American Civil War - the return!

We did a second playtest of the ACW skirmish rules again today, newly modified after the last game 2 weeks ago (I was working last Saturday!) - This worked much better - with only a few minor modifcations needed to the rules before our next game being identified.

Poor Ian wasn't able to join us this week as he has a poorly foot - get better soon!

The battlefield, a fenceline to the right, and stream in the distance.

 The view from the fenceline. 

A raw company of Federal troops from Ohio.

 My Confederate opponents, Phil (left) and Lawrence.

 The Virginia company, as expected deployed at the fenceline.

 Most moved to line it. 

..but on the left they moved toward the Federal line.

Seeing the Rebs at extreme range, 2 squads deployed and fired a volley. 

1 dead and 2 wounded, poor shooting. 

 In their turn, one squad moved after firing, and dove for the trees.

 Even though only half the enemies numbers, they disabled 2 and wounded 1!

 While the Federals reloaded, the second line of Rebs fired.

 ..and more bluecoats fell.

 The other half of the Federal platoon moved to screen their comrades, and fired.

 While the other platoon reloaded, the rest moved into a wood facing the rebels. 

On the Confederate side, more units moved to the wood opposite. 

 With no enemies in site, the (now reloaded) 1st platoon moved to their wood too. 

The Rebs, mesmerised, watched the blue mass manoeuvering! 

Both sides had unconsciously decided the main fight was to be between the woods. 

 2 squads of Rebels moved to a 'crater' to the left of their wood. 

 The Virginians waited.

 The Union forces were almost in position to begin the fight.

 Phil's men from the crater got a stern talking to! 

 ..as they stepped out of cover and attack the Federal held wood!

 The platoon on their left disobeyed orders and covered them from cover rather than join the advance!

 The first volley from the Feds was virtually inneffective (I was wondering if my D8 HAD any scores above 4 or 5!)

 The Confederates return fire reflected their greater confidence and ability! Youch! 

One Federal squad fled, well, what was left of them!

  The second line of Ohio boys advanced to relieve their friends.

 ..and hit the Rebs in the wood..

 ..and the guys advancing!

 Rapidly reloading, the Rebels eschewed fire and advanced bravely on! 

 In the Rebel wood, a second line advanced and fired.

 In a remarkable display of accurate fire, one Federal squad was literally blown apart!

 The Ohians stood as the Rebels charged, whoopin' an' Hollerin'.

Belatedly, some Rebs from the wood advanced. The Feds had reloaded.. 

More Confederates advanced, and with their original numerical advantage gone, and the melee going badly, the Federal officer ordered the retreat!

 

That was a good game! - who would have thought the brave charge across open ground by the Reb left would have succeeded?

(Maybe I should have chanted 'Fredericksburg, Fredericksburg'!!!??)

The result was skewed somewhat by the vagueries of the dice, but no-one was unhappy with the result!

The whole point of dice is to randomise results!

At least we won the War!

ACW skirmish rules playtest

This week, lacking Lawrence and his lovely hills and woods, we did the best we could and tried a first draft of my ACW skirmish rules...

The scenario involved a Union company of raw troops, covering a bridge, reacting to a Confederate company of Average troops moving to seize the bridge.

The Rebels advanced on a broad front.

 The company command, and 1 squad moved down the road.

 On the other side, the Union company moved down the road, using 1 squad in dispersed order as a screen.

 The company of Raw Ohio boys outnumbered the Virginians somewhat! 

 Phil, having spent two happy years in lovely Georgia, was keen to lead the Confederates! 

 Seeing the advancing 'Bluebellies', the rebs in the road hopped over the fence to take cover in the woods.

 The boys in blue reacted to the Confederate appearance by moving rapidly toward cover in some stone walled enclosures. 

 The second platoon moved towards the right to try and outflank the rebel positions.

 The Virginians took up positions in the woods.

 The 2dn platoon of Union troops waded across the stream to outflank the Rebs. 

 The Union 1st platoon reached the bridge frst. 

 ..not surprising! - the Rebs had chosen their battlefield and were waiting! 

 The union skirmishers checked warily down the road..

 ..while the rest of the men filled a stone enclosure facing the bridge.

 The 2nd Ohio platoon dispersed, looking for positions of advantage. 

 The first platoon waited hidden behind their walls.

 The captain ordered the lieutenant to wait for the 2nd platoon to act before he got engaged.

 half the 2nd platoon reached a convenient wood.

 2nd platoons lieutenant followed a squad towards a small hill overlooking the ford.

 ..leaving 1 squad to join 1st platoon in the enclosure.

 The 2nd platoon moved to occupy the edge of the wood.

 In a very 'Butch Cassidy' moment, the central squad breasted the hill and were blown away by accurate Minie rifle fire, taking 60% casualties!

The Union troops, realising the futility of further advances, fell back further into cover, leaving the field to the victorious Virginia boys!

As a game, it was quite enjoyable, but we all felt the rules need some modification in regards to shooting to make the game more playable!

All rules need to balance the sensation of reality with playability and enjoyment.

Have to make those Minie balls less deadly at longer range, methinks!

Ah, the joys of playtesting!!!

Players:

Phil - the Confederates
Ian and myself- the luckless Unionists!

All the figures (apart from 4 Dixon figures) are Perry Plastics, having their first outing in approx 2 years since I painted them!

Happy Birthday Alte Fritz!

On 24th January 2012, it is the 300th anniversary of the birth of Frederick the Great (Friedrich der Grosse).

It seemed a good idea to do a 7-years wargame to mark the event!

Both Prussian (left) and Russian forces (right) deployed in 2 lines, with cavalry on both wings.

The Russians were hampered by several woods in their deployment area

The Russian right was  2 full lines of infantry, with a battalion of dismounted dragoons and a combined grenadier battalion as reserve. 5 cavalry regiments deployed behind them.

 The Russian centre, having to cover a larger gap in the woods, deployed in 2 lines, but dangerously extended. A low hill on the left was guarded by light troops only.

 The Russian left was composed of a large force of Kuirassiers, Dragoons and light horse.

 Facing them, the Prussin right, was Kuirassiers, backed and supported by Infantry.

 The Prussian centre was 2 lines, backed by a heavy cavalry reserve.

 The Prussian left was good Prussian infantry backed and flanked by Kuirassier and Dragoon regiments. These were commanded by a guest player in our game, Paddy the Prussianophile!

 As the game got underway, despite the presence of some poor generals - the Russian right advanced, and the cavalry began to move into a wood on the extreme right.

Some Cossacks and Serbski hussars detached from the right wing cavalry began to filter onto some light woods on the centres right.

 ..This allowed the centre to advance relatively safely!

 The Russian cavalry moved wide on the left wing to outflank the Prussian right.

 The Prussian left was soon in contact with the Russian right.

 Both sides fed in new battalions to try to overwhelm their opponents.

 A fierce to and fro light cavalry battle occured when the Serbski hussars bumped into Prussian hussars coming the other way!

..In a very short time, only a weakened Serbski hussar and a single Prussian hussar unit remained!

 As the Russian centre advanced, the Prussian artillery fired innefectively.

 The cavalry on the Russian right tried to outflank the Prussian left wing. 

 As the Russian right wing fought the Prussians, the Prussian fire prevailed.

 On the other wing a Russian dragoon regiment nearly beat a Prussian Kuirassier regiment! - but did manage to shred it before the dragoons broke!

In the centre however, the Prussian infantry managed to break through the extended Russian centre, forcing the Russian army to withdraw from the field while they still had their horse intact!

Perhaps a fitting victory for Fredericks birthday!

More importantly, it was a good game!