The Battle of Needle Point, November 5th, 1864….Game Number 78

This will the last game fought using the published version of the Portable Ironclads Wargame because from here on in I shall be making use of some of the optional rules that will appear in Developing the Portable Ironclads Wargame. I should point out that these are optional and so the rules as written are in fact largely unchanged - unless you change them that is!

Having said that, there is one amendment to the original version that I shall be using for this battle and that is the amended fire arcs for Forward Wide and Aft Wide artillery. 

If the set up below looks familiar then it will not surprise you learn that it is! I have fought a rather more involved version of something akin to this scenario previously. It was great fun to fight and in truth running something broadly similar is no great hardship.  

The opening positions. The Rebels have hastily raised steam and are looking to engage the oncoming Union force.

A small Union force has been tasked with carrying out a reconnaissance of the Confederate coastal defences beyond the small fort at Needle Point and up as far as the main base in the area at Hullbridge. They are also further ordered to engage and destroy any Rebel shipping they find en route. Finally, the fort at Needle Point is to be bypassed if possible as it was expected to be invested by the advancing Union troops in the near future - a captured Rebel fort complete with its garrison made for a tempting objective.

The opposing forces

Union

USS Brooklyn (Flagship) - wooden first class sloop

USS Monadnock - double turret monitor

USS Canonicus - monitor

USS Sassacus - 'double-ender' gunboat

USS Metacomet - 'double-ender' gunboat

Confederate

CSS Tennessee (Flagship) - casemate ironclad

CSS Selma - gunboat

CSS Morgan - gunboat

CSS Gaines - gunboat

The small fort at Needle Point is unmanned other than by a small observation post. The garrison and artillery had been withdrawn some weeks ago to bolster the defences in and around Hullbridge itself.

The Battle of Needle Point

For some weeks the Union navy had been scouring the delta of the River Crouch for any sign of Rebel warships, thus far without success. There could only be two possible explanations for this. Firstly, that the Rebels did not have any naval assets to speak of or secondly, and on balance the far more likely explanation, that they did have and were keeping them back as a reserve. The latter option was settled on by the Union command and so an endless round of tedious and fruitless sweeps around the delta by assorted task forces had achieved little other than burning through a prodigious quantity of fuel.

Spies had reported that a few ships were available at Hullbridge - mostly extemporised civilian vessels - and that rumours of an ironclad being readied had also been heard. Thus far though, there was little in the way of concrete evidence to support the story - just wild speculation.

Nevertheless, the navy had to take this threat seriously given that virtually all the invading Union force needed access to the river or sea for supplies and reinforcements, not to mention mobility.

The decision was taken to force the Rebel's hand in that a squadron would be sent past Needle Point and up as far as the outer defence works of Hullbridge itself to engage any Rebel shipping and hopefully draw out the mysterious ironclad. So, shortly after nightfall on the 4th of November, the Union squadron quietly weighed anchor and headed out into the open river, to arrive on station around dawn the following day.

Every precaution was taken to ensure that as little noise as possible was made on the journey, chains were carefully wrapped in cloth so as to muffle any clanking, all unnecessary lights were extinguished and orders were urgently whispered. Lookouts squinted into the darkness in an attempt to identify anything onshore that could spot their secretive approach but for the most part, nothing was seen, only the slumbering landscape gliding by. It was an unbelievably tense journey and undertaken at the lowest speed possible due to darkness and the uncertainly of the depth of the water.

The only sound to be heard was the rhythmic and monotonous thump of the engines as the five vessels cruised along, wraithlike in the blanket of the night. 

As the sun rose and began to burn off the early morning mist, the small squadron was able to increase speed for the last leg of their journey. So far, so good - or so they thought.

Unknown to the commander of the Union squadron they had been shadowed almost as soon as they had set sail. A small Confederate cavalry piquet had been observing the Union anchorage throughout the day and indeed, was on the verge of heading back when the sergeant in charge of the small detachment - who happened to a be former sailor before the war - noticed an increased amount of activity around the five Union ships anchored midstream. He knew enough to know that they were obviously readying to sail and so he ordered his best mounted trooper to report back that the 'Yankees were a-coming!'

