Confederate Cavalry Units

 

I am waiting on one or two more scenery pieces and have a few more union bases to complete and artillery to paint but in the meantime the Prices' Missouri guard units for my battle of Rolla are complete including the mounted cavalry. 

I went for a very "dressed" and new 1861 look with the yellow cavalry cuffs. I will add some much more tousled and ragtag cavalry units later for the wars progression. These are Pendraken 10 mm confederate cavalry. They come with essentially two poses - carrying carbines at the ready and with sabres drawn for the troopers and then 3 different style command figures - an officer with a curved sabre and a standard bearer and a bugler. I am really pleased with how these have turned out. A few clear rules for painting 10 mm are emerging. Firstly paint the unit and not the figures. Secondly keep the figures tidy but less really is more with the details. A good flag and some shiny weapons and decent cuffs and all is good. Finally keep the paints as bright and light as possible. Any small figure will come up "dark" especially when using a wash - and with washes use a very soft or light shade. I think I am using medium brown from Army Painter. Any darker with the wash and the figures just turn to mud. 

Under the ACW Volley and Bayonet Rules cavalry can be 2 to 4  strength points on a 3 inch square base and is designated as "light cavalry". I am using two rows of 3 bases (20 x 30 mm) with 2 mounted figures on each. The back two bases are mounted as full light cavalry brigades. A full light cavalry base will dismount as a 3 inch x 1.5 inch linear infantry base.  I have yet to settle on the size of my infill dismounted bases. I may just use two 30 mm square bases as two of these will fill up a linear infantry tray. I might be able to fit a horse holder on each at the back and perhaps 4 or 5 other dismounted cavalry figures - possibly also dismounted command. This may not convert across to other rule systems such as Fire and Fury or Johnny Reb III or Alter of Freedom, but I can always do something else for my cavalry with those rules. I will make up some 20 mm squares as well and see what I prefer later. Given my 5 year timespan with this project I am in it for some detail. 

Light cavalry can throw off skirmish cavalry bases of a point each. A 1 point V & B cavalry stand is actually also on a 3 inch square base. So I can use blanks on a big base or  try  a smaller linear base which might be easier ? This would denote the 1 point value and be less confusing and less needy for  blank filler bases. A 1 point cavalry base dismounts as a 1.5 inch square base which would take one 30 mm square base. Can I get 6 figures on a base with a horse holder ? I think so as a small vignette and this would work well for occupying a village or section of wall or fence.  So I think this settles the issue of what to do for dismounted cavalry for other games. Just buy some more dismounted figures and make nice horse handlers etc. and prepare smaller bases. 

The OOB for Rolla has the confederates with a 2 point cavalry counter on tree map (4 strength points for V & B or 2,000 horses) which will come into the game as two separate 2-5 PT cavalry bases. These can of course be broken down each into 4 cavalry 1 points skirmish bases. I think given their numerical superiority it might be preferable to have just two 2-5 bases which will dismount as a 2 point linear infantry base. Either way I will need to make 4 30 mm dismounted cavalry bases. 

I am keen now to crack on with the battle so will not wait too much longer for further supplies of scenery, finish of the extra couple of units (mostly union now) decide the future of Missouri ! 

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

Remaining Union Forces in the "Western Theatre"

 

We can now complete the Union position in the West. As well as Lyons' forces concentrated in  St Louis the Union has a further 6 militia strength points in Springfield, Illinois (so 6,000 militia). These can be represented as two "brigades" on the tabletop (6-4 PT NE). These should probably be supported by a battery of 1-5 SB-F PT which alternately could be designated as two Dedicated Gun attributes with the two brigade bases. 

There are a further 8 militia points of militia at Indianapolis which we will model in brigades as two 5-4 PT NE counters and one 6-4 PT NE counter supported by a battalion of artillery 2-5 SB-F P.

A final militia concentration of 6 counter points is located at Columbus, Ohio which would model similar to the forces at Springfield as two 6-4 PT NE DG brigades. 

