Battle of Waynes Junction.. Part 1

So here we go as promised, the first part of a run through of the most recent battle that DG and I have been fighting in our ongoing American Civil War campaign [click here].. we started this battle on February 22nd - further evidence if any were needed of how slow virtual games across the ether can be.... don't get me wrong, any game is better than no game, but they aren't quick...! The game is not yet finished...

As per the last battle [click here] we also used Battle Chronicler for handling the movement on this game. There's been several upgrades and new releases of this brilliant (and free!) tool and I'd recommend it to anyone for either recording their own games, or using it as we do as a means to play a real game across email.

The rules were Regimental Fire and Fury, and the Battle Chronicler set up is "real" so that we can use movement rates direct from the rule book.

DG and I tend to exchange files once per day, but with three, possibly four phases per move, that's potentially 8 move files to complete a turn...

Terrain was as above (click on any of the pictures in the post for a bigger and hopefully clearer view), and as DG was already present he was allowed field works - hence the breastworks and redoubts on the hill! This was clearly going to be a tough nut to crack..

The objective of the game for me was to push DG out of the town whilst not taking too many casualties... (there were other tactical and strategic imperatives, but DG reads this blog so I'll not expound on them here!)

My forces were as follows:

Basically, a couple of brigades of infantry (all good, but small regiments with very little gap between good condition and spent) and this time some artillery. DG also had a couple of brigades of infantry but although they were more numerical his infantry tended to be poorer ('green' or 'trained' c/w my 'crack' and 'veteran' guys) my he was heavy on artillery though!

Deployment was as follows - me in grey - DG as Union largely in blue:

Only one of my brigades present at the beginning - the second brigade will enter from the top of the screen.. DG had his guys behind the breastworks on top of the hill - but look at that artillery dominating the battlefield...

As a campaign game the outcomes from this battle were more important for me than the more usual stand alone game - for those who haven't checked the campaign page (link at top left) I am playing the Confederates with the goal of entering Waynes Junction so as to gain the vital war supplies stored there - I then have to get those supplies back to my own territory but that's somewhere in the future...

You should also be aware that in campaign terms I have a clever plan (so clever that if you put a tail on it you could call it Reynard etc etc ) to get me and the supplies away before DG knows what's up - full details on the campaign page, but it involves trains, and the station in Waynes Junction is key...

Move 1 (and I'm only showing the Confederate moves) - I need to find the supplies, the majority of the buildings are to the left of the hill, there's no way I can just wander up to them so I decide to repeat my previous tactics and attack from the right (my left) and roll him off the hill unit by unit, right to left... or that's the idea. Meanwhile I have the artillery providing enfilade fire..

Move 2: Give him the old "one two" - pin with my right, flank with my left - the flank attack starts. Second brigade (and you can just see 6th NC arriving top right of the picture) will be the reinforcement for the flank attack... 6th, 7th and 8th Louisiana have the honour of leading the attack. Was surprised how quickly I managed to close the hill...

Move 3: BANG! In goes the assault - all of the Louisiana regiments charge, and successfully push back their respective targets - gratifyingly the US artillery is gone! On the left of the battle DG has not stood still and has pushed forward two regiments to clear off the Confederate artillery...

Move 4: Union fightback on the hill, but the 7th and 8th Louisiana complete the 'swinging door' and ready themselves to take the 8th Ohio in the flank. To the north I've stopped the big flank move by the North Carolina brigade and directed them toward the main battle - doesn't look like I'm going to need them for the outflanking exercise, so decided to get them into the main battle as soon as possible...

You'll note that I've also secured the left of the battlefield and sent DG's 4th Ohio back where the came from..

Move 5: Consolidation and preparation for further advance

Move 6: BIG BANG - "at my signal unleash hell" [click here] - the door swings shut on top of the hill, and sends the 8th Ohio & 7th West Virginia reeling... at the same time the pinning regiments let out the rebel yell and surge forward.

You'll note that as I breasted the ridge of the hill further Union troops have appeared.. by this time I was so confidant I was just thinking "bring them on"!

Move 7: Keep on pushing - I have the momentum, time to keep up the pressure though DG is bringing up the New York regiments fast to stem the rushing tide of grey...

Move 8: Next big push (I don't remember it at the time but I'm clearly riding my luck) and the class of the Confederate regiments is driving all before them..

Move 9: There go the new York regiments - although I didn't know it the supplies are in those two blue roofed buildings between the road and the hill.

The 57th North Carolina are about to occupy the station - the plan seems to be working!

Move 10 & 11: All stop - the Confederate regiments are drained - time for more rest and consolidation but I have the objective.

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Stay tuned for part 2....