The Waters of the World

[The Mad Skylord]

The Saint Maughold, a large three masted carrack bristling with cannon, crept silently through the English Channel. Her owner, Lord Thomas Stanley, had given very clear instructions to her captain, Murchad of Mann. Find and pirate commerce. Anything from wool to wine was on the market - so long as it earned the Earl of Wiltshire money.

Murchad was on the lookout for ships, preferably wool ships. He sailed the Saint Murchad with black sails and a simple black pennant. Nothing to display who the ship belonged to. The crew spoke Manx, for they were Manx men. As the ship sailed on, they continued their vigil.

OOC:
Roll for spotting ships.

Murchad:
+3 Battles
+3 Pillager

[Jokern]

Spotting roll:
1-6 = No ships are spotted
7-12 = a Hansa warship is spotted
13-20 = a merchant ship is spotted

Roll: 12

The sea was clear and the sun stood high in the sky as the English ship sailed through the Channel. It was a busy sea lane for trade and commerce, which made it good hunting grounds for any would-be pirate. However, it seemed that this day was not a lucky one for Thomas Stanley. A lookout shouted and pointed to port. There you could make out a large ship, a carrack by the size and shape, sailing straight towards the Saint Maughold. The flag was a red field and nothing else - the flag of the Hanseatic City of Hamburg. It was still far off for Stanley to withdraw if he gave the order.

[The Mad Skylord]

Murchad, Master of the Saint Maughold watched the ship slightly indifferently, weighing the chances of there being decent loot aboard. He decided there was a fair chance of there being at least some gold and goods in the ship's hold, and ordered the cannon to close to range and run out the guns, intending to rake her decks with cannon fire before putting his men aboard in a boarding action to take the prize.

OOC:
+3 Battles
+3 Pillager

The ship fires one volley from the guns, loaded with nails, arrow heads, handgunnner ammunition and the like, before closing in and boarding with the intention to capture.

[Jokern]

Naval Battle

Hanseatic Carrack - 3 points (45 men) English Carrack - 3 points (45 men) +3 Battles Phase 1 - Exchange of fire Hansa: 5 (standard shot) x 3 = 15 vs. England: 15 (grape shot) +3 x 3 = 54 Amount of Hansa men killed by grape shot (D5 (10-50%) due to victory): 4 = 40%, or 18 men are killed Amount of Englishmen killed by standard shot (D10 (1-10%) due to loss): 7 = 7%, or 3 men are killed Standard shot has base chance of hitting masts and crippling a ship, rendering its movement useless. Base chance 5/20, -2 due to losses in phase 1, so 3/20 chance of the Hansa ship crippling the English ship. Rolled a 6, ship is not crippled. Phase 2 - Boarding (Regular Battle) Hansa: 23 sailors vs. England: 42 men (+3 Battles) Chance of surrender: 10/20, +4 due to overwhelming odds and recent losses = 14/20 (7-20 is success) Rolled 14, the crew surrenders. Looting D20 roll, +3 form Pillager 1 = £100 10 = £500 20 = £2,000 Rolled a 11 (= 14), so £900 Crew left: 43 men Prisoners: 23 men

Stanley's crew work diligently and disciplined, loading and readying the cannons in moments. Then all they had to do was wait for the enemy ship to get in range. The wind was with it, and silence fell as the Hamburg ship drew closer and closer. Soon enough it turned, revealing its own armament of cannons. The Hanseatic League had obviously prepared well and purchased the latest cannons to keep their commerce lanes safe from pirates and Englishmen.

The English fired off their barrage, sending a hail of arrows, bullets and nails into the German ship. It was an absolute massacre as men were ripped to shreds on deck and presumably below. The Hansa were not out of the fight yet as they fired off their own cannons. The iron balls bounced or burrowed into the side of the carrack, and a few even sailed past the masts. Screams could be heard below deck, but there was not time to tend to it.

The two ships drew closer to each other, though the Hansa seemed to stay due to chaos rather than any determination to fight. Once planks had been laid out and the boarding crew leaped onto the enemy ship, the Germans surrendered immediately. The captain handed over his weapons to Lord Stanley while his crew laid down theirs in a pile on deck.

The looting took a while due to the mass of corpses - about 20 men or so had been killed by the grape shot, their bodies torn to pieces by nails and arrows. Finally they had collected textiles, iron and herring worth around £900.

