Captain's Blog

This page is intended to be a place to post battle stories written by players or short fan fiction.  We may also post a few official stories from the SDGS staff.

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To start things off, this is a re-post, but a great little write up none the less. This was written by Chris Bowen in 2008

Thunder of Valor!

Captains Log – Commodore Bowen of the Royal Navy In Command of the HMS Swift (Clipper), HMS Bee (Schooner), HMS Rowboat (Long 8 Sloop), HMS Fire (Bomb Ketch)
Assignment: Fort Bombardment
Conditions: Thunderstorms, High winds to the South

Upon arrival at our target, we identified a small fleet defending the fort consisting of a Baltimore Clipper, a Brig, and two long 8 sloops.

Deciding against the bombardment until the opposing fleet had been dealt with, I ordered the fleet to close in on the defenders. Mortar Fire from the fort struck the HMS Fire as we began our advance, devastating the small deck crew of her, but we pressed on.

The flagship of the enemy fleet broke off, in an attempt to box us in. I then ordered my fleet to a line ahead formation, and brought it up alongside the remaining three ships in the enemies line.

Having ordered the larboard broadsides to load double-shot with chain prior to the engagement, we opened up with a devastating hail of fire cutting down one of the masts of the enemy brig. The enemy fleet countered and destroyed the single mast of the newly dubbed HMS rowboat. The smoke was too thick to fire small arms at this time.

I then ordered the fleet to turn hard to larboard, directly towards the damaged fleet in a line abreast formation, hoping to finish off the smaller ships before the enemy flagship could assist. As the fleet turned, I noticed the enemy fleet had employed the same tactic, and both fleets were on collision course with each other and closing fast.

We managed to avoid any direct head-on collisions, but the ships were packed in so tightly the ships rubbed sides causing them to jam into one long line of ships, side by side.

From the deck of my flagship, which positioned itself just outside what was soon to be coined the “flotilla of death”, I witnessed destruction the likes that I have never seen before.

Broadsides at point blank ranges rang out with grape and bar shot cutting through spars, masts and men. as the masts began to fall, they would crash onto the ships that surrounded them, until every single mast in the floatilla had fallen entangling every ship in a web of rope and wood.

Then the small arms fire erupted, and a boarding party from the enemy brig took the decks of the HMS Fire but not before the deck crew made a valiant last stand, showing their expertise with the ships rail guns and unleashing an amazingly accurate attack on the boarding party, the mortar crew then battened themselves below deck for protection. The crew of the HMS Rowboat also took severe casualties, but the HMS Bee faired much better clearing the deck of the enemy sloop beside it.

When all was said and done we came out on the better side as far as crew survival, but both fleets were badly wrecked, and only the flagships remained mobile.

– More soon!