Broadside and Ram Battle Plan

This is the scenario for the third and final game in my 'What If?' Anglo American war of 1871. In the previous two games, the US Navy took a bit of a battering but the Royal Navy also suffered some significant damage, leaving HMS Captain and HMS Monarch out of action for the final clash. 

In this scenario, a powerful Royal Navy squadron under command of Admiral Sir James Hope, GCB, is approaching Halifax to relieve the US blockade, when a frigate delivers an urgent dispatch. The dispatch includes a top secret intelligence report, confirming that a US Navy ironclad squadron under command of Rear Admiral Charles S. Boggs, has sailed from Boston to reinforce the weakened naval blockade before the British fleet can reach Halifax. 

With this information in his grasp, Admiral Hope immediately orders a change of course to intercept the US warships as they round Cape Sable Island on the southern tip of Nova Scotia. His plan is to concentrate his powerful squadron of superior broadside ironclads and strike a crippling blow against the US ironclad fleet, driving it onshore and destroying it before it can break out into the Atlantic. 

However, Admiral Hope is unaware that an allied French squadron of central battery ironclads is approaching from the South West, to escort the US ironclads on their passage to Halifax. This small but formidable squadron is under the command of Contre Amiral Louis Pierre Alexis Pothuau, who has orders to open fire on any British warships, in support of the American squadron.

The Scenario

The game itself is limited to ten turns, after which nightfall will prevent any further action, unless the victory conditions have already been met. These are the same as the conditions in the rules i.e. 25% of a fleet crippled or sunk at the end of any one player's move, with the French and US being counted as one fleet and the British as another. If this is not achieved, the total damage inflicted on each side at the end of the last turn will be calculated, with the results compared to determine which side has been defeated:

Damaged = 1 point

Silenced =  2 points

Crippled =  4 points

Shattered = 8 points

Initial Deployment

The Royal Navy squadron deploys on table from the NW corner in Turn 1 as a single battle line, consisting of the following warships:

Van - HMS Warrior, HMS Black Prince, HMS Achilles.

Centre - HMS Agincourt, HMS Northumberland (Flag), HMS Minotaur

Rear - HMS Caledonia, HMS Royal Oak, HMS Prince Consort, HMS Ocean

Each division has a commander rated as +0 with Admiral Hope in overall command at the start of the game, rated as +1. If the squadron is ordered to separate, the divisional commanders will roll their own AP dice for their divisions, in addition to the overall command dice.

The US Navy deploys on table at the centre point of the Eastern end in Turn 1 in one battle line, consisting of the following ironclad monitors:

Van - USS Wyandotte, USS Ajax,

Centre - USS Nebraska USS Dictator, USS Puritan (Flag)

Rear - USS Roanoke, USS Catskill, USS Collossus (damaged)

Each divisional commander is rated as +0, with Rear Admiral Boggs also rated as +0. If the squadron is ordered to separate, the divisional commanders will roll their own AP dice for their divisions, in addition to the overall command dice.

The French squadron will arrive on the turn determined at the start of the game by the roll of a D6+1, entering in battle line from the South West corner of the table, with the following warships:

Revanche(Flag), Provence, Flandre, Guyenne

Contre Amiral Pothuau is in overall command rated as +1, with no divisional commanders required.

Special Rules

There is an area of dangerous shoals extending 12'' from the North edge of the table and 36'' in length. Any ship entering this area runs aground and is Shattered. Any ship that is Crippled will drift at a rate of D6'' per movement phase due North, unless repaired, as will any ship that has been Shattered. This may result in them running aground!