Reworked Confederate Order of Battle for Fire and Fury for First Manassas

I wrote in my reboot post about my decision to change my tabletop rules from Volley and Bayonet to Fire and Fury. I will update the main tracker in due course but for now I thought it might be useful to try and model the Confederate Order of Battle forces at my First Manassas for the table top from my counter deployment on the map. 

The Fire and Fury Rules state as follows for the combat experience ratings of troops :- 

Green (Grn) - All the troops have seen little or no combat 

Experienced - Some troops have experienced combat 

Veteran - All troops have experienced combat 

Crack - All troops are seasoned veterans with exceptional performance in several battles

On the basis of relative inexperience at the beginning of the war the default should be that troops are Green.  The Volley and Bayonet campaign rules which I am using for the interplay between the campaign board game and the tabletop did provide for the "Stonewall" brigade to begin with Veteran Status. I can model that by having Jackson's brigade itself as Veteran - allowing them a "spirited" status  and conferring Jackson as a divisional commander to have Exceptional status. 

All troops including Militia I feel can progress to Experienced once they have taken part in combat and have taken and/or dealt casualities (I can also make some distinction by using the morale rules - Spirited, Reliable, Unreliable, Dispirited).  I will assume troops are "reliable" unless Militia who will be "unreliable". There are no militia present at this first major engagement. I can build in some nuance with effects for lost battles, poor supply as the campaign progresses. Veteran status I will confer as a battle "award" in line with my old promotion rules. Crack I will apply to veteran units who accumulated  a series of individual outstanding performances over time. 

In terms of battlefield leadership the counters in War Between the States which represent Division, Corps and Army leaders have an initiative rating and combat rating with Army leaders also having a command radius. The default position is the any leader provides a +1 for the Maneuver phase (this is a test to activate) if detached and +2 if attached. Divisional and Corps leaders can also stack those bonuses. The issue is how to decide whether to confer "exceptional" status to a leader model which provides +2 for the manoeuvre phase and +3 if attached. Lyons who unfortunately died both historically and narratively at my first Battle in the Trans Mississipi at Rolla did have a high initiative (4) and combat rating (2) so he may have been a candidate for "Exceptional" leader status. I think for now I am going to be sparing about automatically conferring that status. The "mean" on the counters appears to be a "1" for combat rating so that doesn't suggest exceptional at this stage.  It does appear that during melee any leader who is attached will confer a small +1 bonus - I expect that this is just leading by example. I have discovered however that attaching a divisional commander to a brigade stand is a risky business. There are good fallen leader tables that I can apply and will give an indication as to whether a counter is temporarily or permanently lost. I think as a base rule any leader counter can have his "base" conferred with exceptional status if the counter suggests this. The counters for Beauregard and Johnston have combat ratings of "1" and initiative of "3". I am not going to confer Exceptional status and I will reciprocate that to McDowel on the union side. 

Where I do not have a counter for a divisional commander I will generate one for each map counter for the first battle but I think just dice randomly to see if the base achieves the status based on the relevant percentage at their first appearance. So a 10 % chance for the union and 20 % chance for the confederates. Obviously brigade commanders may eventually appear as divisional or corps commander counters on the map as the game progresses and I can look at the suggested status from the counter in due course. 

There is also the option on the tabletop to model exceptional Brigade leaders who are inherent within a brigade (also though these can be depicted by a single hero figure).  These provide This provides the option to model exceptional brigade commanders when they appear in a historic order of battle e.g. Jackson and would confer a +1 for manoeuvre and +1 when in melee. The Fire and Fury "pick up" battle generator gives a good indication for a % of exceptional leaders at different stages of the War (early, middle and late). 20 % of confederate commanders at the beginning of the war can be rated as exceptional and 10 % of union commanders. I think I will randomly select (over and above Jackson) the correct percentage of brigade commanders to be Exceptional in a battle. That status can remain with them. I will promote brigade commanders to exceptional if warranted by performance. 

The next problem is how to model the size of brigades. Using Volley and Bayonet one strength point on a map counter represented roughly 1,000 men and 1 strength point for a Brigade stand 500 men. On this basis an average divisional map counter with a strength of 4 I could easily double up to read as two brigades with a strength of 4 each. So a division of 4,000 men contained two large brigades with 2,000 men each. Historically the development of the Union favoured a Corps structure in which each division packed a larger number of brigades. A Confederate division was more akin to a smaller Union Corps. The Union favoured a larger number of Corps with fewer divisions. Looking at the Order of Battle for any Gettysburg scenario demonstrates that. I think this structural issue should be modelled within the counter generation and points system. There is a distinction in the counter generation system for how confederate units received fresh recruits to keep up their strength over time whereas Union units were built from freshly raised regiments of 1,000 men which essentially were allowed to deplete over time. 

The overall troop/stand ratio in Fire and Fury is usually one stand for 200 men at the larger battle scale. Sometimes a smaller troop ratio is used as 150 men per stand in Western battle scenarios where the armies tended to be smaller. I will stick with a stand ratio of 200 which has the advantage of dividing neatly into map counter point of 1,000. Brigades obviously varied in size (and will definitely do so as I accumulate battlefield losses within counters). The "paper strength" of Confederate and Union brigades at the outset of war were supposed to consist of roughly 4,000 men (or slightly larger) on paper with 4 regiments of 1,000 each. The reality with straggling, disease and recruitment problems produced brigades of 2,500 men even from the outset which over time shrank further in size as the war progressed. The stand based system in Fire and Fury gives me the opportunity to model that variation by looking at historic Orders of Battle. There is the scope for large variations in brigade size and the opportunity to model larger brigades by using formations such as supported lines. I have my counter strengths to give me some indication in any event. 

Brigades should not be "uniform" on the battlefield and I will try to include some variation. I can perhaps look at the historic OOB to give some indication.  Brigades should not really exceed 2,000-3,000 size so 10-15 stands in size. 

There is yet another variable to build in terms of weaponry. Each infantry brigade will be armed with Rifled Muskets (RM), Mixed Muskets (MM) Smoothbore Muskets (SM) or Repeaters (R - but much later in the war for the Union and in very small numbers. Again I can use the "pick up" percentages for the early war. I think I will confer the charge bonus for Rebel Yell of +1 for a charge as this is a balance to the tables for generation of weapon are types and superior artillery of the Union. 

I will continue to model artillery as best I am able on the Corps and Divisional Scale. There is a larger variety of artillery designations in the Fire and Fury rules :-

Light Rifle (LR) 10 pound Parott/3 inch Ordnance Rife;

Heavy Rifle (HR) 20 pound Parrott in small numbers in both armies;

Napoleon (NP) model 1857 12 pound gun which was one of the most popular field pieces in increasing numbers throughout the war

Smoothbore (SB) model 1841 6 pound smoothbore which was used early in the war by both sides and replaced by more effective models (see above) but used by the confederates throughout in the Western theatre;

Rifle and Napoleon (RN) Union Western Theatre batteries and Confederate batteries often had a mix of types; and

Rifle and Smoothbore (RS) Early war batteries on both sides and Confederate Western batteries up until the end of the war can have a mixture of these two gun types. 

I will again look at the "pick up" suggested percentages to try to model the artillery that I am importing into map counters of Corps and Divisions in appropriate percentages dependant on side and theatre. It seems that divisions typically had between 2 and 4 batteries of 6-8 guns each with larger divisions obviously having more batteries. 

My inclination is to give each Corps commander initially 2 batteries of artillery and an average size division a further two batteries (3-7,000 strength) and oversized divisions (8-10,000 strength an additional battery). Where a counter falls to a brigade size (1-2,000) I would expect only a single battery to be available. This will provide the Confederates with 12 batteries of artillery for this first action and the union 11. 

