A pitched battle again, but this time with objectives that need to be achieved to win the day.For this game I used the original Portable Wargame rules by Bob Cordery; Exhaustion Point (EP) was 30% casualties. Two identically composed ACW armies were used; neither side had artillery.
To win, a commander needed to occupy both the hill (known locally as Little Gold Top) and the Road/Rail crossing. In the Scenario Army Red (the CSA army) has initiative for all 15 turns, and arrives at the hill first, allowing a defense with an uphill advantage.
The Federal Army, under Colonel Potter, arrived with 4 battalions of regular infantry and a battalion of Zouaves, and 2 squadrons of cavalry. Potter's plan was to hold the crossing with infantry whilst sending his cavalry, supported with 1 battalion of foot, to take the hill.
The Rebels were led by Colonel Zebediah Protheroe, an ex-mercenary who had fought with Garibaldi. He led 2 battalions of Infantry and elements of his own craze-eyed Bushwhacker Brigade. Protheroe's plan involved leaving his regular infantry to defend the hill whilst he led his Bushwhackers in an attempt to encircle the crossroads. He instructed his cavalry to dismount in range of the enemy and fight on foot.
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The Bushwhacker Brigade
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It transpires that the back-story to the battle is more interesting than the fight itself. It was a dark and stormy morning as the two sides rushed towards their objectives...
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Turn 2 - Rebel cavalry dismounted and firing
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| The assault of the hill begins |
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Protheroe's out-flanking shenanigans underway
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| The Feds under pressure |
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The Union Army reaches EP
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End of the game - Union just about hold the Xroads...
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...whilst the Confederates stubbornly hold the hill
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An indecisive action as it stands. Standard terrible dice rolling meant that the fighting favored both the defenders of the hill and the crossroads, though the Rebels inflicted more of the casualties so I'm inclined to give the win to Protheroe. Lessons learned: Repeatedly charging uphill against a determined defender is certainly not a great plan.
I like the look of the game, the raitrack and the figures. I wondered if you could tell us a little of what figures you used.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tradgardmastare!
DeleteGood question! Airfix ACW Infantry of course, a few Airfix US Cavalry and a lone figure from the Wagon Train. Most of the Bushwhacker Cavalry are conversions that came from Ross Mac. The rest are a motley assortment of figures from various manufacturers, some coming from Ross and some I had kicking around in the toybox. The Zouaves are from Italleri for example.
Lovely looking game sir. I have played this scenario a few times now and have found it a tough ask to hold/take separate objectives so far apart. I'll manage it one day!.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mr Sprinks! Terrible dice rolls didn't help!
DeleteI find that the side which has the hill on their side tends to have the advantage as generally it's an easier objective to hold than the crossroads the other side has.
DeleteThat's the way it played again Kaptain, plus the Scenario gives Army Red initiative each round!
DeleteCharging uphill against a determined defender is a tough assignment, for sure.
ReplyDeleteI'm tempted to replay and see what would happen if the Union Cavalry dismounted and used their carbines.
DeleteWere there any special rules for the Zouaves? EG any extra range or imcreased strength points?
ReplyDeleteNice report (sorry if I’m late to the party.....😊)
Thanks Martin. If I remember correctly I just played the Zouaves as Elite, meaning they could elect to fall back rather than take casualties a bit more often than Average troops. Having said that they stood their ground, though they did get pretty badly mauled by the dismounted Rebel Cavalry.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Never sure whether to play elite troops as extra SP or the lower chance of collecting a hit....both work, I guess, though both combined can make for supertroops.
DeleteIn other games I have given Elite units an extra SP instead of the lower attrition - this is in part because I tend to get wrapped up in the game and forget they only get hit on 1 or 2!
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