Interceptor vs. Messenger of Fate « Thread Started on Jul 18, 2006, 11:55am »
The HMS Interceptor bobbed in the ocean, the crew had found a good wind and it was a perfect day for hunting. Chewing on an apple, Captain Michael Howard placed his spyglass to his eye and scanned the horizon. All was calm, if things kept up they would never find the Recepture.
"Ship on the starboard," the man in the crow's nest called, and Michael rushed to the side of the ship and looked through his spyglass again. He moved along the hull of the ship. She was a big one, then up to the colors. "Pirates," he muttered, then slammed the spyglass back to it's portable size and shoved it in his pocket.
"Make ready, pirate ship ahead," he called, "Hold this position, keep the broadside on it."
His second officer ran up to him, "Sir, if it keeps coming this way it'll cross the T." Michael grinned savagely and nodded, "hopefully they will. It's the only way to bring her guns in range, and when she does, she'll be ours."
Captain Daniel York was in his room, studing a map when the call came out.
"British Sail on the port side!"
Daniel buckled on his cutless and two pistols. Stepping out, he went up to the tiller. "Looking glass." He said as he put his hand back. A pirate handed him a beaten up spyglass. Looking through it, he studied the opposite ship.
"This won't do. This won't do 'tal." Daniel mentally calculated the ship's class. "We can take 'er. Then we'll really have something to say about on Tortuga eh Mateys?!"
A round of 'Ayes!' shouted up from the deck. "All men to battlestations. Rangers, target her sail, we wouldn't want Ms pretty to escape now. Mediums aim for her cannon. We can reteeth her later!"
Daniel went up to the wheel and took command of it. He adjusted his hat and he steered hard to port. He waited until they were pointing at the end of the other ship. Since she was wonderfully sailing along, they'd pass behind her then 'long side her if the wind worked well. Which the sails seemed to be disagreeing on.
"Run up more sail! If we can pass behind her, the day is ours!"
Re: Interceptor vs. Messenger of Fate « Reply #2 on Jul 18, 2006, 12:25pm »
"Aim for her masts, her hull is too low," Michael called as he took the wheel. The ship would be in range soon and he needed to keep her on his starboard side. "Don't worry men, we have the weather gage. The battle will be ours."
The marines onboard had lined up and were ready to begin boarding when the time came, others were up in the masts ready to begin sharpshooting. "Sails at half mast," Michael called, hoping to minimize the damage and keep the ship mobile. He could let them back down if speed became a necessity, but for now he needed to be able to move.
"Depth," he called, "50 feet Sir," came the instant response. No chance of either of them striking aground then, it would come down to tactics and manouvre.
"She's a big ship," Quartermaster Smith said as he passed by. "Yes, all the better for us, eh Mr. Smith." Michael grinned, turning the ship slightly to starboard to keep the pirates from running up behind.
Daniel Yorkshire Pirate Captain - Messenger of Fate member is offline
What do you do with a drunken sailor....
Joined: Jul 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 18 Location: Dante's Third Hell
Re: Interceptor vs. Messenger of Fate « Reply #3 on Jul 18, 2006, 12:42pm »
"Load the Swivels with grapes. Sweep their masts and then the deck." Daniel kept the course steady. They weren't moving very fast as the wind was against them nicely. They had to actually drop sail inorder to keep moving.
"Mr Hill, when we pass along her stern, I want you to unload everything we have into her. Then with a bit of manuvering, we may pass alongside."
"Aye sir." The pirate had taken a surly crew and made them into a gun crew worth fearing. While still not as organised as they could be, they definately could reload damned quickly.
"Soundsman, keep an eye on the depth. I don't want to run about, we couldn't let her catch us from a simple act of God."
"Aye sir!"
The Interceptor was almost level with the Fate, passing by at around a hundred yards. "Longs! Fire!" The booming of the Long-Guns sounded over the ocean, the deck shuddering as the starboard side 14 pounders fired. "Reload quickly lads! We'll pass behind her in a quick moment!"
[Think of a 7, reversed and a bit farther away, At the tip of the seven, the Interceptor is within range of the longs, but not the Mediums. nothing to cause too much damage. But Daniel's plan is to turn hard to the starboard and to cut across the rear. There's a suprise hidden in there too, but that'd be cheating if I told ye' ]
Re: Interceptor vs. Messenger of Fate « Reply #4 on Jul 18, 2006, 12:51pm »
Michael turned the wheel, the pirates fired their long guns and the shot whistled overhead, wood splintered and Michael looked up, breathing a sigh of relief when he couldn't see the damage. It wasn't anything horrible and he could continue in his current course.
