I haven't played a game with my 1/2400th scale ironclads for ages, so have put some thought into devising a new scenario for my fictitious war between the French and British Empires in the early to mid 1870's. I wondered about an amphibious landing operation but have switched to a scenario based on the Battle of Basque Roads in 1809, in which an anchored French fleet was severely disrupted by a Royal Navy inshore squadron under command of Lord Cochrane.
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| HMS Glatton |
In my 'What If? version, set in the mid-1870's, the French fleet will set up in a similar defensive position, behind a log and chain boom. It will be attacked at night by a Royal Navy flotilla of shallow draft Cyclops class breastwork monitors, towed into place by ironclad warships, then used in a flanking manoeuvre across the shallows. There will also be an ironclad ram, probably HMS Hotspur, that can be used to breach the boom in front of the French anchorage allowing some of the larger ironclads to steam through and blast away at the anchored French fleet.
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| HMS Hotspur |
IN addition to a well armed shore fort, the French will also get to deploy a field of tethered 'torpedoes' that can be electrically detonated from on land. I have yet to hammer out the details for Broadside and Ram but I think it will be an unusual and interesting change. I'll need to work out new rules for breaching the boom and for the mine fields, but this shouldn't be too difficult to do. As a result, I'm going to make this scenario a possible option for INWarD in a couple of weeks time.
An interesting set-up. I look forward to seeing how it plays out.
ReplyDeleteStill got some things to work out but should be fun!
ReplyDeleteMight there be a place for a Fort Boyard-style 'stone battleship' in the scenario, added, I believe to the Basque Roads after the Napoleonic wars ? A pity that the only model (I know of) is the c. 1/1200th Brigade Models one.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I'll have to see if I can scratch build something?
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