[The Mad Skylord]

The Saint Maughold quickly disposes of the dead bodies into the sea, simply executing the prisoners and throwing them with them. A prize crew is quickly put aboard the ship, renamed the Saint Oran and the two ships quickly set sail for the nearest port. There, they recruit fresh crews and sell off the goods, before putting back to sea.

OOC:
The Saint Maughold and the Saint Oran sail back out into the channel, once again searching for a ship, or a convoy of ships, to raid.

[Jokern]

OOC: Finding new crew and repairs to both ships cost £100, making the net gain £800.

Spotting roll:
1-6 = No ships are spotted
7-12 = a Hansa warship is spotted
13-20 = a merchant ship is spotted

Roll: 5

The local waters seemed to be devoid of any cargo of interest, as the lookouts were quiet up in the crow's nest. There would probably not be any more luck here in the English Channel. The two English ships had a few choices of what to do next: sail back home and celebrate, sail north to the North Sea to hunt more Hansa ships, or sail south to the Bay of Biscay and hunt French and Spanish ships. Continuing the piracy elsewhere would increase the risk of meeting hostile and armed ships, perhaps even lead to a squadron of warships trying to hunt down the pirates.

[The Mad Skylord]

The warships turn south, for the Bay of Biscay. Murchad intends to attack French and Spanish shipping in the hopes of increasing the price of wine by strangling the trade. Once in the south, they once again begin hunting for ships, hoping to find a juicy target.

[Jokern]

Spotting roll:
1-5 = No ships are spotted
6-14 = a French or Spanish warship is spotted
15-20 = a merchant ship is spotted

Roll: 3

Once again there are no ships of interest spotted as the ships traverse the seas. The bay seemed empty of life apart from fish and seagulls. The first mate reported that their supplies were running out and they would have to anchor. Murchad could either return home to England and call off the piracy for now, or anchor in Bordeaux, now under English rule, and then continue south around Iberia to the Straits of Gibraltar. There the English pirates would find Spanish, Portugese, Italian and Muslim merchant ships carrying exotic goods from all over the Mediterranean, perhaps even from the famed Silk Road.

[The Mad Skylord]

The ships put into Bordeaux to resupply, before heading further south to the Straights. It was a risky move, especially when you considered the fact that the Portuguese and the Spanish were the only two nations to field fleet capable of matching the Royal Navy, but Murchad hoped to catch significant prizes in the Straight, it was the only way out of the Mediterranean and it was likely they'd find a target easily.

[Jokern]

Spotting roll:
1-5 = No ships are spotted
6-10 = A hostile warship is spotted
11-15 = A squadron of three hostile warships are spotted
16-19 = A merchant ship is spotted
20 = A group of merchant ships are spotted

Roll: 11

As soon as they reached the Straits of Gibraltar, it did not take long until the lookouts spotted a small group of ships heading their way. Their flags identified them as Spanish, and by size most likely carracks. The ships were approaching with impressive speed, so much so that the Saint Maughold and the Saint Oran would not be able to outrun their pursuers. Their only choice were to fight.

[The Mad Skylord]

The Saint Maughold and the Saint Oran sail head on towards the 3 ships, seeking to go down between the ranks. The Manx and English men load their guns, both port and starboard, with a collection of bullets, arrow heads and nails. Once within point blank range, the ships will unload all of their fire upon the Spanish ships. Having blasted the Spanish ships, the Englishmen will attempt to board and overtake the enemy and their ships.

[Jokern]

Naval Battle

3 Spanish Carracks - 9 points (135 men) 2 English Carracks - 3 points (90 men) +3 Battles Phase 1: Going between ranks 10/20 chance of success, +3 from skill Roll: 15+3 = 18, success Phase 2: Exchange of fire Spain: 5 (standard shot) x9 = 45 vs. England: 1 (grape shot) +3 x6 = 16 Amount of Englishmen killed by standard shot (D5 (10-50%) due to victory): 5 = 50%, or 45 men are killed. Amount of Spanish killed by grape shot (D20 (1-20%) due to loss, but D10 changed to D20 due to grape shot): 1 = 1%, or 1 man is killed. Standard shot has base chance of hitting masts and crippling a ship, rendering its movement useless. Base chance 5/20, +2 due to losses in phase 2, so 7/20 chance of the Spanish ships crippling the English ships. Rolled a 17, the ships are not crippled. Phase 2 - Boarding (Regular Battle) Spain: 134 sailors vs. England: 45 sailors (+3 Battles) Chance of surrender: 10/20, +4 due to overwhelming odds and recent losses = 14/20 (7-20 is success) Rolled 6, the English crew does not surrender. Spain: 5 x 134 = 670 vs. England 8+3 x 45 = 495 The Spanish win, killing 23 men while losing 23 men (losses capped at 50% of lesser force).