The news was received with a mixture of excitement, dismay and bravado, tempered ultimately with a degree of fatalism from the more knowledgable of the Confederate command. Arguments went back and forth as to the merits of engaging the Yankees as opposed to letting them approach and fall under the guns and mines protecting the approaches to Hullbridge. Eventually the war party prevailed and so, much against the wishes of the navy - the Tennessee had not been properly worked up  and there were shortages of of just everything a warship needs to function efficiently, so the navy said - the plans were drawn. The high command would brook no arguments, the fleet must sail. With an air of resignation the orders were given and so the Confederate ships hastily raised steam and cast off in the early light of dawn to meet and engage the oncoming Union force - three gunboats and the ironclad, the CSS Tennessee.

Sailing in two columns, with the CSS Tennessee leading on the starboard side, the Confederate squadron made the short trip to Needle Point from Hullbridge at a steady, measured, almost leisurely pace. All pretence at being on a pleasure cruise quickly evaporated when the lookout on the lead ship of the port column, the CSS Morgan, urgently shouted out "Smoke ahead!" "Where-away?' Came the questioning reply. At this juncture Needle Point jutted out from the north shore and so the Union squadron were masked from view. The Captain of the CSS Morgan, his ship already turning to port so as to clear the point, guessed that any shipping coming from that direction would certainly be enemy in origin, immediately ordered the crew to beat to quarters. Almost as soon as his port turn was completed he ordered the helm hard over to starboard to engage the enemy.

CSS Morgan leads the CSS Gaines into a starboard turn prior to engaging the Union force. In the near distance the CSS Tennessee starts her turn followed by the CSS Selma. 

The starboard column of the Confederate squadron followed the turn of the port column but did not do so immediately, thereby allowing a gap to form between the two divisions. Fortunately, the CSS Tennessee reacted promptly to the starboard turn of the CSS Gaines and her captain immediately ordered her helm to follow suit. It was a ragged approach but with just about enough time and space to reform into a more suitable formation.

As the four Confederate ships cleared Needle Point in turn so they saw for the first time the approaching Union squadron - five ships against their four with two of these being monitors. This was going to be a hard fight indeed.

Something wicked, this way comes....The sloop USS Brooklyn leading the double turreted monitor the USS Monadnock and the USS Canonicus. Off their starboard bow the two 'double-ender' gunboats - the USS Sassacus leads the USS Metacomet

Meanwhile the Union flagship, the sloop of war the USS Brooklyn, had spotted the oncoming Rebels almost simultaneously and so a flurry of signals alerted the rest of the squadron. The enemy gunboats should be relatively easy to deal with but the low, squat bulk of a Confederate ironclad was a different game altogether. The monitors made ready, for this was to be their fight.

The Battle of Needle Point

The starting positions - The Confederate force are scrambling to get into a semblance of a fighting formation whilst the Union steam resolutely onwards.

Turn 1.  As the two sides were out of effective range there was no firing and so initiative was rolled. The Confederates rolled a 4 and the Union a 3 so the Confederates opted to allow the Union to move first.

The end of Turn 1. The Confederates attempt to get into a formation as the Union ships head off in two opposite directions. Is there a cunning plan here? The two monitors that appear to be heading straight towards the CSS Tennessee would argue yes!

Turn 2. Firing - of which there was plenty! CSS Morgan opens fire at the USS Sassacus at a range of 3 with her Forward Wide artillery (rated 2/3) so she rolls a single D6 which comes up a 5 with no modifiers so a potential hit is scored. The Penetration Factor of the Morgan is 3 opposed to the zero armour factor of the Sassacus. The roll is a 4 making 7 in total. This translates as 2 points of damage for reaching the score of 6 and a one in six chance of scoring a further damage point.The roll is a 6 so no effect, a 1 being required. The two point of damage are duly recorded. The CSS Morgan is not finished yet as she also opens fire against the USS Metacomet, again using a single D6 (her Starboard broadside is rated 2/3 so the range takes it down to 1D6). This time she rolls a 1 so misses.

The next to fire is the CSS Tennessee and she chooses to concentrate on the imposing bulk of the Union flagship - the USS Brooklyn. She is able to engage her with her full Forward Wide battery rated at 2/3 and also her starboard battery although as only a single hex of the enemy ship is within the arc the fire effect is halved to 1D6 - which is the default minimum, even allowing for the range reductions. She therefore 2D6 to hit. The dice come up with a 3 and 4 so there is one potential hit. Her Penetration Factor is 3 opposed to the Union ships 0 and the roll is a 2. Adding 3 to this makes 5 so a single point of damage is inflicted on the Union flagship. 