It is worth setting out some more detail about the Union war aims in the West from the outset of the war and border State neutrality. Kentucky and Missouri were added as stars to the Confederate national flag from the outset of secession despite both States eventually siding with the Union. Kentucky began the war as a neutral however came out for the Union once confederate troops entered the State to support secessionist sympathisers. In our game Kentucky begins  and remains neutral until either (a) its neutrality is violated by either side or a (b) an appeal to the political table gives a result placing Kentucky on either side. The game has a complicated table which allows appeals for political results (such as foreign intervention) or overall victory based on battle victories and the attainment of other war aims such as territorial gains. 

When Kentucky joins either cause as a result of a breach of neutrality by the other side the successful side gains a one time boost of 50 personnel points. If Kentucky joins either side as a result on the political table then they will gain a 2-2 Militia unit on every friendly Kentucky City for each strategic turn thereafter. The Kentucky Cities will also begin to provide supply points if Kentucky secedes. Navigating rivers in Kentucky without making a shore landing will not be considered a breach of neutrality. Irrespective Kentucky supplied a large number of troops to the confederacy during the War e.g. the famous "Orphan Brigade" with its distinctive flag. 

Missouri will remain neutral until a successful appeal on the political table. Again the successful side will be able to deploy a 1-2 Militia unit of each Missouri City they hold on each strategic turn. 

Coming back to the overall Union strategy for the Western Theatre it would appear sensible initially to concentrate forces and secure the State of Missouri, defeating any confederate field forces if possible as well as occupying the Cities of Rolla, Springfield, Ironton and New Madrid which would then generate militia strength points each month throughout the game. The Union took care not to give Kentucky any cause to secede at the outbreak of the War. Eventually confederate troops movements pushed the State into the hands of the union. Ironically Kentucky was the home State of Abraham Lincoln. A similar stance should be adopted by the Union and this will prevent the Confederacy from gaining valuable space and resources in Kentucky. 

That concludes my run through of the map dispositions of the Union in the Western Theatre and the on table V&B brigade equivalents. We can now turn to the confederate forces in the same theatre together with one or two small Union garrisons or forts on the Western coast.

Union Forces at Cincinatti Ohio - July 1861

 

Above : Union Camp Photo (see site footer)

The start of the war finds McLennan represented by ***** 1-5-2 command counter based at Cincinatti not much more than a brigades worth of militia. In this case 2 points or counters worth of M1-2 which would each total 2 strength points on the table top. On the table top these then would be represented by a 4-4 infantry brigade stand PT/NE which would not lose that status until augmented back on the production spiral into regular infantry. I am not decided on whether Militia who are Green would lose that status for the purpose of exhaustion totals after undertaking combat. The PT/NE status is different from Green/Veteran/Crack status which really deals with their resilience total losses but there has to be some real differences on the battlefield for Militia  (e.g. they can appear really rather quickly off of the production spiral as opposed to regular infantry who spend a good 5 months drilling). There has to be some real quality differentials so the temptation for then to lose their green status should be resisted. Even a small say 25 % chance to promote from Green to Veteran and to improve their resilience and Morale after having taken or given casualties could render them too good an option for easy and fast recruitment. Militia should be just that - lacking in training and resilience and often poorly led. 

Above : Ironclads on the Mississippi 

As well as our 2,000 Militia troops McClellen finds himself with riverine transport in the form of an RT 40 counter and a supply train loaded with 4 supply points 

Overall attrition and Union Order of Battle for St Louis and Missouri under Nathanial Lyons - July 1861

 

Above : Union Parade (see site footer) 

I have probably seen off any potential readership with the level of detail in respect of deliberations around the rules for my campaign thus far. As a simplification I have discussed evolution of a system for using the minor monster board war game "War Between the States 1861-65" to run an American Civil War campaign with individual combats being generated for the tabletop using Volley and Bayonet from each weekly move. I have worked out over the last week the broad strokes for interaction between the game mechanics themselves and the tabletop. The translation in particular of divisional strength counters on the tabletop into the brigade manoeuvre units for the tabletop and the interaction of leader counters and how to account for things like artillery typically not represented in the Board Game but just modelled in. 

