Patreon Newsletter #5 (Patreon)

Welcome to Patreon newsletter no.5! Without further ado...

Production Updates

Mystery new Napoleonic Wars video - topic to be picked by Citizens' vote

That's right, you heard it here first! We're making a new Napoleonic Wars video, in a different style to anything we've done before. The best bit - Patreon supporters get to pick the topic (from our shortlist). Watch out for a separate post tomorrow containing the poll. All Citizen tier supporters and above have voting rights... so if any Builders are thinking about making that upgrade, now would be a great time.

Battle of the Nile

Work is underway on Episode 2 of our Nelson's Battles series. We're hoping to go even further with the 3D shots (details remain secret until we've completed tests) and Harry is hard at work on our tactical maps, as you can see here...

Battle of the Wabash & Brumaire Coup

Work continues on both projects, but no new developments to report just yet.

World War 2

This one's still a few months away, but I thought I'd share some early thoughts -

The series will be closely based on our WW1 series - by which I mean, it will be 'big picture', covering every theatre, every campaign, at a strategic level.

The aim of the series is put famous battles like Stalingrad, Midway and Normandy into their proper global context, and to help viewers understand how all fronts and events were connected. I hope even seasoned students of WW2 will be able to learn something new from the approach.

I've already taken my first controversial decision of the series - it's going to start in 1931, so we can properly cover the build up to war. (Of course, it's now the clever thing to say WW2 didn't start in Poland in 1939, but in China in 1937. Or Spain in 1936? Add your own dates in the comments!)

As we plan and research this new series, it would be interesting to hear if there's anything you particularly liked or disliked about the WW1 series...

"One Cool History Thing"

And finally... this time our one cool thing is a great Nelson anecdote that unfortunately we couldn't fit into the Cape St Vincent video. It's a few days before the battle, and Nelson is sailing aboard the frigate HMS Minerve (40), racing to rejoin the Mediterranean Fleet. But as they pass through the Straits of Gibraltar, they are pursued by several large Spanish warships, led by Terrible (74).

Colonel Drinkwater, an eyewitness, takes up the story:

Captain Cockburn, who had been taking a view of the chasing enemy, now joined Commodore Nelson, and observed that there was no doubt that the lead Spanish ship was gaining on the Minerve. At this moment dinner was announced, but before Nelson left the deck, orders were given to set the studding sails.

At table I found myself seated next to Lieutenant Hardy, and was congratulating him on his recent exchange from being a prisoner of war, when the sudden cry of "man overboard" threw the dinner party into some disorder. The officers of the ship ran on deck. I ran to the stern windows to see if any thing could be observed of the unfortunate man; we had scarcely reached them before we noticed the lowering of the jolly boat, in which was my late neighbour Hardy, with a party of sailors; and before many seconds had elapsed, the current of the Straits (which runs strongly to the eastward) had carried the jolly boat far astern of the frigate, towards the Spanish ships.

Of course the first object was to recover, if possible, the fallen man, but he was never seen again. Hardy made a signal to that effect, and the man was given up as lost. The attention of every person was now turned to the safety of Hardy and his boat's crew; their situation was extremely perilous, and their danger was every instant increasing from the fast sailing of the Spanish ships, which by this time had approached nearly within gunshot of the Minerve.

The jolly boat's crew pulled "might and main" to regain the frigate, but made little progress against the current of the Straits. At this crisis, Nelson, casting an anxious look at the hazardous situation of Hardy and his companions, exclaimed, "By God! I'll not lose Hardy! Back the mizen top-sail." No sooner said than done; the Minerve's progress was slowed, leaving the current to carry her down towards Hardy and his party, who seeing this spirited manoeuvre to save them redoubled their exertions to rejoin the frigate.

To the landsmen on board the Minerve an action now appeared to be inevitable; and so, it would appear, thought the enemy, who surprised and confounded by this daring manoeuvre of the Commodore (being ignorant of the accident that led to it) must have construed it as a direct challenge... The Captain of the Terrible suddenly shortened sail, in order to allow his consort to join him, and thus afforded time for the Minerve to reach the jolly boat to take out Hardy and the crew; and the moment they were on board the frigate, orders were given again to make sail.

The Lieutenant Hardy that Nelson stopped to rescue is, of course, the same Hardy that would command HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. Of "Kiss me, Hardy" fame.

That's all for this edition. Look out for the Patreon poll tomorrow, and thank you again for your amazing support!

Toby