Full Steam Ahead: The Bay of Destiny….PIW Game Number 1, Part 2

 A closer view of the scene at the end of the second turn. The U.S.S. Metacomet (carrying her ensign on her aft gaff spar) is about to be battered by the Confederates from three directions whilst the leading Rebel gunboat - the C.S.S. Gaines - is about to receive a full broadside from the U.S.S. Hartford. Meanwhile the Union monitors are about to further engage the fort.

In the previous post the respective plans of the two fleets were outlined and it is safe to say that the old maxim of ‘no plan survives first contact with the enemy” is about to be ably demonstrated! 

The scene at the start of the action. The Union forces are approaching from the left whilst the Confederates are on the right. Both sides are operating in two divisions.

Turn 1. There was no firing from either side and the Union player was deemed to have the initiative as the attacker  and so opted to move first.

The situation at the end of the first turn. The two Union monitors (U.S.S. Tecumseh and U.S.S. Winnebago) are approaching the fort whilst the flagship (U.S.S. Hartford steams directly to the centre of the channel. Her two escorts - the U.S.S. Sassacus (off the bow of the flagship) and the U.S.S. Metacomet (off the starboard bow of the flagship) have raced ahead to secure the centre f the channel. The Confederates are looking to engage the central Union force from what looks like both sides.

Turn 2. Both sides opt fire where they are able. The Confederate C.S.S. Gaines engages the U.S.S. Metacomet at a range of two hexes with her FW 2/3 artillery. She rolls 1D6 to hit with no modifiers. She rolls a 5 meaning a single potential damage point. The Union ship has an armour factor of 0 so the Confederate damage roll will gain a plus 3 for the penetration factor. The roll is a 4 making 7 in total. That is two points of damage and a 1 in 6 chance of a second. The roll of 5 is too high as a 1 was needed. The Union ship fires back from her starboard broadside (rated 2/2) with a single D6 and scores a 4 meaning one potential damage point. Her penetration factor is 2 and the armour factor of the C.S.S. Gaines is 1 so the Union gains a plus 1 to the damage roll. The roll is 3 which with the plus 1 makes 4 in all or a single damage point scored against the Confederate ship. 

The C.S.S. Selma opens fire against the U.S.S. Sassacus with her FW 1/2 artillery at a range of 3 with a single D6. The roll of 2 is a miss. The Union ship returns the compliment and scores a 4 meaning a single potential damage roll. The penetration (2) versus armour (1) is a net plus 1 so the subsequent roll of 3 with the positive modifier takes the score to 4 for a single damage point.

Both the Union monitors open fire at the fort. The U.S.S. Tecumseh rolls a D6 and scores a 4 for a potential damage roll. The penetration (4) and armour (3) give a plus one damage modifier overall but as the fort is classed as small there is a minus 1 applied so the damage dice is even. A 5 is rolled meaning the fort takes a single point of damage. The U.S.S. Winnebago opens fire with her forward turret. Her roll of 3 is not enough to register a hit.

The rolls for initiative are as follows: Union 6, Confederate 5. The Union opt to move first.

The situation at the end of he second turn. The Union monitors continue to move into a favourable position to bombard the fort. The twin turreted U.S.S. Winnebago moves around to open the firing arcs of both turrets. Meanwhile the two Union gunboats have reversed course and fallen into a line of battle but the Confederates have manoeuvred in such a way so as to have three ships heading off the Yankee interlopers. Unfortunately in doing so the lead ship - the C.S.S. Gaines - has found herself at point blank range under the port broadside guns of the U.S.S. Hartford. Ominously for the Union, the ship bringing up the rear of the snake-like Confederate line is none other than the ironclad the C.S.S. Tennessee.

