Epic ACW battle.

Last night we had a 100% turnout for this fascinating game.Presenting a solo concept into a club concept was always going to be difficult,in that when I play my rules I can easily and quickly make a decision as to what I want doing-in a club game you can't do that,and a couple of anomalies reared up,and I must say were solved to everyone's satisfaction and the game proceeded at a lively pace after that-well done to us all.

This is the table as the "boys" saw it on arrival-Union on the right,commanded by Dave,Graham and I,whilst the Confederate forces were commanded by Brian,Paul and Malcolm-the objective was just to beat the enemy!!

No Malcolm we don't believe you-it's not that big!!!!!

Battle plan writing before any movement-very important in our games-looks like they are taking it very seriously!

Top photo shows Malcolm's attack on my troops in the town-very impressive,bottom photo shows Dave's attack on Brian's position in the farm-even more impressive!!-notice lack of red"pom-poms" so far-this will change as casualties mount!!

In the centre,Graham is positioning his troops to protect our flanks,and trying to lure Paul's troops across the creek-one or two "pom-poms" appearing!

Top photo shows Malcolm's troops continuing their assault on the town,and on the left,he has broken into my position,causing a re-shifting of reserves to block the ugly hole!!-Bottom photo shows  Dave making in-roads into Brian's position-note an awful lot of the dreaded "pom-poms"-things were really hotting up at this stage,but neither side had an advantage-great stuff!!

Central position stabilised!Paul(well out of character) seems reluctant to cross the creek but is doing sterling work with his artillery batteries and inflicting alot of casualties(pom-poms!) on Graham's troops.

Dave's troops are victorious(although they were now being commanded by Graham,because Dave had to leave early due to having to go to somewhere called "WORK" early tomorrow morning!!!)

Malcolm is still "knocking at the door" to the town,but is facing an up-hill battle-although he is giving my trops a hard time of it!!-at this stage we counted up units lost,and we found that the Rebs had lost 19 against the Union's 18-too close to call so we said a draw was the right result!

A very good game,well fought by both sides-roll on next week,a WW2 game was mentioned(Poles,Russians and Germans) so we'll try and sort something out!

"Epic" ACW rules test game.

On Sunday,Malcolm,Brian and I had a great ACW game testing some very(very,very!) simple rules to suit our "Epic" figures.Because of the numbers that will eventually be involved I thought that the simpler the better(KISS!) and they worked a treat,giving a fast and paperless game which worked out as historically correct as a wargame can be.

I had deliberately set the game out to test movement,firing and morale in all manner of situations. Here you can see my Union troops firing artillery at the "Rebs" who are naturally firing back.

Caption for this photo should be "Guess who's just thrown some poor dice?"-Once the troops got to within musket range,the dice were being thrown thick and fast,and the casualties(marked by small red pom-poms) were appearing on nearly every brigade/division-thrilling stuff being enjoyed by us all.

It's testament to a good game that I get so engrossed,and I forget to take photo's-this was such a game!! At the end of the game(in which I was "hammered" by Malcolm and Brian!) we all agreed that there was real  potential in the rules,and that we would try them using all of the "epics"  ie putting 60 regiments per side on the table,plus artillery and cavalry,and see how we handle the extra numbers-we will,of course, manage it superbly well!

A very welcome visitor came to my house on Monday................................

The one and only Charlie Wesencraft!!-he wanted to see my "epics" and to see how my rules work-we talked and talked and talked-discussing everything from world politics to prices,even Monkeypox!! and of course wargaming in general.One hilarious thing must be mentioned-he had the biggest bird shit I've ever seen in the middle of his windscreen-when I asked if he was going to wipe it off,he said no,it's been there for a week now,so I'll just wait until it rains to get rid of it!!!!!

I hope I've got half his stamina and enthusiasm when I reach 94!

Game preview for Sunday 22nd May.

Graham is still on holiday,Paul and Dave are going to Partizan show,so Brian and I are going to have "a go" using Brian's newly based ACW epic figures(hopefully Malcolm will turn up too!)

When we first got the "epics" we thought it would be a good idea to use one strip as a regiment,thus giving us 60 regiments per side-EACH!!!-in theory this was great,and massive battles were envisaged-however it became apparent very early on that 120 regiments "floating" around the board,per side, was not manageable,so we decided to "double-up" the regiments,vastly reducing the numbers(in fact halving them-education is great isn't it?) so having re-based Brian's figures this week,we thought a try-out game would be in order.

