Gunboat games

[Gluteus Maximus]

The non plus ultra of gunboats is of course the good Admiral's one, which you'll certainly have seen in the BSC.

I built a very simple, quick gunboat (nowhere near the Admiral's brilliance, mind you!) some years back using Gary Chalk's river steamer concept as a base for size and proportions:

That's a lovely little boat! It would be perfect for doing a 19thC version of Willard's voyage to find Col. Kurtz (or a VSF type version of the original "Heart Of Darkness" story).

"F***ing Lion! F***ing lion!"

Never get off the boat........ 

[former user]

my guess would be it's about "regular" gunboats, not improvised river gunboats

I might be ignorant, but I think noone ever built "regular" river gunboats?

[Westfalia Chris]

my guess would be it's about "regular" gunboats, not improvised river gunboats

I might be ignorant, but I think noone ever built "regular" river gunboats?

Well, to name but two examples, the U.S. "Panay"-class gunboats were specifically designed for river service on the Yangtze (while also having limited ocean-going capability), and the German "Iltis (II)"-Class were also designed with a definitive specification for estuary and riverine use in the colonies.

[former user]

fine, I am working hard to overcome my ignorance

but You must concede that these were not "pure" riverboats 

[Westfalia Chris]

fine, I am working hard to overcome my ignorance

but You must concede that these were not "pure" riverboats 

They were primarily designed for use in littoral and riverine waters, though. The seaworthiness was required to get them to their area of operations, since there were usually no suitable production facilities around.

I wouldn't call it an aftherthought, but the primary design and operative focus was certainly on "brownwater" operations (less so with the Iltis (II), which were more littoral-focused, but that was due to the fact that there weren't that many large rivers navigable by larger craft in the German colonies). The "Panays", however, almost exclusively saw service on the Yangtze. River gunboats if you ask me, but I'll agree that they are not "riverboats" in that they are only suitable for rivers (shallow draft etc.).

The latter "HMS Heron" gunboat (not the "Albacore"-class one), as well as the 19th-century "Mosquito" boat as well as the "Locust"-Class gunboats (Locust, Grasshopper, Mosquito and Dragonfly) were also purpose-built.

[former user]

[odd duck]

And the award for" best concession of a point on a nautical theme "goes to former user

[Admiral Benbow]

I might be ignorant, but I think noone ever built "regular" river gunboats?

"The MELIK, a guide-blade gunboat, was ordered by the Admiralty for service with the Egyptian Army in 1896, from the Chiswick shipyard of John I Thornycroft. Construction was rapid, and she was delivered the following year, with two sisters, the SHEIKH and SULTAN, built by Yarrow’s at Poplar, also on the Thames."

http://www.melik.org.uk/gunboats_melik

Yes, I know you've surrendered already, but that might be some useful information none the less.
 

[former user]

anyway, it contibutes in changing my view that colonial affairs were not always that improvised.

I knew though of the Melik class, but not that they were ordered as military fighting vessels
my impression was that armament and armour was added later on

however, live and learn 

[argsilverson]

If you like gunboats, I would remind you some earlier post (with Plynkes marvellous vessel(s):

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=13675.msg159044#msg159044

and if you want quite a large fleet see "Gunboat diplomacy" , lots of marvellous models here:

http://hmgs-midsouth.blogspot.com/search/label/Gunboat%20Diplomacy%20at%20Uncle%20Bob%E2%80%99s%20Backwater

marvellous fleets

[Smokeyrone]

When y'all get squared away on the minutia and get Bezzo some rules, scenarios and such he requires, I'd personally (and I think I speak for everyone) would love a gunboat building tutorial on the workbench!

 

(Tried it, and always end up with some half finished hull, that ends up getting scrapped so I can re-use the balsa wood for more pressing projetcs)

I did make, back in my scale model making days, a scratchbuilt, 1/35 scale model of the "Orca" from Jaws.  Very nice, built for a guy who was one of the cameramen, but it took a year, and was much too delicate a model for gaming.

Besides that, and some 54mm play toy type pirate ships for my daughter, and plastic renditions of the Yamato, Kirishima and such, I am no ship builder.

[argsilverson]

I am not a shipbuilder myself, so I cannot provide you more help.

However Akula has some WIP posts here that might be helpful:
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=14675.0

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=13200.msg172984#msg172984

maybe there are other, too, but have to check

[Smokeyrone]

Well, arg, those are some mighty projects! 

Thanks.  Those are cool!

[former user]

For the 1868 campaign in Abyssinia they shipped out an entire railway.

didn't know that one, but it doesn't surprise me at all

since I read Osprey's ACW railway book, nothing surprises me railwaywise
and to get the twist back to riverboats, it appears that rail and water Ironclads of the CSA were built by the same workshop, and even manned by the same personnel sometimes - navy artillery!

this seems an interesting connecion always

[Smokeyrone]

CSA Arkansas!  Now THAT was some boat!