Turn 3. All three Confederate gunboats open fire on the U.S.S. Metacomet - in each case using their respective broadside gunnery factors. The Union ship has an armour factor of 0. Starting with the C.S.S. Selma she has a factor of 1/1 so rolls a single D6 with a plus 1 modifier for the range of 1. She rolls a 3 which then goes to 4 so gets a single D6 damage roll at plus 1 for her penetration factor. She rolls a 6! This goes to 7 meaning that she gets an additional 1 in 6 chance for a further damage point. She also gets a single re roll due to the natural 6. This comes up with a 1 so no effect. The roll for passing 6 (remember the total was 7 hence the 1 in 6 chance of further damage) comes up with a miserable 2. Overall then, the U.S.S. Metacomet has suffered 2 points of damage but her ordeal has only just begun.

The C.S.S. Morgan opens fire at point blank range with her broadside of 2/1. Again, each D6 gains plus 1 for the range. The rolls are 3 and 4 which adjust to 4 and 5 or 2 potential damage rolls, each at plus 1. Snake Eyes! A double 1! Doubtless the crew of the Union ship are breathing a huge sigh of relief but they are not of the woods yet as the C.S.S. Gaines also opens fire with a single D6 at range 2. A 1! After a bright start the standard of Confederate gunnery has dropped off alarmingly - perhaps the gun crews were too astounded at the apparently foolhardy nature of the Union attack to aim accurately….

The final Confederate ship to fire was the ironclad C.S.S. Tennessee at the U.S.S. Sassacus at the range of 2 hexes. The guns of the rebel ship are rated at 2/3 so she rolls a single D6 to hit. A glorious 6! The quickly taken natural 6 roll is a 2 so no effect. She has two damage rolls each with plus 3 for penetration - this could get very messy. A 5 and a 4 are rolled, adjusted to 8 and 7. That is 4 points of damage already and a 1 in 6 and a 2 in 6 chances of further damage points. A pair of 4s means nothing extra. However, as the damage scored is one point in excess of the hull factor of the Union ship (which is 3) there is a roll on the critical hit table to be made, which comes up with a 1 meaning either one point off the armour factor or a damage point. As the ship is unarmoured a further damage point is scored making 5 in total.

Both the Union gunboats have taken heavy damage.

The U.S.S. Hartford opens fire with a full point blank broadside at the C.S.S. Gaines. The Union guns are rated as 4/2 and due to the range gain a plus 1 to hit. She rolls a pair of 3s and a pair of 4s which adjust up to a pair of 4s and a pair of 5s so four potential damage rolls are required. The Confederate ship has an armour factor of 1 so overall the U.S.S. Hartford gains plus 1 to each damage dice. She rolls a trio of 5s and a 4! These adjust up to a trio of 6s and a 5 meaning 7 damage points in total! There is also not one but two critical hit rolls to be made as the hull factor of 3 has been covered twice by the damage scored and then a further critical roll for reaching her penultimate damage point (eight points out of nine). The critical rolls are a 1, a 3 and a 5. The 1 is taken as armour damage so the rebel ship no longer has the benefit of any protection. Critical hit 3 is engine/steering and requires an additional D6 roll. The score of 6 means a permanent reduction of speed of 1 or costing 2 movement points to turn a single hexside. The Confederate ship opts to take the steering penalty which is duly noted on her damage chart. It is academic though, as Critical hit 5 is what sends her to the bottom due to a flood as a single damage point is taken immediately. As she only had a single point left for her, the war is over - at least it will be three turns as her sinking roll was a 3.

The U.S.S. Metacomet fires at the C.S.S.Morgan at a range of 1 with her 2/3 FW artillery. Each D6 gains a plus 1 for range. A 2 and a 3 are scored, adjusted to a 3 and a 4 meaning only a single damage roll at an overall plus 2 (her penetration of 3 against the armour of 1). She rolls a 2 which adjusts to 4 meaning a single point of damage is scored against the Confederate ship.

The U.S.S. Sassacus ignores approaching ironclad and instead fires at the C.S.S. Selma at a range of two hexes with her FW 2/3 artillery. She rolls 1D6 to hit scoring 4. Her damage roll is an overall plus 2 and she rolls a 6! This adjusts to 8 meaning a 2 in 6 chance of a further damage point. She rolls a 1! So in addition to the two damage points for the 6 she has an extra point AND a reroll for the natural 6, This is a 2 which adjusts to 4 meaning a fourth point of damage is inflicted on the Confederate ship in addition to which she will require a Critical hit roll (4 points of damage sustained against her hull factor of 3). The roll is a 2 meaning the loss of either a hull factor or a damage point. She opts to take the damage point meaning 5 points in total.

