"Chickamauga Scenario Book Released" Topic

I have just published my first ACW scenario book. The River of Death: Regimental Wargaming Scenarios for the Battle of Chickamauga. It is available from Wargame Vault as a downloadable .pdf file.

These scenarios are designed to be used with almost any American Civil War regimental level set of rules. Rules are included for figures based on 20, 30, 40, 50, and 100 historic men per figure/stand. Times are given for 10, 15, and 20 minutes per game turn. Included are full color maps, as well as numerous color photographs of the modern battlefield. There is also a full and complete Order of Battle for each side.

link

Looks great!

Saw "Maps of Chickamauga" this weekend and have it on order. Tie the two of these together and looks like most initial contact questions are settled. Good job.

Looks great to me. A long hard slog, but something good at the end. I especially appreciate the terrain descriptions as to how it was in 1863 compared to the overgrown mess that much of it is now! Visability, cover, movement obstructions are all much better then than now and that helps to explain the progression of the battle so much, along with the very nice graphics. I will have to get one of those!

Maps of Chickamauga is a very good book. There are some maps in there I disagree with, but it certainly has made me go back and re-read the official records and sources on a number issues. Overall though, very much recommended.

Haffendorfer gets the same comments about his maps. Chickamauga is really confusing and certainly open to different opinions. Again good work on your product.

This looks to be a very good product, usable by almost any regimental set of rules. Well done!

I have a copy of this new scenario book. It has more than a dozen original scenarios for Chickamauga that look highly playable. The scenarios should work for nearly all regimental-level ACW rules systems, including of course Johnny Reb 3 and Regimental Fire & Fury, as well as most others.

The maps are full color and nicely drawn. The OOB and the regimental strengths are quite good and are drawn from many different sources. Actual versus estimated strengths are delineated.

The author includes a historical background for the battle, as well as for each individual scenario. Full color photographs of the modern battlefield sectors are included within the corresponding scenario, giving the gamer who has not been to Chickamauga (or in my case, only once before) some general idea of the terrain and locale for the tabletop layout.

The book is a bargain in terms of page count and content (it is more than 120 pages in length, but is easy to read and hard to put down). The history lessons by themselves are well worth the price at $14.99 USD for a digital download that you can print yourself of copy to your hard drive.

Brad Butkovich is to be highly commended for this effort! As a long-time scenario designer with several books of my own, I can appreciate the amount of time and effort (not to mention research and reading) that Brad must have put into this project.

River of Death is published by the Wargames Vault, which has dozens of other Civil War products available for download, including paper soldiers and accessories, rules sets, historical commentaries, and other products of interest.

I can't think of a better compliment than somebody saying what you wrote was "easy to read and hard to put down". Thanks!

I can't wait to read player's after action reports and feedback.

Hi
Just bought a copy – excellent work sir! I'd like to see more battles covered in the same way like Murfreesboro, Shiloh, Corinth, etc. The photos of the batlefield are an especially nice touch for those who have never been to the battlefield. Many thanks for your outstanding work.

Murfreesboro and Shiloh are definitely on my list for full sections on my Civil War Virtual Tours website, so they will get their own scenario books for sure. When? I don't know. Definitely sooner than the website itself. I'll have another book out this year of fictional "pick-up" scenarios. I don't think anybody has ever published for sale a book of fictional scenarios before. I guess we'll see how it does! :)

link

As a veteran wargamer but someone relatively new to the ACW, this scenario book looks to be a goldmine. Highly recommended!

Brad, I'll happily buy your future works, and I for one am looking forward to the fictional scenarios. Historical match-ups are great, but there is certainly room for exploring interesting scenarios that never were, created with an eye on the gaming experience as well as history.

Between Scott's great books and this one (as well other sources like Charge!), I'm really wondering why Napoleonics makes it so hard! Despite the popularity of the period, I don't know of similar works.

Cheers,

Christopher

"Between Scott's great books and this one (as well other sources like Charge!), I'm really wondering why Napoleonics makes it so hard! Despite the popularity of the period, I don't know of similar works."

My scenario books and my Charge! newsletter stem from the fact that I am a Civil War historian (7 books published) first and a wargamer second. I really enjoy the period, and for me it's fun to game the period and dig into the history of the battles. It's a lesson I learned back in college from a grad student named George Nafziger, who went on to make a tremendous contribution to the field of orders of battles for Napoleonics and other periods.

It also helps that my wife really likes publishing Charge!, which owes its very existence and sustainability to her.

We need more wives to step up and publish scenario magazines for other wars!

That is indeed a happy alchemy of circumstance! You're fortunate that you've been able to connect your gaming with your work. My field is the archaeology of the Aegean Bronze Age, and I have to admit that ancients gaming has always made me flee to other periods of the hobby! ;)

"Historical match-ups are great, but there is certainly room for exploring interesting scenarios that never were, created with an eye on the gaming experience as well as history."

That's exactly what I'm going for. Giving players a challenge with tactical situations they have never faced before, because of course, they never existed. Players get a chance to show their own leadership and tactical know-how in new and unknown situations.

Some of the ideas/scenarios I'm brainstorming now are:

Extending a line of earthworks like so often happened in the Overland and Atlanta campaigns of 1864
A scenario where fog and weather play a big part
A good cavalry battle
An assault on earthworks with the huge 1864 Union 7-9 regiment brigades. Definitely an exercise in command and control.
Early war scenarios where green/inexperienced regiments and smoothbore muskets are plentiful.

Just to name a few. It will probably have 11-13 scenarios, about the same size and price as the Chickamagua book.

