Longstreet - Four Player Mini Campaign Game AAR

Longstreet 1863 Mini Campaign

Introduction

I needed to put together a Longstreet campaign for our fortnightly gaming group but had to keep in mind two things firstly timing getting 4 people to commit to a long campaign is a big ask and secondly the size of two USA 1865 forces would stretch my available miniatures to the limit. With these factors in mind I decided to go with a three game 1863 mini campaign. I translated the regular campaign game forces into points (around 210) and then using that total looked at the real forces and their locations in the summer of 1863 and came up with a hypothetical series of three actions over three days. There would still be the full post game process after each of the first two games excepting the promotion phase. Forces would be rebuilt after the first two games back to the 210 point limit with replacements and “historically” available reinforcements.

Situation:

June 1863: With the army of North Virginia pushing deep into the northern states apprehension was spreading throughout the Union. Late June found the grey clad men of Ewell’s II Corps so far north they were attempting to cross the Susquehanna River at Wrightsville. Alarm at this development amongst politicians in Washington saw them place enormous pressure on General Meade to send troops to deal with this threat and despite his wishes to keep the Army of the Potomac concentrated on June 28 the V^th Corps was dispatched post haste to deal with the Confederate forces concentrating around the town of York. The same day saw the Rebel units stymied in their attempt to cross the Susquehanna River with the only major bridge within their reach burnt down. General Early ordered his men to depart Wrightsville the next day and head south west through York to re-join Lee’s main army. The deployment went smoothly until late in the afternoon of the 29^th and the troops were shocked to encounter a large force of Yankees around a farm owned by John Smith. Early curse his lack of cavalrymen to carry out proper reconnaissance but in his estimation he had the resources available to beat these Bluebellies. Orders were immediately issued for a general attack! Quickly the situation developed into a general engagement as the Union Commander Sykes deployed his men to stop the Rebels attempt to turn his left flank…

Battle 1 – Battle of Greys Farm

Scenarios and Forces

Forces are balanced at approximately 205 points

From defenders view the Flank Attack Battlefield is to their left Flank and the Crops battlefield is to the right (creating a nice set up salient!)

Scenario special rules and objectives are in place

Break Point is 36

Flank Battlefield

USA

V^th Corps 2^nd Division 1^st Brigade 205 points

Brigadier General Ayres (European Service & Wealthy)

3^rd US Regulars                      I           S          V          7 Bases

4^th & 6^th US Regulars             I           S          V          7 Bases

12^th & 14^th US Regulars         I           S          V          7 Bases

Attachments

5^th PA Res                              I           S          V          6 Bases

9^th NY Cavalry                        C         E          R         5 Bases

1^st NY Battery C (Part)           A                                  3 Light Rifles

CSA
II^nd Corps Early’s Division Gordon’s Brigade 204 points

Brigadier General Gordon (Friend in State House & Wealthy)

13^th & 26^th GA                         I           S          V          8 Bases

31^st & 38^th GA                         I           S          V          8 Bases

60^th & 61^st GA                         I           S          V          7 Bases

Attachments

31^st VA                                    I           E          R         5 Bases

White’s Cavalry                       C         S          V          4 Bases

Green’s Battery (Part)            A                                  1 Napoleon 1 Howitzer

Crops Battlefield

USA

V^th Corps 3^nd Division 1^st & 3^rd Brigades 204 points

Brigadier General Crawford (Fire & Brimstone Preacher & Scout)

1^st & 2^nd PA Res                     I           S          V          8 Bases

6^th & 13^th PA Res                    I           S          R         7 Bases

3^rd Brigade

9^th & 10^th PA Res                    I           S          V          6 Bases

11^th & 12^th PA Res                  I           S          R         8 Bases

Attachments

17^th PA Cavalry                      C         S          V          5 Bases

1^st NY Battery C (Part)           A                                  3 Light Rifles

CSA

II^nd Corps Early’s Division Avery’s & Hay’s Brigades 205 points

Colonel Avery (Fire & Brimstone Preacher & Political Savvy)

Avery’s Brigade

21^st & 57^th NC                         I           S          V          8 Bases

6^th NC                                     I           S          R         7 Bases

Hay’s Brigade

5^th & 6^th LA                              I           S          V          8 Bases

7^th & 8^th & 9^th LA                     I           E          R         8 Bases

Attachments

Green’s Battery (Part)            A                                  2 Napoleons 1 Howitzer

Turns 1 to 4

The Confederates advanced along their entire line and deployed all the guns on a large bare hill near the centre of the battlefield, because of the lack of vegetation on this hill the gunners named it Big Bald Top and the smaller hill alongside being traversed by the infantry was christened the Little Bald Top! Good progress was made and the Yankees moved forward to meet this offensive much to the surprise of the attackers. The Union right deployed its guns in the centre its cavalry on their flank and the infantry moved into the fields of crops. The Yankee left swung forward into the open led by their cavalry where they were hit by much Rebel fire but with little effect, the Pennsylvanian horsemen were especially immune to southern lead!