Essentially I am playing a "large game" and not a simulation and I am as much involved with telling battlefield and campaign stories. Really as long as the make up of armies is not too lopsided or hysterically inaccurate the Fire and Fury rules does provide an amount of "chrome" for my units which will produce some variety on the battlefield.

As the war progresses individual units can upgrade their weaponry when we reach a watershed and percentages change on the tables. My OOB's and tracker will get a little more complex. 

Army of the Potomac & Army of the Shenandoah (each operates as two small Corps on the tabletop) 

The big line from the Order of Battle and Unit Tracker for Manassas in Volley and Bayonet mode read as follows :-

C2409 Manassas Junction, Beauregard****3-3-1, Depot 6-6, 1stCorpsHQ, ST4, C1 (Stuart  Cavalry 2-5) I6 (3 x 4-4 PT NE) I7 (2 x 5-4 PT NE, 4-4 PT NE), I5 (4-4 PT NE, 2 x 3-4 PT NE), Corps Artillery 2-5 R-F , Divisional Artillery 2-5 SB-F PT, 2-5 SB-H PT and J.Johnston****3-3-1, I5 (4-4 PT NE, 2 x 3-4 PT NE) I5 (Stonewall), (Jackson "Stonewall" Brigade (50%)  6-5, 4-4 PT NE) Divisional Artillery 2-5 SH-H PT) (High morale 6-5 first stonewall brigade is allowed from House Divided campaign rules set up and now augmented within a mixed brigade). 

I will now convert the Brigades within the games Divisional counters to work with Fire and Fury. All of the divisions fall within normal size so will attach two batteries of artillery. As there are 12 batteries in total I will apply ten batteries within the normal range applying to Confederate early war Eastern theatre artillery and then dice for the final 2. 

Confederate Forces at Manassas 

Joseph E Johnston overall command - this essentially has no "game" effect on the tabletop 

Army of the Potomac  (technically a Corps) - P.G.T Beauregard **** 

Beauregard will not rate as exceptional. Beauregard operates as a Corps commander. 

Corps Artillery - Alexander - Battery 1 -  Purcell (Virginia) Artillery (LR) Grn, Battery 2 Lynchburg (Virginia) Artillery (RN) Grn

First Division - James Longstreet E (exceptional) - that roll of a 9 on a D10 seemed appropriate for the "Old Warhorse". 

 

We have a mini galaxy of eventual Confederate 2,3 and 4 stars appearing on the battlefield for this battle. Once elevated by General Lee a little later in the war Longstreet was one of the few commanders in the confederate roll call of the Army of Virginia not to come from that State. He was a Georgia man.  

Divisional Artillery - Shields - Washington (Louisiana) Artillery Battery 1 (SB) Grn Battery 2 (RS) Grn 

Bonham First (Carolina) Brigade (11/9/6) (RM) Grn 11 th North Carolina, 2,3,7,8 South Carolina 

Milledge Bonham was appointed major general and commander of the forces of South Carolina at the outset of the war. He commanded the first brigade at Manassas. In 1862 he resigned his commission to take up his post as a representative for South Carolina in the Confederate congress. 

Ewell E Exceptional Second (Alabama/Louisiana) Brigade (10/8/5) (MM) Grn  5,6 Alabama, 6,8 Louisiana 

Baldy Ewell is another star making his appearance. A regular army officer like many he resigned his commission at the outset of the war when his native Virginia seceded. Throughout the war Ewell petitioned the Confederate government for black slaves to be freed in return for service in the Army of the Confederacy. He was raised as a child in Manassas so should have known the ground well. In the actual battle his brigade was guarding one of the fords a long way downstream and did not see actual combat which was concentrated in and around Henry Hill. 

Jones Third (Mississipi) Brigade (SM) (9/7/5) Grn NE 17, 18 Mississippi, 5th South Carolina 

Stuart's Cavalry E (exceptional)  (6/4/2) (RC) Exp  

Second Division - Jubal Early 

Jubal Early began life as the commander of the 24th Virginia Regiment but I will give him a one of the divisions for Manassas as he was promoted immediately after the battle. I will hand over command of his brigade to Kemper.

Divisional Artillery Battery 1 (RS) Grn Battery 2 Grn (RS) 

Kemper First (Virginia) Brigade  (12/9/6) (MM) Grn NE 7th Louisiana, 13th Mississippi, 7th and 24th Virginia 

Cocke Second (Virginia) Brigade (13/10/7) (RM) Grn  NE 8,18, 19 28 and 49 Virginia 

Wheat Third brigade (10/8/5) (RM) Grn 1st Louisiana (not yet the crack "Wheat's Tigers" I don't believe who gave service in the valley but I will paint them as fancy zoaves for some variation from grey and butternut and a little elan, 4th South Carolina

Third Division - Nathan Evans 

Divisional Artillery Battery 1 (LR) Grn Battery 2 (RS) Grn 

Holmes first (Arkansas/Tennessee) Brigade (10/8/5) (MM) Grn 1st Arkansas, 2nd Tennessee

Garland second (Virginia) Brigade (7/6/4) (RM) Grn  5th North Carolina, 1, 11, 17 Virginia 

Wade Hampton's South Carolina "Legion" third brigade (8/6/4) (SM) Grn  

Whilst unassigned in the ORBAT for Manassas we will designate the Hampton Legion as a brigade and give it a run out at Manassas. The "Legion" was a fully independent force consisting of cavalry, artillery and infantry but for the purposes of the game we will assign it as a brigade to one of Beuregard's divisions. 

Army of the Shenandoah - technically a "corps" Joseph E Johnston 

Corps Artillery Pendleton Battery 1 Grn (RN) Battery 2  Grn (N)

First Division Thomas Jackson E (exceptional) 

I have promoted Jackson to command a division early for game purposes. He can gather the the forces to hold the "Stonewall" on Henry Hill. It is unclear as to whether Bee below was refering to a physical stonewall on the battlefield or describing Jackson as a stonewall. In any event the name stuck and was passed on from the man to the Brigade he led.

Divisional Artillery Rockbridge Artillery (Brokenbrough) Battery 1 Grn (SB) Battery 2 Grn (RS)

First "Stonewall" Brigade (Virginia Cummings) 15/11/7 (RM) Vet 2nd, 4th, 5th, 27th, 33d Virginia

Second Brigade (Georgia) Gardner (10/8/5) (MM) Grn  PT NE 7th, 8th Georgia

Second Division Bartow 

Divisional Artillery (Culpepper/Staunton Virginia Artillery) Imboden Battery 1 Grn (RS) Battery 2 Grn (SB)

First Brigade Bee (Mixed) (10/8/5) (RM) Grn NE 4th Alabama, 11th 2nd Mississipi 

"Mississipi ! There is Jackson standing like a stonewall. Let us determine to die here and we will conquer ! Rally behind the Virginians". And the rest is history. 

Second Brigade Kirby Smith (7/6/4) (SM) Grn 1st Maryland, 3d Tennessee 

Third Brigade Fisher (8/6/4)  (RM) Grn 6th North Carolina, 10th Virginia 

See you in hell Billy Yank ! See you in hell Johny Reb ! 

The Restoration of the Grand Wargaming Project - Some Life Changes (Skip the First Half Please if you have Strayed Here !)

