Preveza 1538

The new gaming season begins with a naval clash between the fleet of the Holy League and the ottomans in the coasts of Greece. ¿Will Andrea Doria defeat the fearsome pirate Barbarossa, or it is the forces of Islam that will emerge triumphant this day?

The christians are caught by the turks while retreating from the failed siege of Preveza and turn about in haste to respond to the surprise attack of Barbarossa, who has come from the gulf guarded by the city

Meanwhile the ottomans have come into range of the allied fleet

And open a brisk fire that punishes the formidable venetian galleass (a galleon irl) moving ponderously in the allied vanguard

The christians complete their movement and engage the enemies of the faith

Foremost amongst them the imposing venetian vessel, that blazes in all directions with her massive bronze cannons

Undaunted, janissaries and corsairs come to grips with the first infidel line

Unleashing a devastating salvo at close range that cripples several christian vessels

Not even the Galleass can sustain such terrible fire, and most of her guns are dismounted amongst the bloody puddles of what once were sailors and gunners

In the left flank two matched forces maintain a tense standoff trading long ranged shot

Aboard his gilded galley Barbarossa orders his crew of cutthroats to jump aboard the massive vessel, with help from a nearby galiot and aided by the close ranged fire from a second galley

The turks on the left finally close distances and unleash hell on the christian galleys

The furious engagement on the center keeps going, with the turks managing to outflank the enemy with their superior numbers

But then the christian reserves come into play, entering the fray with fresh vessels and vengeful crews

Whose fire destroys the lone turk galley that was flanking the main line

Thankfully for the ottomans Barbarossa has finished off the galleass, and redeploys his victorious vessels to counter the new christian threat

In the left the battle finally turns in favour of the muslims, that capture  a genoese warship

Even Andrea Doria falls to the Turk, killed by a deadly volley fired from a nimble galiot

The reserves come too late for the christians, that have suffered appalling losses in the first clash

The remaining ships of the Holy League retreat, leaving half of their fleet in ottoman hands