Battle of Hillsboro

General Withers, confident after his victory at Pelham, pursues his opponent to Hillsboro. There General Palmer has prepared well against the expected advance, and instead of awaiting the Confederates, decides to attack.

A large force, under General Hazen advances across open ground in the centre.



On the Union right, rival cavalry regiments eye each other along the road. But leave the early advances to the infantry, preferring to exploit success. The Union manage to take control of a hill overlooking some Confederate regiments, and seek to support their fellows' advance.



On the Union left the action is opened by a gallant charge to take the Confederate guns overlooking the river. If these are taken the entire Confederate right will be open. The attack is singularly unsuccessful, despite the leadership of General Cruft and the regiments are cruelly beaten back, as are the supporting infantry regiments.

The Confederate instead cross the river themselves and seek to turn the Union instead.



So as to help ensure the success of this demonstration a larger attack is planned closer to the centre of the battlefield.



In the centre proper, a large Union "grand battery" supports the assault by General Hazen.



As a Union infantry regiment makes towards the Ward's Farm on their extreme right, two Confederate cavalry regiments pounce with telling effect. The decimated regiments rushes to relative safety within the farm buildings and fences.



The Union cavalry rushes to relieve their comrades, with the aid of another infantry regiment and the Confederates withdraw slightly.



In the centre, General Hazen's assault is initially successful, though with losses. The Confederate counter-attack is insufficient to throw them back.



The brave infantry regiments take the hill and threaten the line of retreat of the Confederates.



On the right, despite the successful cavalry attack by the Confederates they are left weakened and unable to exploit. Union forces are similarly disadvantaged and a lull ensues.



In the centre, General Hazen leads a brigade to a nearby ridge which commands the remaining Confederate battery at Peterson's Farm.



Despite direct intervention from General Manigault, his Brigade is broken by the assault.



On the Union right a large assault is made by General Grose, pushing back the Confederates with sever effects.



The brave counter-attack cannot change the course of the battle, as General Withers withdraws back to Pelham.

Champion Hill

The Scenario

When writing this scenario I undertook to allow a broad range of actions and intentions by both sides. While a truly historical scenario might ignore anything on the Middle and Raymond roads and concentrate on events at Champion Hill itself, I wondered what would happened if generals on those axes were more active than they were historically.

That said, I used special cards and deployments to steer certain things historically, for instance putting in a special card for the Union which would temporarily prevent Loring's division from sending his brigades northward - "Does General Pemberton know the enemy is in great force in my front?"

I got great use out of Timothy Smith's Champion Hill: Decisive Battle for Vicksburg and James Arnold's Grant Wins the War: Decision at Vicksburg, I'd welcome any comments from readers, while suggesting that at times certain decisions of my were guided by gameplay rather than historical accuracy.

We did run the entire battle twice, both with significantly different results, I'm posting the second of those AARs here.

Morning

The Union generals began the day by developing their lines carefully and deliberating, under strict orders from Grant. Only in the centre did the attempt to move artillery batteries forward while sending a brigade after the 12th Arkansas Sharpshooter Battalion causes a less than orderly advance.


Aerial View of Battlefield at the start of the day


On the Union left, AJ Smith advances using the road to speed up his rear regiments while moving his forward units gradually off the road, being mindful of a Confederate brigade on his threatening his right flank.


AJ Smith leads division towards Croker Ridge

In the centre Bowen's division advances east of the Ratliff Road to catch the Union divisions before they can bring their superior numbers to bear.


Osterhaus and Bowen square off on Middle Road south of Cornfields

As the Union divisions are just about to get their final orders to make contact with the Confederate defence, it is discovered that communications with Grant have slowed to a snail's pace, due to a huge number of supply wagons on the back roads connecting the main axes of advance.


Union rear on Raymond Road snarled up by supply train

Trouble strikes the Union centre as Carr's division struggles to clear the woods of a sharpshooter battalion impeding a quick deployment towards the line Osterhaus has identified for the two divisions.


Carr's division finds advance through woods impeded by 12th Arkansas Sharpshooters

Further north, Logan's initial probe towards Champion Hill is repulsed. In the firefight, the 2nd Illinois and 6th Missouri Cavalry take advantage of the preoccupation of the Confederate gunners to overrun the Cherokee Georgia Battery. They escape with only minor losses despite the supporting fire from the slopes of Champion Hill from some of Cumming's Brigade and Claiborne's Battery.


Logan's initial probe towards Champion Hill is repulsed

Afternoon

Just as AJ Smith’s division, supported by Blair begins its attack on Loring’s division on Croker Ridge, Buford’s brigade emerges from the woods nearby to hit them hard in the flank, forcing AJ Smith to respond by pulling back a brigade on that side.


