ACW campaign, week 3 - stary stary night

Once again, we had enough players for 3 tables - one accommodated 4 people so we upped the points from 24 to 32. The scenario was a pretty simple one, both sides started in a corner and tried to get units off the opposite edge. Being night, you could not shoot over 12" until turn 10. 

Game 1 - Mike vs Richard

The Confederates were quickest off the mark, quickly getting to the centre of the table and grabbing the house. The Union looked to defend the cover nearer their corner and await the attack. 

 

I missed the final scores for this one, but I think it was a Rebel win.

Game 2 - Paul vs Adam

 

A clash of deployment styles here with Napoleonic columns for the Union and rough mobs for the Confederates. We also opted for a local rule that columns should try to shakeout into something more linear for shooting to prevent too much focused fire.

Both sides moved as quickly as they could, setting-up a clash in the centre of the table. First into combat were some Natives, our first use of them in the campaign. They got pretty badly mauled by the Union troops, but the experiment will continue in future games. 

This one ended a draw with both players earning a point for low casualties suffered.  The Union officer was captured so costing 3 honour points to recover him. 

Game 3 - Stu/Roy vs Nigel / John

Some crowded deployment zones here with 32 points a side on the board. The Union attacked cautiously on their left and more aggressively on the right. The Rebels attacked swiftly through the middle and their right. 

 

The Union captured the central house, and this proved a thorn in the side for the Confederate as it gave a firing position in the centre of their lines as they prepared for their attack. The Union troops on their left fell back before the Confederate advance and made little progress. The Union on their right attacked boldly but took heavy damage once the sun came up from Reb artillery.   

This game was a marginal draw for the Confederates on casualties' cause/taken.

Standings 

So after 3 games we have the following honour. - the number after showing the games fought

11 - Steve (2)

14 - Richard(2), Mike(2), Nigel(2)

15 - Adam(2)

16 - Paul (2), Roy (3)

18 - John(3)

19 - Stu(3)

28mm Confederates

As I speed-painted my Rebs to get them into the field I never got around to taking any pictures. Rebels and Patriots uses quite small forces so 1 box of Perry plus a metal gun and some commanders in a complete force.

And a few Union troops for balance.

 

ACW Campaign - Week 2, a bridge too far

This week's scenario involved the attacking trying to bridge a river using two teams of engineers. This week I set-up some denser terrain than for previous games. We had 6 players so ran 3 games.

Game 1 - Paul vs Steve 

The Confederates were on the attack in this game. They opted to try and build two bridges close together in the shelter of two woods on the east side of the field. 

They managed to move quickly and with some good rolling were able to build the bridges quickly. So a win for the Rebs. 

Game 2 - John vs Roy

In this game the Union had the task of crossing the rivers. They pushed forward, looking to focus on a bridge in the centre of the table. 

They managed to get to the river first but faced long-range fire from the Rebs. They made some progress and managed to build two-thirds of a bridge before darkness fell. Honours were pretty even.

Game 3 - Stu vs Mike

Again, the Confederates were attackers in this game with me at the helm. I deployed with a strong central force at looked to split the enemy by building a bridge at each end of the river.  

Some accurate shooting from the Union troops slowed down the bridge building as the engineers were forced to relocate to avoid taking damage. The Union troops took very heavy damage but when darkness came the Rebs had only managed to build to partial bridges. So again, honours split. 

  

ACW campaign - week 1, capture the hill

We had 8 players this week so enough for 2*standard (24 points) and 1*larger game (32 points) games. The scenario was from the rules - capture the hill and hold until darkness. The game has a random end-time so its risky to plan a specific number of turns.

Game 1 - Steve vs John 

This was the bloodiest of the games with both players throwing the majority of their forces straight at the hill. 

Union troops advance

The Confederates were first onto the hill but were swifty attacked by the Union forces who managed to capture the hill before being thrown back then finally retaking the hill. 

Damn hard fighting on the hill

A close and action-packed game saw the Union taking the spoils.

Game 2 - Roy vs Adam

This was a cagey affair with both sides advancing carefully behind the cover of the main hill whilst the artillery took pot-shots at each other.  

 

Both forces stayed out of sight until the Union plucked-up courage and crested the rise at one end. Neither side was able to capture the ridge, but the Feds had the better of the shooting and caused the greater damage. 

Union first to the hill

Game 3 - Nigel vs Stu / Richard 

In the final game two different plans were in play. The Union forces hung back in cover hoping to move late and grab or contest the hill only in the last few turns. The Confederates looked to get their best shooting units onto the reserve slope whilst the aggressive units turned the right flank through the woods.  

The Rebs attack through the wood went pretty well as they routed the unit holing that side. More centrally they suffered though as a unit of Union Light Infantry beat them to the woods and they suffered from shooting trying to push them out. 

Rebs attack through the woods

The main force was though able to capture the unopposed while the flank attack kept the Union busy. Honours were even though with the Rebs taking greater losses in securing the hill. 

 

So after the first game the Honour standings are:

+5 = John

+4 = Adam, Stu

+3 = Nigel, Richard, Steve, Roy

0 = Mike, Paul (both yet to fight)

ACW campaign - week 0

This was a second round of practice games, but this time featuring representative army lists and objectives. The game was a pretty simple - capture the farmhouse and hold it until the end of the game.

Game 1

I played in this game commanding the Union forces. We both pushed forward with the Rebs moving first and grabbing the house while their artillery tore big holes in my lead unit.    

This prompted a change of approach - I looked to surround the house and pour in fire from three sides while my artillery picked off units the backfield so they could not reinforce the defenders. This proved pretty successful.  

Late-on I went short on ammo and so the Rebs launched a charge that pushed back the unit defending my right. I was able to fight back and ended the game holding the house.   

An attack goes in

Game 2

In this Union forces held back looking to adopt a defensive line near the house without really looking to capture it. 

The Confederates attacked with their usual gusto but suffered in the face of accurate Federal firing. Neither side held the house at the end, but the Confederates had taken the greater losses. 

The thin blue line

Game 3

In this game it was Union troops who were the more aggressive. Darkness fell early on this table so there was no result, but the Union had probably made the most ground, but we'll never know if they were over extended or in a winning position. 

Union attacks