*No fancy pre-amble to this battle.
Just imagine – it’s the 18th of September 1862 and the Battle of
Sharpsburg is just over, the bloodiest day to date in any American war.
Jean-Claude Pedisclaux’s brigade was held in reserve and didn’t see combat during
the Battle, but is used in a rear-guard action to aid in giving retreating
forces time to safely get away. The twin hill-ridges are seen as a position to
hold the pursuing Federal forces who would otherwise set up their deadly
artillery batteries to bombard the Confederate columns. General CJ Thompson’s brigade leads the
vanguard of the pursuing Yankee army.*
On Saturday, Stewart
came over in the evening so we could continue our ongoing Longstreet campaign –
as the title suggests “Game 3”.
Per our previous two games, we randomly rolled up the scenario
for the day and got yet another defensive one, “The Hilltop”. With my bonus
from last Campaign Card draw in scouting, I easily won the pre-game scouting
roll to determine who is Attacker/Defender and chose to defend the two hills
that were the objectives of this game. (Stewart’s now TWO full batteries
of Artillery would have to come to me, thus taking away that nasty advantage to
a certain degree for some of the game. Well, until they got in range!)
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The set up with the two hills on the left and my Confederate forces defending, on the right are the Union forces. the brown line along the center of the board is a sodden creek (I had no better terrain.). I had to set up first, so was forced to spread my forces out in anticipation of Stewart's main thrust.
1. Defending the left hill are my new fresh Veteran cavalry, dismounted and the Seasoned 3rd Louisiana Rifles
2. On the right hill were my new Virginian infantry, small artillery battery and the 12th Florida Infantry
3. I held the 26th Florida Cavalry in the center, ready to redeploy to help shore up an inevitable gap
4. The Louisiana 4th Rifles were staying a little back in the trees, ready to march forward to support the larger recruits on the hill if needed.
5. Stewart's main thrust was going to be at the forces on the left hill, seemingly my weakest front. All his infantry regiments were marching in column in order to close the gap all the quicker and his artillery limbered for the same reason.
6. Stewart's left flank was a diversion to try to keep my forces there contained whilst his main thrust went in. (Oo err missus) |
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| The Yankees prepared for war! |
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| And it begins! Though it was a slow start and we must have spent 4 turns just moving... |
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| My poor brave boys on a hill, watching as thousands of Federal troops quick-march in order to push us off the hills. |
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| On my right flank, Stewart sends a 6-stand infantry regiment down the flank, my 3rd LO Rifles move up from behind the trees to meet them, forming a neat line with the Virginian Recruits on the hill-crest. Stew also sends two tine 2-base regiments around the swamp, more distractions - my artillery limber up and move ahead for better firing lanes. |
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| The Union forces on my left flank advance swiftly en masse! I bring up the Florida infantry and Cavalry (And dismount them) to bolster my boys on the hill. Being in the woods will help protect them from artillery bombardment. |
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| Another turn of movement and I play a dirty-trick card. Stewart's large regiment of fresh recruits get's confused and wheel left into the path of another regiment. That will slow them down some more! |
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| Changes in formation and the blue lines are drawn, rifles at the ready! Yikes! |
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| On the right flank, the Union advance a little more toward the hill. My boys wait. |
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| Now my turn to curse as Confusion reigns within my own ranks and the perfectly set up cavalry on the left-most hill decide to march down the slope some, away from the hillcrest and the safety it affords! Sickle's curse? |
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| "That's right, the Yankee guns are in range now you dolts! Do we back up General?!" |
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| On the right flank, I choose to advance my boys off the hill. Those Yankee boys are vets and my right-most regiment will need all the help they can get. |
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| The big Federal guns open up and the brave defenders start suffering casualties. The left most Union infantry regiments attempt to flank the hill. |
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| On the right, some more movement by the federal regiments toward the hill. My own troops either stay put, dour in their resolve to receive the inevitable charge or shuffle for better shots. Troops are almost in rifle range on both sides of the battle. |
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| The big guns keep hammering at the brave defenders whilst near the center of the field, near the muddy creek amongst the trees, my regiments prepare to meet the oncoming blue lines. |
