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Everybody loves the story of the Monitor vs. the Merrimac. First ironclad vs ironclad battle, metaphor for the first three years of the ACW, yada yada yada.

But really, cruisers get to roll an extra die in combat (defense 23) as opposed to the ironclads being armored (defense roll 24) and the enemy subtracting one die from his/her die roll.

Since I build ironclads to go into battle and kill people rather than to go into battle and be safe, what am I missing here. Why not just build cruisers which get on station faster, roll an extra die, and are twice as effective at blockades?

    Because against ironclads they are supposed to be better?  I had 4 fleets of cruisers against 1 fleet of ironclad and got lambasted.  I am not basing that on any scientific data but it seemed that a fleet with an ironclad in it did a lot better even the cruisers did when fighting against another ironclad.  In my current game against the CSA AI I think he has built 5 fleets of ironclads.

An ironclad, or two, can set in the mouth of a river and block trade with relative impunity with regard to heavy arty.

Not total immunity, but good enough to make it a risk worth considering. [8D]

The Union player should build a few Ironclads, just incase the Rebel Player builds any.
Plus, Ironclads makethe best Heavy Artillery killer.  imho

Try parking four or five ironclads outside New Orleans or Mobile -- with a good leader. Lots of artillery will die, without much harm to the fleet AND the port will be completely closed. It's a very good thing....

P

If you play the North don't build any.  They're very useful against Southern heavy artillery and, from my Southern perspective, that is a vey, very bad thing.
 
In fact, don't worry about your fleets, either.  Just park them off the coast of New England somewhere and let them enjoy the war from there.  This blockade thing is greatly overstated.
 

lol, trying to get him as your pbem opponent are ya? 

A new strategy is born! [&o]

bjmorgan, when you park the Union navy off of New England, are you supposed to put Grant there instead of with the force chasing raiders, or is this the same force?[:D]

why build ironclads?

Building an ironclade can bring a little history making to the game you are playing. With that said, it also makes some of us want to know more, and share a little of what we find.

I'll let this link show you a reason for building ironclads. Enjoy [8D]

"The Cumberland and the Merrimac"- Tom Roush http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ0n16HMhBs&feature=user