During this part of the game a trend was already occurring where due to the terrain the units in the extensive crop fields were using far less cards than their counterparts on the more open flank.

Armies at the ready...GO!

Close up of "our boys!"

Turn 4

Turns 5 and 6

In the fields of crops both sides came to grips in a skirmish match and an uncoordinated Rebel charge was repulsed as half the force was late getting their orders! On the Flank battlefield the Rebels did not manage to manoeuvre into a charge position and a long firefight was pretty evenly balanced, a feint to the far right stretched the Yankee line to its fullest.

At this stage on the Crop Fields battlefield the Rebels had a good position as they were hidden in the crops while the Yankees were in the open on the Flank side the Union was actually better placed and causing casualties through fire while the Rebels failed to convert their many hits to kills.

Turn 5 looking down the line from the Yankee right...

Turn 5 looking down the line form the Yankee left...

Turn 6

Still Turn 6 and what was that rule again...

Turns 7 and 8

The Union troops charged into the Rebel line with their cavalry flanking a unit and the men of the south skedaddled luckily with light casualties but their egos severely bruised! In the centre the artillery duked it out and a few Union guns were destroyed the mix of height and counterbattery modifiers making very hard for them against the Confederates. On the Flank battlefield the firefight continued with both sides losing men (and cards!).

This is where we called it quits for the night. The losses were now slightly in favour of the Rebels but the overall deployments were starting to favour the Confederates.

Hmmm no pics... 

Turns 9 to 15

Turns 9 to 12 saw both side continue the firefight while the Rebels tried to redeploy their better regiments into attack positions. The Pennsylvanian horsemen started a grand ride around the CSA rear while one battery tried to train their guns on them and White’s Cavalry where forced to deploy in pursuit. Turn 13 the Rebs in the crops charged the blue line unsuccessfully and on the following turn the Rebs on the flank repeated the process, charged and they too were pushed back but now the Union losses from the firefight were outpacing those of the Confederates and on the first part of turn 15 a roll of a die decided the outcome (a 2 to 6 was required).

Turn 11 'Flank Battlefield'

Turn 11 'Fields Battlefield'

End of Game...

Well a brutal game with heavy losses looks and a good haul of Epic Points for the leaders:

Stu       5 Epic Points

Pete     5 Epic Points

Dave   4 Epic Points

Alan     3 Epic Points

Unit Losses

CSA 27 Bases

USA 35 Bases

1/56 Home Made River & Sarissa Bridge

Well when I picked up the Sarissa building I also got their Bridge and Radar Station kits too as both will be usefull in upcoming games I have in mind.

The bridge was easy to assemble and I painted it with cheap rattle can grey primer and the concrete pylons got a shot of rattle can machine grey. Then I hand painted the walking ramp boards and added a piece of wet and dry sandpaper to road section of the bridge and all sorted! Quick and easy.

For the river I used the gap filler technique I've used with other scales. I used some MDF as a base spread the gap filler then painted it green/blue (a bit too much green in the end buy hey its algea time) with off white highlights. Then I glued some sand to the edges which got a brown wash.

Put the two together with some of my 28mm Brits and you get...

Keep gaming! 

1/56 MDF Laser Cut Building Reviews Battlefield Accessories & Sarissa

With my 28mm collection slowly expanding into WW II I've decided a few building would be necessary for a bit of an 'urban' skirmish. Now with the pricing of the new laser cut MDF building I've decided the Dollars spent are more than  worth my time to make complex and good looking buildings. A quick search of the net revealed many companies making laser cut MDF buildings, there was even one e based here in Adelaide but their Wild West main theme didn't fit with what I was after. I decided to be fair and selected a couple of sample products to compare some local Australian wares from Battlefield Accessories with one of the big boys Sarissa.

Today I'm comparing BA's Village Building 2 (AUD16 + some shipping) and Sarissa's Destroyed Terrace House N025 (GBP9.99 free shipping that's to Arcane Scenery) so they are actually almost exactly the same price.

