Bomb Ketch Meteor

[Dobbs]

My research has shown that bomb ketches were often converted from ship sloops, and even if purpose built, ran in the 300 ton range. Since this is comparable to the Swan ship sloops, I chose to keep Meteor with 6 ranks of damage, but gave her a Burden of 2 to represent the strengthened hull. I thought anything more would be making her as strong as a small frigate. I chose to use give her the sailing angles of a Hebe frigate, and the Maneuver card deck "O" to show the weakness of the sail plan. Her Veer is 7. Aside from the mortars, bomb ketches typically carried around 8 6pdrs, so her broadside is:

1-1-1, 0-1-1, 0-1-1, 0-1-0, 0-1-0, 0-1-0

She carries a crew of 65.

4-2, 3-1, 3-1, 2-1, 1-1

[Bligh]

Right on Dobbs.
I built my Bomb Ketch very much like yours, and increased the hull strength to two as well.
Mind you I always deploy well away from enemy shipping usually over a hill or dunes with a Frigate standing off the Harbour or emplacement to direct fall of shot. Don't want my little bomb getting hurt. Range is interesting too as the hollow shells on a high trajectory could out distance most warships most effective ranges. Great for massed targets but not for pinpoint accuracy at long range.
Rob.

[Dobbs]

I just added the crew breakdown to my original post.

I'm pushing around the idea for a scenario in which an Amazon is defending the bomb ketch while the ketch reduces a battery. The ketch is anchored just outside the battery's range, but there are two sloops in the harbor guarded by the battery. The battery is strong enough to keep the Amazon at bay. Victory conditions are that neither sloop can be lost, but the ketch must be taken, destroyed, or forced to withdraw. The ketch does 1d6 damage to the battery each turn it fires. No need to roll to hit, mortar fire is all geometry. The battery is assigned a damage value it can withstand.

[TexaS]

It may just be geometry, but it's from a rocking ship.

It's also a classic thing with mortar ships to blow up. 50% risk of exploding each turn on fire.

[Bligh]

It may just be geometry, but it's from a rocking ship.

It's also a classic thing with mortar ships to blow up. 50% risk of exploding each turn on fire.

Good point Jonas.
I have read about the method of supplying powder charges to the guns in a Bomb and all state that the powder store and supply route was not as secure as in other vessels giving rise to the danger of an explosion.
Rob.

[Bligh]

Here is a quick shot of my Bomb with its forrard Mortar in action.



Rob.

[Bligh]

This may be of some interest to you Dobbs.



THE PLOT.

Based on information received from his Frigate, one of the Admirals has decided to send an advance Squadron of a 100 gun ship, a 74, and Frigate of 36/38 guns, plus a bomb ketch to try and drive out of a nearby harbour the remnant of the enemy scouting Squadron before it can join up with the main Fleet for a major engagement which is in the offing.
Ensconced in the harbour are two Third Rates and a Frigate.

The idea is to move the Bomb into a position up a small creek which brings in within range of the ships in the harbour but behind a ridge of high ground so that it cannot itself be fired upon either by the coastal batteries or the ships within.
To spot fire and signal the fall of the shells, a Frigate is positioned just outside the harbour entrance where it can see the ships within and the blockading Ships of the line. Signals to range in the ketch will obviously slow down its rate of fire to twice the normal reloading time.
It will start on a die roll. 6 to hit a ship, then 5 or 6 on the next move, 4,5,6, on its third and subsequent firing. No ship of the Line will try to leave harbour until the first hit is made on a vessel, then the Commodore will realize he has to come out or be destroyed. A hit from the bomb ketch is a C chit.
For AI ships leaving harbour you may use a pilot until they are clear of the headland and sandbars.(In other words use the I in AI)
In all other cases use the AI charts.
You may use any rules in the rule book that you are comfortable with, including wind direction and strength if you so wish.

THE SET UP.

The initial positions are as shown. Initially the wind direction is from East to West. North being at the top of the screen. This should allow the ships to exit the harbour easily. Once past the shoals you may vary the wind if you wish.


[IMG]file:///C:\


Approximately two mats long short sides adjoining. The rules are for a rough idea of scale and to show the arc and range of the defensive batteries. Attackers had better not venture too near. Heated shot is on hand.
The harbour entrance must be not more than half a ruler wide. the sandbar may be substituted by rocky islets if you have them.
Note the small Bomb ketch top centre. It must be placed thus for either side, and is moored throughout the action unless sunk. Blank the first two boxes on a Sloop's play mat to portrait the small crew for the Mortar and the removal of some cannon which it has replaced. It is deemed to be able to drop shells in any part of the anchorage from its moorings.

