It Was a Bad Day for the Italian Navy...

On Sunday we played an ironclad game.

Seven Austrian ironclads and two wooden ships, took on six Italian ironclads and two wooden ships.

The Italian fleet before the shooting started

The Austrian fleet manoeuvred around a area of shallow water. On the port wing, two ironclads (Salamander and Erzerzog Ferdinand Max) and a wooden ship (Swartzenburg) steamed around the shoals. In the lead of the starboard wing were three ironclads (Prinz Eugen, Habsburg and Kaiser Max). To the rear were two ironclads (Drache, Juan de Austria) and a wooden ship (Kaiser).

The Italians steamed out in two groups on the starboard side were the ironclads Re di Portigallo, Principe di Carignano, Castelfidardo  and the wooden ship Gaeta. The port wing consisted of the ironclads Affaodatore, Ancona, Re d'Italia and the wooden ship Garibaldi.

The Italian Starboard wing was in action first, but found itself facing five Austrian ironclads and a wooden vessel. The Italians opened fire first at long ranges, but caused little or no damage.

The Austrian ships engaged and caused some damage, but when Habsburg rammed Re di Portigallo...

...she sent her straight to the bottom.

Castelfidardo then rammed Kaiser Max and while she did inflict considerable damage she failed to sink the Kaiser Max and suffered badly herself and lost her ram in the process.

Meanwhile the third Austrian command swung around another shoal to engage the other Italian wing. Drache swung to port but was rammed by Affondatore and sank.

Juan de Austria then headed for Ancona, ramming her midships and sending another Italian ship to the bottom. However, Juan de Austria was then caught in a crossfire from three Austrian ships and was sent to the depths herself.

The Italians sent Garibaldi to boost their collapsed starboard wing, but her wooden hull fared badly against the ironclads. Despite a desperate fight, she was soon lost. 

Only two Italian ships remained at this point - Affondore and Re d'Italia, both in reasonable condition, although the former was only slowly getting up to speed after her ramming of Drache.

The wooden ship  Kaiser took on Re d'Italia. She did some damage, but suffered more. However Kaiser was a big ship and could take the damage. She took a risk and steamed directly in front of the Italian ironclad and caught her in a bow rake, causing serious damage with a heavy broadside. Then Re d'Italia rammed Kaiser, but (just) failed to do enough to sink her.

In the process Re d'Italia broke off her ram. Kaiser fired again and just failed to sink the Italian. Meantime Affondore fired the killing shot on Kaiser, before the other Austrian ships despatched her.

Re d'Italia, the only surviving Italian vessel, limped away while the Austrian crews broke out the Schnapps!

It was a very bad day for the Italian Navy!

SMS Habsburg and SMS Prinz Eugen lead the victorious fleet back to Venice for victory celebrations (and repairs) 

Thanks to John (or Johann since he was playing an Austrian) for the additional photographs.