 

It has been a long time since I posted here. Nobody reads this blog which is good so I will self indulge. I like it as a record of a big hobby idea that hasn't really died. I hate starting things and not finishing them ! Not so with life - it will have an end. My thoughts have very much been on how to fill what time I have left usefully  

Over the last four years a lot has happened for me both personally and professionally. Simply put following a bit of a rout on all fronts I have rallied my tiny troops and their supplies at a new location - a 17th Century farmhouse in Dorset with a nice garden. A lot of space for an unmarried man to rattle around in. This stuff happens unfortunately so time for a rethink.  I have plenty of space - a study, painting room and a large flagged hall (which used to be the farm kitchen) in which I reckon I could fit a decent size table. I'll come back to that and what I want to do with Hasty Works and the whole ACW project. 

I have had some other priorities to attend to just lately. The sale of another property, getting my parents who are both not suffering from dementia in their mid 80's into residential care, moving twice personally and finally washing up at my new base in Dorset. After getting back on an even keel with life I have undertaken some strategic planning as to how I spend my own time for this "final extended session" of play. After four years retired and aged 57 I decided I wasn't really firing on all cylinders and that I had a bit more to "give". I applied through the Department of Education for a teacher training place at University. Back to College at 57.  I polished my shoes, buffed up my CV, located some qualifications, convinced a couple of people to provide a reference and queued up for a series of interviews in competition with some vibrant young people less than half my age. I fixed on Primary Education as this seemed to offer the opportunity to teach a broad range of subjects at a foundational (business critical !) level. Most importantly I can take on an annual responsibility for the education of a whole class of small humans. I have time to impact perhaps ten classes over a decade and beyond dependent on my continued fitness and energy levels. You teach "everything" - Maths, English, Science, History and Geography, Music, Art, Physical Education, a bit of French maybe (Sacre Bleu mon Empereur !), IT, Design and Technology and I think now "Citizenship" is on the cards. 

So this September I am heading off to Bath Spa University for 3 weeks and then a day a week to study for my PGCE for a year to gain "Qualified Teacher Status". I had a choice really between there and Southampton but there is something about the South West rather than the South Coast. It's always good at my age to be out of the orbit of London. Cambridge wouldn't have me back on the basis I got a "Desmond" back in the last Century. Not sure I would want to teach in the Fens in any event. So for 4 days a week I will be apprenticed in a classroom somewhere within a 45 minute drive of my village so that covers really Dorset down to the coast and up into Somerset - possibly as far across as East Devon.  It's very exciting - I am specialising teaching 7 to 11 year olds. I am though having fun at the moment learning phonics for the ever so litt'luns. 

There is some method in my madness. Fully 1 in 3 Primary Schools in England have no male teachers at all and only 1 in 7 teachers are male and it's not getting any better. This at a time when there has been lot of criticism of and discussion of the crisis facing "boys and young men". Well, it's agreed that it helps if boys are confident when entering secondary education and feel that learning is very much something for them. I also believe this as a truth from the pedagogy. Both boys and girls benefit from having both male and female teachers as good role models. For boys coming from a home with no male role model and then being taught only by female teachers it's easy to see how, education aside, they might not "see" themselves as wedded to learning. I know my own reading habits, attitude to learning, hobbies, basic confidence were pretty much set by the time I was 11. I was reading, running, singing, sailing, swimming, playing the piano, drawing birds from my binoculars and moving airfix and Britains figures around a table and rolling dice.  If you went to a library in the 70's and you discovered Donald Featherstone and your collection of Toy Soldiers now had endless possibilities. It just strikes me that all of the things I have done through life I was pretty much interested in and doing by the age of 11. I was on an allotment planting seeds when I was 6 and I watched my Dad cook for me when my Mum was at work on a Saturday. That was a ritual. 

I have spent the last year tutoring disadvantaged pupils at a number of schools in groups of 1-3. Typically 9-11 year olds in the two year run up to their first formal exams. I have a good idea now that I really enjoy teaching and that it will be sustainable and rewarding through into my 60's. Every hour spent teaching at the moment I walk away with something else to think about. Not about how I feel it went - but objectively looking at the session from their point of view. It's rigorous. Once I got  my first little thank you note - misspelt in unsharpened "HB" with a crossed out and redrafted doodle of a smiling potato head man there was no looking back. 

So I have four weeks until University starts, again, for me. You can see why I haven't been wargaming, or in fact birdwatching or growing vegetables for a while. I have been refitting and repurposing myself. It was needed. Enough -  I'll get back on topic. Enough of me. 

So literally where we and when was it  ? Week 1 of August 1861. On the eve of a First Mannassas with a hiatus to paint up the forces needed to get that battle ton the table. The system or campaign rules for working SPI's War Between the States 1861-65 for the Strategic war together with tabletop battles using Volley and Bayonet had been tested and proven. The war was very much underway with some stories emerging. The death of Lyons at the battle of Rolla in Missouri despite a small union victory. Missouri had come out for the confederacy but the combined forces of the Missouri State guard were no match for a smaller Union force stiffened by US regulars. The pursuit then of Price, South towards safety. In the East the first tentative moves of the Union main army into North Virginia. The reinforcement historically early by the Army of the Shenandoah of the Army of the Potamac. A face off between two green forces numbering some 30,000 bayonets each. Frenzied recruitment on both sides. An Ocean of a land continent the size of Western Europe - a battlefield stretching thousands of miles from the semi tropical swamps of Florida to the grass plains abutting Canada and from the Atlantic seaboard of the Carolinas to Oklahoma in the West. All with Virginia as the cockpit of the war. Richmond and Washington no more than a good day's ride apart. 

So I have had a think for two years and I want to make now some changes. I do like Volley and Bayonet but it is not a system designed specifically for the ACW. It is focused at the Brigade level and works for large battles. The look on the tabletop just wasn't doing it for me. All of the units in their "blocks" require you to imagine the individual regiments and battalions. There is little in the way of formations - the modelling of morale and movement is somewhat stylised. It's not too late andwith the campaign just started I make a quick change. 

I have decided that the link up from the map to the tabletop will now be the Fire and Fury ruleset. I just prefer the look and the way they play. Here are some key considerations for me :-

(1) Each brigade is modelled as a set of bases that accurately show the size of a unit. So a division of 4,000 men (an I4 counter on the map) would convert fully to 20 bases on the tabletop (each base representing 200 men at 10 mm scale. That could be modelled as two brigades of ten bases or three brigades of perhaps 5, 6 and 9 bases. Divisions will retain their integrity - brigades can be sloughed off  but within a counter different units might take unequal casualties. There is always the capacity to fold together brigades for the battlefield. There is room for variation. Casualties on the battlefield are modelled by the loss of bases rather than simply strength points on a roster with each brigade looking identical in modelled form from the start to finish of a battle. I can track individual battalions within divisions with greater detail as to their losses and morale and experience from game to game. Those effects really play out in the detail of the rules - to move, shoot and fight. There is a real friction but graded. I can have specialist regiments within Brigades e.g. Zouaves;

(2) Larger brigades can be modelled as separate battalions where needed. The formations allow for brigade lines (all battalions/regiments in line) or supported lines. Brigade lines can support other full  Brigade lines or Brigades can be split into their Battalion components to support themselves. The look is just better - At a glance a strong unit can be told apart from a weaker unit. You can read the battlefield - there is a capacity for gaps. Units are visibly outflanked - Lines can be "refused" - broken units can be represented as a rabble. Battalions and Brigades can fit to linear features such as sunken roads, hasty works and stone walls;

(3) During an actual battle there is less need for bookkeeping for unit strength. Each brigade has a label which shows its casualty progress as a collapsing balloon and this can be affected by both training or experience  (see below) and recent morale affects  (so fresh, worn and then spent but nuanced to allow for reliable, unreliable or spirited, unspirited). There is the potential then  to add another layer of morale indicators based on performance - e.g. a new unit, following a long march, perhaps a leader has been lost in the last battle; 

