Action - 1720 - November 11 - Gank off Port Royal

Ships in Action:
Officers: James Maddox [50] - HMS Adversary, Conquistador-class naval frigate

Enemies: PARTY TIME, Extreme Caution, Tlilectic Mixtli, Achilles Black, Refnoc Semaj, one other rat, most sailing Fallen-class snows, a locust, and a couple bigger ships.

Action Setup:
Leaving Port Royal to join my compatriots at Fortaleza de Luz, I found myself in the red with Extreme Caution some ways off my port rail. I made it out of the red a split second before he tagged me. He gave me a big hug and I gave him my profuse apologies, but then I saw he was in a light ship and was pvp tagged, so I thought it might be fun to have a one on one with the legend.

Of course, Rats are not to be trusted, and soon found he was joined by another rat, Refnoc Semaj, I believe, in a captured locust. Still, the odds were in my favor.

The Action Itself:
I steered close hauled to the wind, as I knew that even rats couldn't follow too closely. I was kiting Extreme Caution with disabling shot and debuffs, but didn't risk turning my broadsides on him, as four more rats appeared to windward. I was in a pickle.

I gave them a merry chase, however, sending broadsides of bronze and explosive shot into anyone who dared venture too close, but in the meantime Extreme Caution was destroying my sails. Looking back, I should have been hitting his bow with explosive shot, making use of my four heavy sternchasers.

In the end they had my sails down, and moved in for the kill. I was boarded by Refnoc Semaj, I believe, and was outnumbered, but my crew and I fought him off bravely.

I tried counterboarding but was unsuccessful.

I was then boarded by a second pirate who I had not heard of. I'll just call him Stinky Pete. Valiantly, we fought him off as well.

I suppose the rats were getting tired, because Extreme Caution boarded me next, and though he was more impressive than the first two, I tossed him over the side as easy as kiss my hand.

I then boarded Stinky Pete in a lucky strike, and pressed on forcefully. I had him at my mercy when the rats, thoroughly embarrassed by the schooling I was giving them, shot poor Adversary out from under me.

As I floated away in my barge, I gave them a hardy laugh.

They may have won the battle, but I won the day, by Jingo!

The Result:
A loss on the books, but a win in my heart. I wager few have fought off a 6v1 gank with as much gusto as I, that day.

Lessons Learned:
The only lesson I take with me is to utilize my heavy sternchasers. Kiting may be fine solo, and with a good wind, and against slower opponents, but in this situation, with Extreme Caution sailing in a small vessel, I wager I could have either sunk him or got him to break off his attacks, though he may have tried positioning on my quarter.

The other lesson is just because you don't see other rats, it doesn't mean they aren't nearby.