Battle of Eubanks Woods, Miss, SEPT 20th 1862.
ACW Black Powder game; 20 Sept 1862,
General Rosecrans, sent out a reconnaissance in force made up of 20 Union regiments. (I use figs long ago mounted for JRII; 1 Regt =5 stands)The Union forces were commanded by BG's Rob and Malcolm. General Van Dorn ordered BG Bing and COL. JD to take 15 Rebel Regiments and screen the Yankee forces. They met about 10miles from Corinth Mississippi in what became the Battle for Eubanks Woods.
Before the battle started we rolled for Command ratings and troop quality using Battle Barn house rules. Both of the Yankee DIV Cos rolled for Average (CMD Rating 8) but one of BG Rob BDE Commander rolled for a Political Appointee! (CMD Rate 6) and then rolled for 3 of his 5 Regt's as green, 1 was a Vet and 1 a Regular. The other BDE Regiments all rolled 4 Reg and 1 Vet. (troop quality are Green, Reg, Vet) BG Malcolm 1st BDE Co rolled for above average (Cmd Rating 9) and 3 out of 4 Regt were Regular and one Vet. The 2nd BDE were all regulars.
The Rebels started off with BG Bing (DIV CO) rolling to be Political Appointee too! But his 1st BDE CO was a Military Genus (CMD rating 10) and 3 or his 4 Regt's were Vet and the last Reg. The 2bd BDE CO was average and 3 of the 4 were Regulars and 1 was green. COL JD and both his BDE Co were Average and 5 of his 7 Regt's were Regulars and 2 green)
We both set up on the battlefield with only "Eubanks wood" separating us both armies. The Yankees rolled initiative and quickly ordered and advance…but BG Rob's Political Appointed commander was slow to move due to his CMD rating of 6. The Union fired first with 2 batteries on the hill but discovered he was about 2 inches out of range!
The Rebels decided since they were outnumbered they would set up defensive position on the opposite side of the woods and let the Yanks attack. The Rebels did draw first blood when BG Bins Texas battery hit the 3rd Michigan with two kills and a disorder.
The 2nd turn the Yanks Political Appointee took the risk and ordered a BDE move of three moves and rolled well enough for two moves. Rolled a 4! His Zouaves quickly moved into musket range and fired a volley disordering a Ala regt. BG Rob himself tried to order the artillery forward but they failed the CMD roll. BG Malcolm moved forward too and set up position behind a fence line (rock and wood) and farm and fired into the rebels giving the 3rd Ark a KIA.
BG Bing ordered his Veteran Bde to advance but even a Military genius has a bad day and rolled a 11 for the CMD roll. Troops stood still! He failed CMD roll 2 times in the fight!
COL. JD set up defensive positions and massed his 3 batteries on the far left flank and pored fire into the advancing green troops.
Turn 3 the BG Rob ordered both BDEs into the woods but only the "bad" General went forward! His good general rolled a 12 and BLUNDERED! The BDE went 1 full move back! Leaving a gap in the union line!!!
BG Bing military genius seeing the blunder ordered hi s BDE forward and again rolled an 11…the stood still! But his other BDE was able to mass its 3 batteries on the right flank and fired into the yanks on their front. When the turn was over 6 of Malcolm's 8 Regt were disordered and had taken 5 hits.
BG Malcolm then order his 2 non disordered units into a charge pouring into the woods…but then rolled for a disordered due to wood movement! (Another house rule for Black Powder. Any and all movement in or over terrain, woods, fence etc…will roll 1d6 at the end of movement. On a 6 it goes into disorder)
Malcolm charge went in disordered and he took 1 hit from closing fire. Despite the disorder and casualty the hand to hand was a draw and only due to "Rebel Yell" (House rule: Rebels on draw roll 1d6 for 4+ and win that round) The Yanks lost but rolled a 11 on the brake test. HtoH goes another round.
The rebels now reinforce the fight in the woods with support troops and both BDE commanders enter the melee! This time the Rebels win outright and the Yanks are forced back one move shaken and disordered! BUT the Confederate Military Genius is killed and he is replaced by an Average Gen (CMD Rating 8)
In the other section of the woods JD sends his Miss lads in to support BG Bing but finds himself flanked by Union who rolled well and moved up fast. If not for the luck of most of the Yankees becoming disordered in the woods it could have been a disaster! The next turn COL JD was able to fall back and straighten his line.
By turn 6 there were 4 different HtoH fights going on inside Eubanks Woods. With the Rebels winning all but one of these melee! The Yanks kept falling back and throwing in fresh Regt's! A total of 18 of the 35 Regt's and 1 artillery battery on the field of battle that day fought tor supported the hand to hand melees inside Eubanks Woods!
Eventually the Confederate artillery massed on both flanks was able to do enough damage to break two of the Yankee BDEs by the end of turn 9. With the two broken BDE BG's Rob and Malcolm ordered a halt to the attacks and retreated back to safety of the Army of Mississippi defense outside Corinth.
The Union lost 6 Regt's to only 1 Rebel Regt. I must add BG Robs Yank Politian actually fought well and he green troops proved themselves in the face of the enemy!
We are really enjoying Black Powder and with the few house rules make a real fun American Civil War game that played 10 turns in 3 hours.
worries about not losing his rules stuff.