Finally for the Confederates, the CSS Selma opens fire against the USS Brooklyn with her Forward Wide artillery (rated 1/2) at her maximum range of four hexes. She rolls 1D6 scoring a 3 for a miss.

The Union return the complement with the USS Sassacus opening fire at the CSS Morgan at a range of three hexes. The hapless Rebel ship receives fire from a full Port broadside (her bow occupies a partial hex whilst her stern is fully in arc) and the same from the Forward Wide guns. In each case it is a single D6 but with different Penetration Factors - 3 for the heavier FW guns and 2 for the P guns. The CSS Morgans Armour Factor is 1. The Union ship scores a 6 with the FW artillery and a 2 with the P broadside which is a miss. The natural 6 is rerolled and comes up a three for no effect. There are two potential damage rolls to be made, both at plus 2 - this could be serious! The two damage rolls come up as a 6 and a 3. The natural 6 scores two points of damage and gains an extra two D6 rolls. One of these is the normal natural 6 roll and the other is because 6 and the Penetration Factor of 2 makes 8 so the roll of a 1 or 2 causes an extra damage point. First the natural 6 reroll - this comes up with a further 6! As one roll for a natural 6 has been made this will not require a further roll except for the passing 6 rule. 

As it stands the CSS Morgan has sustained two points of damage from the first natural 6, one point of damage from roll of 3 adjusted to 5 and then a further two points of damage due to the additional natural 6 roll. That is five points of damage in total but the USS Sassacus is not finished yet as she also have a further two D6 rolls each requiring 1 or 2 to inflict an additional damage point. She rolls a double 1! The CSS Morgan has sustained seven points of damage in total and as her hull factor is 3 this will mean a roll on the critical hit table. She is in very poor shape after that shattering opening salvo from the Union ship!

The USS Sassacus and the CSS Morgan exchange blows with the Rebel ship definitely coming second!

The critical hit roll is a 3 which is the gunnery factor for the nearest arc. Her Forward Wide artillery was reduced by one so is now 1/3.

The USS Metacomet also fires at the CSS Morgan, solely with her Forward Artillery which will mean 1D6. She rolls a 3 and so misses.

Next up is the forward turret of the USS Monadnock (rated 4/4) against the CSS Tennessee at a range of 4 hexes. She rolls 1D6 and scores a 6! Her natural 6 reroll is a miserable 1 but she has to roll for two potential damage rolls. These will be at evens as the Armour Factor of the Rebel ironclad is 4. The rolls are 3 and 1 for no effect.

That concludes the firing. 

For initiative the rolls are as follows: Union 3, Confederate 1. The Union allows the Confederates to move first.

The end of Turn 2. With her speed reduced the CSS Morgan reduces speed with the CSS Gaines following suit so as to maintain station. The CSS Tennessee moves into the centre to better engage the Union flagship only to find herself staring at the double turreted USS Monadnock! Meanwhile the CSS Selma attempts to join up with the CSS Morgan and Gaines to provide support but, the Union flagship is positioning herself off the stern of the Rebel ship. The other Union Monitor - the USS Canonicus - heads towards the two gunboats to provide some heavy support. The two gunboats have reduced speed to administer the coup de grace to the hapless CSS Morgan.

Turn 3. Once again the CSS Morgan resumes fire at both the Union gunboats - with 1D6 apiece. Against the USS Sassacus she scores a 4 meaning one potential damage roll - the score is a five so a further point of damage is recorded. Against the USS Metacomet she scores a 6! the natural reroll is a 3 for no effect. The two potential damage rolls are a 1 and a 6 which adjust to a 4 and a 9 (her Penetration Factor is 3 against the 0 Armour Factor of the Union ship). The natural 6 additional roll comes up as a 3 which in turn adjusts to a 6. The total damage inflicted is thus: one point for the 4, two points for the 9 (the original 6 plus 3)and two points for the 6 (the additional natural 6 roll scoring a 3). There is also an excess roll requiring 1, 2 or 3 to score an additional point - the roll is a 1 so six points of damage in all are scored against the USS Metacomet which will require a critical hit roll (her Hull Factor is 3).

The Critical Hit rolls come up as a 5 which is a flood and so immediately causes a damage point making seven in all.