He brought the ship about, making a long slow circle with the Interceptor around the enemy. The wind was fully to his back and the ship fairly skimmed along the water. They would be in range soon. A few more seconds, "Fire mediums," the mediums fired their first shot, slamming Michael back with their concussive force. "Reload, grape shot, hurry." The enemy hadn't kept quiet while the Interceptor did this, and he worried about his ship like a father after his daughter.
"Mr. Smith, take the wheel, keep her to starboard. I don't have to tell you what happens when she gets around us."
Michael began pacing the deck, his tall figure an inviting target for sharpshooters and an inspiration for his men. "Make ready," he called, hoping they could stay where they needed.
Daniel Yorkshire Pirate Captain - Messenger of Fate member is offline
What do you do with a drunken sailor....
Joined: Jul 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 18 Location: Dante's Third Hell
Re: Interceptor vs. Messenger of Fate « Reply #5 on Jul 18, 2006, 1:13pm »
Samuel watched as the Interceptor came around. He grimaced, turning the wheel he got the Fate level with her. In a brawl, the Fate would win, but he could tell this one was going to hurt. The medium cannonade had made a few holes in the upper deck and had trimmed some of the rigging, one ball had taken out a portion of the railing in the lower deck.
"Rangers Ready Cap'n!" A yell came from below.
"Wait for it....Wait for it..." Daniel watched the interceptor's bow cruise by, level with him. He waited.
"FIRE!"
Five 14 pounder long guns went off, near in sync, as four of the 10 pounder mediums went off, one after another, the longer ranged guns were aiming level with the Interceptor's hull, at the cannon. The mediums were up higher, for the mast and crew. The swivel cannons went off, sending grapeshot into the masts.
"Reload! Reload!" Daniel shouted, as he gestured towards the Musketeers, they raised their rifles and fired upon the Enemy's decks. There was only 10 actual riflemen, but they were proven shots. Gideon's .80 caliber rifle boomed above the din.
"Whoever got hit with that is dead." A crewmember muttered as he ducked, waiting for the return.
Re: Interceptor vs. Messenger of Fate « Reply #6 on Jul 18, 2006, 1:24pm »
Michael ducked instinctively as grapeshot flew by overhead. Rigging and lengths of rope fell from above, but he was more concerned about the hull, which got slammed. He stood up and waited for a belowdecks officer to report, in the meantime, "FIRE!"
The cannons on the Interceptor were raised above with the low deck of the enemy ship, and the grapeshot should have ripped through the crew. He heard minnieballs zipping by and called to the riflemen, "fire at will, aim for the officers."
He strode the deck waiting for a report or for the cannons to be made ready, whichever came first. It was the report, "Sir, we took several hits, but they were all above the waterline. No damage to structural support."
Michael nodded and turned to face his enemy once again, "FIRE" he roared when the cannons were ready, two rounds of grapeshot, surely it had done some damage. "Reload."
Daniel Yorkshire Pirate Captain - Messenger of Fate member is offline
What do you do with a drunken sailor....
Joined: Jul 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 18 Location: Dante's Third Hell
Re: Interceptor vs. Messenger of Fate « Reply #7 on Jul 18, 2006, 1:35pm »
Daniel got off his hands and knees, poking his head up over the railing he looked down the line of his ship. The shots that had hit the siding of the Fate had ricochetted off. "Thank the makers of you Madam." He muttered under his breath, the siding looked horrible, large dents and the railing was a mess. The honeycomb construction of the Fate allowed her to take double the damage of a normal ship, shrugging off anything that wasn't at nearly point blank. The 25 yard battlefield was close, but not quite enough.
A miniball took off his hat as he stood up, making him swear as he ducked again, grabbing for it. "Wash the decks!" He shouted as a roll of grapeshot took out a portion of the Musketeers. Blood was slippery stuff, and the crew definately had alot of it. "Hell for her prize! Aim below the line!"
The longguns depressed from their aim after reloading, it would be their last volley before the ships passed by completely. The long-guns fired. At close range, they had little chance of missing. "Sir, we've lost two of the Tenners!" a report came up.
"Fire at will! Sail master, release the sails immedately, I want us ahead just as our volley is off."
The thunder of the Cannons went off again, as they targeted for the Interceptor's waterline. The smaller boat provided a bigger target, and unfortunately didn't have the same class of hull. She wouldn't be as lucky as the Fate.