(4) The system for modelling weapons appears more accurate with smoothbore, mixed muskets and rifled muskets and different cavalry weapons. I prefer the range and modelling of artillery;

(5) There is a system for the progression of units through Green, Experienced, Veteran and Crack. That affects their ability to manoeuvre in a much more nuanced way and their performance with ranged fire (green troops suffering a penalty and most importantly when closing for and engaging in melee. There are reasons other than for combat to attach to a unit. Simply put to get a poor unit moving to where your want it. I will alter my rules for Militia. The old PT/NE status I had running on a sixth month counter system I can scrap and this  avoids some long term bookkeeping.  Once a unit has been in a combat and fired or taken casualties - seen the elephant - it can always  lose its Green "tag" once blooded and can become "Experienced".  I can have the usual rules for advancing to "Veteran" by battlefield promotion over time. I can develop a simple system for gaining the "Crack" status based on exemplary battlefield performance. I will keep it fair. Militia I can always apply Unreliable to allow for an earlier collapse through Fresh. Worn, Spent as they lose stands. Militia that has suffered a prior defeat can become dispirited. Usually regular troops will be reliable. There is an amount of nuance that I can apply fairly. Essentially though I will lose the need to bookkeep for months to track "Training" with an automatic loss of penalties. Units can become smaller but harder to crack - large units can remain unreliable running from the battlefield but presevering their size;

(6) The scale on the battlefield is somewhat smaller 1" is 60 yards rather than the 100 yards for Volley and Bayonet. Turns are also modelled as 30 minutes rather then an hour. In general my bases are 20 mm in width rather than an inch so my whole scale will come down further by 20 % ( an inch is 2.5 mm). So my measuring unit will be 2 cm representing 60 yards. My current table plan for First Manassass designed to take in all of the fords along Bull Run is some 12 feet in length x 6 feet representing an area  8 miles x 4 miles to the Volley and Bayonet scale.  Using a full 12 foot x 6 feet table I will now be limited to representing an area of about 6 1/8 miles x 3 1/4 miles. Still enough I think to lay a good rectangle along bull run. A  brigade of say 2,000 men with two battalions each of 1,000 in a supported line will occupy an area on the battlefield 10 cm wide and 6 cm deep. That's 300 yards x 180 yards. As a single line the brigade could cover a frontage of 600 yards along a linear feature like a stone wall at Fredericksburg.  A line was two deep so that does represent on average 2 foot per man but of course there were number of file closers and officers, orderlies and so on.  It does seem about right; and

(7) To the extent that I cannot fit the whole of a historical battlefield I can just model this with tabletop arrival rules with the turn system. Or use two tables ! When the corps system develops armies will be dispersed across areas of hexes on the map - converging for battles and some of them multi-day affairs. The main thing is to produce an interesting battle with units recruited, grown, equipped and led on the map in the SPI mini-monster board wargame system and then thrown onto the tabletop. I am as much interested in the look and feel of those battles to tell a story as with 100 % accuracy. The hex game itself is utterly detailed down to supplies, economy, manpower and politics. The battles should be fun and a light relief to decide the issue for a hex. 

(8) There really is the ability to model some "Exceptional" leaders from their counters to the battlefield. I will need to generate divisional leaders but it's clear in the early war that the Corps or Army system was not in operation so I can think about that over time. The Fire and Fury rules for First Mannasses or Bull Run make it clear that there are just 3 on table command figures (for Beuregard, Johnston and Macdowell) and that individual brigades have a smattering of Exceptional leaders who provide a small advantage that is just a  die modifier. 

Essentially it's workable in my mind - some hard work to rewrite the living Order of Battle but that is really the component brigade parts from divisional counters which can be tweaked when used. The counters on the map all stay the same as generated.  There is one more thing - the Battle of Rolla which was my first engagement  with very few troops. I think less than a full division on each side - really just 3 small brigades or so a piece - that should be capable of being modelled far more easily using Fire and Fury and equally there is always the option (if I can be bothered) to scale down to the Regimental rulesets with Battalions becoming the building blocks on the battlefield. Battles in the West can be modelled at the regimental scale. I will take a view. 

So it is about look and nuance - detail and ease of record keeping. Overall I think it enhances my capacity to tell stories through the campaign from the largest to the smallest. So this is the new look for a 1500/1600 man brigade.

Top left is a Union Volley and Bayonet base modelled as 6 bases within a movement tray. Whether representing 3,000 or 1500 bayonet strength  the look would be the same with no ability to model a brigade line of battalions stretched out, two men deep or indeed a supported lined with different sized battalions. It's literally one size fits all. A 3 " by 3" block with a frontage of 300 yards.   So in this case 1,500 men - a 3-4 on its label for 3 strength points of 500 men and a 4 for morale - with an added PT/NE if militia or otherwise and a time counter of 6 months to lose this. I was doing a lot of my unit modelling with named regiments within each counter built into brigades. Less capacity for unit story telling through modelling and battlefield experience. No capacity to represent a field column and awkward for modelling a column along a road. Little nuance with morale. In front I have shown the same 1,600 men as Confederates - first in a single brigade line of 8 stands. A frontage of some 480 yards across 16 cm. Secondly as a supported line with two battalions of 800 men representing a frontage of 240 yards. It seems to me that Volley and Bayonet is designed for the brigade columns of the Napoleonic Wars. Fire and Fury has been written for the reality of the American Civil War. 

Further my Confederate Brigade will always be Green for its first battle suffering a -1 for manoeuvres -1 for its musketry role and -1 on a charge. The Green status I will lose after the first battle but I won't allow Militia to ever progress to Veterren. As militia I will probably model the brigade as "unreliable" initially and possibly after continued battlefield losses as "dispirited".  I think Militia should always be "unreliable". So its initial morale profile on its label might read Evans Green 8/7/6 (For Fresh, Worn Spent) - if remaining as militia the unit would lose its Green status gaining Experience but after battlefield losses in succession and some casualties it might be dispirited and of weaker strength (after 30 % casualties but recovering 1/3 of its losses). So a base might then read say Evans Exp.  6/-/5. If the unit won a couple of battles it might have recovered 2/3 of its casualties but remained as "unreliable" being Militia. The base would read Evans Exp. 7/6/5 having the capacity to avoid a further casualty and becoming worn before suffering a -2 penalty as spent when testing to change formation or advance. 

A fresh battalion has a + 2 modifier for manoeuvre checks (which also affect rallying from broken to good order). So the same unit as regulars and at the same strength initially could be Evans Green 8/6/4 - reliable trained troops to a degree. That unit can suffer a casualty without losing its fresh status. The harsh penalty for a spent brigade does not apply until the unit has suffered fully 50 % casualties. After a couple of battlefield losses with 30 % casualties and recovering 1/3 of those it might be now unreliable and have a label reading Evans Exp. 6/5/4. Conversely with a series of battlefield wins despite losses (recovered at a higher rate) and a promotion in status beyond mere experience for both the troops and its commander and a shot in the arm to morale its label might read Evens Exceptional Commander, Veteran, 7/5/3. A spirited unit. Capable of withstanding heavy casualties with a + 2 modifier for its veteran status and exceptional commander. No negative modifier for its musketry and a + 3 modifier for charging with a mighty "Rebel Yell". So much more nuanced and if the brigade contains a regiments of the Louisiana Tigers I can paint 4 of the bases as confederate zouaves with striped trousers and straw hats - some distance from their being raised on the docks of New Orleans. 

The downside to this reconfiguration of my campaign to include more detail but hopefully some ease of bookkeeping  is that I still need to churn out plenty more bases. I think it represents though better looking battles going forward and more storytelling. Lines withering under fire visibly. A greater capacity for a battlefield reputation to grow and roll. More capacity to tell the story of leaders within units with more actual implications overall for influences on battlefield gameplay. 

