| On the 21st of October 1805, in a light wind off the coast Cape Trafalgar, Admiral Horatio Nelson turned his fleet to engage a combined Franco-Spanish force on its way to Naples to deposit 4,000 troops in support of Napoleon's forces in Italy. The British fleet, organized into two columns, drove forward under threatening skies toward the enemy and just before Noon, Nelson raised the famous signal:
"England expects that every man will do his duty."
Less than an hour later the two colossal fleets engaged in one of the most famous navel battles in history. It would become Nelson's greatest victory and would ensure British naval supremacy for decades, but he would never again see an English port.
Flying Colors recreates naval actions during the height of the Age of Sail, from small engagements to full battles involving dozens of ships in each fleet. Play is fast, furious and does not require the pre-plotted movement found in many other naval games. Instead. a simple initiative and command system allows players to activate and maneuver their fleets in a realistic manner, indicating how order commanders like Nelson could retain control of their fleets after the first broadsides began to fire.
Included within this game are:
17 historical scenarios ranging from the Battle of Minorca (1756) during the Seven Years war to the Battle of the Capes during the American Revolution and on through the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) during the Napoleonic Wars. The battles range in size from small engagements playable in a single map through huge engagements, like the Glorious First of June, playable on three maps. Players are also free to create their own variants and "what-if" scenarios using included point values for each ship. Most scenarios can be played within a few hours and two players within a day can complete even the largest. Several are also well suited to solitaire play.
|