The CSS Gaines resumes firing at the USS Metacomet with her Forward Wide artillery. She rolls 1D6 and scores a 4 for a potential damage roll. This is a 5 which is a further point of damage which takes the Union vessel to her Critical point of 8! This requires an immediate critical it roll which comes up as a 1. As she is unarmoured she has to take a further damage point making 9 in all. The USS Metacomet begins to settle by the bow. She rolls a 5 so will take five game turns to slip beneath the waves.

The CSS Tennessee continues to batter the Union flagship. She rolls 2D6 - one for each arc - and scores a 3 and a 4. The 3 is a miss but the 4 requires a damage roll. She rolls a 4 which is adjusted to 8 meaning two point of damage and an additional roll requiring 1 or 2 for a further point of damage. A 2 is rolled meaning that the Union flagship has sustained three points of damage in total.

The Union reply with the USS Sassacus firing at the CSS Morgan with both her Forward Wide and Port broadside. She rolls a 5 with the Forward Wide guns and a 3 on the Broadside which is a miss. The damage roll (which is at net plus 2) comes up 1 for no damage! The USS Metacomet fires at the CSS Morgan, from her Port Broadside and Aft Wide guns at full effect and her Forward Wide guns at half effect. The 3D6 (one for each arc) come up with a 2, a 3 and a 5 from the Aft Wide guns. Again the damage roll is a miserable 1!

The USS Monadnock opens fire at the CSSTennessee at a range of two hexes with both turrets. They are rated as 4/4 so 2D6 per turret. The score is three 4s and a 6 with the additional roll also coming up as a 6. This means that seven damage rolls are made, all at evens as the CSS Tennessee has an Armour Factor of 4. The dice come up with 1, 2, 2, 2, 4, 6 and 6. That is five points of damage with two natural 6 rerolls that come up with a 3 and 4. There are six points of damage in total and a Critical Hit roll required. This is a 1 which is either the loss of an armour factor or a damage point. 

After a furious round of firing, the Union have sustained further damage to their flagship (the USS Brooklyn) and have a gunboat sinking (the USS Metacomet). Whilst the CSS Morgan escaped unscathed this turn she is still in poor shape whilst the CSS Tennessee has taken a battering from the USS Monadnock.

The initiative for this turn would be critical. The Union rolled a 3 whilst the Confederates rolled a five. The Rebels opted to move first.

Despite her damage the CSS Tennessee rams the USS Monadnock. She rolls three D6 (her hull factor) each with a plus 1 as she is equipped with a ram. She rolls 1, 3 and 5 which adjust to 2, 4 and 6 meaning that she has inflicted 3 points of damage against the Union vessel. As the Rebel ship scored hit as against the Union monitor so she also runs the risk of sustaining injuries. The Union ship rolls a 1, a 2 and a 5 so the Tennessee sustains a point of damage. Each ship then rolls to see if the ships are locked together - if either player scores a 6 then the ships are deemed to be stuck together. The dice are a 4 and 6!

The situation at the end of Turn 3. As the USS Metacomet settles slowly by the bow, the USS Sassacus turns away from the oncoming Confederate line headed by the CSS Morgan, followed by the CSS Gaines and the newly arrived CSS Selma. The USS Monadnock and the CSS Tennessee are locked together in the centre with the USS Canonicus about to enter the fray. Meanwhile the USS Brooklyn prepares to engage the CSS Selma.

Turn 4. A sinking marker is removed from the USS Metacomet and the two locked ships roll to see if they are able to free themselves. The rolls of 1 and 3 are not sufficient - a 6 is required.

CSS Morgan fires at the USS Sassacus with 1D6 and scores a 4. Her damage rolls are at plus 3. She rolls a 1! Nevertheless, a further point of damage is scored against the Union ship. The CSS Gaines also tries her luck. She rolls a 6! The natural 6 roll is a 4 so there are three damage rolls to be made, each at plus 3. The rolls are 1, 3 and 4 which become 4, 6 and 7. That means five points of damage and a one in six chance of a further point. The roll of 3 is no good. The Critical Hit roll is a 6 - Fire! 

