Thursday evening the Corlears Hook Fencibles played a game of the 1861 battle First Bull Run using the Bloody Big Battle rules. I based it on the Volley & Bayonet scenario and Catenwolde's order of battle. I then added some mistakes, as will be seen. Dice determined Rick and Bill were Yankees and Ken and I Confederates. Of course the Confederates are Bill's and the Yankees mine.
Rule I forgot: reinforcements always get at least a half move onto the table. This had some effect on things for both sides.
There are five objectives on the table: Ball's Ford, Stone Bridge, Henry Hill, Bald Hill and the village of New Market. Control of three or more at game end would decide the winner.
We started with two brigades on the table, Evan's small brigade at the Stone Bridge and Cocke's larger brigade at Ball's Ford. Union troops appeared and threatened the above crossings of Bull Run.
Clouds of dust were seen to the west. Bartow and Bee marched onto the field and headed west towards Young's Branch, Bee moving tardily. Union troops crossed the bridge, deployed into line and traded fire with Evans.
Then the western edge erupted with Union troops, though the third brigade failed to move and blocked the road off-board (an error, as noted above). Bartow decided to sit in march column and watch while Bee came up behind and agreed that was a good idea. (I was rolling lousy movement dice.) We broke for dinner.
Bartow finally got into line and was thumped by a load of Union troops, falling back in disorder. Bee deployed once Bartow was wrecked. Over on the right Evans was charged in front by Keyes' Union brigade and hit in the rear by Palmer's tiny Union cavalry outfit. Evans was driven back with losses. The collapse of Evans and Bartow gave the Union control of the Stone Bridge and Henry Hill. Things were not going well for the Confederacy. Bee stood while the Union troops in front sorted themselves out.
Jackson now arrived – and failed to get onto the board for a turn. Once he did arrive and deploy, Union artillery rolled high, nailed a base and emptied their limber chests. A quick visit to the caissons replenished them and they were soon back in action. It was a sad way for Jackson to see the elephant, unable to get to Henry Hill.
The swarm of Union troops in front of Bee's brigade got their act together and they attacked in mass. I called for a dice miracle. I rolled a 6 while Rick rolled a 1. Bee lost a base and retired 9 inches, which was better than what he would have got if I'd rolled lower. There were a powerful lot of Yankees in contact with his brigade. Bee would go on to drive off several other bayonet charges with musket fire, earning the respect of all the players.
Bonham's large green brigade arrived, a turn early. I need to change the scenario. The Confederates are listed by army. In the actual battle they ignored that and fought by brigade. I need to arrange them by strict order of arrival since Bonham was early and others were late. The Confederate Congress may demand committee hearings about this scenario.
Jackson kept up a long firefight with two Union brigades, aided by a couple Confederate artillery battalions that were further back.
On the Confederate right, Cocke advanced and fired on the advanced Union artillery. They limbered up and pulled out in short order.
On the right I hoped to send Cocke and Kirby Smith's brigades over Holcum's Branch in an assault. But those damn Yankees kept disrupting the lead brigade (Cocke) with musket fire. Then I'd roll a rally in place and wait until the next turn to try again. The Union had left the north bank of Bull Run unguarded so I sent another tiny Confederate cavalry force over the run and menaced Stone Bridge from the north. Schenck's small brigade trotted over the bridge in column and evicted the cavalry. This led me to send Stuart's cavalry over to the north side in the hope that both cavalry units might essay something against that small brigade. Two Union battalions of rifled artillery on Henry Hill were making my rear area hazardous. My infantry in front were too close to Union troops to target, but Early's brigade was disrupted and one of my artillery limbered up and pulled out.
On my left Bonham's brigade formed deep and tried to assault the heap of Union troops in front of them.
The charge was stopped dead by musket fire.
The Union troops rallied and charged Bonham, who was beaten back with the loss of a base. The Union troops exploited and threatened an unsupported artillery battalion.
The charge was repulsed with point blank canister. Bonham's brigade was seized with panic, lost a base of deserters and fled 12 inches. Since they were within 9 inches of the eastern table edge we removed them from the table. No promotion for Bonham, you may bank on that, unless he has friends in high places. Bee on the other hand was kudos from all. A promotion if he survived, a wreath and honors if he did not.
I thought at least I'd get to hose the Yankees down with canister again but on their defensive fire phase they silenced my guns. They limbered up and pulled out. I had obviously lost the game and was just trying to cause Union casualties so the result didn't look so lopsided, just trying to get on the board. I thought perhaps JEB Stuart and the other cavalry might hit Schenck's brigade from both flanks and put the Stone Bridge out of definite Union control. But Stuart decided not to emerge from the woods and strike the right flank of that brigade. Without him moving, the other cavalry decided against striking the left flank. In any case, after Bonham's collapse a Union brigade in column marched into New Market, making four objectives in Union control. I finally put together an two-brigade assault on my right, which was stooped cold by musket volleys. My last hurrah was when a tiny cavalry went deep around the Union right and engaged Palmer's Union cavalry, scattering them in a running fight.
Union losses were three bases of infantry and one of cavalry. I finally started scoring hits late in the game. Confederate losses were 11 bases of infantry knocked out by fire or assault and 8 run away. It was a pasting.
The game took 4 hours and 40 minutes for 11 turns. I wondered about this and then realized we had played every turn as though there was one player per side. This was required because everyone was learning the game. But if each pair of opposed players did their own thing the game time might be halved or nearly so. Then the game would come in under 3 hours. That makes me feel better. The guys all liked the rules and I need to make up more laminated color quick reference sheets. Then each could have one. They are so much better than the black and white ones I used last time. All liked them and we didn't have any of those "how the hell did that happen" moments. You may not get the result you want but none of them were mystifying. The game is simpler than Fire and Fury. Using 2D6 instead of D10, the results tend to be less extreme.
As for the scenario, I need to take another idea from the V&B game. It is the only V&B game I know of that has activation rolls, needed because no CSA brass is on the table for a while. That game says that any Confederate unit in road column is activated, no die roll needed. I think that's required because otherwise you may well get our result, where the Union rolls past the actual battle lines before the Confederates get there. And I need to put the OOB in strict order of appearance so things don't get mixed up. This is the field at game end, seen from the south.
feels it's important to celebrate progress in one's personal hobby life.
