Broadside and Ram Ironclad Games

[Jim Jackaman]

I’ve been playing quite a few games of Victorian ‘What If?’ ironclad naval warfare over the lockdown period, including a mini-campaign and some one off games.

http://jimswargamesworkbench.blogspot.com/search/label/Ironclads

The latest game featured a clash between HMS Fury, which in reality was launched in 1871 but then redesigned on the stocks to become HMS Dreadnought eight years later, and three Provence class broadside ironclads – the Flandre, Provence and Revanche. The scenario was designed to test out some tweaks I’ve made to the rules for damage and repairs, hence the mismatch between the two sides.

In the scenario, HMS Fury has stealthily arrived off Port Cros, an island on the south coast of France, where she is lying in wait for any passing enemy warships or merchant vessels. The French have detected the presence of an enemy ship from its plume of smoke but haven’t identified her and assume she is a single broadside ironclad or even a lightly armed raider, not suspecting a cunning trap by the Royal Navy. A squadron of three broadside ironclads has been dispatched to deal with the perfidious intruder before it can threaten any coastal convoys or merchant shipping. The initial set up means that HMS Fury is screened from the approaching French warships by the two islands, so they are going to get a nasty surprise. Zut Alors!

There are more photos and a write up on the blog:

http://jimswargamesworkbench.blogspot.com/2020/07/action-off-port-cros-july-1872.html

It’s a very neat set of rules and lots of fun, especially for fleet sized actions bit also for smaller games.

http://jimswargamesworkbench.blogspot.co.uk

[Tony S]

I thoroughly understand your project – I too am fascinated by that transitional period of warfare, and alternative history as well.  Lovely write up – the maps and photos are perfect.   Also thought your use of the wee lifeboat marker was quite clever.  Even crossing the English T, the French still couldn’t win eh?  Très triste.

If you ever finalize your modifications to B&R, would you consider posting them?  I haven’t played B&R yet (my predreadnaughts are for a trifle later period) but your additions sound interesting.

 

[Jim Jackaman]

Thanks Tony

The latest iteration of my QRS is on the blog, although you’ll need the rules to use it.

It’s a very straightforward but effective set of rules.

 

http://jimswargamesworkbench.blogspot.co.uk

[McKinstry]

Great AAR as always, both looks and description. Have you looked at the slightly more involved Dahlgren & Columbiad? I’m slowly painting up my TD ships and get going back and forth between the two sets.

I’ve chosen to use TD’s furled sails and cut off any of the cast on sails on my ironclads which adds to the prep time and effort. I like the TD models but doubt that any steam powered ships would go into battle under sail.

 

The tree of Life is self pruning.

[Jim Jackaman]

Thanks.

I have Dahlgren and Columbiad, which I’m going to use for both ACW and the 1864 Second Schleswig War, when I get round to it.

I’ve also used the furled sails on some of my ships but had already glued on the sails on most of my models when I started my ironclad project years ago, so continued with them for most of my later ships.

I have used cut down staples for the yards on my 1864 Danish ships, which I think look more like the real thing, even though the models themselves are proxy versions of the actual ships ( I still need to do the black gun ports…when I can summon up the courage!)

 

http://jimswargamesworkbench.blogspot.co.uk

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