This post will deal with a final rules point on attrition and then we can get stuck in to describing some of the forces on the map both in terms of counters on the strategic map and potential tabletop brigades and placing them under command.  I have had to be a little flexible to make it work. 

Attrition of Units 

I can still see a number of potential problems but not enough to delay starting to play with my current draft ruleset. One issue I am wary of is that casualty levels in battles could  be too high or too low between the two systems to balance the production and attrition of force levels. This is crucial for the confederacy who should be troop starved over time but not initially. 

I think mathematically the modelling should work. On the tabletop individual divisions have an exhaustion point dependent on their "mean" experience (Green through to Veteran and Crack) of between 40-60 % Once the total number of strength point casualties have been incurred on the tabletop a division will melt away and be unable to take further part in the action. If this happened on average at a 50 % level for a division and then a decent percentage of casualties were recovered overnight ( perhaps on average 50 % of the actual strength point losses dependent on whether you retain the battlefield) then total battlefield casualties (which could include dead, wounded and injured) could total c. 25 % of a  total division strength for a major encounter. This might seem high but there were other killers in Civil War field armies - disease could account for a full 5-10 % of all the troops over time. You were more likely to die of the measles than of a mini-ball on campaign. Equally desertion was a problem on both sides. The Army of Northern Virginia suffered a loss of 40-50 % of its potential troop numbers from desertion and sheer straggling from exhaustion in its first invasion of Maryland prior to the battle of Antietam in the Autumn of 1862. At those that reached the battlefield were resilient. If the attrition levels appear far too high I will simply increase by a small increment e.g. 10 % the post battle recovery rates. Ultimately this is a game and not a simulation and there or thereabouts is good enough. 

Above : Civil War Hospital 

Opening Forces for the Union 

My Civil War campaign will begin in July 1861.  There is a detailed deployment for the Union's opening positions with counter strength and location. As well placement of counters I will need to keep a separate master roster for each counter of its component battalions and artillery. I have read that for V&B campaign rules divisional artillery can either remain as independent battalions or be embedded within the individual brigades as dedicated guns at a rate of 2 stands being augmented DG for each strength point of Divisional artillery removed.  I will play it by ear but the main point is that an artillery battalion should be provided to each substantial division from the outset and in some circumstances corps artillery where that headquarters component exists as a counter on the map. The V&B campaign rules give a good indication of artillery types dependent on the stage of the war.  

The Union forces and resources then begin the game as follows :-

• The Union has a supply level of 350 points initially but receives an additional supply amount of 25 points for the cycle 7/61 through to 1/62 in addition to those points provided by Cycle Turn Record Track. 

Forces in St Louis under Lyons 

• The Union Missouri Depot is located at St. Louis near to the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. 
• Brigadier General Nathanial Lyons ** (4-2) begins the game at St Louis arriving there in command of the 2nd US infantry Regiment at the outset of the war to ensure that Missouri remained in the Union by force if necessary and in particular to deny the arsenal to the local confederate troops. 