Fort Beauregard, ignoring the looming presence of a pair of Union monitors, opens fire against the passing U.S.S. Sassacus. Her artillery is rated 3/3 meaning she can use 1D6 at range 3 but gains a plus 1 for being a fort firing - being land based makes for a steadier and more accurate gun platform. She rolls a 5 which is adjusted to 6 meaning two potential damage rolls. She rolls a 6 and 4 which are adjusted to a 9 and 7 for her penetration factor of 3 against the 0 of the Union ship. This proved to be fatal. The four points of damage - 2 for each roll having passed 6 - are sufficient to sink the Union gunboat following on from the heavy damage she has suffered from the Confederate ironclad. There was no need to roll for additional damage rolls nor for any Critical hit. Her sinking roll was a 6.

Finally, the two monitors fired at the fort starting with the U.S.S. Tecumseh. Her 4/4 artillery at a range of two means that she rolls 2D6, each at minus 1 as the fort is small. She rolls a 5 and a 1. The 5 adjusts to a 4 meaning a single potential damage roll. She gains a plus 1 for penetration of 4 over the ‘armour’ of 3. She rolls a 5 which goes to 6 meaning 2 points of damage are scored.

The U.S.S. Winnebago opens fire with her forward turret at a range of three hexes meaning that she rolls a single D6, again at a minus 1. She rolls a 5, adjusted to 4 meaning a single potential damage roll. This is a straight D6 roll - 3 penetration against 3 armour - and she rolls a 4 for a single damage point.

The rolls for initiative are as follows: Union 2, Confederate 6. The Confederate opted to allow the Union to move first.

The situation at the end of the third turn. Both Union monitors are now in position to bombard Fort Beauregard although the U.S.S. Winnebago would have preferred to have been slightly further forward - the sinking U.S.S. Sassacus rather spoiled that idea! The U.S.S. Metacomet is frantically holding station whilst what looks like the entire Confederate navy is passing by her as if in review! Meanwhile the U.S.S. Hartford, having settled accounts with the C.S.S.Gaines is about to tackle the C.S.S. Selma although help is on the way in the shape of the C.S.S. Tennessee. Note the sinking markers around the U.S.S. Sassacus and the C.S.S. Gaines.

Turn 4. Sinking markers are removed. Both the C.S.S. Morgan and the C.S.S. Tennessee ope fire against the U.S.S. Metacomet. The C.S.S. Morgan fires at range 1 with 2D6 from her starboard broadside, gaining a plus 1 for the range. She rolls a splendid 6 and a 5, adjusted to 7 and 6. The natural 6 roll is a 3, adjusted to 4 meaning that she has five potential damage rolls and a further 1 in 6 chance for the 7 - this was a 3 so a failure. The five damage rolls are at an overall plus 1 per D6 - penetration is 1 opposed to armour 0. She rolls a pair of 1s which are immediately discounted, a pair of 3s and a 5 meaning there are now a pair of 4s and a 6. This is four points of damage which means two things. She has to roll for a Critical Hit for the damage and a further critical hit as she has reached her critical point. The critical hits are a 5 and 2 but the result is largely academic as the Flood critical hit - the roll of 5 - causes an immediate damage point which is sufficient to caused the gallant gunboat to sink in six turns (she rolled a 6 for her sinking rate).

The U.S.S.Metacomet ‘spitting her last breath at thee’, in this case the C.S.S. Selma. Opens fire at range one with 2D6, each gaining a plus 1 for the range. She rolls a 6 and a 4, adjusted to 7 and 5 with a natural 6 re roll - scoring a 5 which adjusts up to 6. This means five potential damage rolls and a 1 in 6 chance of a further point of damage - which is missed due to a throw of 4. The damage rolls have an overall plus 2 modifier. The dice come up with a pair of 3s, a 4, a 5 and a 6. These are adjusted to a pair of 5s, a 6, a 7 and an 8. That is a truly spectacular eight points of damage - even before after 6 damage rolls (which are a 4 and a 5 and so both failed). The C.S.S. Selma has been sunk and unsurprisingly, given the battering she has just received rolls a 2 for her sinking rate.

