Sunday 18 September 2022

Scenario 20: Fighting Retreat

 Colonel Zebediah Protheroe and his Missouri Bushwhackers have been raiding in Featherstone County again. Now they are being pursued by General Issuwe and a strong force of US Army regulars.

Crossing the river, the Colonel aims to make a stand on the hill to the North, but first he intends to hold the two crossing points for some time to slow the pursuers advance.

The area North of the river (that looks like a bit of road) is impassable bog


The Union forces attack both crossing points


The Rebels fall back from the bridge but hold the ford

US Cavalry push back the rebels

The assault of the hill begins on the US left flank

The Right flank is still engaged with the CSA defenders 



The Union Army is finally all across the river and the CSA are at Exhaustion Point


Heavy casualties have also brought the Union Army to EP at Turn 12

As night falls, the surviving Bushwackers are able to slip away having managed to hold the hill against a larger force.

14 comments:

  1. Always a tough ask to force a river crossing, then take a hill. So enjoyable to see the old Airfix ACW and conversions battling it out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a tough one, even with the numerical advantage. More from The Airfix ACW figures to follow..

      Delete
  2. Another nice report 👍🏼. Did you use PW rules for C19th? Any rules tweaks or activation mechanisms in play?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Martin. Yes PW for 19th Century. Union may have had a chance with OHW, rules though the casualties can be very high in those so it would have been difficult.

      Delete
    2. I thought the Bushwhackers were lucky to bring the Union to EP…it’s a tough task when outnumbered.
      Was there any randomisation of deployment, or do you put different hats on and deploy/fight for each side in turn without?

      Delete
    3. Yes the Union side was deployed randomlyish - 2 groups of 3 tossed a coin for which flank they'd start on. The Bushwackers are tough cookies!

      Delete
  3. Any sign of further action for Colonel Zebediah Protheroe and his Missouri Bushwhackers, MJT? Or are they biding their time, waiting for the right moment to strike….? 🙂

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've just discovered this blog spot (I really ought to have done long ago). Bob Cordery recommended it in the facebook PW group.

    I like what I'm seeing here! Just one point, though. Someone - I don't recall who - suggested an army 'Rout Point' - 50% loss of SP - to go with the 33% loss to reach the E.P. With such an addition, perhaps the CSA would have lost this battle (routed) but with the Union too exhausted to mount a pursuit.

    Cheers,
    Ion

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sounds a bit like Kaptain Kobold’s system for Portable Wargame. In the ECW PW rules at 50% casualties the army has to survive a Break Point test to see if it can activate (or crumble). Having that in addition to EP at eg 33% would add a touch of finality to some battles which would otherwise grind to a halt, I guess.

      Delete
    2. Archduke / Martin
      Yes I've seen that rule somewhere too and keep meaning to try it!! Thanks for the reminder.

      Delete
    3. Going to give it a go today, with a PW 1866 game…

      Delete
    4. Let us know how you get on Martin

      Delete
    5. Went well - I’ll email you later, but basically one side became exhausted and then took more SP losses, reached 50% and crumbled. I’d recommend 😊

      Delete