ACW Campaign - week 1

This week sees a bumper crop of posts as I've played several games recently. This Monday we started our ACW campaign using the Longstreet rules. The unique point of these rules is the heavy use of a deck of activation cards to drive the game and some of the key decisions.

In Longstreet the cards can be used in one of three ways:

• Any card can be spent to shoot, move, or charge (but not both move and charge)
• A card can be used to mitigate casulultiers (usually 1 or 2 per card) 
• It can be used for its special effect on shooting, combat, or moving etc

You can only hold a limited number and when all your cards are spent you loose the game. So lots of choices to make and management needed of your resources as the battle progresses.

For this campaign we are using some classic/ retro "true 25mm" figures owned Roy. Some rapid measuring shows they are in fact an inch from base-bottom to hat top.

The Battle

Game 1 was a simple attack vs defence, with the Union holding one objective and deployed near a second. The Confederate aim was to seize both the objectives.  Both sides had 4 regiments of Eager Recruits (8 stands), 3 guns, and an Eager Recruit cavalry regiment (6 stands). I found myself in the unfamiliar role of Union commander, having mostly fought Fire & Fury as a Reb.

The Confederates attacked towards both Union-held objectives with 2 regiments each. Their left was the stronger attack as this had support from the artillery and cavalry. The presence of a pesky wood placed there during deployment forced them to attack in depth though.  

Rebs attack on their left

Attack on the Rebs right

As the Rebs moved forward, the Union fanned out to cover both objectives and rolled-up the guns. The cavalry reserve was deployed in the centre to link the two groups of infantry. A very neat looking defensive position.  

Union seizes the second objective

Union lines looking well set

As the Rebs tried to line-up for their assault the Union played a few cards that hampered their attempts to coordinate the attack. A previously unseen marshy area appeared before some of the infantry and confusion over orders lead to the Confederate cavalry not attacking as hoped.

Rebel cavalry stalls in confusion

Missed that on google maps

The wavering Confederates then came under heavy and sustained fire from the Union defensive line. On the left a regiment was rapidly reduced to 30% strength and the supporting unit badly damaged as it  moved through to continue the attack. On the right both attacking regiments took damage and paused to draw breath.

Reb advance takes heavy casualties

Union left - nice looking firing line

Rebs second wave on the left

As the firefight continued the Rebs reached their army break point (21 stands lost from 42) and so a Union victory was declared.

Union right looks strong

Union left looks good too

With the game won we then move into the post battle phase where units are upgraded and reinforcements received. The Rebs did jolly well in this phase with most of the losses restored to the ranks. A bad outbreak of the pox (rolling lots of 1's for attrition) actually left the Union the smaller army, but strongly augmented with additional 4 artillery.