USS Constitution was one of six Heavy Frigates commissioned by the United States Congress in 1794 to protect American shipping against Barbary Pirates in the Mediterranean. These frigates were designed to outmatch the frigates of any other nation while remaining nimble enough to slip away from larger ships-of-the-line.
These six frigates (Chesapeake, Constitution, President, United States, Congress, and Constellation. Chesapeake, Constitution, President and United States) were armed with 44 guns, normally a mix of long 24-pounders and 32-pound carronades. Across their service life, these ships would often end up over gunned, carrying upwards of 50 guns into battle.
Revolutionary construction techniques gave the six frigates much thicker hull planking than their British or French equivalents, allowing them to soak up a tremendous amount of punishment. It also allowed them to carry a much heavier armament relative to their size, as seen by the arrays of 24 and 32-pounders carried on the 44 gun vessels.
Second Battle of Tripoli Harbour
'Old Ironsides' as she would become known, launched in Boston October 21, 1797. She first saw action during the First Barbary War, serving with a squadron of American frigates in the Meditteranean under Captain Edward Preble. While blockading Tripoli, the USS Philadelphia ran aground and was captured by the Corsairs. Constitution's broadsides provided vital fire support for the squadron during the attempts to rescue the Philadelphia.
Eventually, the Preble would resort to using a captured ketch loaded with 100 tonnes of black powder to destroy the Philadelphia in Tripoli harbour - a plan which failed when the fireship was destroyed prematurely by fire from the Ottoman shore batteries. Despite an inconclusive naval campaign, the war was eventually won by the heroic actions of the US Marines at Derna.
The War of 1812
When war broke out between Great Britain and the United States Constitution attempted to join a five-ship squadron off New Jersey. Unfortunately, she ran afoul of a British squadron which immediately began pursuing her.
Initially finding himself becalmed, things were looking bleak for Captain Hull and the Constitution. However, an inspirational idea found him using rowboats to tow the ship away from his pursuers, allowing him to escape after a 57-hour chase.
Pendant la guerre, la Constitution a été employée comme un raider commercial, capturant et brûlant sans discernement des navires de la marine britannique. Deux fois, elle s'est heurtée à des frégates britanniques, et deux fois elle les a réduites à des allumettes, sa coque renforcée écartant les flancs répétés à courte portée, ce qui lui a valu le surnom de "Old Ironsides".
Dans le Jeu de la Mer Noire
L'USS Constitution devrait être au cœur des combats les plus intenses sur la table, menant la charge dans la ligne de bataille ennemie, utilisant sa capacité de survie exceptionnelle pour affronter la tempête de tirs et d'obus tout en tirant avec ses propres armes.
Bien qu'elle ne puisse peut-être pas s'emmêler avec des First Rates plus importants comme Victory, elle peut se défendre dans les actions de frégate, immobilisant la flotte ennemie tandis que le reste de vos navires poursuit d'autres objectifs ou gagne une position plus avantageuse.
Constitution de l'USS
Ce coffret contient :
- Composants pour 1 coque de navire USS Constitution en résine
- Composants métalliques pour mâts
- Voiles imprimées
- Carte de navire USS Constitution
- Marqueurs de sillage
- Bobine pour le gréement
- Acétate Ratlines
- Une feuille de drapeaux et fanions
Modèles livrés non assemblés et non peints
