"One Hour Wargames" - Scenario 11 - "Surprise Attack" - Game

..and the stars were in alignment, and the broadband behaved, and so it was that on the seventh day (the game was on Sunday ), DG and I got together over Skype to play the "Surprise Attack" scenario...

A brilliant game, most enjoyable - and also my first table top game of the year - but very bloody..

Following on from the last post where I described the setup, both DG and I first threw for our random forces:

	Infantry Musket	Infantry Rifle	Zouaves	Artillery	Cavalry
1	4	-	1	1	-
2	4	-	-	1	1
3	4	1*	1	-	-
4	4	1*	-	1	-
5	4	1*	-	-	1
6	3	-	1	1	1

*Roll again 1/2/3 = Inf Musket, 4/5/6 = Zouave

I threw a 3, and on the re-roll I came up with Zouave; DG threw a 6 for a balanced all arms force.

We then decided who would attack, and conversely who was defender and I was nominated the (Confederate) attacker, and DG was nominated as the (Union) defender and also decided his advance force would be the artillery and his cavalry (mounted).

The game:

I'll be the first to admit here that we (or rather I) made a fundamental error with my first move with allowing my troops to come on anywhere on the south table edge, when the scenario actually requires me to enter via the road...  doh! I have a feeling that this fundamentally alters the possible outcome of the game in favour of the attacker, so a replay may be on the cards but this time playing it as per the scenario..

On to the game, and in the picture following, which is end of move 3, you'll see the fundamentals of my plan - two average units in centre to pin the Union advance guard of cavalry and artillery, with one of them back as a reserve, and on the left two other average regiments on a flanking march through the wood, and on the right another flanking force comprising my two elite Zouave units going round the river...  by this stage DG's artillery has limbered up and withdrawn (with the cavalry). after having inflicted losses on the advance regiment before they went. In the far distance DG's first reserves have arrived - the New York Zouaves and the first of three average infantry regiments...

End Turn 3 - Wagons for colour... deployments as per text....

Three of four turns later (I think this is the end of turn 7) and the next picture shows things are going well for the Confederates...  the battle on the left has been hard with my two Zouave regiments taking on DG's Zouaves and the cavalry - the cavalry in particular charged again and again, inflicting heavy losses...  DG's luck however came to an end when my "reserves" managed to catch the cavalry in a pincer and charge their rear - destroyed. The other regiment from the centre was destroyed in an all out attack on the artillery (which was also destroyed)...

On the right, the other flanking force has debouched from the woods with one of them guarding the edge of the wood and waiting for arrivals on the road (due end turn 9), and the other regiments is engaged in a firefight with DG's other infantry.....

End Turn 7

A crashing charge by my zouave's (go the Tigers!) soon put paid to DG's zouave regiment, and then subsequent charges also removed the remaining Union regiment from play..  this was end turn eight but DG's final reinforcements were due move 9..

They entered the table in line straight into the flank of that regiment waiting on the edge of the wood for them to arrive (seemed fair given the fact that I had I had literally stolen a march on my arrival! ) - massed Confederate regiments however, were too much for them (four to two) and in the end the game was adjudged a Confederate win...

I thought the game was very good, I hope DG thinks the same, a shame about my initial move as I think it meant I probably saved at least two turns on my advance - I never gave DG the chance to consolidate that I think the scenario is designed to do...  like I said a replay may well be on the cards!