So that's the plan for the campaign. I need something to leven the effort of a year's study - I have the room, I have a new home. I just need to set aside an evening and an weekend afternoon a week to the project and I can find out what happens to Price in Missouri and the units right now facing off across Bull Run in Northern Virginia on August 7th 1861. 

Next stop an updated living Order of Battle and the Order of Battle for the Confederates and Union forces at Bull Run. See you hell in Billy Yank ! see you in hell Johny Rebb ! 

Confederate Order of Battle for the Campaign First Manassas

 

I have not managed to post at all on this website since before Xmas. Life has got away from me a little bit with my parents who are unwell and family. 

I hopefully have some blue water for a few months and can refocus on this project. The "state of play" is that it is turn 1 of August 1861. I am off on holiday to Mull with my wife and a few friends in the first week of May. A great target would be to get the first big battle done by then or have it ready to be soon after my return. 

I have now purchased 6 of the cheap plastic fold down tables. I do have a silver wedding anniversary next year coming up so hopefully they won't go to waste as bars or buffet tables if we had some sort of celebration here. Another huge order of roads, creeks and hills from my basic scenery supplier of choice S&S in the UK have arrived. They are superb and will do me a lifetime at all scales up to 15 mmm. I have also purchased a large amount of foam board for creating contours under my printed terrain cloths. 

I have started to plan out the roads and main creek from a number of resources. On the above photo Henry House Hill is the small hill in the in the rectangle of roads on the left hand edge of the table. 

I have had one supplier disappointment. Geek Gaming Mats printing machine broke (according to their website and information) and once it was replaced I made the exact same order of two more  "Autumn" fleece 6 x 4 mats so that I could make a huge 12 x 6 foot table. Unfortunately the new prints are coming up a different tone as you can see in the above picture. It's not terrible I know but I can see it and and it is offending my OCD ! I am investing in kit for a retirement of gaming but I don't have bottomless resources. It will be fine once the whole table is "dressed". If I add a little bit more to the look for each battle and continue to paint my bases I should be able to create some wonderful Civil War "soldier porn" of legendary Scott Mingus proportions ! This is all aspirational unless I get my head down and paint. They only have to paint themselves once and the scenery is super fun.

I think I just need to set aside 2 hours for three times a week and one of the weekend days for the rest of May. The rest of May and June should provide some good opportunities but I am conscious that the anniversary of creating this site may soon roll around with my having taken a year to game the first month. It really doesn't matter though. Back to the main event !  

Confederate Order of Battle 

The Confederates  at the historic battle were comprised of two "armies" which were made up in effect of single Corps sized components. By the 21 July 1861  the Army of the Shenandoah under Jo Johnston had managed to slip away from the Union forces outside Winchester and move across by rail to Manassas Junction. This was occurring from about 3 days before the battle with the final forces arriving as the battle was occurring. Famously Jackson arrived at Henry House Hill as General Bee's brigade was falling out. They rallied behind Jackson and the Virginians "standing like a Stone Wall" and the tide was turned. 

In my campaign Jo Johnston has been at Manassas Junction since the second week of July. Jo Johnston was the senior general and will take overall command of the forces on the day. I will allow however Beauregard also to act as a "corps" commander (without an HQ up to his counter command span 3). Like the Federals I will model each division counter as 2 or 3 "named" brigades and list the regiments as appropriate and provide each division with a divisional commander. 

The main difference I can see in the starting Corps permitted by the V&Bayonet campaign rules for the early war is that confederate Corps have a small cavalry reserve whereas Union corps have a small corps artillery brigade as a reserve (usually rifled pieces so parrot guns). Cavalry is modelled from counters in my campaign as separate purchases under the War Between the States boardame rules. My union Order of battle has provided them with 5 brigades of artillery (roughly ten batteries). I don't believe that the Confederates had less artillery per se. The difference in the model corps in the V&B campaign reflects the greater preponderance of Confederate cavalry in the early war which is already a "thing" in my game with the cheaper confederate cavalry points. I think I will allow confederate HQ's (only) not leaders) an artillery reserve but limit this to a SB-H PT brigade rather than rifled field artillery at this stage of the war. I am not purchasing artillery within the boardgame recruitment cycle so I just have to come up with something fair and representative. Overall union artillery was superior in numbers and effectiveness in the war as a whole as I understand it. Certainly in terms of "kit" and quality of ordanance until large amounts of Union material was captured. There was no criticism of confederate gun crews but they were hampered by inconsistent charges with a tendency to explode early and confederate battalions were known during the war to plead with the artillery not to fire over their heads ! 

Army of the Potomac & Army of the Shenandoah (operates as two small Corps on the tabletop) 

The big line from the Order of Battle and Unit Tracker for Manassas reads as follows. As the counters are not marked "0" against their PT status they have all clicked up to "1" in their time based progress from Green to Veteran status :-

C2409 Manassas Junction, Beauregard****3-3-1, Depot 6-6, 1stCorpsHQ, ST4, C1 (Stuart  Cavalry 2-5) I6 (3 x 4-4 PT NE) I7 (2 x 5-4 PT NE, 4-4 PT NE), I5 (4-4 PT NE, 2 x 3-4 PT NE), Corps Artillery 2-5 R-F , Divisional Artillery 2-5 SB-F PT, 2-5 SB-H PT and J.Johnston****3-3-1, I5 (4-4 PT NE, 2 x 3-4 PT NE) I5 (Stonewall), (Jackson "Stonewall" Brigade (50%)  6-5, 4-4 PT NE) Divisional Artillery 2-5 SH-H PT) (High morale 6-5 first stonewall brigade is allowed from House Divided campaign rules set up and now augmented within a mixed brigade).

So the confederates have 14 brigade stands in total and I think the Union 13. I am assigning Divisional commanders for the sake of the game effectively promoting some of the brigade commanders from the actual day to command groups of  around 3 brigades. 

Confederate Forces at Manassas 

Joseph E Johnston overall command - this essentially has no "game" effect on the tabletop 

Army of the Potomac  (technically a Corps) - P.G.T Beauregard - "1" 

Corps Artillery - Alexander 2-5 R-F PT - Purcell (Virginia) Artillery, Lynchburg (Virginia) Artillery

First Division - James Longstreet "1" 

 

We have a mini galaxy of confederate 2,3 and 4 stars appearing on the battlefield for this battle. I will take the time over coming posts to do my usual introductions but for now I will consign myself to a few pictures. I spent an inordinate amount of time introducing Lyons for the union for the battle of Rolla only to have him suffer the same fate as in real life ! Once elevated by General Lee a little later in the war Longstreet was one of the few commanders in the confederate roll call of the Army of Virginia not to come from that State. He was a Georgia man.  

Divisional Artillery - Shields - Washington (Louisiana) Artillery 2-5 SB S-H PT

Bonham First (Carolina) Brigade 4-4 PT NE, 11 th North Carolina, 2,3,7,8 South Carolina 

Milledge Bonham was appointed major general and commander of the forces of South Carolina at the outset of the war. He commanded the first brigade at Manassas. In 1862 he resigned his commission to take up his post as a representative for South Carolina in the Confederate congress. 

Ewell Second (Alabama/Louisiana) Brigade 4-4 PT NE 5,6 Alabama, 6,8 Louisiana 

Baldy Ewell is another star making his appearance. A regular army officer like many he resigned his commission at the outset of the war when his native Virginia seceded. Throughout the war Ewell petitioned the Confederate government for black slaves to be freed in return for service in the Army of the Confederacy. He was raised as a child in Manassas so should have known the ground well. In the actual battle his brigade was guarding one of the fords a long way downstream and did not see actual combat which was concentrated in and around Henry Hill. 

