GAME TURN NINE

HMS Buffonia 44 will sail for Kingston, Jamaca where she will link up with a troop convoy of 12 merchant ships and HMS Amber 28.
{OOC}
FYI all I expected was a compass direction such as SW and a distance, a player in the earlier 1812 Game / turns 1-4 was very ghung ho
{IC}
Bermuda is 32:22:01N 64:40:59W
Kingston Jamaica is 18:00:00N 76:45::00W
The trip would start with an initial heading of southwest (220.2 degrees)
Bermuda to Kingston Jamaica = 1243miles as the crow flies = 1080 nautical

Buffonia arrived at Kingston early on the 6th day and found a small fleet consisting of 1-80, Caesar flag of Rear Admiral Hendricks, 4-74's, and over a dozen frigates and sloops. As well as 30-40 transports and auxilaries Admiral Hendricks regrets there is little time to socialize but must send you on your way post haste, he introduces you to Captain Kanev Amber 28 and jokingly says, “he is the second most junior Captain on the list. He was overjoyed to hear some fellow named West made Post. Anyway gentlemen Rear Admiral Medicus has given you orders so I won't detain you any longer than it will take to down some of this tolerable brandy. Does he still tell the tale of the Harem Girls on the Admiral's Flagship?”

Captain Sir Willoughby Ponsonby-Smythe drummed his fingers impatiently as he awaited the arrival of the captains of the merchant vessels he and the Amber had been assigned to escort. He knew he must contain his impatience as, if he let his anger show at the tardiness of the merchant captains, they could make his a life a living hell on the way to Gopher Island. To this end, he had ordered Russell, his servant, to chill half a dozen bottles of a half-decent hock in the bilges and he was to bring them up when the captains arrived. A sudden shout, a thump and a burst of swearing from one of the Buffonia’s petty officers indicated that at least one of the captain's boats had done so; the rest would not now be far behind.

When the captains were all set and well into at least their second glass of wine, Willoughby laid out his instructions for them. "Gentlemen, it is obvious that the enemy is active in this area as, only a couple of weeks ago, one of the other ships of the squadron under Rear Admiral Medicus, the Janna, had a very severe run-in with a heavily-manned privateer. Our attack on Gopher Island is the beginning of the Navy's fight back against these privateer scum, mere pirates sheltering under the flag of a hostile nation. I intend that we shall make a swift passage to join the rest of the squadron at our rendezvous off the island and, with this in mind, would ask you to abide by the following rules. We will use the Navy's signals as standard throughout our journey; those of you without copies of the relevant signals will be able to obtain them from my first lieutenant before you leave. Your ships should be formed into 2 columns of six ships each and, whilst the Amber scouts ahead of our path, my ship, the HMS Buffonia, will stay upwind, ready to run down in support at the first signs of an attack. Please try to maintain a sharp lookout in all directions as it will not always be possible for the Navy's ships to be everywhere. As to course, once through the Windward passage, we will skirt the Turks and Caicos islands and head due North to Gopher island. I estimate that, with a fair wind and an average speed of 4 knots, we will meet up with the squadron in about 10 days or so. Are there any questions?"

All ranks except Jacobs are Merchant Titles. each ship has 5 Royal Marines and 4-4pdr swivel guns, Captain Heets RM is aboard the Babet, Lieutenant Cody is aboard the Moselle. These Marines are subject to orders from Buffonia

First Column

Babet 12 - 6pdr and 20 former Royal Marines Commodore Baron Gillie 60 y/o pompous and arrogant

Duras Captain Wendell

Embraye Captain

Garrone Captain Decker former RN Sailing Master

Gloire Captain Defe

Liberte One 18 pounder bow chaser with ex RN guncrew (Former French Prize of Amber) Lieutenant (half-pay) Jacobs invalided out due to loss of right arm

Second Column

Moselle Captain Sir Killion 10-9pdr

Prompte Captain Quell

Scipio Captain Foamer

Sandy Captain Bell

Shelby Captain Hanes dismissed from RN due to being drunk on duty as Lieutenant

Scooter Captain Keder

Almost an hour later, as the last of the merchant captains was bundled down the frigate's side into his waiting boat, Willoughby heaved an enormous sigh. If that meeting was anything to go by, it was going to be a long voyage! Sticking his head out of his cabin door, he said to the marine sentry, "First Lieutenant to the captain's cabin, if you please" and, as the shouts for Xander Harris echoed through the ship, he turned back to his table and reached for the last bottle of wine. As he tipped it, the last tiny trickle that ran out into his glass was almost symbolic of his feelings at the long trip that was to come.