Damn the Torpedoes!

This is a battle report and picture record is of a simulation of the Battle of Mobile Bay during the American Civil War. It was a solo game played by my friend Jim Z. Jim is an experienced solo gamer and frequent contributor to this blog.

I personally find the concept of solo gaming interesting but have yet to try it. Perhaps soon. Jim's narrative follows:

The Models

UNION

USS Hartford  Flagship SOL

USS Ironsides ICSOL

USS Genesee SCSTR

USS Winnebago ICM

USS Milwaukee ICM

USS Passaic ICM

The REBELS

CSS Tennessee CIC

CSS Selma GBT

CSS Morgan TCGBT

CSS Gaines  TCSST

The first image as you scroll down is the Union Fleet entering the bay. 

 The second image is the USS Hartford delivering the fatal broadside to the CSS Tennessee.  The Tennessee was abandoned at that point.  She never struck her colors.

The third image was the highlight of the game.

The Morgan can be seen ramming the port side of the USS New Ironsides.  The USS Genesee in column behind the USS Ironsides could not stop in time or turn away and subsequently collided with the stern of the USS Ironsides.  With all three ships dead in the water the USS Genesee began to sink dragging the CSS Morgan and the USS Ironsides with her. They settled in the bay with masts aloft and decks awash.

The CSS Tennessee is moving away afire, the CSS Morgan is heading for the USS Ironsides trying to cover the Tennessee and the CSS Selma opposite the USS Hartford is about to take a devastating broadside from USS Ironsides that hit her magazine and blew her to flotsam.  The ironclad monitors fired a few rounds but otherwise only needed to "escort" the Tennessee back to port.

The CSS Morgan (not in any images) was hit by the USS Hartford's bow carronade early in the game, was set alight,  steered into the shallows and burned down.

All the Union ships cleared the torpedo field and entered the bay successfully.  The guns of Fort Morgan and the floating battery only managed a few armor strikes on the monitors as they passed.

This was a one hour game and it held my interest throughout.

As the Rebel fleet commander I was handed a defeat by the simple solo system that was required to remain in double line of battle with the flagship leading the attack on the CSS Tennessee.

Certainly the loss of the USS New Ironsides was a setback for the Union but Mobile Bay is now in Federal hands.  The loss of the USS Genesee was acceptable.  The Rebel fleet was destroyed.

The Union fleet enters Mobile Bay.