Vicksburg or Bust

On Thursday I had the pleasure of playing Alan at Ironclads in Action a 19th century naval game he designed.

The Arkansas (right) passes the Union Ram Queen of the West in her bid to make it to Vicksburg.

We played a historical scenario of the Confederate ironclad CSS Arkansas running a gauntlet of Union ships. She steamed down the Yazoo and onto Mississippi to reach the safety of the Confederate Garrison at Vicksburg.

The Arkansas (Foreground) escaping the Union Yazoo squadron who are getting themselves in a bit of a pickle.

The Arkansas started on the Yazoo, a tributary of the Mississippi. From the outset of the action I realised the Arkansas had one option open to her. Being out numbered three to one on the Yazoo by Union ships, with a further eight ships moored on the west bank of the Mississippi waiting to join the action as soon as the Arkansas came into sight. The only possible tactic was not to hang around go as hard as I could to get past the Union ships before they could get their stem up and cast off. If I managed to hit anything on the way past it would be a bonus.

The Arkansas sailing past the Union squadron moored on the Mississippi.

The Mississippi squadron of union ships lay in wait thankfully none of them cast off in time to worry the Arkansas. Although most managed to fire off salvos, a number of which hit, disabling all the guns on the starboard side. Nevertheless the Arkansas sailed on safely to Vicksburg, although, the boilers will no doubt need a serious overhaul.