Timbers Shivered Jim Lad.

Something different last night, I took along my ACW ships using Smoke on the Water rules, an excellent set if at times a bit unwieldy, but once you get used to them they play fast and are perfect for a few hours at the club.

I am not one for monitors and ironclads with huge guns, they are virtually impregnable to gunfire during a game and only fire once every third turn or so, I cannot recall many, if any, which were sunk due to enemy action, as the Confederacy shrunk most were destroyed to save them falling into Union hands. I much prefer unarmoured, tinclad or cottonclad ships, these give a much more interesting battle, the Federals having the guns and the Rebs using their rams.

So last night's game involved a dawn raid on two Union block ships with a third vessel arriving to reinforce, this left the Rebs at a bit of a disadvantage but they (me) were hoping to catch the original two vessels before they could get steam up. As the sun rose the Confederate ships began to run a gauntlet of fire and for a time it looked like they wouldn't get very far, thankfully the crews were ever watchful and prevented any fires from breaking out from the rain of shells, the cotton armour on the Governor Moore was particularly effective. It did not cover the guns however and these along with her stack were soon put out of action due to enemy fire, but she bravely sailed on intending to ram. The Gaines also took a pounding as she closed with the Union ships, shells exploded damaging the rudder, a paddle wheel, two of the guns and a lucky shot decapitated the command when the pilot house took a direct hit and both the Captain and Pilot were killed, to make matters worse she was also taking on water.

USS Paul Jones on duty.

The Moore and Gaines arrive.

Looking good for the Rebs.

With most of the Confederate guns out of action the Federal vessels did not suffer the same amount of damage, as the crises approached it looked like both Rebel ships were in a position to ram, the Moore threw this opportunity away by not turning far enough and the Gaines similarly got port and starboard mixed up. The Gaines hit the small Rhode Island but at such an angle that virtually no damage was done, a gun dismounted but nothing serious. To make matters worse as she glanced off the Rhode Island the Moore ploughed into her side and the resultant flooding sent her to the bottom. As the Governor Moore backed away from the stricken Gaines she came under fire from the whole Union flotilla, fires broke out and damage mounted, the crew took to the boats and the Moore also went to Davy Jones' Locker.

Disaster strikes.

FIRE!

The Federals (Simon and Julian) handled their ships well, although they did leave me one opportunity which I did not manage to turn to my advantage, instead bringing havoc to my own ships. We got the game finished and it was quite exciting as I wondered if I would manage to get to close range with the amount of shot coming at me, I was disappointed that my guns were put out of action early on and I was left with only peashooters.

The end.

I have finished my first Seleucid unit, some heavy cavalry, this army will have quite a choice of cavalry once finished; Companions, heavy, light, horse archers and cataphracts. Aventine are reworking most of their cavalry and I am hoping to get to them soon, but for the moment I have an elephant and skirmisher arriving, hopefully today.

I also don't think I am going to manage any home gaming this week, we are supposed to be getting new carpet tiles in the PO/Wargame Room so all the boxes containing terrain and sojers have been moved to the living room. The firm also failed to turn up yesterday and so far there is no sign of them today either. I will not be a happy bunny if the job is not started today.