ACW Naval Books

[Orcs]

Hi All,

I have had a couple of enjoyable ACW Naval games using Peter pigs "Hammerin Iron Rules" and have occasionally thought about getting some models for it.  Stupidly I looked at Pitheads New range of 1:1200 models for this period, and they are really nice.

Before I go and spend money buying stuff that I know little about I thought I would ask the esteemed mebers of the Forum to recommend some suitable non-fiction books about the two navies.  I am not looking for highly detaile stuff, just a description of actions and some Idea of the various ships and their armour (armor for out colonial cousins) and their armaments 

Cheers

Mark

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

If you can get hold of a copy "Conway's Fighting Ships 1860-1906" is very useful, although giving cover to a much wider area. I suspect it might be rather expensive though.

Cheers

IanS

[Westmarcher]

If you are stuck, there;s always Osprey which has loads of titles, e.g.,"Confederate Ironclad vs Union Ironclad" (have that one & liked it), "CSS Alabama vs USS Kearsage," "Union River Ironclad 1861-65," etc.

[Orcs]

If you can get hold of a copy "Conway's Fighting Ships 1860-1906" is very useful, although giving cover to a much wider area. I suspect it might be rather expensive though.

Cheers

IanS

DOH !!!!   I have that, thanks for reminding me - Just had a peek and it looks like a good basic guide.  I also mamaged to download a Kindle copy of "Naval Strategy During The American Civil War " By David Murphy for 88p so betwee the two I have something to work with.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Tumbling Dice have lots of nice stuff for that era too!

[Ithoriel]

Tumbling Dice have lots of nice stuff for that era too!

... as do Navwar

http://www.navwar.co.uk/nav/default.asp?MMID=80

[Ace of Spades]

I think you should first of all decide what kind of games you want to concentrate on; river wars with steamers and iron clads, blockading Southern ports with all sorts of ships of the line as well as ironclads and blockade runners or naval battles at open sea with privateers and Yankee gunboats like the CSS Alabama and the USS Kearsarge. That will more or less decide what kind of ships you're looking for.
I have several books on ACW naval history/battles so if you have any specific questions please let me know and I'll try and look it up for you.

Cheers,
Rob