Bull Run update and rehersal

Saturday was rematch day on the new improved Bull Run table. The rules were the first edition Brigade level Fire & Fury. Russ (Rusty) Russell opted to take the Union ,his mission to destroy the Confederate forces commanded by Ian (the Hand Rubber) Taylor and march off the table to Manassas and end the Rebellion before it could gain momentum and thus restore the Union.  The Confederates would win if they could destroy the Union forces and for a major victory pursue them across the Stone Bridge and into Washington thus endorsing the Confederacies claim to independence.

All quiet here. Russ even has time to say hello to the dog who spent most of the afternoon cowering behind his legs whilst a thunder storm raged outside.

The rebel extreme and undefended left flank at the small town of Groveton. In the distance ,having spotted Colonel Evans small brigade, Hunters Division has formed up for an attack.

Hunters division,(two brigades of infantry and one of cavalry prepares to advance against Evans' forlorn hope at top right.

The Federal artillery pushes forward to take put Evans under fire

Failed order rolls mean that the Union brigades advance falters buying the Confederate commander time

Colonel Evans' small brigade stands atop a small ridge and awaits developments before scooting away toward the ford.

Federal reinforcements arrive and march on Groverton , their mission to outflank the rebel defenders

Evans has fallen back to the ford and now stands beneath the covering fire of the rebel artillery on Henrys hill.

Robbed of their prey the Union push their guns forward ahead of the advancing infantry.

The federals approach the town

Evans charges the still limbered guns and destroys them. The Union infantry counterattacks but due to some horrific dice rolling by Russ and some inspired rolling by Ian the small Confederate brigade pushes the Federals back. (Russ' dice were awful for most of the afternoon, especially in close combat) 

Evans has bought time for the first Confederate reinforcements to reach Henry Hill....

but at a cost. The enraged union brigades fall in huge numbers on Evans' isolated men and his brigade is wiped out.

The Federals have crossed the Fords at Groverton and deploy to threaten the Rebel left....

but Jackson has arrived and his Brigade supported by that of Bee and with General Beauregard in close attention begins to deploy on the far side of the ridge.

Meanwhile on the Rebel right flank a viscous fight had developed that would last the entire day and would sway back ward and forward across the ground before the water mill. Two large confederate brigades pushed up to the ford and supported by two batteries of artillery held it against an entire division.   

The double line of Union Brigades pushes at the thin line of Confederate defenders but the South won't give up the ford and the Yankees bounce backwards in frustration and lost stands.  

In the centre and finally free of the Evans irritation the Federals begin to get ready to advance once again

ahead of them Hamptons small battalion has moved into support the Rebel batteries on Henry Hill and the long range fire continuous to harass the Unions attempt to coordinate an assault.

On the left a second Union Brigade moves through Groverton...

to join its sister Brigade facing Jacksons Virginians.

The federals mass on the banks of Youngs branch...

whilst the Rebel guns continue to cause confusion.

On the right a dwindling Federal brigade again tries to force the ford but more failed order rolls mean that the brigade goes in unsupported and raked from both its flank and front..

it finally breaks and flees across the Stone Bridge to the Federal rear.

On the Left the Union continues to mass..

whilst on the right an uneasy long range duel commences with neither side wanting to force the issue.

In the center the union brigades finally wade across the stream..

whilst on the left the two Union brigades finally engage, but..

desperate local Confederate counterattacks and yet more inspired dice rolls force the Yankees back as more Confederate brigades begin to arrive on the battle field.

It was at this point that the Confederate commander announced that he had to go home as he wasn't allowed out after dark (something about turning into a pumpkin) and we called a result. The Confederates had held and the Union looked like they were going to run out of steam. Having destroyed more units than the Yankees the Confederates achieved a minor victory. The sacrifice of  Evans' brigade in destroying the Federal artillery, delaying the Federal advance and the stubborn defence on the right by the Water Mill proving pivotal. The war would continue until its inevitable and costly end  in the Confederate surrender at Appomattox Court House four years later.

Magnus Imperium

So just re written the rules adaptation for the ancients version of fast play Grande armee

please read and provide input

 

Magnus Imperium

Command phase

Army general

The army general now can be used as a combat stand, it will have 6 strength. If a general is used in combat he cannot issue any dice in the next pulse.

If a general evades combat all sub commanders command values are reduced by one. ( no one likes a coward)

Command dice

Most commanders will be poor or good only the exceptional Generals will be great, most barbarian warchiefs will be poor with chiefs (sub commanders) being +2 to simulate their desire to get stuck in.

Determine initiative – the same.

Command phase – the same

Initiative phase – the same

Skirmish phase – the same

-          Sk may attack from any edge

-          Sk must have a base width clearance to the target

-          You may sk against cavalry

-          You get a 4+ save again sk if more than 50% are in cover

-          The cavalry within 2” rule does not apply

Artillery – TBA

Control segment – The same

Force status – The same

Movement –      Square infantry 10”         4+1d6

                                Round infantry 12”          6+1d6

                                Skirmish cavalry 16”       10+1d6

                                Cavalry/ chariots 14”      8+1d6

                                Elephants 10”                    4+1d6

                                Sub commanders 18”

General 20”

Terrain table – the same (cavalry/chariots prohibited in rough terrain/woods)

Movement restriction for square bases the same.

