So there are 2 games planned for this month, the first being an ACW game. I did a quick search online for a scenario and JaysWargamingMadness came up. Now this is a treasure trove of wargaming goodness for the uninitiated and for those interested in the American Civil War with lots of scenarios and general terrain making guidance.

There was an excellent scenario for Gettysburg July 3rd 1863 and Picketts Charge. So I adjusted it for Black Powder and set up table as below. Now over Xmas 21 break I made some more fence sections and wall sections so almost had enough for a change.

Below are the starting positions. The Union has 3 brigades, from left to right… Alan has 3 regts and a battery, Keith has 4 regts and a 2 batteries(large) and Goldie has 4 regts(3 small) and 2 batteries(large). The Union second line can only advance when the Confederates are attacking over the stone wall.

Down the far end the Confederates from left to right are Rob with 5 regts, Robert with 5 regts and Russ with 5 regts. They have 4 batteries on a low rise behind them that do not move. Pickett is also AWOL so they are on their own. The Confederates are ‘Stubborn’ and have the ‘Rebel Yell’ rules(so they reroll a miss in hand to hand and re roll any morale save they want to). They also ignore the broken brigade rule. This is all to show their desire to get over that wall. The fences and wall offer a -1 to hit from infantry fire but no help from artillery fire plus have a 6inch movement penalty.

Here they come, the Rebs are on their way.

The Rebs are getting closer. So basically the Union players have to do as much damage as they can before the Rebs get close. In turn the Rebs have to shoot up the Union troops and try and silence the Union guns before they can charge in.

Now the Rebs have formed a long firing line to pour as much lead as possoble into the Union lines. The units dropping off are disordered/shaken units left behind for now.

Rob has some good shooting and has made Union regt retire ‘Whipped’. So they are permanently shaken and will keep 12 inches away from the enemy at all times.

On far flank Russ is getting damaged a bit, those big batteries at medium range dish out some damage.

I let the Union advance their second line when the Rebs made it to the wall(trigger was meant to be when Rebs engaged over wall…but….they seemed to want to not do that and were shooting to do as much damage as they could…silly me for letting them know about the 2nd line rule).Now below Russ has charged into the Union lines. Russ was playing as Armistead who had a +1 on charging rule for his brigade.

The attack didn’t go to good at the start…Russ has one unit remaining in the line attacking.

But…. they did the damage in the end.

On the other flank…the game is done…the casualty and disorder markers have been removed…..but this is the high water moment….the Rebs made it to the wall…but they had suffered to much damage getting there and the Union 2nd line reinforcements plus all that artillery firepower saved the day.

And the final view….on the left Russ has a shaken union having won combat sitting at the wall…..with a battery looking at their flank…infantry to the front and rest of the brigade spent. While Robert in the centre and Rob on the right in the same situation. An almost…but not not quite result for the Confederate forces.

So history repeated and the Union won. Will probably redo this allowing the Confederates to move their batteries forward……some time in the future.

The next game up is a ‘Victory at Sea’ game in the Atlantic. Russ and Steve have capital ships and carriers so a full fleet action will occur so this game will be a saturday game rather than an evening so we have plenty of time.

Til next time.

Terry