Jackson Gamers' 15mm ACW Naval Battle

The Confederate Navy's commanders

Left to right: Ed Sansing, Fred Diamond, Tim Latham. None gave a hoot for their chances. The joyful grins shown are the result of "splicing the mainbrace" with navy rum. A double tot for all hands, Mr. purser!

The Federal Navy's commanders

Left to right: Jim Pitts, Jody McDonald, Larry Reeves. Larry had a baaaadddd feeling about this thing from the start. Never mind, Larry. Your Union monitors are unstoppable!

THE CONFEDERATE FLOTILLA'S MISSION: You are to procede down this tidal river and destroy the Union supply base, sinking or driving off any enemy vessels.

VICTORY POINTS: You will receive:

• Each Union Monitor Captured = 15 points
• Each Union Monitor Sunk = 10 points
• Other Union Warships Captured or sunk = 5 points
• Each Union Steam Launch sunk = 2 points
• Each Union Supply ship sunk = 5 points
• Each Union Supply marker on shore burned = 3 points

Union cotton-clad steamer attempts to ram a CSA Ironclad.

She did a bit of damage to the Ironclad, but suffered water intake herself. Her only gun is gone, a victim of one of the first Confederate shells fired in the game.

THE UNION FLEET'S MISSION: Sink any of the misguided Rebel ships that enter the table!

VICTORY POINTS:

• Sink or capture Rebel ironclads = 10 points each.
• Sink or capture other Rebel ships = 5 points each.
• Sink or capture Rebel steam launches = 2 points each.

A federal shore gun opens fire

The shore batteries were ineffectual. Just like real life!

A federal Steam Launch puffs toward the enemy.

Both of the Federal steam lauches were sunk without doing anything important. The Confederates were to have two, but we ran out of model steam launches, and substituted the ugly blue Confederate 1-gun "Manassas" type ironclad instead.

Confederate traffic control was poor.

Larry Reeves looks despondent

Larry was a Union commander, but this photo indicates that his heart was not in the struggle! A Union tin-clad is ramming the Confederate tin-clad "Vicksburg" in this shot, early in the game. The pennies on the ships' decks represent water in the ship. When the number of pennies equalls the flotation value - glub, glub, GLUB.

The melee in the center grows larger

More ships join the action in the center, ramming and attempting to ram.

Another view of the battle in the center of the river

A shot of the interior of the Rebel tinclad "Vicksburg".

All of these ships have "lift-off" tops or casemates. When a gun is hit, you pull out a gun. When a crewman is hit, remove him. No bookeeping on record sheets for us!

Another view of the melee in the river's center.

Larry and Jody (Federal commanders) watch the ships.

The great explosion - old glory still flying.

The CSA steam launch with spar torpedo fulfills its destiny. The "tiger tank" Union twin-turret monitor is destroyed! The game is transformed.

The Onondaga lists heavily.

No Federal sailors escaped from the twin-turreted tomb. This left the Federal single turret monitor as their only effective warship.

THE OUTCOME: Throughout the game, the Confederate bemoaned the fact that the Union monitors were "like tanks!". The Union was ahead in points. Then, suddenly, the least of the Confederate vessels, the steam launch, made her third attempt to torpedo a Union vessel. This time, it was the double-turret monitor Onandoga. The Union ship was caught immobile, and incredible to all, the torpedo sank her! The steam launch was battered by the explosion and had her boiler fires swamped, but she did not sink.

In later turns, with a heroic, continuing effort, the launch's crew boarded and set on fire three Union supply vessels (the surviving Southern Ironclad sunk the fourth). Then, incredibly, the steam launch beached itself, and the crew clambered ashore, drove off the Union gunners, and set fire to the pilled-up supplies for Grant's army!

Confederate sailors board a Union Supply ship

At the game's end, the victory points for the Condfederate States Navy totalled 65, while the Federals only achieved 45 in spite of sinking or capturing all the Rebel ships (except the valiant steam launch). A great game, which proves "it aint over till it's over!".

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