"Battle of Buena Vista Refights" Topic

Has anyone had a go at refighting this action and if so, how did you get on? How did you rate the various troops and did you use any battle specific rules?

Given the imbalance in forces, it looks quite hard to replicate the original result. One could give the Americans bonuses, but that doesn't seem to really reflect the action on the day either.

We did it a while ago using Fire & Fury rules – gave the Mexican commanders a very short command radius, good American commanders and green troops for the Mexicans with regulars/vets for the US; got pretty much the historical results

I played in a BV game a few years ago, using home-brew
rules. The GM had used the same ideas as cited in
Frederick's post, and the result was pretty much the
historical result.

Here is what I have using my own rules "TO THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA!"

Contact me if you are interested in the rules and the fourteen Scenarios I have put together.

The BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA plays pretty historically close using these rules and the Scenario ratings.

Bob Henry
badbobalbino@aol.com

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ORDER OF BATTLE FOR THE U.S. ARMY.
BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA, FEBUARY 22-23, 1847.

Army of Occupation: GinC, Taylor (Good)

Wool (Good)

Regulars:
1st U.S. Dragoons, Cavalry, (1/4) Carbine
Company C, 3rd US Artillery, Flying Artillery, (3/3) 6#
Company E, 3rd U.S. Artillery, Light Artillery, (3/3) 6#
Company B, 4th U.S. Artillery, Light artillery, (3/3) 6#

Volunteers:
1st Texas Mounted Volunteers, Cavalry (1/4) Musket/Revolver
1st Illinois Infantry, Infantry, (3/1) Musket
2nd Illinois Infantry, Infantry, (3/1) Musket
1st Mississippi Infantry Rifles, Infantry, (4/2) Rifle
1st Kentucky Infantry Regiment, Infantry, (3/1) Musket
2nd Kentucky Infantry, Infantry, (3/1) Musket

Indiana Brigade, Lane (Good)
2nd Indiana Infantry, Infantry (3/1), Musket
3rd Indiana Infantry, Infantry (3/1), Musket

Volunteer Cavalry Brigade, Yell (Average)
1st Kentucky Cavalry Regiment, Cavalry, (1/3) Rifle
Arkansas Vol. Regt,-1st Kentucky Cavalry, Cavalry, (1/3) Musket
Arkansas Volunteer Regiment, Cavalry, (1/3) Musket

In Reserve at Saltillo
Company A, 1st U.S. Artillery, Heavy Artillery, (3/3) 18#
Company B, 4th U.S. Artillery, Light artillery, (3/3) 6#

ORDER OF BATTLE FOR THE MEXCAN ARMY.
BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA, FEBUARY 22-23, 1847.

Army of the North: GinC, Santa Anna (Poor)

(Unattached units)
Hussars of the Guard of the Supreme Powers, Cavalry, (1/4) Carbine/Lance
Zapadores, Sapper, (2/3) Musket
3rd Artillery Battery, Heavy Artillery, (1/1) 12#
San Patricio Battery, Heavy Artillery, (3/3) 18#

Light Infantry Brigade, Ampudia (Average)
1st Light Infantry Regiment, Light Infantry, (1/2) Musket
2nd Light Infantry Regiment, Light Infantry, (1/2) Musket
3rd Light Infantry Regiment, Light Infantry, (1/2) Musket
4th Light Infantry Regiment, Light Infantry, (1/2) Musket
4th Line Infantry Regiment, Infantry (1/2) Musket
1st Light Artillery Battery, Medium Artillery, (1/1) 4#

Vanguard Division, Pacheco (Poor)
1st Active Militia of Guanajuato, Infantry, (1/1) Musket
2nd Active Militia of Guanajuato, Infantry, (1/1) Musket
3rd Artillery Battery, Heavy Artillery, (1/1) 12#

Center Division, Lombardini (Good)
1st Line Infantry Regiment, Infantry, (1/2) Musket
3rd Line Infantry Regiment, Infantry, (1/2) Musket
5th Line Infantry Regiment, Infantry (1/2) Musket
10th Line Infantry Regiment, Infantry (1/2) Musket
11th Line Infantry Regiment, Infantry (2/3) Musket
2nd Artillery Battery, Heavy Artillery, (1/1) 8#

Rear Guard Division, Guzman (Average)
12th Line Infantry Regiment, Infantry (1/2) Musket
Tampico Coast Guard Battalion/Veteran
Coast Guard Co. of Tampico, Infantry, (1/2) Musket
Fijo de Mexico, Infantry, (1/1) Musket
Active Militia Battalion of Puebla, Infantry, (1/1) Musket
4th Artillery Battery, Medium Artillery, (1/1) 6#

1st Cavalry Brigade, Minion (Good)
4th Cavalry Regiment, Cavalry, (0/3) Escopeta/Lance
Mounted Rifles, Cavalry, (1/3) Carbine
Jalisco Lancers, Cavalry, (1/4) Carbine/Lance
Active Militia of Puebla, Cavalry, (0/2) Escopeta/Lance
2nd Light Artillery Battery, Medium Artillery, (1/1) 4#

2nd Cavalry Brigade, Juvera (Good)
5th Cavalry Regiment, Cavalry, (0/3) Escopeta/Lance
9th Cavalry Regiment, Cavalry, (0/3) Escopeta/Lance
Active Militia of Morelia, Cavalry, (0/2) Escopeta/Lance
Tulancingo Cuirassiers, Cavalry, (-/4) Saber
3rd Light Artillery Battery, Medium Artillery, (1/1) 4#

3rd Cavalry Brigade, Torrejon (Good)
3rd Cavalry Regiment, Cavalry, (0/3) Escopeta/Lance
7th Cavalry Regiment, Cavalry, (0/3) Escopeta/Lance
8th Cavalry Regiment, Cavalry, (0/3) Escopeta/Lance
Active Militia Cavalry of Guanajuato, Cavalry, (0/2) Escopeta/Lance

Observation Division, Vasquez (Good)
Republicano Battalion (National Guard), Infantry, (1/1) Musket
Auxiliaries of Peejamo (National Guard), Infantry, (1/1) Musket
5th Artillery Battery, Heavy Artillery, (1/1) 8#

Irregular Cavalry Brigade, Urrea (Good)
Vaquero Cavalry, Cavalry, (-/1), Lance
Vaquero Cavalry, Cavalry, (-/1), Lance
Vaquero Cavalry, Cavalry, (-/1), Lance
Vaquero Cavalry, Cavalry, (-/1), Lance
Vaquero Cavalry, Cavalry, (-/1), Lance
Vaquero Cavalry, Cavalry, (-/1), Lance
Vaquero Cavalry, Cavalry, (-/1), Lance
Vaquero Cavalry, Cavalry, (-/1), Lance

I hosted a game about Buena Vista using Henry Lubbers rules Chapultepec from the Courier. As memory serves me, the US lost one of their 5 infantry units the first turn, Gulp! That can't be good I thought to myself. The Americans still won because of their better troop quality over the Mexicans.
John

All this is very interesting, thank you.

Do you think the US troops were actually better than the Mexicans? Or did the terrain and the generalship make the difference?

US troops were often better trained and almost always better equipped and supplied. The Mexican government was chaotic and virtually bankrupt. Bad powder, copper bullets, a motley assortment of draft animals for the otherwise valiant artillery, etc. They also had a tradition of victory by this part of the war.

Terrain at Buena Vista greatly favored the US. Taylor found a good spot for a stand. Santa Anna was not much of a tactician.

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