I'm just now finally getting around to writing up my AAR on the game that I ran at the CSS Neuse Civil War Interpretative Center on July 30th. The site staff positioned the game off the starboard stern of the remains and just left of the main entrance to the exhibit. They are a very nice group of people that I can only say good things about.
I have run games at shows before so am generally prepared for almost anything but shortly after the doors opened I realized that there was one thing that I did adequately prepare for; small unsupervised children. The first people to stop by the table just after the doors opened were a lone father and his two kids ages 4 & 5 if I were to guess. The first thing that the 5 year old did before I could even react was grab the USS Brooklyn by the rigging and slide it across the table like a hot wheels car. The father did try to get his kids under control and was apologetic but as the kids were expecting a hands on display day at the museum they probably were just a bit over excited. It was rather quiet after that which was fortunate as it gave time to my glue job to set. Finally around noon, after not getting any of the few visitors to take part, one of the staff decided to give it a go so he took the Confederates and I took the Union. We were off.
The scenario was loosely based upon the events of May 6 -7 off the entrance to the Cape Fear River when the CSS Neuse attempted to engage the Union blockaders along with the help of two small armed tugboats. AS the battle as at night it was a very confused affair in which little damage was done. In the actual battle the Union captains really didn't know what was going on so they didn't bring all their ships to bare on the Neuse. However in all the confusion as many as six blockade runners snuck into port and at least one left port.
The victory conditions for the Confederates were two fold, 1) get the blockade runners out of and into port as appropriate and 2) sink blockading fleet vessels. To make the scenario playable I had it at first light instead of night time. The Union vessels were treated as if at anchor and they could not react unless they rolled a six at the beginning of the orders phase (it dropped by one each turn) or the shooting began. Another scenario rule as the blockade runner represented by the A.D. Vance model which was entering the port would enter on a roll of 5 or 6 and then on the Union side of the board. She would be flying a false flag and the Union couldn't fire at here unless they could detect the ruse (a roll of 4 5 6 if the nearest ship was not under fire and 6 if it was under fire). The rules were Smoke on the Water.
Turn 1 began with the Neuse and her escort the CSS Yadkin coming out of the inlet at medium speed heading straight for the USS Rhode Island and USS Paul Jones. The blockade runner Banshee held back waiting for the Navy boys to distract the Yankees. For the first turn, the Union watch standers were still a bit sleepy and noticed nothing.
Turn 2 seemed to wake up the Yankees and they began to raise their anchors. The skipper of the CSS Neuse continued forward and decided to fire off a shot at the USS Paul Jones. It was a good shot that struck the hull causing significant damage although nothing critical.
Turn 3 saw the Banshee begin to accelerate out of the inlet at fast speed. The Neuse however decided to sheer off to starboard in order to keep range between her and the Union ships. The union ships had other ideas and began to accelerate to and turn to close range. The little Yadkin continued onward. About this time a family of three came up and we turned over command to them and continued to umpire the game.
Turn 4 was heavy on the firing with the Paul Jones taking a couple of solid hits including one that took out one of her paddle wheels
Turn 5 heralded the entrance of the A.D. Vance which added to the confusion of the Union fleet. The CSS Neuse went to slow to continue to pound the Paul Jones and the little Yadkin continue chugging along straight at the Yankee fleet.
Turn 6 saw the addition of another family joining the game so now everyone had one ship expect for the Yadkin and A.D Vance were under the control of a single player. It was mostly maneuvering and shooting with the Paul Jones being brought to a halt and slowly sinking since her damage control parties weren't doing so well. The USS Rhode Island fired some shots at the Banshee shooting away her stacks and causing her to slow down. This prompted the Rhode Island skipper to try to lay alongside the Banshee and board her. (The young lad had just read how skippers could get prize money by capturing ships) On a side note the Union still had not identified the A.D. Vance as a blockade runner. The Brooklyn took stack damage from the Neuse.
Turn 7 started with a laugh as the USS Lackawanna, who to this point had sustained minimal damage, accidentally collided with the A.D. Vance thereby discovering her true identity. The two ships each suffered damage with the A.D. Vance taking the worst of it but the luck would have it that the ships became what turned out to be hopelessly fouled. The little Yadkin finally had her luck ran out when she took a full broadside from the USS Brooklyn. Based upon the excellent dice rolling of the Brooklyn's skipper I doubt there was anything larger than a toothpick for the survivors to cling to.
Turn 8 saw the Paul Jones slip beneath the waves and the Banshee get captured by the Rhode Island. But the CSS Neuse had finally positioned herself to be a threat to the Brooklyn and got in a good hit on her machinery. This was done while she had accelerated to ramming speed.
Turn 9 had the CSS Neuse solidly ram the Brooklyn amidships and causing enough damage to thoroughly rattle the crew. She struck her colors but as she as she was holed and nearly dead in the water, the CSS Neuse skipper declared that he would withdraw and head back to port.
The game was over.
The Confederates lost all their runners but did manage to sink two Union warships. I called it a draw. All in all I had a total of twelve different players during the day and each professed to have fun. I had several ask me for information on the rules (I gave them the link to the rules) and where they could buy the ships (it just so happens that the gift shop sells a couple of the Thoroughbred Miniatures ships).
For me, it was a load of fun.
Here is a link to some pictures of the day:
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