Jones Third (Mississipi) Brigade 4-4 PT NE 17, 18 Mississippi, 5th South Carolina 

Stuart's Cavalry 2-5 

Second Division - Jubal Early "1"

Jubal Early began life as the commander of the 24th Virginia Regiment but I will give him a one of the divisions for Manassas as he was promoted immediately after the battle. I will hand over command of his brigade to Kemper.

Divisional Artillery 2-5 SB-H PT

Kemper First (Virginia) Brigade 5-4 PT NE 7th Louisiana, 13th Mississippi, 7th and 24th Virginia 

Cocke Second (Virginia) Brigade 5-4 PT NE 8,18, 19 28 and 49 Virginia 

Wheat Third brigade 4-4 PT NE 1st Louisiana (not yet the crack "Wheat's Tigers" I don't believe who gave service in the valley but I will paint them as fancy zoaves for some variation from grey and butternut and a little elan, 4th South Carolina

Third Division - Nathan Evans "1"

Divisional Artillery 2-5 SB-H PT

Holmes first (Arkansas/Tennessee)  Brigade 4-4 PT NE 1st Arkansas, 2nd Tennessee

Garland second (Virginia) Brigade 3-4 PT NE 5th North Carolina, 1, 11, 17 Virginia 

Wade Hampton's South Carolina "Legion" third brigade 3-4 PT NE 

Whilst unassigned in the ORBAT for Manassas we will designate the Hampton Legion as a brigade and give it a run out at Manassas. The "Legion" was a fully independent force consisting of cavalry, artillery and infantry but for the purposes of the game we will assign it as a brigade to one of Beuregard's divisions. 

Army of the Shenandoah - technically a "corps" Joseph E Johnston "1"

Corps Artillery Pendleton 2-5 R F 

First Division Thomas Jackson "1"

I have promoted Jackson to command a division early for game purposes. He can gather the the forces to hold the "Stonewall" on Henry Hill. It is unclear as to whether Bee below was refering to a physical stonewall on the battlefield or describing Jackson as a stonewall. In any event the name stuck and was passed on from the man to the Brigade he led.

Divisional Artillery Rockbridge Artillery (Brokenbrough) 2-5 SB-F PT

First "Stonewall" Brigade (Virginia Cummings) 6-5 2nd, 4th, 5th, 27th, 33d Virginia

Second Brigade (Georgia) Gardner 4-4 PT NE 7th, 8th Georgia

Second Division Bartow "1"

Divisional Artillery (Culpepper/Staunton Virginia Artillery) Imboden 2-5 SB-H PT

First Brigade Bee (Mixed) 4-4 PT NE 4th Alabama, 11th 2nd Mississipi 

"Mississipi ! There is Jackson standing like a stonewall. Let us determine to die here and we will conquer ! Rally behind the Virginians". And the rest is history. 

Second Brigade Kirby Smith 3-4 PT NE 1st Maryland, 3d Tennessee 

Third Brigade Col. Fisher/Gibbons (tbc)  3-4 PT NE 6th North Carolina, 10th Virginia 

That concludes the Union and Confederate orders of battle. With 27 individual brigades to model I need to paint now something like 480 10 mm figures as well as an awful lot more artillery and caissons. This will actually break the back on the painting I need to do for a long while with the game. They will not paint themselves butI will try and both enjoy the exercise and listen to some more educational material on the War. 

See you in hell Billy Yank ! See you in hell Johny Reb ! 

Union Order of Battle for First Manassas or Bull Run

I am back into planning mode for the next tabletop encounter in my American Civil War Campaign. Above I have laid out the counters for the union side under McDowell's command from the hex that has attacked Manassas Junction. I am referring quite often to the Atlas of the Civil War edited by James Mcpherson. You can pick up a soft back A4 sized version of this relatively cheaply on Amazon which was very useful. 

In case you think I am organised a quick shot of the current state of my study should disavail you of that notion. I have managed to find a way to fit in three 6 x 2.5' pop up tables together with my desk and armchair so that I can continue painting and keep the WBTS map set up to play out individual campaign turns. I  do not have room for the production spirals which I keep on roster. I have a system with marked up bags for the counters and of course my full webpage rosters which does allow me to move the maps around the house squatting where I am welcome. Production is now taking place on the roster with counters being assigned to ziplocks. The main front room with its dining table and lounge area in front of a tempting open fire which can take a sizeable battlefield table will be off limits this side of Xmas. I have retreated to my study ! In some ways it's a cosier existence. I need to get some more themed pictures up. 

Lots to work through. 

I thought I would determine a date for my battle in the first week of August and opted for D6 + 1. A throw of "4" results in a date of 5 August 1861. A little over 2 weeks from the real event on 21 July 1861. I have already determined with a dice roll that the battle will commence with a Union attack somewhere at 11 am. 

So the union counter Order of Battle begins with the commander  McDowell *** 2-0 who sits on top of  the First  Corps HQ counter. As a *** Corps general McDowell  can command up to 3 divisions using the HQ together with 1 further division all in the same or an adjacent hex (only when using the HQ).  In this case he is stacked directly however with I9, I6, I6, I6. So three fairly average sized divisions of 6,000 men and one oversized division of 9,000 men. I am going to allow each divisional counter on either side a divisional commander for tabletop purposes only which we can name for now and which will operate under normal V&B rules (adding 1 to morale if attached). As the divisional leaders will not operate as counters on the map if they suffer a casualty I will treat that as a wound that takes them out for the rest of battle only rather than applying any additional jeopardy for the campaign. Should a side attach a Corps or Army level commander and suffer a casualty (McDowell, Beauregard or Jo Johnston) then we can roll for medium to long term consequences. This will allow both sides to order and operate their forces on the tabletop and give me a good game.

All of the Union troops present are Green, so morale 4 and "Poorly Trained  No Elites" at this stage. The only veteran original counter in the East for the Federals is the I3 for the 6-5 US regulars in Washington (which might be modelled as 2 x 3-5 on the tabletop. The simplest way to fill out the Order of battle would be to have two brigades in three of the divisions (so 2 x 6-4). This would require the least amount of actual painting. Looking at the actual Order of battle for the Union at Bull Run there were in fact 5 divisions. One had no brigade structures so was a collection of volunteer regiments or battalions as it were and the four organised divisions (First, Second, Third and Fifth Divisions) had 4, 2, 3 and 2 brigades (respectively). So broadly 3 brigades for each Union division would be more accurate. An average Brigade strength was about 2-3,000 men dependent on the strength and number of constituent regiments. A full strength civil war regiment could be as many as 800-1,000 men at the beginning of the War and especially on the Union side. I think then in order to have a decent number of manoeuvre units for the Union on the table I am going to model each I6 counter as 3 x 4-4 PT NE brigades. The I9 brigade I could have 4 brigades as 2 x 5-4 PT NE and 2 x 4-4 PT NE. That gives me 13 brigade stands in total to produce. 

In terms of artillery I am going to give each division its own brigade of artillery and retain a Corps artillery stand with the McDowell. The Corps artillery will be rifled (2-5 R-F PT) and the Divisional artillery can alternate between "heavy" and normal smoothbore field pieces (2-5 SB-H PT and 2-5 SB-F PT). The Field, "F" pieces can be parcelled out as Designated Guns "DG" as a point for two brigades. I think I will retain the artillery stands as they fun to have on the tabletop. 

