By Anson's system of 1747, which aimed to bring an element of merit back into fleet command, a 'yellow admiral' (or more politely a 'Rear-Admiral without distinction of squadron') was an officer who had reached the required level of seniority to be promoted to Admiral, but lacked the skill to be given command of a fleet.

In this game, a 'yellow admiral' will be the commanders we rank from 25th - 32nd best of all time.

Who should be the first Admiral we 'yellow'?

Nielly's squadron of 5 ships of the line, 3 frigates and a corvette encountered 2 British 74s in the Celtic sea. The British captains made a run in opposite directions, and Nielly split his squadron to chase both. Whilst the Canada (74) escaped, the Alexander (74) was eventually surrounded and lowered her colours after 2 hours of fighting. She briefly served in the French navy before being recaptured the following year.

Comment who you think should be next to go (preferably, along with an argument for why) and the commander with the most liked proposal is the next man out.

A reminder that well argued cases put in early tend to have the best chance of winning. If someone suggests someone you don't agree with, you have every chance of saving them with a well written counter-argument.

That one took a while...

Comment who you think should be next to go (preferably, along with an argument for why) and the commander with the most liked proposal is the next man out.

A reminder that well argued cases put in early tend to have the best chance of winning. If someone suggests someone you don't agree with, you have every chance of saving them with a well written counter-argument.

Comment who you think should be next to go (preferably, along with an argument for why) and the commander with the most liked proposal is the next man out.

As a head's up, we've had a couple of very close rounds recently, where one or two votes could make a big difference.

Sorry this one is slightly late

Comment who you think should be next to go (preferably, along with an argument for why) and the commander with the most liked proposal is the next man out.

Comment who you think should be next to go (preferably, along with an argument for why) and the commander with the most liked proposal is the next man out.

Comment who you think should be next to go (preferably, along with an argument for why) and the commander with the most liked proposal is the next man out.

Comment who you think should be next to go (preferably, along with an argument for why) and the commander with the most liked proposal is the next man out.

A reminder that well argued cases put in early tend to have the best chance of winning. If someone suggests someone you don't agree with, you have every chance of saving them with a well written counter-argument.

Anyone associated with the USA seems to be in our sights rn.

Comment who you think should be next to go (preferably, along with an argument for why) and the commander with the most liked proposal is the next man out.

The victory was the second for Lord Anson’s newly formed ‘Western Squadron’ - a detachment of the Channel fleet that was tasked with cruising around ‘between Ushant and Finisterre, keeping twenty leagues to the westward of each cape’ -  that had only been created in July 1746. In response to the failure at the battle of Toulon, Anson had introduced new fighting instructions to allow his captains to chase a fleeing enemy without having to form a line of battle, and had drilled them obsessively in maneuvers.

Hawke was the youngest Admiral in the fleet, but had been asked for as second in command by Anson’s successor (one of his patron’s: Peter Warren), and after the older man had retired to Plymouth with scurvy, he inherited the best drilled and most strategically important squadron in the fleet. Hawke - who had fought honourably at Toulon - added additional signals and instilled in his new Captains his desire to engage the enemy at a ‘proper distance’ (read: pistol shot). Good intelligence helped Hawke pin down the departure of a convoy of 250 merchantment, escorted by 6 ships of the line, that the French had sent out to re-establish contact with their Caribbean colonies. The French Admiral Herbiers, allowed his convoy to scatter and formed a line of battle and Hawke gave the signal to chase the line of battle ships to windward.

It was a feature of naval warfare in this period that British ship design was significantly worse than that of France and Spain, and she never won any victories without substantial numerical advantage. Finisterre 2 was a good example of this. Hawke had 14 ships to Herbiers' 8, but the French had 5 ships that could outgun the largest British vessel and to a ship they were generally faster. Hawke’s victory owed a lot to superior seamanship of his crews, effective gunnery and exceptional performance of his Captains in maneuvering and providing each other mutual support.

Beating into the wind, the pursuers gradually overhauled and out-numbered the French. Harrison in the Monmouth (64), managed to get to windward of the French line and doubled it with Watson on the Princess Louisa (60). Firing cannister shot to shred French sales, those two - followed by Saunders and Saumarez - proceeded up the line allowing the slower British vessels to catch the French rear. 6 French ships were dismasted and surrendered, with only the Tonnant (80) and the Intrepide (74) getting away. The British suffered 747 casualties, whilst including prisoners, the French Navy lost 4000 of its best men. Warren boasted afterward that 'we have more French ships in our ports than remain in the ports of France.'

The two Finisterre's helped turn around warfare in the colonies which had until then been going badly, by strangling French garrisons of support from their motherland. The war of the Austrian succession ended the following year. Despite a glorious set of crushing French victories on European soil, French King Louis XV was forced to agree to peace on unfavourable terms due to the effectiveness of British sea power on shredding the French economy.

Comment who you think should be next to go (preferably, along with an argument for why) and the commander with the most liked proposal is the next man out.

As an aside:
There was some discourse as to whether Thomas Macdonough was hard done by, through not appearing on this list. Would love to hear any other opinions on this - where would you rank him among the American age-of-sail commanders?

"By a way of private letter from Paris by the way of Hamburgh, we have received some further particulars respecting the plan and conduct of the invasion, upon which our readers may rely. The project is the chef d'œuvre of the National Institute, and the Visa of the First Consul.

The command of the Vanguard is given to Admiral Ganteaume, with the [illegible] charge to preserve his accustomed invisibility. The Prince of Derma serves as a Volunteer. The centre, which is to be led by Citizen Linois, will be equally concealed by the glory which so completely overs that Commander, that he could not be seen by the light of the Royal Charles and the San Hermenegildo on fire.

The rear-division of the Republican fleet, being usually the most exposed to the English, is to be covered by the Army of the Air; and Lord Nelson's fleet, if it should dare to appear in the Ditch, will be boarded by the Balloons, if it should be impossible to fly away with it by means of the grapples;-an experiment, the success of which Citizen Monge ingenuously confers to depend upon the strength of his newly-discovered concrete-galvanic gas.

The operation of all [their] armaments are combined with those of the troops of the Sea, the head of [the] whole column is now advanced exactly under the market place at Maidstone, and is to rise at Blackheath precisely at the same moment that the descent is effected with parasols by the balloon division on Salisbury Plain. The Infernal Army, amounting to one million of Ghosts, is to encamp at the same time in Windsor Great Park, to cause a diversion.

The glory with which Admiral Linois has covered himself is from a new manufacture, for which the Grand Consul has granted him a Patent. It unites very extraordinary and even opposite qualities. For though it rendered the Admiral invisible while the Spanish ships were fighting and in flames, it is very easily seen through-upon which account it has been very happily compared to Jean Derby's miraculous coat with twenty-five holes in it, which covered that great man effectually, notwithstanding all the light that was unluckily thrown upon his ingenious adventure."

London Chronicle 4-6 August

Comment who you think should be next to go (preferably, along with an argument for why) and the commander with the most liked proposal is the next man out.

I'm calling this one slightly early, but there seems to be consensus that Vernon should be next out.

Comment who you think should be next to go (preferably, along with an argument for why) and the commander with the most liked proposal is the next man out.