On Thursday Jon and I got together for an ACW game here in GHQ, using my own
"Bull Run to Gettysburg" rules, published by
Wargames Foundry {Shameless plug #1}. I set out the battle with unequal forces before Jon arrived and he chose to be the Confederates before seeing the table. We then diced to see who would be the attacker, having the initiative for the first six turns. Jon's dice out performed mine [yet again!] and so his slightly numerically inferior Rebs attacked my brave Union lads! The defending Union army had to stick with the initial deployment, while the Rebs were able to reorganise before the game started.
The Union left was held by a Brigade of Regulars, while the centre was held by New York and Pennsylvania troops.
The Union right was held by two New York Brigades ~ who held off the Rebel attacks throughout the game but could not dislodge them from the farm.
The outnumbered Regulars on my left flank held off a strong Rebel thrust, aimed at rolling up my line...
...while Rebs from Virginia and North Carolina surge forward to attack the Union centre.
A heavy firefight developed in the centre of the line, with the Union expending ammunition at long range to little effect!
The Union centre collapsed suddenly in Turns 10 and 11, when mounting casualties lead to Morale Check failures and subsequent routs!
The correspondent of 'Harper's Weekly' braves Rebel fire to bring you, the readers, an account of this gripping action.
The game lasted about two and a half hours and comprised eleven turns. Jon, as the attacker, held the initiative for the first six turns, thereafter we diced each turn for it. On the whole Jon's plan seemed to be a steady pressure on the centre, while holding the Union flanks by demonstration attacks. I failed to clear a far inferior force on my right from the farm complex and thus failed to appreciate my centre needed shoring up until it was too late. Never-the-less, a great game which was fiercely contested and went to the wire...
Very nice gaming played.
ReplyDeleteThis was another finely balanced ACW game devised by DB. On seeing the table set up it looked really nice & I couldn't wait to get stuck in.
ReplyDeleteDavid would like to think that the game itself really could have gone either way.
However the eventual (some may say inevitable) Confederate victory was, as usual, entirely down to superior tactics and generalship. I should like to assure the casual observer it had nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that David's troops really couldn't hit an elephant at any range!
I didn't realise anyone could roll so many 1's and 2's in a game! Oh how We laughed!
A very challenging and interesting game it seems, some nice photography too Mr. B.
ReplyDelete