Arcane Scenery and Models

Battlefield Accessories

Here are some pictures BA's single story jobbie versus Sarissa 'damaged' thingee...

Here's what I think, I'll definite be getting some more Sarissa stuff but unless I can source the BA kits locally going on what I've seen from the two Village Building kits th BA stuff is too expensive for what you get.

Battlefield Accessories summary

Plus

Assembles well with good fitting parts

Includes an interior wall

Interior floor detailing

Fireplace detail

Minus

Dear for what you get

Overall low level of exterior and window detailing

No doors ?!? What happen here...

Sarissa summary

Plus

Assembles well with good fitting parts

High level of exterior detail

Good looking extra window and door parts giving depth

Interior floor detailing upstairs

Minus

No ground level floor detail, odd considering the upstair has detailin?

No Fireplace detail chiminey just stops halfway down the wall

I think there is a Longstreet AAR to be posted soon...

Chain of Command

“You know what the ‘Chain of Command’ is? It’s the chain I go get and beat you with ’til ya understand who’s in ruttin’ command here.” – Jayne, Firefly
Well, ok, wrong genre, but it’s still a great quote.
Today though, I’m talking about my (current) favourite WWII ruleset – “Chain of Command” from Too Fat Lardies. I pretty much own every ruleset out there for this period (except Rapid Fire for some reason – and that just happens to be the one that TeeSOG plays). So I have started building a BEF force to play scenarios from the Battle of France in 1940. I’m hoping to play a linked series of games following the exploits of a platoon of infantrymen forming the rear guard of the retreat to the beaches of Dunkirk. Opposing them would be a variety of German forces: initially reconnaissance units followed by Panzers as the blitzkrieg rolls over them, and then infantry and even some SS troops for good measure.
To this end, I have started making a number of scenic pieces to use as Jump Off Markers and Objective Markers.

I have a number of 1:48 scale vehicle kits to build too – a Bedford lorry, a aircraft refuelling truck (will be made as a burnt-out ruin), a Universal Carrier, and a Westland Lysander spotter plane for the British. And for the Germans I have an Opel Blitz truck, a Kubelwagen, an SdKfz 222, and a Panzer II. (I chose 1:48 because … reasons.) I’ll post pics of them once I have a few finished.

First Post - About TSOG!

Okay I’ll start this Blog off then!

Just FYI this is all about mates getting together fortnightly and playing casually with Toy Soldiers while drinking beer and conversing on all things from cars to girls, interestingly enough last meeting we discussed the effect on a relationship a game of Squad Leader with one’s girlfriend can have! Anyway back to the Toy Soldiers there’s no place in our games for Rules Nazis and since we are not betting our sheep stations on the results winning in not the be all and end all of things!

So far since formalising our old ‘ad hoc’ gaming and starting regular catch ups we have managed:

2 games of Rapid Fire WW 2 (I don’t have any pics of these)
1 game of A State of War Skirmish ACW
2 Napoleonic Era Naval games
1 Longstreet game (Dave and I started a Campaign)

Here are some pictures from our various games so far! Once we get in the groove there’ll be a full AAR for each game…hmm if that requires thought and less beer drinking on the night we could be in trouble!

ACW Longstreet

Link to AAR

Some Pictures - Dave's Blue Bellies whipped my Southern Boys soundly!

ACW A State of War Skirmish Game

Link to AAR

Some Pictures - this game with Stu and Dave we called a draw there was one victory point in it!

We’ve tried modified Trafalgar rules too as there’s nothing like playing with ‘wooden ships’ allowing you to use your full pirate vocabulary! AVAST MATIES! Both of these games we stopped prematurely as we sort of spent more time fighting the wind (meteorological kind) rather than each other we need to improve our sailing a bit here so the fleets don’t drift apart doing wild manoeuvres!

In the first game the French finished with a slight edge crippling one British 3^rd Rate ship but were struggling to get back into position to get back into action and in the second game the Frenchies were slightly worse off with one ship of the line striking its colours and another damaged with the British had lost a frigate, not sure why that game stopped I think we were sick of trying to sail into the wind! We then unwound with a few laps on the Scalextric track!

Game One

Game Two - I believe due to global warming our oceans faded to a very light blue for this game...

We’ll be posting everything from AARs to pictures of our miniatures to our thoughts on rules so in the words of Trajan “let the games begin”!