by Ed Ostermeyer (Master Engineer – Grade 2)

Hello, my young friend, it is good to see you once again.

I note that you have a bandage on your left arm. Is something amiss at your machine shop?

 I see, so your associate purchased a lower grade of bituminous coal for your forge.

And some of it, what is the word, “popped” onto you?

The bitumen in that kind of coal will do that if you are not careful.

Your associate was looking to cut costs, was he?

You’ve taken the necessary action?

Good. We’ll not talk of it further.

Now that your fishboat is in the final stages of construction, you had a question about the missions that you and your officers would encounter?

Know that you are all civilians working under a government who will have, umm, ”missions” for you to perform.

Let’s just go over some of them you might encounter while you and your crew are out terrorizing the enemy.

First off, you and your team being civilians means you will need a Letter of Marque from our government.

Without it, opposing naval units encountering your Underwater Marvel on a mission will not see you and your crew as civilians, but as pirates.

Piracy is a capital crime the world around. If captured, all of you will be tried and hanged.

Should circumstances arise that find you commissioned in the enemy navy, your commission and the fact that the majority of your crew will be Sailors will obviate any piracy charges leveled at you, although switching sides during hostilities may leave you open to charges of treason by your former countrymen. Sad to say, but war can cause situations like this.

Assignment of Missions is accomplished on a seasonal basis each year, based on the current operational theater that your fishboat is in, with its target being randomly chosen. Though the regional commander has the power to designate your mission and target, as a Southerner you have the ability to choose WHEN the mission will be performed. This is one of the strengths of being a privateer.

In the US Navy, you also have the power to choose when to perform a mission, but the Navy will decide WHAT mission you will perform. Additionally, if your fishboat is located on a blockade, (Charleston, Mobile or New Orleans) the Fortunes of War may put you in a mission, like it or not. You can consider this being “given a chance” by a superior officer to prove yourself, your fishboat and your crew while “on the job.”    

Now, let us examine the kinds of missions that you and your fishboat may encounter during your term of service.

First, if not quite so obvious, is the task of reconnoitering, or “Spying” on the enemy in order to gather information. Though the use of the word “spy” can seem distasteful, “reconnaissance” is a necessary part of the art of war. One who knows the enemy’s plans, positions, and particulars has a better chance of success than one who does not.

A typical Spy Mission would involve your fishboat being given a target or location about which your regional commander needs information. You and your crew will therefore sail your fishboat to the location specified, avoiding discovery by the enemy forces. Once on-site, your fishboat will then fulfill its reconnaissance mission by performing two Target Checks at the location specified. The Target Checks need not be consecutive, though lingering too long in one place increases the possibility of discovery by the enemy. Escaping with the required information while undetected is always preferable to escaping while detected.

A second mission is that of Delivery.

Something (or someone) needs to be transported from Here to There. Exactly what’s being delivered is unknown but the element of stealth (which your fishboat has in abundance) is necessary for a successful completion of the mission.

The difference between the Delivery Mission and the Spy Mission is that, upon your fishboat’s arrival at the location specified, your orders require the fishboat to remain at the target location for one turn, while surfaced!  

So here’s a low, dark shape having its entire length floating just above the surface of the water, and exhibiting lots of human activity. This occurs in an enemy-controlled location with loads of enemy eyes and pickets around. Fortunately, you won’t have to hang around too long to find out what happens. Hopefully.

The third type of Mission involves the sinking of the enemy’s warships.

This can be dangerous, as an enemy alerted to your task being undertaken will almost certainly want to return the favor in the form of shot and shell.

Because of your privateer status, in the Confederacy you will be courted by wealthy individuals or mercantile organizations who will offer you prizes for the sinking of enemy warships.

The amount of the prize is determined by the type of warship sunk.

Union Navy Gunboats are worth $15. Sloops are worth $35, while Union Ironclads command a $50 prize value.

The Union Navy also offers prize money for sunken enemy warships.

Gunboats are worth $15 while sinking a Confederate Ironclad nets you $25.

Another type of Mission would strike at the enemy’s infrastructure.

This includes Obstruction arrays that act as defensive barriers to your side’s vessels transiting a particular area on sea or river.

The Confederacy will pay $5 if you destroy an Obstruction.

Dock facilities are prime infrastructure targets as well.

The Confederacy offers a $25 prize for a Dock’s destruction.

All monetary prizes, both Union and Confederate, are awarded during the Winter season.

The Union Navy sees enemy infrastructure’s destruction as the normal order of things:

The Navy does not award cash prizes for destroying enemy Obstructions, Docks or Bridges.

However, the type and size of a target will be rewarded through the Advancement program.

A successful mission here will garner the boat’s captain (or helmsman) either a “Promotion” in rank or by being “Mentioned-in-Dispatches.”

Both have no initial value during the campaign but will greatly influence the Outcomes related to your fishboat and crew’s performance.    

There, I think I’ve given you enough to ponder while your arm heals.

You might try some honey on that burn of yours.

No. No more for today.

We will cover the use of promotions as well as another use for prize money in our next visit.

Thank you for your kind attention, young Inventor.

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