CSS Wilmington leads the way: transport breakout battle

[Commander Klank]

Fought a HI battle today where the Confederates were forcing a break out of a transport through a Union blockade. The scenario went like this: The Confederates had to get a 15HP wooden (F) transport sidewheeler off the board. the Confederate force consisted of the ironclad CSS Wilmington, CSS Governor Moore, CSS Little Rebel and two screw tugs as escort. The blocking Union force consisted of the Screw Frigate USS  Hartford, the ironclad USS Indianola and the two timberland gunboats USS Taylor and Lexington.

Special rule was the transport can move three hexes each turn minus any critical hits that affect movement. 

The Confederates moved forward to force the blockade as the Union sets up to block the way with a layered firepower based defence.
 


With the Wilmington leading the way the ironclad successfully crosses a sandbar and engages the Hartford as it pushed past her. the Governor Moore and Little Rebel try to set up for ram attacks but take damage that reduces movement which finds the Governor Moore in a very hard spot. the the two rams sacrifice themselves and the transport successfully forces the sand bar (following the Wilmington) and breaks through the Union line passing the fur ball of ships to its port... she takes a few hits but is still ok. The CSS Wilmington maneuvers into the rear arch of the Hartford and engages the massive frigate in a point blank fight. The rear pivot gun on the Hartford scores a lucky hit and the Wilmington suffers a gun hit disabling one of her two precious heavy guns (rear case mate).     



With the now stalled Governor Moore being battered to scrap and Little Rebel reduced to one hex movement they fight to the end keeping the Union ships and drawing their fire. The two screw tugs support the fight and earn the respect of the Union player as "those little ships pack quit a punch"; they kind of got off the hook as the bigger ships were the focus of the Unions ships ire. The transport looks like it got away but it isn't over yet.... the USS Lexington was running back field and was set to intercept the transport.



The transport moves within two hex from the edge as the Lexington engages her in what was one of the shittiest dice rolls I've ever seen in HI... 20 dice... two hits putting the transport just short of another crit roll. The next turn I (the confederates won the first move the the transport ran off the board, leaving a battered fleet behind.

You can see the stats for the CSS Wilmington in the suggestion thread.
 

[Leslie BT]

I hope you enjoyed your game without too many rule hiccups'!

[Smiley Miley 66]

Looks a very good game.
HI is fast becoming one of my favourites.
Miles

[Commander Klank]

I hope you enjoyed your game without too many rule hiccups'!

None... This was the second game of HI for the person I played and he really likes the game; rules are simple enough but ships have enough uniqueness and detail to make the game interesting.

[Leman (Andy)]

That does look good. I have considered getting a hexed blue mat and a box of Kallistra hexes to do such games.

[Commander Klank]

I made the mat using a blue 4X6 foot felt ma, a cardboard hex template and a sharpe... plus about 5 0r 6 beers.