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!