"Gettysburg as a Campaign" Topic

My usual opponent and I started campaign/linked games about 5 years ago, meeting once a month. Its a big part social, but also allows us to escape the pickup games of the club (I know there is no reason not to do this at the club – this just seems easier, as time constraints more flexible, not so worried about a planning phase at the start eating into time)

We sort of drifted from that, recently. Then I started musing whether we could do the sort of battle that is normally out of reach as a series of linked scenarios, but unlike the way this is normally done for the Biggies play each part of the field 'as it happens'. This may mean that over the course of a few weeks we play 3 scenarios (say) that are happening simultaneously. We are looking at Black Powder (simple and quick) and/or They Couldn't Hit an Elephant (my favourite set of ACW, but may be slower especially for the 'big bits')

After each battle (or set of linked battles if a wide frontage) we would take stock, give orders then work out the next scenarios. I'm thinking we give orders, work out re-enforcement arrivals, then a quick compare to allow reserve commitment to be timed, then work out the scenarios.

Any thoughts/hints/suggestions?

Anyone know of a good map of Gettysburg for me to work out tables – the ones I'm finding are a bit sketchy on ground scale. Is it easy to identify the historic bits on, say, Google Earth (as that has built in measuring tools) – I am going to look after typing this (this popped into my head as I typed) – any pitfalls or hints?

Also – AND I KNOW THIS ISN'T A SIMPLE ANSWER AS IT VARIES – what would people say is the 'average' footprint of a Gettysburg Regiment is. If we use BP we will have to use the Tiny/Large unit rule. Our average unit will be 120mm frontage (4 x 30mm base, using cm not inches to measure) – roughly what does that make the ground scale. For WSS we use 1mm = 'pace'/yard, purely for atmosphere – "The Prussians will advance 150 paces, sounds so much better than "15 centimeters" – and it fits with the frontage and 'close' being 6cm.

Maybe you are looking for something I bought a couple of weeks ago for somewhat the same idea.
link
They show unit positions in a series though the whole battle. I did the 1st day a couple of years ago and want to do day 2 continuing where I left off with casualty's carrying over.

That's a good book-really shaped up my understanding of some things, especially the fighting on Culp's Hill.

A regiment would have a frontage very close to 480 feet. So you have a ground scale of about what? 4 feet per mm or 33 yards per inch?

Maps:
link

Funnily enough, our regular TMP friend KTravlos voiced much the same thought on his blog last weekend (scroll down to his "Final Thoughts" at the bottom of the blog):
link

14Bore's book recommendation is probably all you need, but in case this is any use to you:
TMP link

Good luck with your project – I hope it generates some good games for you and a satisfying composite battle.

Chris
Bloody Big BATTLES!
link
bloodybigbattles.blogspot.co.uk

Actually 14bores book is the exact opposite of what I'm thinking of! (sorry)

I'm not interested where units were at 10am on the 2nd. Units will arrive as per history, but what happens then is down to the players. There will be a master map on which players order arrivals. This will generate the battles.

Ah! Then maybe my map and orbat/schedule stuff I linked to could be useful after all as the master map and schedule you want. (Or maybe not.)

Chris

One thing to consider is using a board game like Avalon Hill's or Yaquinto's games of Gettysburg and the surrounding areas for your campaign.

Do all the movement, etc, on the map(s) and then fight the battles on the tabletop when/where they occur.

The interesting part is to factor in Meade's "Pipe Creek Circular" and his plan to deploy and operate out of the Pipe Creek line. Gives the players all of the available troops, weather, terrain, etc, but allows them the freedom to act as Army commanders faced with the same situations that were developing on 29/30 June, etc.

link

if you want real detail and a minute-by minute mapping of the battle.

Mcelfresh makes a great Gettysburg map.

link of Gettysburg Map

They also have a theater map that covers all the way from Fredericksburg to Harrisburg.

link Map of Battle of Gettysburg

Both are easy to find on Amazon, and you can sometimes find a used copy for just a few dollars.