This is the table,Union troops on the left,Confederates on the right-I have set the game up to also "test" my simplified solo "red pom-pom" rules,to give a fast and exciting game(??)

The rules work on 3 regiments to a brigade,and 3 brigades to a division,2 divisions to a corps! so what you can see are divisions,which will work together,and give a sense of what it must have been like to command such large bodies of troops-sending divisions to do a job sounds much grander than sending regiments!!!

You will have noticed that each division has its own artillery,supporting as it did!

These represent a battery,two batteries per division-keep it simple stupid!!-I'm looking foward to "rolling out" this game and the new rules.

ACW (epic) Indoors.

Over the past two nights I have been having a solo ACW game,in my "new" location,indoors,and have thoroughly enjoyed it.

This is the table before any movement-the dark photo's are because the lampshade we have in the room,at the moment, is an up-lighter,but this will be resolved by the week-end.The sides are equal,but the Union are at a bit of a disadvantage due to their position-the right flank has been deliberately left open so I can use my cavalry(for the first time!)

They're off! artillery are exchanging shots(and not doing much damage!) whilst the cavalry are heading towards a clash,as can be seen in the bottom photo-the Union won all three melee's.

This shows the Union left flank-although the numbers were equal,the Confederates eventually won the fire-fight and gained the flank in fine style.

Top photo shows the left flank still blazing away,and the Rebs,having charged the Union line,are engaged in a melee(as are the cavalry in the foreground!) Bottom photo shows the result of the melee-the Union Brigadier got himself killed and his whole brigade decided to retire(it's good being retired!) leaving a huge hole to fill-luckily another brigade was well placed to do the job!!

Union left flank-denuded!!! a new line was now formed,as shown,and brigades rushed to fill gaps.

Although the Rebs are taking casualties,they are pushing onwards,and with overwhelming numbers against the Union centre,look to be the victors.................

One final photograph-the Union had,at the end of the game,16 units left on the table,the Confederates had 21-so no doubt as to who had won! A very interesting game,played at a leisurely pace,with breaks for coffee etc-grand stuff-lots more games planned,using 15mm ECW and Ancients-long may it continue!

 

Battle of Pine Creek 1863.

I have had a most entertaining two day battle,using my 15mm ACW figures,I called the encounter Pine Creek,which most probably doesn't exist,but it served my purpose!

Terrain map and table before any troops.I was using all of the figures which amounted to 60 regiments per side,ie 4 divisions each-could I cope using my simple solo rules?

I used photo-copied "cigarette cards" to depict the divisional commanders,to add a bit of realism(?) and then laid the troops out as per my written plans for both sides-it looked quite spectacular!

Each division was given a task to perform,as above,and off I went!

I marked the dispositions on the terrain map-the planning stage of the game was as interesting as the game itself-the Union reserve column came onto the board on move number 5(throw of a dice) and the Confederates on move number 3-this was significant and put the Union troops under alot of pressure later on!

The initial moves were particularly interesting-the terrain dictating formations and who got there "the fastest,with the mostest!"

This shows the centre action-musketry and artillery were causing casualties on both sides,which prompted divisions being hurled in to reinforce and replace battered regiments-great stuff!

The Confederate reserves are making a big push to out-flank the Union,who can only spare one brigade from their reserves-will this be enough???

Top shows the "Reb's" big push for the flank,middle shows the sorry state of both centres,and bottom shows the very sorry state of the Confederate right flank-only one thing for it now-the famous Rebel Yell,and get in with the bayonet!!!!

Top shows the ill-fated Rebel charge-shot to bits and forced to retire(it's good being retired!) middle photo shows another Reb brigade being sent to help out the out-flanking troops who were being sorely tried!-bottom shows the position being saved by the Union commander sending another of his brigades from his hard-pressed centre!!

Top photo shows the Union left-now secured,and they are about to out-flank the Rebels,bottom photo shows the state of both centres-red "pom-poms" denoting casualties-lots of them!!

THE END!-a costly victory for the Union-this was a very inspirational game,so much so that I am already planning the next big battle-wonderful wargaming!

I played the game on Tuesday and Thursday,spending the whole of Wednesday building MDF 15mm ACW houses,barns etc. but that's another blog!!!!