Fairmouth MA or Post Captain second look

Played another Post Captain game last weekend.  Because I am a surgeon I felt I could jump straight to a complicated one involving shore batteries, gunboats and merchants!  I was not disappointed.
The following scenario is hypothetical so please don't tell me the USS Essex was in the pacific.

Fairmouth, MA  1812

The USS Essex was hold up in Fairmouth harbor having been chased there by 3 british frigates.  Two merchants were also waiting for the coast to clear.
Meanwhile out in the blue water a council of war was held.  Captain Lyndsey was telling his fellow Captains, " Their batteries are few in number, with the right wind we can sail right pass them and take the Essex and two merchantmen to boot!"

USS Essex   (Elite)  32 gun frigate
2 Small Merchantmen  (Avg)
10 Gunboats   ( Avg)
9 18 pdrs at Bear Point (Green)
6 24 pdrs at  Rock  Cove ( Avg)

HMS Emerald (Crack) 36 gun frigate
HMS Cerbebus ( Crack) 32 gun frigate
HMS Mermaid  (Crack) 32 gun frigate

Scene of the battle taken from Google Earth  Capt Lyndsey will enter from the left.

USS Essex at anchor at sunrise.   [ Each hex is 50 yards  ]

The British fleet enter Fairmouth Roads.  The first two ships where to block the Essex from escape and then take her.  The third ship was to take a merchantman.

The British engage Bear Point    They manage to damage 6 of the 9 guns.

Having successfully negotiated Bear Point, Rock Cove attacks with her 24 pdrs and gunboats. 

A squall shows up over Fairmouth!

USS Essex manages to clear the decks and fire at the HMS Emerald.   Gunboats try to whittle down the frigates.

The Essex looses her jib and can't tack.  (Wind moving from right to left.)  The HMS Cerbebus fires at annoying gunboats destroying 2.

Key moment in the battle.   HMS Mermaid decides to withdraw after combined fire takes half her hull.  HMS Emerald loses steering so has to back sails to avoid falling off the earth!

USS Essex fires at fleeing HMS Mermaid taking out her rudder!

HMS Mermaid is rudderless and now loses a mast which springs most of her sails.   ( the sail is stamped with the British flag so when the Irish make them they know where to send them!)  The USS Essex can't turn around to finish her though.

The HMS Emerald leaving damaged.  The USS Essex leaving damaged.  A captured merchantman leaving.
Finally the HMS Cerbebus stops to tow the HMS Mermaid to safety.  By now all the guns at Bear Point are out.

I considered it a draw.  The Brits traded two badly damaged frigates for one merchantman.

The game was a blast again and flowed smoothly.  The additional rules where easily incorporated and I really liked the gunboats.  They have a hard time hitting and being hit but there are a lot of them!

Enjoy

Joe