Fort Beauregard opens fire against the U.S.S. Winnebago at a range of three hexes so rolls a single D6. The roll of 2 is not enough to score a hit. U.S.S. Tecumseh fires with 2D6, each at a minus 1. Annoyingly she rolls a pair of 4s which are adjusted to 3s. The U.S.S. Winnebago opens fire with both turrets at range three and so rolls 2D6 each at minus 1. She rolls a 6 and 4 meaning 5 and 3 or a single potential damage roll at evens. She rolls a 4 so scores a single point of damage.

The rolls for initiative are as follows: Union 2, Confederate 5. The Confederates opt to allow the Union to move first.

The situation at the end of the fourth turn. With the channel between the two minefields currently blocked with sinking ships, the C.S.S. Morgan heads for open water and safety. Meanwhile the U.S.S. Hartford manoeuvres gingerly around the edge of a suspected minefield, painfully aware of the approaching Confederate ironclad. Meanwhile, the two monitors continue to pound away at the fort.

Turn 5. Sinking markers are removed. The only firing concerns the fort and her two assailants. Again Fort Beauregard fires at the U.S.S. Winnebago - rolling a 5 adjusted to 6 so two potential damage rolls at evens. She rolls a 4 and 6 for 3 damage points. The U.S.S. Winnebago returns the compliment rolling 2D6 each at minus 1, the resulting pair of 3s being insufficient. U.S.S. Tecumseh then fires with 2D6, again each with a minus 1. She rolls a 6 and a 5 adjusted to 5 and 4 or two potential damage rolls. The natural 6 roll is a 2. The two damage rolls are at overall plus 1 and the dice come up with a 1 and a 4. A single damage point is scored. 

Initiative rolls are as follows: Union 3, Confederate 5. The Confederates move first.

The situation at the end of the fifth turn. The only movement as such was from the C.S.S.Morgan as she loops back towards the bay - keeping a healthy distance from broadside of the Union sloop. Meanwhile the Union flagship is content to hold station on the edge of the minefield although the approaching Confederate ironclad is never far from the thoughts of her captain. The monitors, with grim determination, continue to pound the fort. Surely it cannot last for much longer?

Turn 6. Sinking markers are removed along with the C.S.S. Selma and the C.S.S. Gaines. No sooner had the C.S.S. Selma slipped beneath the waves than the C.S.S. Tennessee immediately opened fire on the Union flagship at a range of three hexes using her starboard battery rated at 2/3. Her to hit roll of 2 was not enough. The U.S.S. Hartford does not have any effective artillery that it can use at that range against such a heavily armoured target.

Fort Beauregard continues her fight with the U.S.S. Winnebago and rolls a 6 to hit, adjusted to 7. Her additional natural 6 roll is a 5 adjusted to 6 meaning that there are four potential damage rolls and a 1 in 6 chance of scoring another. The roll of 3 fails. The damage dice are even and come up with three 2s and a 4 so a single point of damage is scored.The U.S.S. Winnebago fires back. A pair of 3s is not good enough.

U.S.S. Tecumseh rolls a 2 and 4 which are adjusted down and so miss.

Initiative rolls are as follows: Union 4, Confederate 6. The Confederates move first.

The situation at the end of the sixth turn. Aside from two ships slipping beneath the waves the only movement came from the C.S.S. Morgan - biding her time before making a rush to the channel and home - and the C.S.S. Tennessee who appears to be positioning herself to take full advantage of her own artillery in such a way so as to minimise the effect of any incoming fire.

