Game balance or what?

[Wheat]

I find it annoying, fighting 4 confederate ironclads on the rivers in 1861, when some of them weren't built till 1862. I speak here of the Manassas, Tennesse, Arkansas and forgot, the other's name. The Manassas btw, was a ram with one gun. These ships were not that reliable or maneuverable. Can't quite envision them going up against the Union river forces in the manner they can in the game in 1861.

But at least in the winter of 61 I get the Cairo. In Chicago...with frozen rivers till the spring.

Umm, the Cairo was built outside Cairo IL in Mound City.

[DrPostman]

It usually shows up in Chester, IL for me. As for the others, they were very close to being
built, so it's very plausible that they could have entered action. The Arkansas alone caused
havoc to Farragut's fleet. Both ships would have been finished had Memphis not been taken
so early. With the CSS Tennessee alongside the Arkansas there might have been a much
different outcome at the Battle of Memphis. Sometimes the USS Cairo shows up even further
North. Not sure what the criteria is for where she shows up. Even with 4 ironclads the
Union navy is still pretty tough, and you can build enough to handle them. I start building
them as soon as it's allowed. You might have a point about the CSS Manassas, but it did
cause a great deal of trouble for the Union Navy, even with just one gun. Not sure if you
are familiar with the Battle of the Head of Passes, but that was a CSA victory, and the CSS
Manassas played a big role in that victory. The CSS Louisiana, though incomplete, helped
hold up Farragut's fleet for nearly a week tied up North of Fort St. Philip.

[grimjaw]

Can't quite envision them going up against the Union river forces in the manner they can in the game in 1861.

I agree, and it's too abstract for me anyway. There were several rams on both sides, some purpose-built and others thrown together from bits and pieces, but that function of naval combat isn't represented. Nor, I believe, is the ability to capture enemy warships and gunboats (unless they are in the process of being built). The CSA naval forces were a hodge-podge of vessels with almost no two alike, while the Union was more uniform.

[Captain_Orso]

They should not have their builds completed that quickly, IIRC. Maybe somebody would like to look into the event(s) which creates them.