Greatest Ironclad Warship

[Proteus_MST]

But these napoleonic sdhips might be enough if the british ironclads manage to keep the US coastal ironclads busy...
if you have 2 ironclads and I have maybe 3 of them and the rest of my fleet frigates,
and I know where your ironclads are, I just can send my frigates to places where your ironclads arent´t (and which might just be defended by galleons) to wreak havoc on your coastal towns and shipping lines there (while my ironclads go for your ironclads )

[Dr Strangelove]

But these napoleonic sdhips might be enough if the british ironclads manage to keep the US coastal ironclads busy...
if you have 2 ironclads and I have maybe 3 of them and the rest of my fleet frigates,
and I know where your ironclads are, I just can send my frigates to places where your ironclads arent´t (and which might just be defended by galleons) to wreak havoc on your coastal towns and shipping lines there (while my ironclads go for your ironclads )

By the end of the Civil War the Royal Navy boasted a mere six armored ironclad warhips, only 4 of which were in service at one time. The US navy then had 60 Monitor class ships, not to mention another 600+ other warships. The Monitors were designed to be built fast and cheap. If the Royal Navy is going to be deployed against the US in the 1860's they're going to go for the port cities. If you look at American port cities they're mostly place in relatively sheltered large bays, excellent environments for the use of ships like the Monitor. Unless the UK attempts a Japanese style sneak attack - which of course they would not, the American fleet is going to have plenty of time to moce into place to defend American ports, which also have fortifications. The Brits will need to consolidate their forces scattered across the world. The US might even have time to work a bit of mischief in Canada.

[bc1871]

Acquisition:--Built by contract with John Ericsson at Green Point, L. I. Launched January 30, 1862.

Cost:--$275,000 or $280,000.

Description.--
Class: Monitor; screw steamer; iron and wood; single turret.
Rate, rig, etc.: Original type of turreted vessel.
Tonnage.--776 (987).
Dimensions.--Length, 172'; beam, 41' 6"; depth, 11' 4".
Draft.--Just after being launched; forward, 7' 8"; aft, 8' 1" (10' 6").
Engines.--Double trunk, cylinders (2 in 1 casting); 36" diameter, 27" stroke.
Boilers.--Two; return tube "box" boilers.
Battery.--2 XI-inch guns in turret.

Disposition.--Foundered off Hatteras, December 31, 1862, Commander J.P. Bankhead in command.

Remarks.--Cost of articles furnished to her was $560.35. Had famous engagement with C. S. S. Merrimack in Hampton Roads, March 9, 1862. First engagement of ironclads.

Crew Size:

Report of Lieutenant Worden, U. S. Navy, regarding the complement of officers and crew for the U. S. S. Monitor.

NAVY YARD, NEW YORK, January 27, 1862.

Hon. GIDEON WELLES,
Secretary of the Navy.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 24th instant, in relation to the complement of officers and crew for Ericsson's ironclad battery.
In estimating the number of her crew, I allowed 15 men and a quarter gunner for the two guns, 11 men for the powder division, and 1 for the wheel, which I deem ample for the efficient working of her guns in action. That would leave 12 men (including those available in the engineer's department) to supply deficiencies at the guns, caused by sickness or casualties. I propose to use a portion of the petty officers at the guns, and in naming the number of that class I thought I would be enabled to obtain a better class of men for that purpose.
It is believed that 17 men and 2 officers in the turret would be as many as could work there with advantage; a greater number would be in each other's way and cause embarrassment.
The limited accommodations of the battery and the insufficiency of ventilation renders it important that as few as is consistent with her efficiency in action should be put in her.
In relation to masters mates, one might be ordered; more would overcrowd her accommodations and seems to be unnecessary.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN L. WORDEN,
Lieutenant, Commanding.




Statistics
sister ship HMS Black Prince
armour 4½ inches (11cm) iron backed by 18 inches (46cm) teak, but covering her amidships 80feet (23.4m) of her hull each end was unprotected.
displacement 9210 tons
length 420 feet (128m)
beam 58 feet (18m)
draught 26 feet (8m)
figurehead 6 feet (2m)
speed 14 knots steam, 13 knots sail, 17½ knots combined
machinery Penn horizontal trunk steam engine, 5267 HP; single shaft
coal capacity 850 tons
armour 114mm (4.5 inch) belt over 18 inch wood on an 5/8 inch iron hull
armament 26 x 68pdr (31kg) smooth-bore muzzle-loaders, range 2,500 yards (2,300m)
8 x 110pdr (50kg) Armstrong rifled breech-loaders, range 4,500 yards (4150m)
4 x 70pdr (32kg) (40pdrs?) Armstrong rifled breech-loaders
builder Thames Ironworks, Blackwall, England
cost £390,000
crew 705 42 officers
3 warrant officers
455 seaman and boys
3 Royal Marine officers
6 Royal Marine NCOs
118 Royal Marine artillerymen
2 chief engineers
10 engineers
66 stokers and trimmers

[bc1871]

Now it’s a historical fact that by the latter half of the 19th Century the Royal Navy had no longer engaged in boarding parties in the traditional sense, but if HMS Warrior or Black Prince could close the distance between herself and USS Monitor, then they would be able to mount a boarding party of “Blue Marines” to take control of the Monitor and strike the “Stars and Stripes”.

Now obviously this tactic would be dangerous and result in damage to Her Majesty’s Ship, but it would definitely be of both surprise and shock to the crew of the small ironclad and perhaps even catch her off balance.

[bc1871]

Russian Ironclad Novgorod (1874)






Laid down: 17 December 1871
Launched: 21 May 1873
Commissioned: 1874
Decommissioned: 4 July 1903
Struck: 1900
Fate: Scrapped 1912
General characteristics
Displacement: 2,491 tons
2,671 tons at full load
Length: 30.8 m
Beam: 30.8 m
Draught: 3.75 m
Propulsion: 8 coal-fired boilers, 6 screws, 2,000 ihp
Speed: 7 knots
Complement: 128[1]
Armament: 2 × 11 inch guns
2 × 4-pounder guns
16 × 37 mm guns
Armour: Belt: 230 mm
Deck: 60 mm

[Sarxis]

I built one Ironclad in Civ IV - the era is just too short lived.