Duel - 1720 - November 26 - A Duel with Banana Boat

Ships in Action:
Allies - Captain Bob Faegun - HMS Saturn (Reason Naval Fourth Rate)

Enemys - Mrs Banana Boat - Hercules Frigate

Action Setup:
I was sailing down to Port Royal from Iquana where I had docked the previous evening. Unfortunatly there was a strong easterly wind blowing which lengthened an otherwise short journey. As I came to within a short distance of the Port I noticed a rather bright, pink ship setting sail towards me. Having been distracted by this rather ugly ship I soon noticed that I had entered the pirate waters around Irish Point with the Hercule's making an attempt to get infront of me to gain the weather gage. Not a moment later I was engaged pointing dead into the wind with the Hercule's a way out infront of me.

The Action Itself:
Having been engaged with the weather gage firmly in the hands of Mrs Banana Boat, I drew in a deep breath and tried to steady myself for my first one vs one fight. We both made full sails and I made my turn to port so that I might gain what wind I could. As the Hercule's approached with superior speed I made a turn to starboard while ordering the cannons to be fully loaded with bronze shot and to fire a full broadside as soon as they where all ready. Too my surprise the Hercule's kept her bow pointing straight at me and as I released a full broadside I was equally surprised to see her drop into structure. This however, immediatly made her turn to port and she was able to fire upon my stern. It looked as if she was going to try and demast me but my sails held up for a good few broadsides before I ordered a repair. Now, my real challenge was afoot. I had taken mast damage and was loosing speed with a Hercule's trying everything to stay on my stern with far superior turning speed than me. After trying to make several turns, but having the Hercule's counter, I made a swing almost into the wind and was able to break the morale of the enemy crew with a bar shot from my stern and thus was able to order a URR broadside straight at the enemy. By this time she had reparied my previous damage. This devestating shot at relatively close range did massive damage but was still not enough and she was able to turn and get back onto my stern.

After jossling back and forth and me being able to get another full broadside in I found myself with severly lacking crew and my sails in equally bad condition. The Hercule's looked to be making an attempt to get into boarding distance (See screenshot). I saw my chance to sink the enemy ship and made my turn to port with the guns being reloaded with all haste. Not 20 seconds later the final broadside was unleashed and the pink sails of Mrs Banana Boat's Hercule's frigate was sent to the depths.

The Result:
Victory was mine!! Having made the mistake of entering pirate sea's around Irish Point and being engaged for the first time one vs one I came out victorious! I was unsure how the fight would go at the beginning and it being my first true PvP experience I was ready to loose a durability on my Reason. I cannot tell you the joy I felt after such a fight!

Lessons Learned:
I learnt a great deal from this fight. I got my first taste of OS PvP and that can teach more then I could have ever read on a webpage. And I was surpirsed how my Reason held up. Although I only fired a minimal ammount of broadsides in a 10+ minitue fight, I found I only need a brief opening to unleash a broadside to do significant damage. Where the Hercule's was able to constantly fire upon me, the damage was sustainable for long enough.

I also learnt that I need to load the correct ammo at the beginning of a fight, and not just as I bring my guns to bare on the target. And numerous little things like that.