These
scenarios and articles are made available through the hard work of Nuno Pereira, a member
of our Perfect
Captain Yahoo group. Thanks again, Nuno!
If you are new to the Perfect Captain, you can check out this free game
(Lanterna!) and others
at our Spanish Fury page. Take a look!
The Portuguese
The Portuguese had a huge empire as significant and far reaching as
their more famous Spanish cousins.
Their expansion into the east coast of Africa brought them into
conflict with various Muslim powers (Particularly
the Ottoman Empire) and even into contact with the Christian kingdom of
Ethiopia. These scenarios deal with these areas and the articles
provided should give you enough background to make them enjoyable even
if you know
nothing about it! You can even come up with some Spanish Fury, Actions!
scenarios as well as a mini-campaign
on your own....
If you want to look at the articles (which we strongly recommend, as they are
quite extensive)
with maps and pictures, head over to the files section of our yahoo group.
MOMBAZA March 5th, 1589
The scenario is the last part of a
campaign that raged for a few years in the Indian Ocean and Arabian
Seas…
Finally the Portuguese caught the
evil Turkish pirate Mir Ali Bec with 4 Galleys and 1 Fusta in Mombaza,
on the African East Coast. The Turks have built a fort with heavy
artillery south of the harbour to protect
the ships from the east and prevent the Portuguese ships to enter
the strait. They have two galleys near it
and the Portuguese captain, Tomé de Sousa Coutinho,
sensing that the time was now, with the sailors
and soldiers aboard electrified with the sight of the Turkish
ships decided to attack. He has 8 Fustas
under Mateus Mendes de Vasconcelos; followed by 8 Galliots and a
reserve of 4 galleys under his direct
command. But by this time, an army of Zimbas (a "canibal" African
tribal army) is trying to cross the strait
from the mainland to attack the island (Mombaza). In the morning of March 5th Mir Ali Bec
sent 2 galleys
to prevent the Zimbas from crossing because it was possible
to do so during low tide. As the Portuguese squadron arrived
the captain ordered all hands on deck with colors flying with fifes
playing and drums beating to announce their arrival to the Turks.
Without paying any interest to the Turkish
artillery the Portuguese fleet headed to the port and discharged an artillery barrage against
the two Turkish
Galleys without any effect. But the Portuguese capitânia
(flagship) was able to send some well aimed volleys
at the Turkish fort and killed (maybe with some luck) the
Maomethan artillery officer. Most of the Turks lost moral and
abandoned the fort heading to the main town. Seeing this, a young
Portuguese officer with half a dozen soldiers got on a small boat from
the Galley capitânia and landed near
the fort, attacking it with "arme blanche"! After killing the
rest of the garrison they returned to the Portuguese
squadron with the Turkish flags.
The Portuguese ships sailed past
the fort into the harbour determined to engage the remaining Turkish
vessels.
The Muslims fired two rounds before Mateus Mendes de Vasconcelos
and his soldiers and
mariners
boarded the Turkish fleet. The meleé was so fierce, with
handguns firing and powder kegs thrown from the
Portuguese ships that the Turks jumped overboard and swam ashore.
Such was the excitement that some
of the Portuguese jumped after the Turks in pursuit and the captain had to
send a couple of officer ashore to
rally them. The captain general, Tomé de Sousa sent 100
men to carry the guns from the fort while
Mateus de Vasconcelos with 2 Galleys, 7 Galliots and 6 Fustas
sailed up the strait to attack the 2 remaining
Turkish Galleys guarding the passage from the main continent
against the Zimbas, as Tomé de Sousa remained in
front of the town with the remaining 2 Galleys and Fustas. The combat
with the two remaining Turkish Galleys
was fiercer than the previous because they were the best armed
and equipped. The Portuguese once again
grappled the Turkish vessels and an intense hand-to-hand fight,
arquebus firing, "Panelas de Pólvora"
(powder mines)
throwing ensued with the Portuguese getting the upper hand because of
their numbers.
The Turks lost many men with 70 being taken prisoners. The
Portuguese lost a few wounded and two killed.
