'SOLDIERS OF GRANT AND LEE', early play-test. THE BATTLE OF FOWLER'S BLUFF.

The battlefield and scenario were randomly generated, resulting in a hill and rock bluff (cliff) on one end, a stream with a bridge, a wood and a farm house. The hill, in the middle, was obviously going to be the major factor, given both sides now the enemy can take it as an objective, so can’t let them have the easy VPs. It proved to be a main scrap on that flank, as both sides powerful brigades met there, whilst only really skirmishing on the other side.

We both had 3 brigades 2 deployed (1 infantry and 1 cavalry) and one infantry in reserve. Fro turn 1 the battle for the bluff was on, with the Rebs pressing hard, led by a big regiment of raw greenhorns, backed up by some 'regs' and artillery. The trading of fire resulted in the Rebs pulling back to regroup, but one Union regiment broke after a melee, whilst Reb sharpshooters got into the rocks and began their harassing fire, which would dog the Union for the rest of the game (even though skirmishing has a reduced role).

The crux of the fight would continue here for the rest of the game, with both sides sending in a new regiment and seeing them lost as well. In end, the Rebs would lose 3, and the Union 2, so carnage inflicted, but neither could claim the objective points. A few ‘withering volleys’ helped.

On the other flank, the Union cavalry trotted forwards and sent out their skirmishers (in this, I’m going to et the cavalry skirmish too, as harassing actions), but a Reb battery had them zero’d in and broken one. The Union reinforcements arrived on the left and moved ‘at the quick’ to cross the field and get into firing lines. One regiment kept going, along with the cavalry, as I had held a ‘break through enemy lines’ objective, and the chance to grab it was there, with the Reb infantry deploying into the centre. They moved up, but with crossing the stream, not fast enough. One recruit regiment was hit by a heavy a Union volley and broke in panic. The second cavalry regiment moved off the table edge and then the infantry followed.

The difference in VPs had opened up, with the Union having scored a narrow win. The Rebs had pressed hard on Fowler’s Bluff, but could not secure it.

We agreed a few new tweaks, mostly to some new special events and ‘themed’ special rules, as well as the army lists. The role of the cavalry remains a hot topic, because, well, they don’t really have much of a battlefield role and just can’t face infantry volleys. Using them will be something of a subtle art I think, because they can’t be shock troops. Their mobility will be helpful for some objectives, but do not expect much from your cavalry.

A few shots of the action...

Union brigade deploy to fight for the high ground of the bluff, on the right, the main fight today.

The cavalry detachment cover the open fields on the left, but under Reb artillery fire.

Reb cavalry move to face the Union cavalry, via the bridge at the Fowler's farm. Skirmishing followed, but no real clash.

Union greenhorns (brand new recruits) advance in line over the hill, to face the Union firing line.

Sharpshooters get into the bluff's rocks and harass the Union from the high ground all game, and irritating they were....

Under the rocky cliff, the Feds cover the river and woods, but only skirmish with distance Rebs. The main fire was on the hill. 

 

Operation Mercury campaign – Game 3 – Battle for Vlakheronitissia

Returning to our Crete '41 campaign, into campaign turn 2, and with more parachute landings (2nd wave, 2nd battalion, this time south of Platanias town), the map shows we have another opposed airborne landing game to play, but before that, for a change, some of my 1st wave fallshirmjager have equipped and  organised, and moved up from the Tavrontis riverbed via the southern slope of Hill 107 (an objective) through the small hillside village of Vlakheronitissia. With NZ troops coming the other way to occupy the village, we decided on a meeting engagement, at 300 points (still squad-level to be done in an evening), a straight Attack/Counter-Attack scenario. Forces picked from the Tobruk book, table set, 4 objectives placed, we got to the dice rolling...

Both side's scouts had a turn of moving up or sniping away, and the Cretan partisans jumped the FJ sniper in the woods in a close assault and killed him. Then the main NZ platoon arrived, led by more partisans headed down the slope, their Vickers MG team setting up behind to cover them.

The FJ moved up through the woods in their corner, and engaged the lurking enemy sniper, but missed. They also took revenge for their sniper and wiped out the first partisan squad with rifle fire. Things heated up in turns 3 and 4, and both sides moved up to secure objectives. The Vickers opened up some long range suppressing fire, aided by flinging 2" mortar bombs. The lead FJ patrol made it into the village, and got onto ambush fire, as the second partisan a squad rounded the corner and madly assaulted them. In a blaze of close range fire, the FJ squad was lost and most of the partisans died in a bloody brawl in the village centre (2 left). On the FJ far left, an MG-34 team traded fire with the Vickers, failing to pin it, whilst a second full NZ section occupied the opposite building. The MG-34 switched to keeping their heads down, but was also pinned by Vickers return fire. The unpinned NZers saw a chnace to assault the MG team from one buildings to the next, and did so, again, the MG team was lost (probably surrendered). FJ had their 80mm mortar set-up and it flung bombs over the village to pin another NZ section as they moved up passed the landed glider (just terrain in this game). 