Round bases can move in any direction with no restriction except for terrain

Interpenetration cost 3” for infantry/elephants and chariots.

6” rule – the same

Evade- All cavalry/chariots can evade from infantry/elephants

                Sk infantry can evade from infantry

                Sk cavalry can evade from cavalry if they win a roll off with a +1 to sk

                Units that have been evaded can continue the rest of their movement allowance even to contact new enemy.

Combat – Square attacking bases will square up to square defending base, if not possible defender will square up, if that is not possible no combat will occur.

Defending unit will turn to face first enemy unit that contacted it, that unit is the primary attacker.

Round bases have no flank

Roll to hit is the same; elephants/chariots are classed as cavalry

Square bases that win a round of combat (not forced to fall back) do not lose any casualties that round.

Re roll bonus (+6) against flanked unit.

Re roll penalties (+4) – Units that are vulnerable

                                                Sk units attacking/attacked

                                                Cavalry/elephants/chariots attacking/attacked by pike

                                                Any unit Attacking/attacked by elephants.

                                                Rolling if outside radius of commander

Elephant rampage – Elephants that take a casualty from sk fire or lose a round in combat will rampage 4”+1d6 in a random direction and fight a round of combat immediately with whomever they contact. If the elephant owning player does not wish to fight with his rampaging elephants he may kill the elephants with spike and hammer (carried by driver) roll 1D6 on a 4+ the elephants drop dead and are removed, 1,2,3 and they keep going.

The elephants will be under control the next pulse.

Units rolling for the 6” rule against elephants have a -1 to their dice roll

 

Bases that cannot fall back due to terrain and or enemy units stop and lose another casualty (this is in the main rules and should be used for Napoleonic’s as well)

 



Did the Austrian's have them?

Parseval-Siegsfeld observation balloon

I don't care as its on order and its coming to a battlefield near you.  Let the +1 on artillery commence!

I see the Russians do not have an equivalent.  Ahh diddums!

Russians in the open!  Fire!

Und zis won is fur Shakespearich 

A present for Mark's return

I'll Be back

So back from my sojourn in the colonies

anything planned for  Thursday?

So started on some Bolt Action tanks today......

From right to left a Type 3 Ho-NI Tank Destroyer and a Chi-Ha Type 97 Tank
followed by a Sherman 76mm Easy 8 and an M18 Hellcat 

We're missing Shakespeare

Last Night's Game

Russ has deployed the British.  A battalion of Coldstream Guards holds the perimeter wire of an extensive minefield.  At the top of the picture a regiment of armoured cars supports the infantry.  The British also have a regiment of tanks in reserve.  Unbeknown to the Axis players, these units guard three hidden pathways through the mines which enables them to fight "in supply".

German infantry lead the attack whilst Italian tanks move up in support.  Jon and Ozy took charge of the Axis units and decided to keep their veteran recon in reserve and await events.  The objective was to destroy the British infantry and exit one motorised unit off the table edge - but it must be "in supply"!  Annoyingly, I had to use two units that I haven't rebased.

Russ' deployment in more detail.

                    

 Excellent camera Ozy!  However, I think I need to do some more work on the detail.  This is a Boyes anti-tank rifle which was standard issue for most of the desert campaign.  It was OK against light armour but hopeless against medium tanks and it was made obsolete by the end of 1942.  Interestingly, the Russian's kept them on until the end of the war, using them as heavy sniper rifles against fortified infantry.                                               

Great game last night.  Russ played a blinder, with entrenched infantry, well supported by armoured cars and a subtle use of anti-tank guns.  The final deployment of his tank reserve secured a convincing win.

Jon and Ozy were genuinely unlucky, with Jon's dice throwing infecting Ozy's usual unbelievable luck.  Hidden minefields nullified the superior German infantry, and Russ was able to lure the Italian armour onto a risky un-entrenched anti-tank gun line.  Jon and Ozy played the scenario to its conclusion but they never got the dice results which could have swung it back for them.

Jon has come up with an excellent suggestion for allowing units to be given attack orders against enemy units as well as terrain objectives.  As a result, Jon sportingly played a realistic outcome for the Italian armour which led to their demise!

It was felt that allowing the defender too free a hand for deploying the hidden minefields made them too powerful.  It was suggested that they should be committed before an operational game to specific tables and even specific quadrants and rolled for to see if they are dummy or live.  Please make your suggestions known before the next operational game on the 25th June.

I will be putting on more desert games over the next few weeks.

Winter Boards

Here is the first of the winter boards with winter hills, winter trees and winter river. The river started as a desert river ; painted with artex to seal, then a light blue paint to denote frozen water with a shiny sealant on top to complete the ice look.

The base for the clump of trees is simply a cut white felt shape which sits close to the main base (most terrain bases sit raised up above the main base board so I thought this would look better).