Episode 20 - Out of the Frying Pan...
20th day of February, 1640.
The Dreadnought headed straight into several anchored Frigates just off the main dock. Its sails began to burn ferociously as the crew set her alight.
Moose's Baron Boat flanked the Grim Reaper and quickly pulled away towards her firing position, while Tews Dark Water ships headed for the patrolling guard ships that were coming about to intercept the invading fleet.
Grim Reaper began to circle - awaiting Moose to disable the turrets.
"Steady as she goes, lads," called Moose to his crew, "get those guns ready."
The Baron Boat began to turn parallel to the towns' high fortifications as the turrets opened up on the attacking ship.
"Hold yer fire - wait till we's in range, yew scurvy wharf rats," called Moose to his eager gunners.
A couple of shots came across the ship and hit the water a few yards either side of her bow - soaking the pirates.
Moose surveyed his first target and waited a few moments before screaming the order to fire.
No sooner had he said it, than the Baron Boats 100-guns bellowed out her deadly cannon shot. A few seconds passed as the pirate and his men watched in silence before a cloud of bright orange flames, debris, and masonry, engulfed the first turret.
"IT'S A HIT!" cried the crew, and a loud cheer swept through the ship.
Tews ship, Darkness, turned and faced broadside-on to the bow of the first Frigate.
"FIRE" hollered the Admiral, as the Man o War opened up with a ferocious volley - hitting the dons square on.
Man o War, Fear, did likewise to another guard ship that was trying to quickly turn. The point blank cannon fire struck the stricken vessel amidships and blew the masts apart, leaving a raging inferno.
Darkness headed further into the harbour as turret fire whistled overhead.
Meanwhile, the Grim Reaper was taking a few hits from the turrets.
"We's a sitting duck here, Sir" called La Foot anxiously.
Another volley of cannon balls whistled passed and soaked the gathered Cutthroats on deck.
"We's gotta wait 'till Moose takes out those bloody turrets," barked Coggy.
But another terrifying whistle of cannon balls grew closer - this time hitting the Grim Reaper right in the quarterdeck!
A massive explosion ripped through the ship, blowing some of the unprotected Cutthroats to bits and severely damaging the hardy vessel.
Coggy was thrown to the deck, but quickly got up to survey the carnage caused to the poor swabs. Bodies littered the entire deck, as panic-stricken men clambered about trying to douse the flames.
"SIR, we won't last long 'ere!" screamed La Foot.
Coggy knew another direct hit would be the end of them, "Right… get us closer to those bleedin' Frigates," he called.
"Whadda ya doin'?" screamed the confused La Foot.
"We'll last a lot longer against those Spanish ships than we will against those bleedin' turrets" came Coggy's hurried reply.
Meanwhile, the Baron Boat unleashed another 100-gun volley - blowing yet another turret to pieces and scattering chunks of debris onto the defending Spanish redcoats.
"Dats two down - two ta go," yelled Moose with glee.
The Dreadnought had almost reached the main dock when her magazine of gunpowder exploded into a giant fireball - scattering a thousand pieces of burning splinters over the anchored Frigates.
Tews ship, Fear, got caught up in the inferno and began to burn uncontrollably.
The Admiral's flagship, Darkness, took a pounding from an approaching guard ship. But Coggy's Grim Reaper returned fire with a 50-gun broadside as she quickly sailed in between the two battling vessels and headed into a group of docked Frigates.
"The turrets won't fire on us 'ere," called Cog, with confidence, "Tha swines won't risk hittin' thar own ships."
Aboard the docked Frigates, the stunned Spanish crews tried in vain to get the sails aloft ready to do battle, but Coggy's ship began pounding them with grape shot and musket fire from her rallied Cutthroats.
BOOM! Another massive explosion ripped a gaping whole into the towns' fortifications as Moose's Baron Boat blasted another volley towards the remaining turrets.
"SIR!" screamed one of Moose's officers as he noticed a Spanish Frigate lining up a broadside from astern.
Moose turned, but could do nothing as the volley struck home and blew chunks of wood and burning timber apart.
Moose was injured, he received a deep gash along his neck and several splinters penetrated his arm.
Another volley struck the Baron Boat causing yet more heavy damage as she shuddered in the water.
Tews ship managed to see off it's own attacker before coming about to face another guard ship moored fifty yards to the starboard side.
Meanwhile, Man o War, Fear, was a raging inferno now, but the hardy vessel continued to pound away at a couple of crippled Frigates. Turning about, she headed straight for the Baron Boat's attacker.
The Baron Boat itself tried in vain to return fire to the Frigate off her portside, but to no avail, as the gunners below deck were either dead or dying. Moose stood on the Bridge and waited for the imminent volley that would send him and his hardy ship to Davey Jones' Locker.
Just as though all seemed lost, the alliance ship, Fear, managed to ram the Spanish Frigate in the nick of time and exploded into a thousand pieces - taking the dons with it to a watery grave.
The Baron Boats' surviving crew gave a sigh of relief, and Moose winced as he pulled the blood-covered splinters from his arm and neck.
Meanwhile, Grim Reaper's sharpshooters continued to pick off the panicking Spaniards as she circled several crippled Frigates.
"GET YER SCURVY HIDES READY!" screamed Coggy to his men, "WE'S GOIN' IN!"
The Sloop pulled away and headed for the beach a couple of hundred yards ahead.
Admiral Tew gave the order to protect Coggy's ship and quickly followed the her towards the beach while Moose's damaged ship finished off the final turret - clearing the way for Coggy's men.
"DATS IT!… DATS FRIGGIN' IT!" screamed Coggy in delight, "WE'S ALMOST THAR!" he added, as he surveyed the smouldering remains of the Spanish ships and disabled turrets.
"YEEEEEAHHH" called Moose and Tew aboard their ships as they eagerly watched the Grim Reaper go into action.
"Right yew murderous bastids, we's gonna beach tha friggin' ship! Screw tha rowboats! we's goin' in fast, 'n we's goin' in hard!" called Coggy to the eager surviving swabs.
And with that, the Grim Reapers' hull scraped along the sandy surface and came to an abrupt halt on the edge of the shore.
Every murderous scurvy swine leapt down from the beached ship, waded through the shallow water, and stormed the beach with cutlasses drawn and muskets blazing, while the defending redcoats took up firing positions on the edge of town...