It seemed at first that the English strategy had been a success, as his two ships were able to break the ranks of the Spanish squadron. However, the Spanish captain seemed to have anticipated this move and wasted no time opening fire as the two ships passed his own. The barrage completely overwhelmed the English crew, who were only able to fire off a few shots that did not do much to damage their enemy. Once swords had been drawn, the Spanish jumped from their ships in a mad rage, cutting down all in their way. Murchad loses half his crew before they are finally able to surrender. Both the Saint Maughold and the Saint Oran are captured, their stores looted and their remaining crew split up between the five ships and locked up under deck. It would seem this was the end for Stanley's pirates as the sqaudron sailed to Cadiz, where they would face the fate of all pirates - the noose.

[The Mad Skylord]

Stanley's newest ship, the Saint Maughold II, slunk into the English Channel to look for ships to pirate.

[Jokern]

Spotting roll:
1-6 = No ships are spotted
7-12 = a Hansa warship is spotted
13-20 = a merchant ship is spotted

Roll: 2

The Saint Maughold II has no luck in the Channel, finding no ships worth pursuing. They would have to go north or south beyond the Channel for game. The waters would be more dangerous, though with the recent defeat of the Hanseatic Fleet the North Sea would be safer.

[The Mad Skylord]

The Saint Maughold II heads north, into the wake of the Royal Navy.

OOC: They don;t car if the ship is English or Hansa, btw.

[Jokern]

Spotting roll:
1-6 = No ships are spotted
7-12 = a hostile warship is spotted
13-20 = a merchant ship is spotted

Roll: 13

Identity of ship roll:
Kalmar Union (1-3)
Hansa (4-6)
English (7-10)
German (11-13)
Livonian (14-16)
Prussian (17-19)
Muscovite (20)

Roll: 19


IC:
As a rain storm made its way across the North Sea, making life for Stanley's pirates more miserable than before, fortune smiled upon them for once. A lookout spotted a merchant ship sailing south-west. Its flags - a red crown on a white field above a white cross on a red field on one, a black cross on a white field on another - showed its home port to be Königsberg, the capital of the Teutonic Order. The ship had spotted the pirates and were trying to make a run for it.

[The Mad Skylord]

Stanley's pirates quickly leaped to battle stations, loading their traditional grapeshot and giving chase. Once upon the merchants, they'll fire into them and board.

[Jokern]

Interception roll: D20 (10/20 chance)

Roll a 4, failure to intercept the ship.

IC:
Though the pirates give chase, their prey has had enough time to react and hastily retreat. The hunt goes on for a while, but in the end the merchant ship is able to slip away. There is naught to do but continue roaming the North Sea for another ship.

OOC:
Spotting roll:
1-6 = No ships are spotted
7-12 = a hostile warship is spotted
13-20 = a merchant ship is spotted

Roll: 18

Identity of ship roll:
Kalmar Union (1-3)
Hansa (4-6)
English (7-10)
German (11-13)
Livonian (14-16)
Prussian (17-19)
Muscovite (20)

Roll: 4

IC:

While their initial target is able to escape, the Saint Maughold II does not give up. A few hours later another ship is spotted, a merchant ship from the Hanseatic League by the looks of it.

[The Mad Skylord]

Once again the pirates move to attack with the same plan as before, though they use their prow chasers to aim for the enemy mast this time.

[Jokern]

Interception roll: D20 (10/20 chance)

Roll a 11, successfully intercept the ship.
Looting
D20 roll, +3 form Pillager, +5 from merchant ship)
1 = £100
10 = £1,000
20 = £2,000

Rolled a 10 (= 18), so £1,800

IC:
The Hanseatic merchants are not able to escape, and soon enough the pirates are over them like hawks. The defense put up makes no difference, and soon enough they have all surrendered. The English pirates are free to loot the stores below deck. They find goods worth around £1,800.