The Corlears Hook Fencibles played this 1863 Civil War battle again Thursday evening, using the Bloody Big Battles rules. Figures are 15mm Battle Honors.
Being a lazy bum, I hadn't put Champion Hill away since last week. I decided to give it one more try, with the "what if" scenario. This presumes that Pemberton decided to bring most of his army to the battle. Forney's division arrives on the first turn and some of Smith's green division arrives on the second turn. It was assumed perhaps 1,000 troops were left in Vicksburg. It is also assumed that Stevenson doesn't send the Confederate ammunition wagons away before the battle started and Confederate infantry can refill empty cartridge boxes. To counterbalance these unlikely events, it is also assumed that Grant and McClernand have put their differences behind them. All restrictions on Union movement end after the first turn.
Infantry unit are divisions, pairs of brigades and the odd single brigade. Turns represent one hour. The game starts on the 11:30 turn and lasts 9 turns. Rick played the Confederates, Ken was McClernand and I was Grant.
I don't know why this game got so bloody, but right off the bat Rick rolled high on two firefights and caused Union casualties in each one. Not to be outdone, I returned fire and nailed a stand off the green troops holding Champion Hill.
Here's a long shot of the table from the Union side.
The extra troops this scenario allows arrived nehind the hard=pressed Confederate left.
With Union movement restrictions released due to the Grant – McClernand love fest, Osterhaus rushed the Unsupported Confederate artillery which made good its escape.
Hovey stormed Champion Hill about the same time.
The Confederate reinforcements deployed and blasted Osterhaus, who fell back in disorder.
SD Lee had dug in on the Confederate left and was isolated after Cumming was driven back. Repeated orders to retreat failed to get through (poor movement rolls).
Lee was finally driven out of his rifle pits by a bayonet charge. Rick said that was what he'd been trying to do anyway.
Bowen advanced to fire on Osterhaus' shot up troops, but fell back when Carr's division arrived and threatened his flank.
On the Union left, AJ Smith had been pushing Loring aggressively but was shot up pretty badly when Rick rolled some hot dice. Smith fell back in a panic but Blair arrived and began a long firefight with the Confederates. Late in the game he got their range and began laying them down in rows.
I kept trying to get Hovey to charge but Confederate rifle fire keep disrupting the unit. SD Lee came under heavy fire in his new position.
Hovey finally charged but was driven back.
A bayonet attack by JE Smith and other elements of Logan's division got across the creek and drove SD Lee back. Up through the powder smoke loomed troops from Vicksburg.
Meanwhile Crocker and Carr got a crossfire going on the hinge of the Confederate line. The first few times Union aim was off (low dice). .
Then we got the range and the Confederates fell like leaves in a storm.
On the last run of the game, Hovey stormed up the hill and drove the Confederates back, only to reveal enemy artillery at point blank range. At the same time, a powerful Confederate attack drove JE Smith back across the creek with heavy losses, to discover three battalions of Union guns and numerous infantry lining the far bank.
Hovey was shot up and saved by nightfall from worse. The Confederate attack was badly shot up on my turn. On the last Confederate turn the unit failed to retreat and I rlled boxcars on the next fire phase, wiping it out.
The carnage had been prodigious, way heavier than out other two games of this battle. I don't know if it was the extra troops and more active Union or if the dice gods decided it was to be an abattoir. Union losses (from an army of 32,000 or so) were some 5,300 killed and wounded and about 1,300 fled for a total of 6,600. Confederates (from an army of 29,000 or so) were 9,300 killed and wounded and 2,700 fled for a total of 12,000. We had Champion Hill for 5 points while the Confederates had the bridge over Baker Creek for 5 points. Having caused 50% more losses than we took gave us 2 points and a hrad won marginal victory. The losses were astounding.
We had played 9 turns in slightly less than 4 hours, not counting our dinner break. The game played slower since we only had one player on the Confederate side. I must say, for a 4 hour game none of us were tired, as often happens in games requiring lots of combat calculations. Continuing our American Civil War kick, next time we may play Chris' Gettysburg scenario. I also have designs on Stones River, Corinth and maybe Pea Ridge AKA Elkhorn Tavern. Who knows…
I think the scenario is ready to go. A little more polish and I'll send it to Chris to post on the BBB group.
That will be it from the Fencibles for a while. Next Wednesday is Thanksgiving, the annual food and drink implosion so no game. Then we're off to London for a piece and upon return, most Thursdays in December are Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and such. We may have a game or two on Tuesday in December depending on the schedules of the Fencibles. If that doesn't pan out, we'll be back rolling dice and taking pictures in the near year. May you all roll sixes.
prepares to do some regimental-level ACW gaming.