CSS Selma fires at the USS Brooklyn. She rolls 1D6 at plus one as the Union ship is adjacent and rolls a 6. the natural 6 additional roll is a 3. The damage roll, even with a plus one is a miserable 1. The USS Brooklyn replies. She rolls 2D6 (the CSS Selma is on a partial hex so fire is at half effect) each with a plus 1. A 4 and a 6 adjusted to a 5 and 7. That is three potential damage rolls but the 7 is ignored as this was a to hit roll. A 3, a 4 and 5 adjusted to a net plus one (penetration 2 versus armour 1) to 4, 5 and 6 means four points of damage on the Rebel ship.

The USS Sassacus fires at the CSS Morgan with 1D6 scoring a 5. The damage roll of 1, even allowing for the net plus 2 is not enough - the Rebel ship seems to be leading a charmed life!

The USS Monadnock and the CSS Tennessee are unable to fire at each other due to being locked together but are able to fire out of their unengaged sides. Obviously this only applied to the Confedrate ship and so she fires at the USS Canonicus. She is able to bring her Port Broadside and her Forward Wide guns to bear so rolls 4D6, each at plus one for the range. A 1, a 5 and a pair of magnificent 6s! This means no less than 6 damage rolls (the roll of 5 was adjusted to 6) at a net minus 1 (penetration 3 versus armour 4). A 1, two 3s, two 4s and a 5 means but a single hit on the Union ship.

The USS Canonicus fires back with 4D6 each at plus 1. A 3, a 5 and a pair of 6s follow. The two natural 6 rolls are a pair of 2s for no effect.This means five potential damage rolls at a net plus one (penetration 4 versus armour 3). The rolls are pair of 1s, a 2, a 3 and a 4. The 3 and the 4 become 4 and 5 meaning two points of damage are scored. This takes the CSS Tennessee over her critical point and indeed, is enough to sink her. She goes down in four turns - possibly taking the USS Monadnock with her unless she can free herself!

The situation after the firing phase for Turn 4. The USS Sassacus sustains more damage and more seriously, catches fire. The CSS Selma gets a rude awakening from the USS Brooklyn whilst the CSS Tennessee, determined not to go down without a fight, batters the USS Canonicus on her unengaged port side. She paid for her temerity though as a point blank salvo managed to sink her.

Endgame

I called it at this point as with the loss of the CSS Tennessee the Confederate force lacked the firepower to tackle the pair of Union monitors. I did play out the fate of the USS Sassacus and of course, that of the USS Monadnock who was still entangled with the CSS Tennessee as she started to sink. 

The USS Sassacus rolled for the fire Critical hit at what would have been the start of the next turn - she rolled a 6 which meant that the fire was uncontrollable and so would sink in D6 turns with a chance of blowing up each turn as the fire raged. The ‘sink’ roll was a 2 so it would take two turns for her slip beneath the waves. Her two explosion roll in each case was a 3 so although she was ablaze from stem to stern she did not explode.

It took two turns for the Monadnock to roll a 6 and so she was able to picot away from the sinking Tennessee and beat a hasty retreat. As hasty as a double turreted monitor could do that is. At this point images of the USS Reliant in the Mutara Nebula in full ‘Wrath of Khan’ mode with the USS Enterprise backing way came to mind - can’t think why!

Strategic Overview

The Confederates, despite sinking a brace of gunboats, definitely came off the worse as the loss of the CSS Tennessee would be a grievous blow. Of the gunboats the CSS Morgan would need extensive repairs, the CSS Selma less so. The two Union monitors proved their worth and would be repaired in short order. As for the two lost gunboats - there were plenty of replacements. The USS Brooklyn would need some repairs but would be good to go in fairly short order - the industrial capacity of the North would see to that. As for Hullbridge, it would only be a matter of time before she fell.

Tactical Overview

The rush of blood to the head of the captain of the CSS Tennessee as she decided to take on the Union monitors was palpable. Had she concentrated on the USS Brooklyn (as she started to at the outset of the action) then there would be little doubt that she would prevail. Wooden ships against ironclads would never end well and in a lesser way the fight that the USS Sassacus/Metacomet and the CSS Morgan/Gaines reflected that. The two Confederate ships had a modicum of protection that proved to be crucial.

Rules Overview

All worked well and for the first time I believe that every ship sustained some damage! At range nearly everything was rolling single D6s to hit which I am happy with but get up close and personal and you could find yourself in a world of pain. The only thing I want to inject some clarity to concerns ships firing when locked together. In the game this was ‘taken on the fly’ but I should formalise it in some way.

Something to think about.

In closing….

It was great fun and after all, that is what it is all about!