AJ Smith's division hit hard in the flank by Buford's brigade

Meanwhile in the centre things are getting hot, as Lee takes several regiments into the Cornfields for respite from Union pressure. He used his position to put some enfilading fire onto regiments marching down the Middle Road.


Lee leads regiment into Cornfield supported by Waddell's battery

Buford has successfully completed his task of slowing down the Union advance against Loring, and with only minor loss to his brigade. By afternoon Loring has brought all his regiments to the eastern edge of the woods and to the ridge itself, withdrawing Adam’s cavalry from its dangerous position covering the road.


Loring's division prepares for Union onslaught

Meanwhile at Champion Hill Logan and Hovey are moving very conservatively on Confederate positions, keeping their lines steady and hoping to act like a vice in taking the position.


Logan's and Hovey's divisions advance on Champion Hill in good order

The Confederates there are not worried, having moved a brigade up to a defensive line, and skirmishing well with any Union regiment attempting to skirt the hill on the road.


Union troops can see Barton's brigade on north-eastern slopes of Champion Hill


With both sides almost spent and reduced to long-range exchanges in the centre (Bowern has been seriously wounded by a sharpshooter) and with things looking so dangerous at Champion Hill, Loring mounts a counter-attack after successfully weathering a full-scale assault by AJ Smith’s division, led by Buford’s brigade again.


AJ Smith's division reels from counter-attack led by Buford


Evening


When Loring’s main strength joins in the counter-attack from the front, the effects are disastrous for the Union, and AJ Smith’s division, along with forward elements of Blair’s are driven from the field.



AJ Smith's division shattered by Loring's attack


The remains of Blair’s division supported by several batteries drive back the advance regiments of Loring’s division, giving them some room to reform their lines. However the absolute carnage caused to the Union divisions on this flank is clear to all, and Blair forms his new line out of Loring’s reach.



Blair's division forms new line outside range of Loring's guns


Loring begins to send his brigade north towards Champion Hill, but all wonder if the steady advance of Logan and Hovey will pay off before they can reach there, or before night falls. Their assault is coordinated and from both sides, leaving Cumming's and Barton's brigades shattered, and Stevenson himself has been seriously wounded taking command of a brigade on the eastern slopes near the road.



Logan and Hovey coordinate assault on Champion Hill


As the Union triumphantly surge up Champion Hill, only a lone battery commanded by Claiborne still stubbornly holds out.



Lone guns of Claiborne's Battery hold to last man

The Confederates are broken, but the Union command looks nervous about their victory, and the Confederate commanders decide to break the Union strength by retaking Champion Hill before nightfall. They hope to effect a good withdrawal of the army and to hamper any future Union attempts to take Vicksburg. Before any fresh orders are sent, dusk falls and the day belongs to General Grant.


Aftermath


I’ll add a few comments as GM and observer. The Union approach was quite ponderous, requiring a full deployment before any real engagement. One could see the Union CinC player looking sternly at the subordinate players once or twice when they looked like they were getting ahead of themselves. This was most important around Champion Hill, where the Confederates had the best terrain, and the Union overwhelming numbers, and a division well in reserve which could have been completely left out of the picture by an overconfident player there. When that became apparent to all, I was slightly surprised that the Confederate on Champion Hill moved to a forward defence rather than a crest-line defence, which would have helped diminish Union superiority and coordination.

In the centre both sides were very quickly exhausted, with several units pulled out of the line when they were close to being destroyed. The sharpshooters did a lot of good work at frustrating the Union player here. Along the Raymond Road, all were amazed at the damage done to the Union, especially given the well ordered advance. Even so, they should probably have come out of it worse. When Blair’s units counter-attacked to set up their lines, 12 dice were rolled against various confederate units, with 11 (rather than the average of 6) coming up hits!


The Union won 18-20 (The Confederate break-point was 18 - the Union break-point was 23) so it was close enough in the end.

Battle of Gettysburg - Day 3

Battle of Gettysburg - Day 2

Battle of Gettysburg - Day 1

Heth's Division finds it difficult to cross Willoughby's Run, given Buford's Division's masterful defence in depth, retreating when pressurised and then advancing again to hit on advancing Confederate units.
Unwisely, Heth neglects to advance his Artillery brigade sufficiently to control the crossing, and frustrated with his attempts to cross at the bridge, personally leads a brigade to cross the Run away from the bridge.
That brigade is destroyed and Heth himself captured by Buford's boys.

Reynold's leads his Corps towards Gettysburg along the Hanover Road, to take up positions along the railway cut and into Gettysburg itself. There's not a moment to lose, with Rodes' Division advancing down the Carlisle Road towards him.

Fighting quickly turns bitter along the railway cut, with Reynold's clinging to that defensive feature with everything he's got. His position looks less secure as Pender's Division quickly advances down Chambersburg Pike to overlook Gettysburg from Seminary Ridge.

