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Steve's Ironclads


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Revision Log
8 November 2004page first published

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I couldn't fail to observe that Steve is a very organized wargamer.

Ironclads in storage

This is his storage system for ironclads. "It's mounted on casters to move it around (easier for cons!)," explains Steve. "Each drawer has two layers of foam, with cut-outs to fit the hex bases. All of the ships - in 1/1200 scale - and obstructions, mines, trees, buildings, etc., are mounted on 1¼" hexes made from aluminum bar stock." (Steve works in a machine shop.)

Terrain board set-up for Scenario #15 from The Ironclads rulebook - The James River, Virginia, Jan. 24, 1865

Here Steve has set up a terrain board for Scenario #15 from The Ironclads rulebook - The James River, Virginia, Jan. 24, 1865. "It is set-up on my 3½' x 5' dining table," says Steve, "which is one of the reasons I like 1/1200 scale! Plus, they're cheap!"

(Since my visit, Steve has moved his house to some land he bought and put it on a 70' x 28' basement. "So now I have a big table downstairs," he says, "and plenty of room for gaming.")

CSS Richmond, Fredricksburg & Virginia II pass thru Union obstructions on the James River

"I use Geo-Hex hex terrain for movement and fire, so no modifications to The Ironclads rules are needed," explains Steve, "as it is really a boardgame."

CSS Richmond, Fredricksburg & Virginia II pass thru Union obstructions on the James River

"I paint all of the ships with a 'generic' paint job," says Steve, "so I can use them as whatever ship is needed.

CSS Columbia ironclad

"Basically, all ironclads get a metal color, while wooden vessels get brown/painted surfaces.

Sidewheeler at City Point dock.

"This works good for novice players at cons - they may not know how individual ships were historically, but they know the difference between iron and wood!"

100 lb. Parrot battery above City Point

100 lb. Parrot battery above City Point.

Boom unit obstructions and a hulk obstruction

Boom unit obstructions and a hulk obstruction.

Union supply depot at City Point, Virginia

"The buildings are small blocks of wood shaped with a belt sander," explains Steve, "painted and glued to hexes."

USS Osceola & USS Miami defending the docks

USS Osceola and USS Miami defending the docks.

Town hexes made from sanded wood bits

Town hexes made from sanded wood bits.