I need then 4 divisional commanders  to operate as command bases and some brigade commanders to attach as names to each of the 13 brigade stands. Heintzelmen is currently in the West chasing Price across Missouri so if we used the 4 remaining historical Divisional commanders from Bull Run these will be Tyler, Hunter, Runyon and Miles.  I will fill out some colour and background for each of these divisional commanders as I assemble them the stands for the tabletop. Some familiar household names will appear as Brigade Commanders the war commences.

Union Army of Northeastern Virginia (effectively a Corps organisation under the rules) 

McDowell - *** Corps Commander -  "1" rating. Technically a "0" rating. McDowell should not provide any improvement to a unit's morale during the battle if he attaches to it but he can of course assist with rallying etc. I think I will however allow him to attach with a value of "1" as it may be fun to put him in jeopardy ! The real worth of on map counter commanders is their ability to organise and move units. 

Artillery Reserve (Maj.  William Barry) 1st United States Artillery 2-5 R-F PT (No exhaustion)

First Division - Brigadier General Tyler - "1" rating Exhaustion 7 

First Brigade (Col. Erasmus Keyes) 1st, 2nd 3rd Connecticut & 2nd Maine 5-4 PT NE 

Second Brigade (BG Robert Schenck 2nd NY Militia, 1st and 2nd Ohio 4-4 PT NE

Third Brigade (Col William T Sherman) 13, 69, 79 NY and 2nd Wisconsin 5-4 PT NE

Fourth Brigade (Col Israel Richardson) 1st Mass, 2nd & 3rd Michigan, 12th NY 4-4 PT NE  

Divisional Artillery Brigade (Col Romeyn Ayres) 3rd United States Artillery 2-5 SB-H PT 

Second Division - Colonel David Hunter - "1" rating Exhaustion 5 

First Brigade (Col. Andrew Porter) 8,14 and 27 NY 4-4 PT NE

Second Brigade (Col Hobart Ward) 1st 4th Michigan, 11th NY 4-4 PT NE

Third Brigade  (Col William B Franklin) 5th, 11th Massachusetts, 1st Minnesota and 4th Pennsylvania 4-4 PT NE

Brookwards NY Artillery Brigade (Col Brookward) 2-5 SB-F PT

Third Division - BG Theodore Runyan - "1" rating Exhaustion 5 

First Brigade (Col Orlando Wilcox) 1st, 2nd 3rd New Jersey & 41st NY 4-4 PT NE

Second Brigade (Col Ambrose Burnside) 2nd New Hampshire, 1 and 2 Rhode Island 4-4 PT NE 

Third Brigade (Col Oliver Howard) 3rd, 4th, 5th Maine & 2nd Vermont 4-4 PT NE 

Rhode Island Artillery (Col William Reynolds) SB-F 2-5 PT 

Fourth Division - Colonel Dixon Miles  - "1" Rating Exhaustion 5

Above : Colonel Dixon Miles at Harper's Ferry  (see attribution at site footer) 

First Brigade (Col Louis Blenker) 8, 29, 39 NY 27th Pennsylvania 4-4 PT NE

Second Brigade (Col Thomas Davies) 16, 18,  71 NY 4-4 PT NE 

Third Brigade (Col Calvin Pratt) 31, 32, 38 th NY 4-4 PT NE 

Divisional Artillery Brigade (Col Charles Griffin) 5th United States Artillery 2-5 SB-H PT

That gives me a painting target of a further 11 Union 3" square brigade stands and 4 more artillery stands together with their limbers if I want the whole look to be good ! In terms of 20 mm square stands with 4 infantry figures that 44 and stands or 176 figures. I will also need 4 divisional command bases and a Corps style command base (3 figures). I wondering whether to switch to round bases for commanders. 

My next post will be on the scenery while I crack on with the above this side of Xmas.

See you in hell Billy Yank ! See you in Hell Johnny Reb ! 

Week 1 August 1861 (Union Turn) - First Major Clash in the East

 

Above : Henry Halleck (see site footer) 

"I will not attempt to hamper you with any minute instructions" Henry Halleck to John Pope in respect of the capture of island number 10

So "Old Brains" is installed as Chief of Staff in Washington early and it's time for the chit draw for the first turn of August 1861. Union threats are starting to brew in both the East and West. In North Virginia  a strong force of 27,000 men organised as a Corps under McDowell has crossed the Potomac and has been organising itself for several weeks. This strong force is preparing to attack around 29,000 men gathered under the combined leadership of Beauregard and Jo Johnston at Manassas Junction. 

In the West a number of further threats are brewing. An advance guard under McLennan is at Cairo with options to move on Polk at Union City. In Missouri a battle hardened force of 7,000 cavalry and infantry under Heintzleman remains at Rolla and could continue to press Price and the remnants of the Missouri State Guard who have slid across to Ironton. On the Ohio River Stoneman has arrived in theatre to take command of the departmental garrison at Evansville. From there the Union may attempt to a swift invasion of neutral Kentucky. 

The clock is always ticking for the Union politically under the Strategic victory point situation. The Union must capture four victory point cities East of the Mississipi by August 1862 or the Confederates will clock up victory points each turn and eventually be able to successfully roll against the tables for a victory or Foreign Intervention to bring the War to an early close. As a reminder the main target cities for the Union are Richmond, Nashville, New Orleans, Memphis and Atlanta. The second tier of cities include Charleston, Chattanooga, Corinth, Knoxville, Mobile and Vicksburg. This should inform the axises of attack for the Union. Clearing the Mississippi should be a key aim for the Union and from both ends if possible. Seabourne assaults could be attempted for each of Charleston, New Orleans and Mobile. Finally an overland campaign through the heart of the confederacy to take Nashville and then to cut the central rail line and take Knocksville, Chattanooga and Atlanta could be attempted. The Confederacy will always have limited resources that must be husbanded and cannot defend in strength everywhere. In some ways however both the Strategic targets and the availability of Headquarters organistions and competent leaders with initiative will guide the Union sides' progress. 

Kentucky's neutrality is an annoyance. If the Union moves through into the State its legislature will declare for the Confederacy however a swift campaign could then take place to secure the main cities and the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. The Personnel Point bonus to the Confederacy is not massive.  It effectively provides roughly 60 Personnel Points to the Confederacy over 6 months in comparison to 30 for the Union so the difference is not that great. This is really not more than a couple of divisions. Cessation will however deliver 6 towns and cities to the confederacy which will  produce Production Points. This resource is set to take a leap up in October as the cotton harvest is brought in. This could be worth a small boost to the cause until they are taken back. Given that the Confederacy is unlikely to invade the Kentucky themselves for fear of losing that advantage and giving a gift of yet more resources to the Union has time to gather its forces before a swift invasion. 

On balance in the West for now I think that Heintzelman should continue to pursue Price and then combine with McLennan to seek to knock out Polk and dislodge the Confederate stronghold at Union City the top of the Mississipi. I have noted from the rules that despite Missouri declaring for the Confederacy the railcnet in Union still belongs to the Federals. 

Strong naval forces will be arriving in theatre in a matter of months so early 1862 could be the time to attempt the invasion of Kentucky. In fact a river bourne invasion would not immediately violate neutrality if aimed at Nashville bypassing Kentucky and using the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. I think it better to move swiftly on the key cities that would contribute to the Confederate cause, hold territory and threaten Nashville. Nashville would be the first major strategic loss for the Confederacy. 