As the rest of Ewell's Corps, Early's and Johnson's Divisions hurry down the Carlisle and Harrisburg Roads. But help is at hand for Reynold's beleagured position. Howards entire Corps is marching with all due haste up the Taneytown Road towards Gettysburg.

Fate has struck a cruel blow to Union hopes, as a company of Rebel sharpshooters, basing themselves near Little Round Top throw panic into Howards' column and they deploy out of their marching formation to deal with what must be a Confederate advance! While the sharpshooters are dealt with they have spoiled any opportunity for the Union to have a strong well-developed line for the morning...

Battle of Gettysburg - Background & Design

How it came to pass

This was our first foray into running large wargames using Richard Borg's Command & Colours games. The initial impetus to run something other than a single board game of Battle Cry came quickly enough, and since these were the days before Borg published Memoir '44 with its 'Overlord' rules we had to come up with something ourselves (very similar in the end).
Regarding Gettysburg specifically Eamon lent me his copy of the Osprey Campaign book Gettysburg 1863: High Tide of the Confederacy
where in the wargaming section at the back was writ:

Gaming the entire battle is either a test of endurance or intellect, because with standard miniatures rules, most games that try to be comprehensive recreations of the battle run for multiple days, certainly much longer than the actual battle itself.

This seemed like a challenge to me!

The Eamon & Donogh Collaboration Project

Eamon and I have different talents when it comes to wargaming, and by-and-large we stick to our spheres with great success - Eamon does production and I do rules.
He's the Sullivan to my Gilbert I suppose...


Gettysburg was the first real outing of this partnership.
Firstly it was our intention to have high production values - fully painted up scenery and miniatures.
Secondly it was our intention to be as historical as possible, while allowing gameplay to veer away from what actually happened.
Thirdly (and most importantly) we wanted the game to be fun!

Deciding on Scale, Scope etc.

For figure scale, we quickly decided on 6mm (1/300)
It has advantages in terms of visual impact - yes, even against 28mm or other larger figures.
Our reasoning was that looking at a battlefield, the impression of a body of troops is much better when you see 72 6mm figures depiciting a unit when you see 5 or 6 28mm. (whether this be a company or a division). In terms of occupying a space, 4 strips of 6 6mm figures actually occupies (more or less) the same footprint as a single 28mm figure.

There are also significant advantages logistically - it's much easier to transport 6mm figures than 28mm (I think the entire orders of battle for both sides fit into 4 or 5 video cases - although we were still working out of a metal tool-case at the time).

They're also easier and quicker to paint up - yes, even against 28mm or other larger figures.
Even though the figures are smaller, one doesn't attempt to fit in as much detail as you might for a 28mm figure.

When working towards a convention event these two issues are hugely important.


On scope, we decided to attempt to cover the entire three days of battle, from Buford's initial skirmishes to climactic advances on Cemetary Ridge.
I also wanted to give players the opportunity to maneuver, to take up positions which weren't gone near during the battle itself, to allow the alignment of the battlefield to change as days passed, and as the fortunes of battle waxed and waned.

(as a complete aside this is one thing that always annoyed me about setup rules in BattleTech, where the recommended ratio for number of units to number of mapsheets almost completely obliterated any advantages in maneuverability and long-range firepower certain 'mechs might have, and encouraged all-out close-range assaults)

Coming up with rules for movement in reserve, dusk bring fighting to an end and night marches were all part of the process bring the full scope of the battle to light.


Using Borg's Battle Cry system, with infantry units of 4 stands, cavalry of 3 and artillery of 2, and with notable leaders, we defined infanty, artillery and cavalry units as being brigades, and leaders as being the various Corps Commanders. This put a potential of 130 units on the battlefield.

But everything would start with Buford and Heth along Willoughby's Run - just 8 units under the command of two players.

Reinforcement would come on the roads, and as new sections of the battlefield opened up, additional players would join in.

Adding Bells & Whistles to Battle Cry

Out of the box, Battle Cry is quite generic, and doesn't give a lot of colour. So we wrote up special cards (12 for each side) to model specific events which did (or could have) occured during the battle.

A few examples:

Enraged Rhetorician (Union)
“Stand firm ye boys from Maine”
Play in the confederate turn, immediately after a confederate player has declared an attack against an adjacent Union infantry unit. The Union unit may immediately battle counting retreats as crossed swords.
[Modelling Strong Vincent's Brigade's defence of the Little Round Top]

Wooden Leg (Confederates)
"You see how much better fixed for a fight I am than you are.
It don’t hurt a bit to be shot in a wooden leg"
Play to save a general from a “Sharpshooter” card
[Modelling Ewell's close call with a sharpshooter]

Misread Orders (Confederates)
"It was not through any misinterpretation of orders"
Play in the union turn, immediately after a union player has moved units. You may now move those unit an additional hex, and they may not battle.
[Modelling Sickles' advance]