Once your Third Raters come out let the devil take the hindmost.

OBJECTIVES.


The objectives are…………

Attacking Fleet.

To destroy capture or force back to port any enemy vessels.


Defending Fleet.

To exit the area by sailing to the West with as many ships as possible in order to join up with your main battle Fleet.


The Dilemma.

Defender.
Do you:- A. Send Frigate out to drive off signalling frigate?
B. Run the gauntlet of the blockading ships to destroy the Bomb ketch?
C. *Sally forth, and give battle to a stronger attacking force?
D. Try to run West to join the Main Fleet?

* Ships of the Line will not leave harbour until the Ketch hits a ship with a shell, and proves there is real danger in remaining in port

Remember both your Admirals are counting on you!

Have fun.

Bligh.

[Bligh]

It may just be geometry, but it's from a rocking ship.

Anchored fore and aft with a spring on the cable and the low centre of gravity provided by the weight of the two Mortars, it has been stated that they formed a very stable gun platform Jonas.
I would like to get more opinions on if this were the case. If we could get more evidence than just the logs of a few gunners it would help settle things.
Rob.

[TexaS]

Mortars weren't very precise even when fired from fixed positions on land.
Waves will still have an effect on the outcome. A fraction of a degree means missing the width of a ship.

[Dobbs]

Mortars weren't very precise even when fired from fixed positions on land.
Waves will still have an effect on the outcome. A fraction of a degree means missing the width of a ship.

Okay Jonas, so how does 1d8 sound, with 1-2 being a miss, and 3-8 being 1 through 6 points of damage? Do you think that captures more of the flavor of this type of warfare? That's a miss 25% of the time!

[TexaS]

I think the main point of rules is to be fun.

My personal view is that if you find a mechanism you find fun to play, use it.

Your example may be easier if 1-6 does that damage and 7, 8 are misses.

Personally I would try to find a way to use chits as they stay on the ship mat. Perhaps roll a D6. 1-5 as many B chits, 6 is a miss.

[Bligh]

I think that you have a very fair idea there Jonas. It certainly compares favorably with my having to range in the shooting to get a hit.
The damage seems better also than my one C chit.
Rob.

[Capn Duff]

Remember at Lissa 1811 HMS Amphion used a 5.5 " howitzer triple shotted ( cannister) to clear the French/Italians from Favorite bow.
So maybe at cannister range use normal rules, to simulate this at the Doncaster refight I gave Amphion the chance to fire once with 4 cannister chits from any firearc, including bow

[Dobbs]

Remember at Lissa 1811 HMS Amphion used a 5.5 " howitzer triple shotted ( cannister) to clear the French/Italians from Favorite bow.
So maybe at cannister range use normal rules, to simulate this at the Doncaster refight I gave Amphion the chance to fire once with 4 cannister chits from any firearc, including bow

Chris, I think mortar ketch mortars were larger than that, in the 10 to 13 inch range, and only had exploding shells.

[Capn Duff]

Point taken, but even so you can shove in a few cannister rounds into any size barrel (the size we talking about).
I havent heard of any examples but looking just in case

[Dobbs]

Chris, the Amphion at the Battle of Lissa was the 1798 18 pdr frigate. She also mounted 24 pdr carronades. I think someone confused carronades and howitzers on Wikipedia. Triple shotting a carronade seems a lot more likely. Besides, it was to clear the foredeck to prevent boarding. Not exactly work for a howitzer.

[Bligh]

Which reintroduces the question about tripple shotting Carronades and how frequently this was done. That is now two recorded instances of it being carried out, and I bet if we search diligently enough we will find instances of Corchrane, and Pellew doing the same.
Rob.

[TexaS]

I think you also will see that not only was it done many times but most of the time at ranges the bases of the ships in Sails of Glory prevents the ships from getting to. I think Cochrane tripple shotted his 4lb guns at the HMS Speedy vs El Gamo battle, but that was at a range where the barrels touched the target. What I'm getting at is that you have to have a possible boarding situation with a broadside that can fire. I'm not sure how many would spend three turns loading for that (using Sog logic loading time).

[Bligh]

I can see your point there Jonas.
I certainly would not.
Rob.

[Capn Duff]

Chris, the Amphion at the Battle of Lissa was the 1798 18 pdr frigate. She also mounted 24 pdr carronades. I think someone confused carronades and howitzers on Wikipedia. Triple shotting a carronade seems a lot more likely. Besides, it was to clear the foredeck to prevent boarding. Not exactly work for a howitzer.

Understand what you saying Dobbs, trying to find a different source or two from my limited naval reading to confirm