Re: Interceptor vs. Messenger of Fate « Reply #8 on Jul 18, 2006, 1:44pm »
Michael staggered as the blast hit the ship, "Reports, I need reports!" He screamed as his riflemen continued to pick off men from above. The enemy had slid past and broadsides were of no more use in the conflict. "Reload the next round with cannonballs, bring us in close."
He pulled his first mate aside and glared at him, "How did that thing survive a hit from close range? There's no way that should have happened." The man just stared and shrugged, Michael let him go and ran to the wheel, "Where are those reports?" He yelled, turning the ship so her broadsides would once again face The Fate.
"Sir, most of their shots were either low or high, one hit us at the waterline. We're taking on water, but our pumps are able to handle the load." The man saluted after giving his report and Michael waved him off. "Prepare for boarding," he roared, it was time to kiss the Fate's hull.
Daniel Yorkshire Pirate Captain - Messenger of Fate member is offline
What do you do with a drunken sailor....
Joined: Jul 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 18 Location: Dante's Third Hell
Re: Interceptor vs. Messenger of Fate « Reply #9 on Jul 18, 2006, 1:53pm »
The Fate slowed for a moment, as she caught the wind.
"Keep us out of her grasp. It's obvious they mean to take us." Daniel yelled down to the crew. He steered the Fate starboard Port, as they began to pass the starboard tower of what was the Interceptor.
"Saint Mary." Walter Horner said under his breath as he reloaded one of the top deck ten pounders.
"Fire as she bears! This is your last shot mates!" Daniel said as he kept the fate steady. While she couldn't reach top speed with half of her rigging missing now, She had well more than enough to disengage from the Interceptor. She'd come around from behind the Interceptor and be well ahead before the Interceptor could turn about.
"Send em to Davey Jones!" James Giller yelled as he raised a rifle and fired at a figure on the tower. Mr Giller was struck with a miniball as he fired. throwing him into the railing and over the side of the Fate.
"Well, they definately have enough proceding for them." Daniel muttered under his breath.
[The ships were 25 yards apart give or take. That's a bit far to board. By the second volley, we were almost past eachother too, so there wasn't any time exactly to go aboard cutlesses swinging. In real life, Dan would just slink off, waiting for the Interceptor to sink. She definately isn't going to be speeding with a hole in her hull.]
Re: Interceptor vs. Messenger of Fate « Reply #10 on Jul 18, 2006, 2:01pm »
Michael swerved the ship, it was obvious the pirates meant to get away, "Take your last shots, they're going to make a break for it." The Interceptor was too injured to give chase, with a hole in the bottom of the hull. Giving the wheel to his mate, Michael turned to the crew and said, "she's gone, we'll head back to port and refit, I'll add her name to our list of targets."
Many of the men nodded as the captain relunctantly returned to his cabin, where he saw a mess from a cannonball. Retrieving the ship's log, he opened it up and dated the page.
engaged pirate ship The Messenger of Fate Ship escaped after damaging hull and rigging. Returning to Port Royal for repairs.
He slammed the book shut and walked out, "crewmen, get in there and clean my bed. I want something nice to sleep on tonight."
He walked to the peak of the deck and took out his spyglass, watching as the fate limped away. "You were lucky this time," he muttered under his breath, "next time I'll know what I'm facing."
Daniel Yorkshire Pirate Captain - Messenger of Fate member is offline
What do you do with a drunken sailor....
Joined: Jul 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 18 Location: Dante's Third Hell
Re: Interceptor vs. Messenger of Fate « Reply #11 on Jul 18, 2006, 2:09pm »
The cannonade fired off it's last volley, more of an insult than anything, directly into the Captain's quarters. The long cannons would of penitrated deeper into the Interceptor, had they not been already locked into place and decommissioned as the Fate sailed away.
"Replace that rigging on the foward sail. Get someone on those cracks. I don't want our masts coming down on our heads because we were going too fast."
Daniel ran up to the "Castle" of the Fate and looked back at the Interceptor. He wasn't sure but he thought he hit the rudder chains.
"Stroke of luck for you matey. If the wind is behind us next time. I'll make sure you go down to the locker." Daniel muttered under his breath as he looked through a spyglass. He noticed he had been hit with a miniball. It had shattered against one of his pistols at his hip, leaving a bruise about the same size as the pistol grip.
"Bloody Bastards. Trying to make me a Eunich now or something? Marines these days." Daniel shook his head as he went down onto the deck to see about repairs.
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