The rest of the day was spent dividing the spoils of the Turkish cargo. The King of Mombaza was given
24h,
by Tomé de Sousa, to deliver all Turks in town. Next day,
March 6th, was spent loitering and searching the
Turkish ships. On the 7th, since the King of Mombaza hadn't sent
any information about the Portuguese
terms, the commander of
the fleet, Tomé de Sousa, disembarked 500 soldiers and headed to
the town but
found no resistance. They sacked and burnt the buildings, along with a
great ship and several small boats,
before returning to the fleet. During the raid a Zimba emissary reached the Portuguese and requested
permission
to enter the island. The Portuguese captain gave his approval for
the next day, March 8th. As the Portuguese
captain had foreseen as soon as the Zimbas entered the island the
fugitives, Africans, Arabs and Turks, began
to run from their
hiding and tried to reach the Portuguese ships. Among them was Mir Ali
Bec with 30 soldiers
and officers along with around 200 Arabs and many more natives.
Scores drowned trying to reach the ships.
On the 15th of March arrived two Galleons of the Indian Fleet that had been "lost" during the
crossing from
India in the Arabian Seas to escort the fleet while Tomé de
Sousa Coutinho sailed all along the Indian Ocean
and paid visit to the kings of Lamu, Pate and Mandra for their support
to the Turks. On the 16th of May 1589
the fleet arrived in Goa with flying colours and Mir Ali Bec was
sent to Portugal where he converted to the
Catholic faith (I guess the Jesuits had a small part in this
mater).
Lanterna!
Scenario
The Portuguese have around 500
experienced soldiers divided mainly by the Galleys and Galliots.
They are fierce but difficult to control. The Turks have around 250
soldiers divided by the Galleys
and in the fort. They have better soldiers in the two Galleys blocking
the Zimbas.
Turkish Squadron Mir Ali Bec (Strategy 5/ Fierce) 2x Galleys w/ Common Soldiers 2x Galleys w/ Elite Soldiers 1x Fusta
Mariners- Experienced
Victory
Conditions The Portuguese win by
taking/destroying the fort, the Turkish fleet and capturing Mir Ali
Bec.
The Turks win by preventing the capture of Mombaza. There is no time
limit.
************
Breaking the Ottoman’s Back Gulf of Oman scenarios:
Cape Lima
10th of August, 1554
Suleiman has ordered The Turkish admiral Alecheluby to send 15 galleys
to the Red Sea. He must pass from the Persian Gulf into the Gulf of
Oman without fighting the Portuguese armada, under D. Fernando de
Meneses, patrolling the area. Near Cape Lima he found the Portuguese
ships irregularly formed in three lines sailing in his direction. The
first line comprised the galleon Santa Cruz and 23 fustas/catures (plus
three following the Turkish squadron); the caravels are in the second
line and behind them are the remaining six galleons (São Mateus
(flagship), São Sebastião, São Tiago, São
Lourenço, São Tomé and the galleon of D.
Antão de Meneses). The Turkish fleet is in a single file heading
south. Wind: Fair SW.
Portuguese Armada
D. Fernando de Meneses (Strategy 3/-)
D. Antão de Noronha (Strategy 4/Fierce)
(both on the São Mateus)
Victory Conditions
The Portuguese win by taking/destroying the Turkish fleet. The Turks
win if they escape the Portuguese.
.
Mascate 25th of August, 1554
Alecheluby escaped to the Gulf of Oman but the Portuguese outmanoeuvred
him and are once again in front of the Turkish fleet. The only
Portuguese ship close enough to intercept the Turkish squadron was the
São Mateus. Alecheluby raced past the Portuguese ships but the
São Mateus droped anchor to stabilise and aimed its guns at the
passing Turkish vessels. Nine galleys were able to escape but the tenth
was hit by heavy ordnance. Because of their high speed the remaining
five galleys hadn’t time to manoeuvre and collided breaking each others
oars. Consequently they were in turn boarded one by one by the
Portuguese caravels that began to arrive. The fustas positioned between
the coast and the Turkish ships to prevent the survivors from reaching
dry land. The Portuguese captured the six galleys but the rest of the
Turkish fleet was forced to sail east and never reached the Red Sea.
Wind: Fair E.
Portuguese Squadron
D. Fernando de Meneses (Strategy 3/-)
D. Antão de Noronha (Strategy 4/Fierce)
(both on the São Mateus)
