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| Action on the Mahogany River |
A week or so ago my copy of Bob Cordery's latest, Gridded Naval Wargames: Naval Wargaming in the Age of Steam, Iron, and Steel, arrived by courier, just as I was sitting on a mild winter's day (Antipodean late July) at my garden table attempting to put together some metal German WW2 15cm howitzers I recently discovered in my inventory. The glue wasn't 'taking' for some reason, so the long awaited volume was a welcome break from frustration.
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| Confederate Shore guns getting ready to repel an attack by Union Gunboat USS Lafayette. |
I don't know how Bob shoehorns so much in so few pages - just 122, and yet there are ideas for six different war games - blockade running, battles between wood and iron, fleet actions and single ship duels, combined operations.. I makes for a great read, a fine source of ideas. plenty of meat and potatoes to chew on. These little books make great bedside companions.
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| The gun mountings are not glued to the turntables, so are free to swivel behind their barbette fortifications |
The final chapter, "Coastal Operations", proved the inspiration for knocking together a couple of shore guns, possibly a touch anachronistic for the American Civil War riverine setting of the pictures accompanying this article. This pair have been made from plastic tube, buts of felt colouring pen, balsa wood and the plastic top of a herb or spice jar (pieces I collect for their myriad 'recycling' uses).
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| Having developed the strength of Island Number Nine, The Union gunboat draws off. Perhaps a landing will be required? |
They are not perfect, by any stretch - pretty rough, withal - but they will do for my purposes. Now, all that remains is to set up, carry out and report upon the Union attempt to capture or destroy the Confederate batteries of Island Number Nine.
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