On the  Confederate side the other hemisphere of my strategic brain keeps coming back to the simple maxim that the Confederacy does not need to "win". It just mustn't "lose". The Confederates have there a new nation - it simply needs to dig in and hang onto it for now. Concentrating forces and blocking potential moves and reinforcing key strategic cities is the aim of the game. For example why attack Ivrvin McDowell North of Manassas ? Richmond and some of the small towns and cities such as Fredericksburg and Lynchburg, Charlottesville and Gordansville  need to be defended but there is no immediate strategic advantage to throwing McDowell back across the Potomac. Better to continue to consolidate forces and focus on having an advantage when attacked. The topography of Virginia presents the Confederates with a series of East/West rivers providing natural defensive lines. 

Initiative Chit Draw

I use my wife because I can feel myself hoping that the Union remains stalled in North Virginia - I have to paint those bases at some point ! Also I think I know what each Chit looks like now even if reversed. Again I swear that my wife is a zealous abolitionist and Lincoln loving Republican. The Confederates opt for the safe "2" in parenthesis under the WbTS boardgame rules. Of the remaining 3 options - "0", "1" and "3" Jane picks the "3" from the cup. The Union takes the initiative and has 3 guaranteed initiative moves which is remarkably useful given the very low initiative of Union commanders to get anything done independently. 

Union Moves 

(1) Heintzleman ** and the I5 and C1 counters he is stacked with continue the pursuit of Price backed by (2) the supply train.  They move across to A2415 and A2414.  Heintzleman can order a division and a brigade as a ** Divisional commander so moving the supply train to ensure that he can engage in combat healthily when he catches Price will cost another chit initiative.

(3) One of the I5 divisions at Harpers Ferry has moved to join Banks at Baltimore. Incidentally the Federal  Naval Transports are nearby. The Northern papers trumpet the potential for seaborne invasions along the East coast of the Confederate States alerting the Confederacy to the potential danger. Should the Confederates then use valuable resources to garrison each city on its coastline ? I have been toying with the idea of building up garrisons where I can to create a fighting reserve that can react to threats. The arrival of a substantial force threatening key cities such as Charleston or Atlanta would require a significant reaction that would then of course weaken resources elsewhere. The Union has the advantage of the Sea, the Ohio river and eventually the Mississippi (if it can take it) creating a contiguous exterior line of communication from where it can assault at will. This is Winfield Scott's Anaconda plan in its full glory. 

There are of course the potential for initiative moves for the union as well. 

Only Stoneman at Evansville makes his initiative roll (he gets a “2”). I think he needs a larger force to move into Kentucky than the 6,000 militia and garrison he currently has. Potentially he can take some militia with him to create a depot when he does move but he should take at least a strong infantry division to have any chance of success. This will be the thrust towards Nashville when it is ready. 

The more you "run the board" for the Union  to generate threats to the Confederates the more you realise that the Confederates are constrained strategically to defence and possibly counter punches  e.g. in the form of raids in strength in the North or to retake territory in the West. The experimental political victory point rules I have adopted from WbTS are particularly elegant at capturing this "mood" to proceedings.  

Combat Phase 

Heintzleman is not yet in a position to attack Price. Again Mcgruder has a series of increasingly agitated telegrams from Lincoln demanding that he march on to Richmond by destroying the confederate main battle army right in front of him. 

Will there be any progress in the main battle theatre in Virginia ? 

The union rolls a 1 which is good for  McDowell's initiative of 2. McDowell is stacked on a Corps HQ and as such can attack with all 4 divisions with him - the 3 x I6 counters and the I9 counter - 27,000 bayonets. Facing him are Beauregard and Jo Johnston with fully 29,000 men. Finally the slow preparations of Union have resulted in a clash. 

This is the mid-sized encounter I have been looking forward to as a tabletop project to take my gaming resources forward  - a clear step up from the  Battle of Rolla. I will need to (1) design and dress the tabletop. (2) Draw up Orders of battle and organise units within my divisions - naming the stands and regiments and (3) decide on how I deal with the battlefield rules for the day and the arrival of units and so on. There are a number of rules questions for me to consider. The battle should be large enough however for me to properly divide up the forces into “divisions” or forces and assign wings or a strategy under the Road  to Glory system. I will allow each side sufficient battlefield divisional commanders within their counters as well as the *** and **** generals present as overall Army/Corps sized commanders. 

Painting wise I will need to produce probably half a dozen more 3" infantry  stands for either side to be able to play this but ultimately I will need upwards of 30 stands a side for the biggest battles in any event. In terms of 20 mm square bases I should now just get the production line rolling again. I have taken delivery of some very nice Black Hats and Zoaves that could make an appearance. I am good for cavalry. Stuart will be present with a small brigade of cavalry however there are no cavalry on the Union side. I will need probably a fairly significant amount of artillery unless I model this at Divisional Guns. 

In terms of scenery I think I need two “tiers” of hills so some foam board shapes that can sit under my cloths will win the day. My existing collection of hills can then just produce the second tier or standalone hills. Henry Hill was of course the focal point of action at Bull Run on 21 July 1861 but it needn't be in this encounter.   I also need a stone bridge and possibly just more trees again ! I am not sure yet how big to make the tabletop.

To keep things simple there is a good map for a Bull Run Scenario on the Volley and Bayonet  internet pages. But this really covers an area dictated by what the two sides on the day actually did. In reality both sides tried to turn the left flank of the other by an attack. This was called off on the Confederate side to defend against the Union assaults of Henry Hill. All reserves arriving at Manassas Junction by rail were eventually thrown this way (notably Jackson's first brigade) prior to general assault by the Confederates leading to a Union collapse. 

I have also ordered a second hand copy of Eastern Battles which supports the Fire and Fury system. That should also have a map and order of battle I can lay onto my counters. This is the moment that the troops become real and take on a character and identity. There is a wealth of information available on the internet obviously. I am taken by the concept that the Union has a multitude of potentially fords and crossing points along Bull Run from which it can attack. The overall concept for the scenario could be the the Confederate needs to make its deployments and then the Union axis of attack will be determined. There is no need for complex rules for the arrival of a strategic reserve by rail as the Confederates have been concentrated at Manassas junction for several weeks. 

The full table itself could be up to 12 feet long x 6 feet  deep depending on how I orientate it. I want take in all the potential river crossings if I can. This is a great project within a project and one that will take me beyond Xmas I expect to get on the table. The key for me is to keep the battle fresh, fair and give both sides a good chance. Most of the troops will be very raw and unproven. Both sides will though naively see the opportunity for that “knock out blow”. The object of this whole campaign for me is primarily to have fun, create some beautiful tabletop battles and essentially tell a story. I should also gain some understanding of the big picture and learn some history as go along. 

I ordered a small piece of astroturf last week to have a go at some crop fields given that the battle will take place in August. My battle of Rolla was lacking in corn ! Spray painted a corn colour the Astroturf  should be quite good. The rules for corn fields block line of site until they are trampled by a crossing brigade. Perhaps I can have two versions - one for the corn standing and one for the corn trampled ! 

Time to retreat to the study/modelling room for a couple of weeks to get this on the table ! I doubt the Great Republican will allow a 12 foot x 6 foot table to appear in the "Front Room" this side of Xmas competing with the tree and dining table. 

Overall I am very excited now again to deliver a larger battle that will deliver a result in the grand campaign. Who will go limping back to the capital on this occasion as the Summer of 1861 draws to a close ? Will the Union sweep on to Richmond or will this first foray into Virginia end in the debacle of the “Great Skeedaddle” as it did historically.

There is one final thing I can decide on with a simple dice roll. The V&B House Divided campaign rules have a system for determining the start time for the fight (see Rule 8 Battles here). In August sunset is at 5 am - adding to that a roll of D6 the Union attack will not take place until 11 am. As sunset is at 7 pm the Union forces will be limited to 8 turns of action on the first day. It is possible that we could be in for a multi-day battle

See you in hell Billy Yank. See you in hell Johnny Reb !