Black Seas The Age of Sail L'Orient for Black Seas Table Top Ship Combat Battle War Game 792412001

Orient was of the Océan-class of ships. These were a series of 118-gun three-decker ships of the line of the French Navy, designed by engineer Jacques-Noël Sané. Launched on July 20, 1791, she was originally named the Dauphin Royal, but having come into service during a time of great political upheaval, she was promptly renamed. As a tribute to a political movement, she was dubbed the Sans-Culotte. She retained this name for three years before it also became contentious. Battle of Genoa (14th March 1795): Prior to receiving her final name, the Sans Culotte served as the flagship of Rear Admiral Martin at the Battle of Genoa, serving at the rear of the engagement. Though she exchanged fire with British third-rate vessels, she lost contact with the fleet at nightfall, taking no further part in the action. The French fleet, though having lost two ships, managed to break from their pursuers mid-afternoon the next day, and were re-joined by the Sans Culotte. The engagement, therefore, ended in a minor British Victory. The French objective had been to re-establish some control of seas to the south of France following the British capture and subsequent burning of the French Mediterranean fleet 18 months earlier. In May 1775, the French ‘counter-revolution’ provoked the vessel’s final, and best-known renaming to Orient. Invasion of Egypt: In 1798, Orient was appointed flagship for the Invasion of Egypt, part of Napoleon’s wider Mediterranean Campaign. Under the command of Admiral Brueys, Orient ferried the chiefs of the Armée d'Égypte, including General Bonaparte. The fleet successfully circumvented the British blockade and captured Malta, before landing troops in Egypt. The fleet subsequently anchored in Aboukir Bay, east of Alexandria. Battle of the Nile: On the afternoon of 1st August, a British fleet, under the command of Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson, discovered the French fleet after 2 months of hunting it. In the early evening mere hours after first spotting the French, he attacked, splitting his fleet into two divisions. One passed between the anchored fleet and the shore whilst the other engaged from seawards; entrapping the French ships in a devastating crossfire. Orient, at the heart of the French fleet, traded heavy fire with HMS Bellerophon, and with the weight of its broadsides, managed to significantly damage the vessel and force its withdrawal. However, it suffered heavy damage in return and the French Admiral Brueys had been killed; almost severed in two as he was struck by a cannonball. At approximately 9 pm, the British observed a fire onboard Orient and capitalised on this by pouring firepower into the stricken vessel. This succeeded in spreading the blaze throughout the ship. Around an hour later, the fire reached the on-board magazines, detonating the ship in an explosion so violent that night briefly turned into day. Falling wreckage spread over a wide area, setting fire to several ships (although these fires were subsequently extinguished). This ceased hostilities for ten minutes whilst crews recovered from shock or desperately attempted to extinguish fires. The British victory at the Battle of the Nile effectively swung the fortunes for the Royal Navy in the larger conflict in the Mediterranean. The destruction of the French flagship became the defining image of war at sea for the age. It resonates particularly throughout art and literature, with numerous artists having recreated the scene. In the Game: Orient is an extremely powerful 1st Rate Flagship on the tabletop. Woe betides the enemy that suffers the full brunt of her broadside. Remember that you can only take a limited number of 1st rate ships in a Black Seas fleet, therefore Orient provides an impressive and powerful centrepiece for your French fleet. She also receives a very characterful set of special rules in the game, gaining a combat bonus when facing British ships, and if should she ever catch fire, she will suffer from an increased chance to explode as per her famous historical demise.

• Prepare your fine array of 1/700th scale tall-ships for battle focusing on the golden age sail of military maritime warfare ships combating in the period 1770-1830, the 'carronade era'. From superbly detailed plastic Frigates, Brigs or 3rd Rates (usable for all nations) through to the mighty 1st rates in finely detailed metal and resin, there are plenty of options to take to battle!
• Utilizing a unique and innovative initiative system based around the most important factor of sail powered combat: the wind. Additional rules enable you to fight in a 'line of battle,' engage shore batteries, rake your enemies with withering initial broadsides or capture vessels in heroic boarding actions. All while avoiding such hazards to navigation as fog banks, fire ships and shipwrecks.
• The rules allow you to field fleets comprised of vessels ranging from the tiniest gunboats up to the true giants of the waves, the mighty 1st rate warships. Can be played on a 4' x 3' table or unobstructed floor space.
• Each ship in Black Seas is accompanied by a ship card which details its speed, weaponry and other key ratings to help strategically plan battles based on their advantages.
• Build, paint and play! The construction and painting of the models and watching them come to life are just as much fun as the game itself! Paint and glue are not included.