Hammering Into the New Year

We'd left the subject of the first game of the year hanging a bit last time we met. I was hunting around for ideas, then realised it has been a while since I got out the ACW ironclads. Seemed like a good choice to ease us in to a new year of wargaming.

I'm a bit of a traditionalist and persist with the 1999 version of the rules from RFCM "Hammerin' Irion II", rather than the recent update (which I see was actually published in 2011, so not so recent in fact). I love this game. It brings back many happy memories of when I used to run a wargames "tournament" in the village hall.

I was expecting four of us, but with bad weather warnings, a howling gale and bits of tree falling down, Steve stayed home. Chris and Phil braved the elements, however, so all that preparation time hadn't been wasted (grin).

The Yankees, at the far end, were played by Chris and Phil. They had four ironclads: the Cairo & Carondelet, the Essex and the Sandusky (a monitor) and two generic wooden tenders, the Arkham and the Tulip. None of these vessels had rams, but typically for Union forces, were chock full of guns. I ran the Rebs, They had three ironclad rans, the Manassas, the Palmetto State and the Tennessee plus the tinclad General Bragg. (Yes I know it's an eclectic mix that would never have appeared all together in the same place). And typically for Confederate ships very few guns between them.

The Rebs have to exit the far end of the board, having sunk two ironclads. The Yankees must sink all of the Rebel ships.

I used the rules as written, by and large, which meant rolling for arrivals. I wrote the QRS up on the white board at the far end. I don't know why I bothered, as no one else looked at it me. It took a while for the turn sequence to stick.

Typically my ships were slow to arrive, and so got spread out. I did this to get the game going, but also it gave the ships more "sea room" to line up rams. I'm leading with Palmetto State, which is a shallow ironclad ram, so I reckon I can storm across a sand bank at full sped, and catch the damn Yankees by surprise.

As it was, when I got close I didn't get caught on the sandbank. I did, however, have my boilers knocked out with a critical hit which had the same effect of immobilising the vessel. And I caught fire. On the plus side I hit the Sandusky's turret and jammed it. On the down side it was still pointing at me. My gunnery was otherwise unimpressive, being unable to hit the Arkham effectively as she steamed around me.

The General Bragg is heading towards the bank, so I can shelter one side of the ship from the two nasty looking ironclad gun platforms heading towards me. My fourth ram, the Manassas, is still not on the table. I have the Tennessee heading at full speed for the Carondelet in the middle of the table.

The Palmetto State succumbs to the pummelling it has received, and sinks beneath the muddy waters of whatever river this happens to be. My last salvo set fire to the Arkham, however.

It really isn't going well. The Manassas still won't get on the table, and the General Bragg has caught fire. I'm normally an easy going host, but this is getting irritating. 

General Bragg has succeeded in putting out the fire, and is heading for the exit, before she gets sunk. The Manassas is on the table, but out of view. The Tennessee has been hit, and it's rudder is jammed, and I can only turn to port (that's left, you land-lubbers).

Controversy! The Tennessee is able to line up the Carondelet. I have move priority so I am able to swing left and ram the enemy amidships. As I come in Phil fires and gets the "Munitions Explode" critical hit, and the Tennessee evaporates.

Quick rules consult. What sequence do things happen in? I don't recall this ever happening before. Normally it isn't a problem, as the hits won't sink the ship and all the other critical hits affect next turn, so despite taking fire, the ram happens. The rules say move everything first, but that when you do firing you can fire at any point in the move. Logic says I'm destroyed before contact, but I announce that as things have gone so badly for now with me barely making a scratch on the Yankees, they will occur simultaneously. 

There then follows a spectacular ram attack, causing nine hits and the chance of an automatic sinking which duly happens. M.A.D. in the middle of the river.

And then the Manassas is hit by artillery fire and disabled.

I lost three out of four, sank one enemy and got one ship off table. Points win to the Union.

It never loses its charm, this game, daft tho' it is from time to time.

Next week, "AK47 Republic" returns as the nostalgia fest continues.

Happy New Year to you all.