Turn 7. Once again the sinking markers are removed from the two stricken Union gunboats. The C.S.S. Tennessee opens fire on the Union flagships at a range to two hexes with her FW 2/3 artillery. The roll of 2 is insufficient to trouble the Union sloop. At maximum range of four hexes the U.S.S. Hartford fires off a full broadside against the skulking C.S.S. Morgan. The roll of 4 is sufficient for a single potential damage roll which in turn is a miserable 2. At least the Confederate ship knows the sloop is keeping a watchful eye on her progress!

Fort Beauregard continues to fire at the U.S.S. Winnebago. A roll of 4 is adjusted to 5 meaning a single damage roll at evens. The roll of 3 is not enough to trouble the monitor who duly returns fire from both turrets. Again the rolls of 4 and 2 - each with a minus modifier for the size of the target - are not enough and so the U.S.S. Tecumseh picks up the baton. She rolls 2D6 and scores a 6 and a 5! These are adjusted to 5 and 4 meaning two potential damage rolls. The natural 6 roll comes up with a 5, adjusted down to 4 for a further potential damage roll, three in total. She rolls a 6 and a pair of 1s. There is an adjustment of overall plus 1 making the 6 a 7 so there is a 1 in 6 chance of an additional hit point which is emphatically failed with the roll of a 6. Two points of damage are inflicted on the fort which has now reached its critical point. The roll of 4 is gun damaged so the fort’s artillery factor is reduced to 2/3. The end is in sight.

For initiative the rolls are as follows: Union 4, Confederate 1. The Union opt to move first.

The situation at the end of the seventh turn. The U.S.S. Hartford creeps cautiously forward keeping a careful eye on the Confederate ironclad that appears to be doing the same to the Union sloop. The C.S.S.Morgan can see gap opening up shortly which will enable her to get back to the safety of the bay. The end is near for Fort Beauregard as her walls have taken a fearful battering from the Union monitors for little return.

Turn 8. Sinking markers are removed from the two Union ships. The C.S.S. Tennessee opens fire on the U.S.S. Hartford at a range of two with her 2/3 rated artillery and so rolls a single D6. The roll of 3 is not enough. The Union flagship holds fire as her artillery is not enough to damage the ironclad.

Fort Beauregard is silent (due to her critical point having been reached she can only fire in self defence at a range of one) but the two Union monitors continue to pound away. The U.S.S. Winnebago rolls a 1 and 4 for two misses whilst the U.S.S. Tecumseh rolls a pair of 5s. These are adjusted down to a pair of 4s which means two potential damage rolls each at plus 1. She rolls a 4 and a 5 adjusted to 5 and 6 meaning three points of damage. The Confederate battle flag is hauled down and the white flag of surrender flutters forlornly in the breeze. At a heavy cost the Union had secured the victory.

Aftermath

With the surrender of the fort the Union flagship immediately turned away from the bay to head towards the retiring monitors whilst collecting survivors from the two gunboats en route. The C.S.S. Morgan took advantage of the departing Union ships to make best speed into the bay and safety, alongside the C.S.S. Tennessee. The Union forces could now push up to the mouth of the bay with impunity - the site of the fort would soon be occupied by Union troops - unless the Confederates could mount some kind of offensive. With an ironclad and a gunboat being all that was currently serviceable it would need all of their ingenuity to devise something that would be feasible.

Plans were afoot….

The Game

Everything worked well and it was good to see an old school full broadside doing some damage! Wooden ships are incredibly vulnerable and this was ably demonstrated by the fate of both unarmoured Union gunboats. The protection of the two Confederate ships - level 1 - worked after a fashion but when faced with heavy calibre smoothbores or rifles merely delayed the inevitable. Heavy rifles are murderous at range assuming they hit.

The Union plan was only partially effective despite securing the victory. The sweep into the bay did not materialise despite the charge of the gunboats in an attempt to force the channel. The unplanned Confederate attacks from either side of the bay proved to be an effective deterrent, albeit a costly one. The C.S.S. Tennessee was underused although her low speed meant that she was best employed as a mobile long range floating battery. 

A few issues arose that I need to think about - nothing major, just stuff that may evolve over time.

All in all then, it was not a bad way to spend a few hours on a Sunday.

The Confederate fleet…

…and the victorious Union.