Civil War USS City-class Ironclad

The Union’s City-class ironclads, also known as Pook turtles, were shallow-draft armored gunboats built for service on Western rivers during the American Civil War. Their sloping casemates protected gun batteries, while paddle propulsion and modest draft suited the Mississippi system and its tributaries. They supported the Union’s campaigns to control rivers and isolate Confederate territory. Their careers included major engagements and serious losses, demonstrating both the power of riverine ironclads and the danger from mines, gunfire, and difficult operating waters. James Eads’s shipbuilding organization produced these vessels rapidly to meet urgent Union requirements. Their broad, shallow hulls carried substantial artillery but offered limited protection outside the armored casemate. USS Cairo’s loss to an electrically fired mine became a particularly important early example of the danger posed by underwater weapons.

Finish and color

Supplied unpainted and printed in the selected color. Choose from the available product color options.

Tabletop use

Suitable for period-appropriate custom scenarios in the Global War series of games by Historical Board Gaming and compatible Axis & Allies games. Use suitable scenario or house rules for unit statistics and any technology upgrades. This piece does not supply additional game rules.

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