon

Mercy fifth rate, Captain Michael North

Hercules Sleek fifth rate, Captain Alendale Levi

Green group - Heavy Frigates

Hercules Heavy fifth rate, Captain Gorbo Gorboson

Hercules Heavy fifth rate, Captain Copper Hellion

Hercules Heavy fifth rate, Captain Dante Dakota

Dauntless fifth rate, Captain Lillian Harford

Hercules Mastercraft fifth rate, Captain Olk O'Donnel

Hercules Mastercraft fifth rate, Captain Corpse Maker

Red group - Frigates

Hercules Heavy fifth rate, Captain Klaus Brauchalles

Archelon fifth rate, Commodore Xafria Tepdor

HMS Fortitude, Archelon fifth rate, Captain Blatchford

HMS Longbow, Mercy fifth rate, Captain Collister

Archelon fifth rate, Captain Paddy Sloth

Mercy fifth rate, Captain Julian Northage

Action Setup:
Master Blatchford's Log:

The battle took place on the Wild Keys map, Britain was attacking.

Following several cruises off Gibara, Captains Collister, Blatchford and Earl Berett were invited to participate in the actual battle. The British Fleet was organised into Red Group, Green Group, White Group and Black Group, Captains Collister and Blatchford being assigned to Red Group.

The Action Itself:
Master Blatchford's Log:

With a strong ENE breeze the Britsh Fleet formed a line astern and headed SW. The Spanish were spotted blocking the northern entrance to Gibara Bay with two lines facing W, and with astonishment we learned that there were several first-rates and second-rates among them, surely besting the British' number of guns. It was noted, though, that as we had more frigates, we had a better chance at manouvering. As the Fleet passed between the two largest islands in the NW, the Dons set sail, the British van rounding a small island to lay the broadsides of our two heavy groups alongside those few Spanish ships that had left the Bay entrance at this point. This small group of Spanish Ships of the Line managed to get ahead of the British van and present their broadsides to their noses, causing serious damage to the Admiral's flagship. Green group, at the back of the line, was swiftly ordered to crack on SW to disengage the flagship from said Dons. As this happened, it was remarked that the Spanish line had broken, as there was a cruel gap in their line heading W, and it was expected that Red Group would push on S to wedge between the gap. This did not happen however, as the flagship quickly sank and the van of the British line transformed into chaos. At this point, the rearmost British ships (Red Group) reported that a group of Spanish ships that had remained in the Bay entrance now set sail toward their sterns. As Red Group sailed into and joined the chaos that the British Fleet had now become, the Spanish fleet formed a crescent enveloping the British from the E, S and W, horribly maiming the ships trapped inside and sinking most of them. After the loss of several ships, the signal for general retreat was hoisted and the remaining British fled N.

The Result:
Master Blatchford's Log:

Defeat.

Lessons Learned:
Master Blatchford's Log:

As I am no authority on the matter, I will not comment on the tactical decisions made during the battle. However, I am fairly certain that avoiding enemies on three sides improves chances of victory tremendously.

Battle schematic:


''With a strong ENE breeze the Britsh Fleet formed a line astern and headed SW. The Spanish were spotted blocking the northern entrance to Gibara Bay with two lines facing W.''



As the Fleet passed between the two largest islands in the NW, the Dons set sail, the British van rounding a small island to lay the broadsides of our two heavy groups alongside those few Spanish ships that had left the Bay entrance at this point.



''This small group of Spanish Ships of the Line managed to get ahead of the British van and present their broadsides to their noses, causing serious damage to the Admiral's flagship. Green group, at the back of the line, was swiftly ordered to crack on SW to disengage the flagship from said Dons. At this point, the rearmost British ships (Red Group) reported a group of Spanish ships that had remained in the Bay entrance now setting sail toward their sterns. ''



''As Red Group sailed into and joined the chaos that the British Fleet had now become, the Spanish fleet formed a crescent enveloping the British from the E, S and W, horribly maiming the ships trapped inside and sinking most of them. ''