"Rules for Ironclad Fleet Actions?" Topic

Does anyone know of a set of rules that could allow one to game actions the size of Mobile Bay or Lissa? David Manley's Iron and Fire specifies small actions, as does Dahlgren and Columbiad (at least from what I can remember). Sail and Steam Navies also doesn't seem to handle large actions particularly well either.

I've used David's "Broadside and Salvo" rules for large 1905 RJW actions without much slow down in game play. I would presume that would be the same for his "Iron and Fire" and Dahlgren and Columbiad" rules.

Jim

For Mobile Bay, I've used Buck Surdu's Beer and Pretzels Ironclads.

Eric

I would have thought D&G is what you're after. Sail and Steam Navies is fairly detailed although it includes Mobile Bay as a scenario. Another set out there that looks promising is called 'SBS Ironclads' via a private Facebook Group.

I had wondered if Dahlgren & Columbiad or Iron & Fire would work, I'm pleased to see they might after all.

I've run Lissa and a few Crimean fleet actions with Iron and Fire. Worked fine, although they were all day affairs. B&R was written initially to let us play Lissa on a club night (which it does). D&C adds detail but still let's you play out the action in a few hours

Age of Iron can handle larger battles.

I use Broadside and Ram for ironclad fleet actions, which is exactly what they are designed for. The rules come with a Lissa campaign module. There are several game reports on my blog.

Hammerin Iron (HI)will work fine for large ACW battles.
Because HI is historically set in the ACW, the tactics and behaviour of ACW ships should not transfer to Lissa.
HI works well for multiplayer games when there is only 3 hours to spare for the game.
The nature of warfare and ship is too different I think (others will disagree).

Sounds a nice project and I hope you get some good gaming in.

link

martin