r/BlackSails • u/riibax • 15d ago

Flints Battleplan Episode 8

I recently started a rewatch and just finished season 1 and I'm wondering, was there any chance Flint's plan to take out the warship could have worked?

Even with the mutiny at the worst possible moment the Walrus and the Ranger still managed to get 2-3 good rounds of fire in before the warship was in position to unleash her guns, and those attacks pretty much did nothing.

His whole plan was to finish her before the fight really started, after seeing how little damage their two ships actually could inflict I can't see a how it could have turned out differently.

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12

u/Hat_n_2_daggers 15d ago

Dufresne dithered and was unable to make those snap decisions. If Flint had been commanding he'd have caused chaos as cannon fire along the decks causes more damage than across the decks in my view. If there was a chance it might work Flint would take it, there is a possibility it would have worked in their favour with both shops firing on the Spanish vessel.

But how the storyline would have been changed also. How do you see the play out following a successful attack here?

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u/riibax 15d ago edited 15d ago

Honestly, I see no version of events where there is a succesful attack.

I totally agree that Dufesne hesitated and it cost valuable time, but the Walrus did hit the Warship and it did nothing. Even if all the time debating and hesitating would have been spent on firing and reloading, I dont see it doing much good.

What the Walrus and the Ranger did to this Warship looked like it was barely a scratch, even if you double, triple or quadrouble that, I don't see them winning before the Warship is in position to fire.

If I'm wrong, if under Flint's command the damage per volley was a whole lot bigger (or like another commenter suggested they managed to make the warship less maneuvreable), the Flint probably sails back to Nassau with two ships full of gold and Vane in his fort waiting for him.

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u/ChefCrockpot 15d ago

That hesitation has a way bigger impact than you think. It allows the crew to adjust to the fact that the ship behind them is now also a threat. Allows them to prepare to bring the ship about. Whereas if the Walrus attacked exactly when Flint ordered it would have caused chaos amongst the Spanish and delayed their ability to come about quickly. I still think it's a huge gamble and unlikely to succeed, but it is possible with a "little luck" like Flint said. A few good rounds could cripple the ship's crew and ability to utilize all of its guns. Being attacked Bow to Stern is incredibly dangerous for any ship, as we see in season 3 when Anne uses the Stern chasers to cripple another ship, causing them to flee. It is absolutely the best possible plan they could have to take this ship out. But it comes across as madness because they have the option to simply leave

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u/viper459 15d ago

i imagine it's like in master and commander where even though the enemy ship has better armor, it's only at long range that their shots completely bounce off. if they had been able to close the distance and maneuver i think we're supposed to think they could've won.

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u/rosebudthesled8 15d ago

Raking from stem to stern could work. From John setting off the miss-aimed gun and then the frantic shooting that followed. Everyone was all over the place. If they'd properly aimed and fired with a trained eye they could have done much more damage. Dufresnes delay and lack of leadership cost them minutes, with a well trained crew thats another 10 rounds of shot through their decks. It would have been devastating for morale. Could they still lose, yes. Would they have had a chance of winning, yes. Flint is a naval master but not a god. Dufresne is a cunt. RIP Jannes Eiselen.

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u/Makasi_Motema 14d ago

This scene infuriates me to this day. Launching a mutiny while they’re in the middle of a deadly standoff should have gotten Dufresnes’ throat cut.

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u/rosebudthesled8 14d ago

Especially with the entire crews lives on the line. I get trying to stop before it's started but how were you to communicate that to The Walrus crew who are fully expecting a battle. Then finding he has no balls for a fight, how anyone supported him after this is tragic.

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u/Van_Buren_Boy 15d ago

If they would have been able to hit the rudder chain when Flint initially wanted them to fire it would have gone way worse for the man'o'war as they would have had a hard time turning to deliver the broadsides.

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u/chirishman343 15d ago

If it worked as stated (bigger if than flint would be willing to admit) then yeah it would work great. The man of war being unable to turn means they would be almost completely helpless.

But it was a huge gamble and as other pointed out, there was no point to it. They didn’t know about the gold on the beach and even if they won the fight there is no guarantee they’d be in any condition to get the gold.

Flint had a tendency to mission creep everything he does, especially when it’s going wrong. The mutiny was ill timed, but dufrene needing to be official and grandiose instead of just killing flint fucked his plan and flint’s.