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| Cavalry carbines at the hillcrest take out a company's worth of Yankees! |
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| Whilst on the right, the Reb' guns also bark out and wipe a small regiment out! |
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| Now the Union lines fire back. The trees though are thick and no casualties taken. |
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| Things are truly underway now. Men are dying on both sides. |
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| Yet more Rebel shenanigans! A vindictive Colonel creates a reason NOT to carry on the march up the left flank! |
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| Smoke everywhere as rifles thunder. Not many casualties though, the Feds can also benefit from the cover of the woods. |
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| Some more movement. The Union continue their attempt to outflank my boys, who in turn correct their facing accordingly. In the center, two full regiments enter the woods, hoping to bring cold steel to bear! |
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| On the right, the remaining 2-base regiment tries to get out of range of the Confederate guns by marching behind the swamp. My regiments move forward to get into rifle range. |
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| On the left in the center, my boys see blue uniforms and with a rebel yell, CHARGE! |
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| On the right, brave Floridians do likewise! (This massed charge of 14 or so bases earns me an extra EP victory point!) |
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| The combat is fierce and deadly with mixed results on both sides. Regiments pull back to lick their wounds momentarily. The Yankee flank march continues... |
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| In the center deadly enemies offer baleful stares through the trees, daring eachother to try again. |
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| On the right, the Union Vet's pushed back the poor Reb's. |
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| The flank regiments are closing in. So many blue uniforms.... |
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| The Union veterans on the right flank charge at my infantry again! Their numbers are overwhelming and the Southern boys are pushed back up the hill. (Stewart also gets +1EP for a massed charge) |
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| In the center, the Confederate regiments pull back, considering to just pour fire into the oncoming Union infantry. |
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| 200 brave men of the south stand before the Yankee invader, daring him to assault again. |
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| The Union gun batteries split up, the center-most intending to commit counter-battery-fire against my Southern artillery. My lines pull back slightly, to better stay organised and provide supporting fire for eachother. |
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| Now all splendidly lined up, across my whole entire line rifles erupt and miniballs blast apart Northern bodies. |
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| No different in the center. |
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| Even the small survivors on the far right. |
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| It all counts and severe casualties are caused in the Yankee lines. |
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| All capped off with my artillery finally blasting the other tiny regiment apart on the right flank. |
With so many bases lost in a single turn Stewart is forced to make a force morale check. a 1-4 on a d6 and he continues (And probably puts my boys to flight.), but, he rolls a 6! The massed casualties on the Northern army are too many to bear and the order to withdraw is given. General Pedisclaux's boys jeer at the back of the retreating Yankees, though their victory was at some cost as their own regiments suffered this day.
The inter-battle phase was the last thing we were able to fit in as it was late by the time the battle was over. Actual losses were calculated for our forces and the effects of Typhoid in the camps. This saw the remainder of my brigade lose way too many bases.... a 1-in-6 chance to lose a base of troops can be SO devastating! Campaign cards saw me finally getting some Artillery reinforcements, infantry for a couple regiments and yet another full cavalry regiment of Veterans. In order to see my army stay at the minimum army size for hte campaign in 1862, I also got a new regiment of recruits.
[O and my general was promoted to 3 Eagles, whilst Stewart's was not and stayed at 2 Eagles. After this battle, we are tying on EP's with 13 each.]
My Confederate Brigade now looks like this:
Think we'll be getting in Game 4 in a month or two as we both felt a game of Regimental Fire and Fury or the new Sharp's Practice 2 was in order to mix things up a bit.
Hopefully next up a post with some more Winter Soviets, AND some new buildings for my snowy Ostfront Bolt Action games!