Both sides had taken a fair few counters (5-6), but turn 5 would be the finale. FJ MG fire was failing to do much, but it did pin down the NZ rifle section in the far left buildings. Then, more rifle fire killed a couple of them, resulting in a rolled 1 on their morale test, routed. The pinned NZ section had seen enough, they legged it. Then, my timed JU-88 strike roared in low, unleashing 8 medium bombs across the upper hillside, which pinned a 2" mortar team and scored a direct hit on the second partisan squad (now pulled back from their early rash assault), it was annihilated in the smoke and dust. That counter, plus one for 'under air attack', saw the Commonwealth force break, 18 scored on a MV of 17. The elite FJ were at 18 of 22. A win! First of the campaign... and the foothold on Hill 107. We can now hold this village and use it to push on for the top, a fight for campaign turn 3. More Luftwaffe support required... first outing for the JU-88 I painted for this campaign, and it was a good one! He'll be back...

The village, up a slight slope (Hill 107 isn't that steep), and few surrounding fields, olive groves and animal paddocks. Lurking in the woods, angry, armed Cretan locals (partisans).

FJ infantry, Germany's blondest and finest, rush up through an olive grove to secure an early objective.

FJ zug engages the locals after they assaulted and murdered their sniper!. They are mercilessly wiped out in revenge.

NZ rifle section investigates the glider... and come under accurate 80mm mortar fire, pinning them down most of the game.

More armed local partisans head for their village.

The finale, timed JU-88 bombs the hillside above the village, and the New Zealanders have seen enough and withdraw. Vlakheronitissa is taken, my foothold to reinforce and then push on for the top of Hill 107, a battle for next campaign turn. The Luftwaffe turned the tide today.

Campaign hex map, turn 2, blue counters are the FJ (each counter roughly a company strength unit). 2nd Sturm Battalion have hit the ground south of Platanias in relatively good order, but one company landed on top of a NZ rifle company (our next game, which may well hurt). Meanwhile, the main objectives of Hill 107 and Maleme airfield must be taken before any extra German reinforcements (the gerbirgsjager) are allowed. Not all NZers have yet been revealed... only revealed as encountered.

SOLDIERS OF... ACW, EARLY PLAY-TEST

A chance to play-test my conversion of Soldiers of Napoleon into the American Civil War. With some basic lists and profiles and few tweaks, we played 3 brigades each (2 infantry, 1 small cavalry detachment). This was just to get a feel for how it might work, and what might need changing to move from Naps to ACW, and to get better feeling for the theme, and making sure it comes through in the mechanics. How is ACW different from Naps (cavalry use is the obvious example for me)?   

In the end we played for 4 hours and, after a slow start – we deployed a long way apart, which we'll fix in future games, to get into the action quicker – things got hot fast. 

The two cavalry screens both looked like facing off, but actually this fight never materialised, as the Union cavalry made a rash charge at some advancing Reb infantry, won the melee and then took huge punishment for the charge from musket/rifle fire, that saw them off, all but destroying them (beware an Impetuous Cavalry Charge special event). My other cavalry regiment had dismounted and opened up a heavy fire on a Reb cavalry regiment which broke... so the cavalry was pretty much nerfed by Turn 2... the main infantry fight then followed.

The Rebs were on the attack, and pushed hard through Federal cannon fire (a lot of Intense Cannonades), until the trading of volleys began. There wasn't much skirmishing, with reduced skirmish values for all units, which will need looking at, but the big volleys hurt! The Rebs pushed up and made a few charges, most were narrowly defeated, but one Union artillery battery was overrun. VPs had mounted up and it was very close. Into Turn 6, and either side could win it, but the damage was mounting up to be beyond containing, and a a Union regiment (my veteran zouaves) broke and ran. In the end, this gave Jonny Reb a harrow victory, breaking the Union lines by -3 VPs, vs the Union equalling the Reb's break point. So, with a few better rolls, or even the Rebs flunking a rally attempt that saved one battered regiment of recruits, it could have been a different result. 

It left me with a few good thoughts on changes, but generally that volleying, at slightly longer ranges, is lethal, and will be the main feature of the battles. We need to be careful that the extra artillery allowed doesn't come to dominate too much, its needs to be powerful, but not so that you can just sit back and pound away to win. My batteries would have been a defining aspect of this fight, if they hadn't run out of ammo! The "Ammo Low' card needs looking at, it's a no-brainer of a play as it stands to nerf larger batteries. 

Work to do, but it was fun and a positive start. Here is a few pictures.

The Confederates advance towards the big house, held by the Union.

Reb cavalry come through a small copse, only to be shot down by dismounted Feds with repeater rifles and a 'withering volley'... cavalry's role will be a tricky one, but as mobile infantry makes a nice point of difference from Napoleonics.

Blue line holds the road and volley away. Longer ranges means it happens more...

Union CO (4 command points) and a supply wagon... such things have to have their place on the field. Mine resupplied a artillery battery low on ammo, which then ran low on ammo again! 

Union battery in front of the big house, hammered away to good effect, but was later overrun in a Reb charge, but not before canister fire did its work.... which got messy!