Battle of Cape Atropos

On the 6th of September, 1706, a heavy three-day gale - one of the worst in the century - blew down the Syrellian Sea, and Anclados was forced to beat before the storm, being driven far to the south.  Heroic efforts brought by the Firoccan sailors resulted in the entire fleet being saved, although it took them eight days to work their way back against the prevailing winds in order to arrive off the Straits of Moirai in January.  Their arrival came none too soon, as the Liotainian fleet (which had sheltered safely in Plougrescant during the storm) passed the Straits of Moirai on the same day.  In poor weather conditions, Anclados gave chase, spending the morning of the 17th slowly working to windward in order to bring the Liotainians to battle.
Adomaitis, in command of the Liotainian main body, felt the conditions for an engagement were highly unfavorable.  His own command had been disorganized beating against the wind during the passage of the Strait, and Adomaitis could not easily communicate with all of the ships in his fleet, although Prince Llyras, commanding the Liotainian vanguard, ably reorganized the leading ships.  With this level of disarray, Adomaitis put up his helm and ran southeast with twelve of his eighteen ships-of-the-line, trying to slip past the Firoccans.  The remainder of the fleet, under Prince Llyras, continued to the northeast.
Anclados saw the opportunity to score a crushing victory, and steered to engage Adomaitis and his disorganized vessels.  Adomaitis, with remarkable coolness, held his course and pressed forward.  The faster Liotainian ships-of-the-line slid narrowly squeaked past the Firoccan fleet and passed the sheer cliffs of Cape Atropos by the thinnest of margins.  In spite of ferocious efforts, the Firoccan gunners were unable to slow any of the Liotainian battleships, which pressed on sail and managed to give the Firoccan fleet the slip once darkness arrived.
Battle of Cape Atropos (Action of 17 September, 1706)	Battle of Cape Atropos (Action of 17 September, 1706)
Royal Liotainian Navy
Adm. Vincentas Adomaitis
Adm. Prince Llyras Vitkus	Firoccan Armada
Adm. Bartolome Anclados
R.Adm. Javier Villafane de Lezo
Ships-of-the-line:
* Karaliskas (80) - flagship
* Rudeksna (60)
* Perkunas (60)
* Kerstas (60)
* Solhynian (60)
* Pergalingas (60)
* Sventoji (60)
* Eletrenai (60)
* Arkangelas Urielis (44)
* Sv. Eusebius Apologetas (44)
* Sv. Jonas Kankinys (44)
* Arkangelas Remielis (44)
Not Engaged:
* Rekyva (60)
* Rokantiskes (60)
* Dvylika Apastalu (44)
* Sv. Linas Misionierius (44)
* Saltielis ir Reicele (44)
* Desimt Isakymu (44)
* Sv. Matas Evangelistas (44)
Frigates:
* Erelis (32)
* Drakonas (32)
* Trigaila (32)
* Saulys (32)
Not Engaged:
* Deimantas (32)
* Liutas (32)
* Vydas (32)
Light Ships (not engaged):
* Birzai (18)
* Vadgirys (16)
* Vilkas (12)	Ships-of-the-line:
* Devastadora (110)
* Santo Henrique (90)
* Argentium (70)
* Infante Montana (70)
* Tribunal (64)
* Príncipe Armando (56)
* Conquistador (56)
* Leyenda Negra (56)
* Asedio (56)
Armed Merchant Galleons:
* Aldina (44)
* Kastor (44)
* Santo Casimiro (42)
* Destruidora (42)
* Fúria (42)
* Arcas (42)
* Eneida (42)
* Dulce (40)
* Enyo (40)
Frigates:
* Pollex (32)
* Santa Clara (28)
* Despiadado (28)
Light Ships:
* Santo Pedro (20)
* Cobra (16)
* Dançarina (16)
* Diogo (16)
* Avanti (14)
* Aparecida (12)
* Sabina (10)
* Pimenta (8)
* Elefante (8)
Not all ships engaged.
Having successfully disengaged from the Firoccan fleet, Adomaitis and Prince Llyras sailed to rendezvous off the coast of Syrellia.  Adomaitis prearranged this rendezvous with all of the captains, who were to proceed independently if separated from the flagship.  One of Adomaitis' goals was to destroy the Firoccan fleet at sea in order to prevent their continued resupply of Svyturys, which continued to languish under an ineffectual state of siege by the Liotainian Army.  A key secondary objective, however, was the destruction or capture of a major Firoccan trading fleet which used the seasonal winds to return from Denishu and Dengfeng.  This convoy, heavily-guarded, was crucial for the Firoccan economy, which was suffering from the continued war - particularly the privateering efforts.
In the last days of September, Adomaitis and Prince Llyras reformed the fleet off the Syrellian coast, and then sailed north to cruise off Astyria, which they reached by October 10th.  The Firoccan trading fleet, however, heard news of the Liotainian breakout from a neutral ship, and fled into Astyrian waters.  Adomaitis blockaded the Astyrian coastline for several weeks, but the winter weather continued to threaten his blockade.  On the first of December, Adomaitis finally quit the blockade and returned south, having waited as long as he dared.
Although the Liotainians had failed to take the inbound convoy, they had inflicted a fatal delay.  When the Firoccans sailed once again in mid-December, a powerful Nor-easter scattered the convoy and its escorts.  Eight ships disappeared without a trace, and privateers snatched up fourteen more vessels when they were driven back onto the Astyrian shore.  A total of nineteen vessels - less than half of the original trading fleet - successfully arrived in Firocco.
Category:Naval Battles Involving Liotain
Category:Naval Battles Involving Firocco
Category:Naval Battles of the Firocco-Liotain War