Cross versus Crescent: The Turks, the Uskoks, and the Knights of Malta
After-Action Report: A 16th Century Plume & Blade Game Set in the Adriatic
It is sometime in the mid- to late-16th Century, and the Ottoman Empire is a terror to the coastal inhabitants on both sides of the Adriatic. In this game, the Knights of Malta and their Uskok allies attempt to intercept a Turkish galley raiding the Dalmation coast, using the small craft popular among the residents of the area for such purposes (too often, the Uskoks employed them against the Venetians, but in this case the Christians are united against their foes). The scenario was inspired by the incredible (and true) Adventures of Captain Alonso de Contreras. (He was the only commoner ever to be inducted as a Knight of the Order - a really amazing first-hand account of the era.)
The rules used were Plume & Blade (you can find a review here which explains how they work). It is a man-to-man system designed for swashbuckling, cinematic swordplay. This scenario (available here) used an initial maneuver phase, based on simple map movement, followed by a man-to-man engagement once the enemy forces had been intercepted and the boarding action began. The game was played remotely over Zoom, with cameras showing the tabletop to players. (Figures are 28mm from Eureka, Old Glory, and Wargames Foundry. Ships are printed from modified files found on Thingiverse.)
The Ottomans have assembled a force of Jannissaries and Barbary corsairs who are running through a strait between two islands on the Dalmatian coast, en route to pillage and burn the coastal residents, and to make slaves of them. The Uskoks have a watch tower on one of the islands, and see the Turks coming - they enlist the help of the Knights of Malta who are in the area, setting out in three small boats to intercept the raiding party.
It is possible in this scenario for the Turks to out-maneuver their enemies, and to win the game without ever having to fight a boarding action. Indeed, this was what happened the first time around. The maneuver phase is very quick and simple, however, so there was plenty of time for a second round.
The maneuver phase is conducted in reference to the map:
The tabletop is shown below. It depicts the entire map, so that although players indicate their hidden movement in reference to the map, the table shows what is seen by both sides of the conflict. It was set up with a back-drop to facilitate remote play:
The table before play begins - the boats haven't been deployed yet by the players, just laid out for when the action starts.
Both sides indicate their moves to the game master, and movement is made simultaneously. Once two enemy vessels are in the same area, a boarding action commences. The Christians have three small boats, so as the different boats arrive, more of their men can join the action. At the start, they can be placed in concealed positions, ready to ambush the Turks as they transit the channel.
The first round saw the Turks sail off the far edge of the board - their victory condition - without ever having to cross blades with their enemy. (All pictures are taken off the Zoom camera - this is what the players see.)
The Ottomans row into the strait, keeping a watch out for enemy vessels. (They know they can be seen from the tower, but it can't do them any harm by itself.)
One of the small Uskok boats comes out from behind the bigger island at the far end of the channel, but the Turks have committed and push forward.
The Uskoks try to second-guess their foes, but they are outwitted - the Turkish galley changes course and pulls hard for freedom (well, the poor slaves chained to the oars do, anyway... "freedom" may be a poor choice of words, here, come to think of it...)
The Christians rush out from their hiding places to pursue, but it is too late - the Turkish galley has gotten past them!
The manuever phase in this game plays quickly - it took all of 10 or 15 minutes for the first round. We switched sides, and did it again, now that the players had learned the ropes.
This one started well for the Turks, and it looked like they might pull it off a second time without being intercepted. That changed!
A boat of the Knights of Malta is visible at the far end of the straits as the Turks approach.
The Turks swing around to pass the smaller island on the far side. Their opponents hold position.
Having seen the change of course made by the Ottomans, the Christians respond, but they may not get there in time!
The Ottomans have nearly made it when the trap is sprung: another boat of the Order and one of Uskoks are lying in wait! Prepare for boarding! (Or is that "Bu köpekler nereden geldi?"...?)
The first boat of Christians pulls south around the island to attack the Turks from the stern. They won't arrive for a few turns, but when they do the Turks will be getting it from both sides.
Captain Alonso de Contreras storms aboard, laying low the first of his opponents.
Arquebus and pistol shots fly everywhere, and the Uskok captain leaps onto the prow of the galley (not visible). Contreras' men seem to have a hard time climbing aboard - either they have sinned in the eyes of God, or have been drinking - maybe both! Contreras is shot twice before finding himself in a desperate struggle with a massive Barbary corsair...
The Jannissary leader joins the fray, and they dodge around the mast, blades clashing. Contreras finds his death when the Barbary corsair puts a scimitar between his ribs - a glorious end in the service of the Order! On the prow, the Uskoks clamber aboard.
Up front, the corsair captain Ahmed Pasha has cornered the Uskok leader, driving him back onto the galley's bowsprit - this is a dicey balancing act, because the waters are full of sharks! Captain Vul is a skilled warrior, however, and manages it with aplomb. (Not so the corsair crew members - one manages to fall from the foredeck as he attempts to come to the Pasha's aid. You can see him here on the way down...)
The Jannissary leader has meanwhile swept the deck of enemies - Contreras' crew has finally gotten aboard, but only to die in a veritable whirlwind of virtuoso scimitar-work. With Contreras dead and the others falling fast, the Uskok leader decides to dive from the prow, braving the sharks and jellyfish to swim ashore. This attack is never going to succeed! (And the third boat of Christians didn't even have time to board from the stern...) Alone, Contreras' lieutenant faces the enemy, certain of his impending fate...
A Turkish victory, but one characterized by appalling dice luck for their enemies. The Turks - now heartened - row away to commit atrocities on the Dalmatian coast in the Sultan's name! Allahu Akbar!
This is a tricky scenario, for both sides. The Ottoman forces are stronger than any two of the Christian boat crews, but together all three would make short work of them. The timing - and thus the maneuver phase - is critical here. With the cinematic moves you can make in Plume & Blade it is very hard to predict what will happen once the action starts. We all agreed that this scenario would be worth another try!