The ACW West (and Trans Miss) is a goldmine of scenarios and actions discovered by only a minority of ACW gamers in the USA and abroad! Stuff like this will open the eyes and minds of many ACW gamers to a whole second universe of gaming possibilities in their favorite period!

Brad – all of those ideas sound great, just keep going!

Bought, like, will keep; OUT to you

One question … I read where these were designed for 15mm minis, and if using 25mm to "double" all distances. Does this mean to play that first scenario which says the map is 4' x 4' I would need an 8' square table?

First off, I'm primarily a 15mm gamer. I've never played a 25mm game. I can only go by what the rules set I have say about converting from 15mm to 25mm. JR2 says double the distance. JR3 says 1.5 of the distance. I'm not quite sure what They Couldn't Hit An Elephant, Guns at Gettysburg or others say how to convert.

Good question,and I wish I had a better answer. Maybe other 25mm players will chime in.

CATenWolde, you mean you don't wargame Troy?

'They Couldn't Hit an Elephant' advises 1" square bases for 15mm, with 4 figures, each representing 25 men. All the ranges etc in the rules remain the same whether you play 6mm or 28mm as the game relies on the basing proportions rather than anything else.

I use them with 6mm on 20cm sq bases and adjust the ranges as I am short of space.

Troy? I actually excavated a Mycenaean citadel … would you game the place where you worked? ;)

More seriously, every time I've been tempted to start a gaming project dating anywhere before the fall of Rome I've found myself irretrievably tempted to become an obsessive, annoying, nit-picking git. I'd rather channel those "positive" energies into my academic life than my hobby …

Cheers,

Christopher

Looks really interesting! Only yesterday I played a game of opening moves at Chickamauga using my 20mm plastics for Fire & Fury. The full scenario and pics are now up on my website at link

that CaATebWolde is why I avoid Pharonic Egyptians in any way, shape or form, so I do see your point.

Which citadel did you excavate?

And to get back onto topic, the booklet looks excellent, anyone who is not sure should look through the preview pages.

My $14.95 USD is being sorted as we speak.

Hi Fred,

This is a strange digression from Chickamauga … ;)

The site was Midea, which is more or less south from Mycenae on the eastern side of the Argolid. I worked there for six years while the University of Cincinnati was cooperating with the Swedish Institute in Athens, and of course a Greek team was also working there. Midea has the most impressive circuit walls of any of the remaining citadels, and by very good luck I came down on what looks to have been the megaron complex (or at the very least a secondary one). Efforts there have flagged since my time, and I would dearly love to return in the future. Most people know the site as the citadel associated with the Dendra tombs and the wonderful armor and weapons found there. Both sites are well worth visiting if you are in the Argolid and want to see something other than Mycenae and Tiryns.

Cheers,

Christopher

smacdowall, I don't have the F&F Western Battles book. Are the stats and morale listed take straight from the book?

No not entirely as I have modified them slightly to give the Confederates a greater chance. I have also cut it down to make it a more manageable shorter battle, starting the sceanrio much later and changing the reinforcement timetable.
Simon

I don't know CATenWolde, the ACW reads like a Homeric tradgedy at times.

I know where Midea is, although I have not visited that site.

If the scenario that was included in Scott Mingus' Charge! magazine is any indication, I really look forward to buying this Chickamauga scenario book.

I had one question about the scenario included in Charge! magazine. Do the regimental strenghts for Wilder's brigade have 1/4 manpower deductions factored in for horse holders? Would that even be accurate for Wilder's troops? Not sure if they did thigns differently.

The scenario in Charge! is specifically for JR3. For cavalry and mounted infantry, the JR3 rules do not take off any stands for horse holders. So, if you have a regiment with 4 stand with 3 figures each while mounted, when you dismount you will still have 4 stands with 3 figures each.

The strengths as listed are for the full mounted strengths. In between my submission to Charge! and the release of River of Death I was able to update the strengths with new information. So, the OOB in River of Death (and at Civil War Virtual Tours) is more accurate. Not enough to really change the scenario in Charge! however.

link

I'm really looking forward to reading about people's after action reports!

Thanks. I had forgotten about that JRiii cav rule.

Your scenario specific rules in Charge! have helped me to further refine my own JRiii variant especially w/ regard to the use of large regiments.

Haven't had a chance to print out and go thru yet, but your Chickamauga scenario book looks very cool.

Thanks! I hope you enjoy it!

"Diversion at Glass Mill"…. very cool.

I like how you have broken down the OB's to be played at different fig ratios, time scales and also how you explained your ground scale. Giving insight--a.k.a. Designer's Notes--into why you have done certain things is always a bonus when it comes to wargames, especially miniature wargames. Helps/guides the player(s) to make decisions when/if they encounter a grey area on the tabletop.

Cleburne1863
(My favorite CS General BTW), am very much looking forward to downloading your scenarios and seeing more in the future. I visited the Vault and read the preview with a rapid heart-beat, convincing me to part with the cash. I continually ride the roller coaster of "period excitement" so I anticipate a lull in Napoleonics and an upswing in ACW ardor shortly. The painting table has been crowded with Austrians for too long, time to get out those Perry Yanks and Rebs I bought at the last convention.
Good luck.

Cleburne1863,

I'd be VERY interested in reviewing your scenario book at TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog. Could you use the Contact Form there to get in touch with me?

link

I'll of course be buying a copy for review since I like to support wargame designers/developers with my money.

Have you thought about having Dave Powell review the scenario book as well? He's got a Chickamauga blog and it might make sense since you're buyers and his readers probably could be the same people.

Brett S.