Above : General Lyons 

• On the map at St Louis is positioned XX 3-3 which we can roster as a Regular Infantry Brigade 6-5 (a higher morale and not PT/Poorly trained NE/No Elites deisgnation to represent battalions of the 2nd US Infantry Regiment/Regular US troops. The confederates will also get some stiffer troops at the outset and one or two early upgrades to create units such as Hood's crack Texans. I have ordered a bonny blue flag in 10 mm. Coming back to US army regulars there were at the outset of the war 16,000 regulars, most of them stationed in the West to deal with frontier issues with the indigenous population of the region. While some officers resigned to join the  confederacy the rank and file Federal US Army mostly just took up the Union cause. Only commissions could be "resigned" as such. I am not aware of how many private soldiers might have absconded to take up the confederate cause. The V&B campaign allows the Union side 12 strength points spread across 3 separate 4 strength point brigades with morale 5. Given the counter mix I will model these as 2 brigades of 6-5 troops - one in the East and one in the West, 
• The other troop points at St Louis are all Militia (12 points of them) so 12 x Militia 1-2 points. For Militia as with all "green" troops I have decided that these will not automatically lose their PT/NE designation which is usually dropped after 6 months for new infantry brigades (i.e. those raised at the outset as regular infantry). Militia will only lose the PT/NE status once augmented through the Campaign Production process to become regular volunteer regiments. This is a cheaper way to produce masses of volunteer infantry battalions and the delay as the counter is paroled back onto the production spiral to re-emerge in a few months will represent the training in camp. I can decide whether those units should emerge without PT/NE status. That might seem sensible although they would still be "Green" for the purpose of Divisional organisation (i.e.  operate on 40 % exhaustion levels). For now the counters will represent collections of Militia units from across Missouri, Iowa and Kansas. 
• So this totals a further 12,000 troops. Once Militia counters are "Placed" they retain integrity. The total troop numbers in St Louis were historically around 15,000 troops for the Union at the outset. I will split the points into three Militia 4-2 counters. Should they get caught in battle as Militia troops one counter can produce two brigades 4-4 PT NE and the remaining two counters a further four similar understrength brigades representing collections of volunteer militia regiments. Militia do not attach to Corps headquarters as "divisions" in the strategic game and it is likely that the points will simply get augmented to form regular volunteer infantry divisions in due course. 
• There is also an X 1-4 cavalry counter which probably represents elements of the 1st US Cavalry which appeared in the theatre shortly before the battle of Wilson's Creek. On the St Louis Corps which is described for the start of the V&B campaign has a small 2-5 cavalry brigade attached as Corps troops. These will operate as Light Cavalry under the rules and dismount as a linear base. With one point they can operate as skirmishers. In any event they begin equipped with rifled carbines which roll 3 dice at a long range of 3 ".
• Finally as we have the equivalent of around two divisions in troop numbers (15,000) we can assign a 2-5 SB-H PT (heavy smoothbore - probably Napoleon 12 lbs) and 2-5 SB-F PT (Field smoothbore) to the XX 3-3 counter and the remainder of the militia counters respectively. 
• Further West in Jefferson City at the confluence of the Missouri and Osage Rivers sits an XX 3-3 counter which I will model on the battlefield as a single 6-4 PT NE Brigade for now but without attached divisional artillery unless I took an option to split out the 2-5 SB-F PT attached to the St. Louis based Militia as dedicated guns. I could add a DG to the the XX 3-3 in Jefferson City and a further 3 sets of DG designations to the Militia brigades. Or I could just add a single DG to one of the Militia and retain a divisional 1-5 SB-F PT battery (each strength point breaking down into two DG. 
• Other resources at St Louis include an RT 40 counter. Unarmed riverine transport which can ferry troops or affect a crossing point acting as a ferry. There is also a mobile supply train counter stocked with 2 on board supply points. The rules for the supply web are faily complex. Essentially supply can be broadcast by rivers and rails lines but as soon as an army strikes away from those arteries even by road they will require local supply with them in order to prevent attrition and to give meaningful combat. I will need to provide a battlefield effect to model being out of supply having regard to the board game rules. 

Above : Wilson's Creek 

Historically Lyons is heading for a run in with the  Missouri State Guard under Sterling Price at the battle of Wilson's Creek on August 10 1861 leading the Union's "Army of the West". Quite a moniker for what was around 5,000 volunteers at that point. The 2nd US Infantry was despatched to the East as it fought at First Bull Run. 

Lyons did not survive the  battle was an early and rare success for the confederates in the West. If he lives beyond the end of the August 1861 turn we are already in the realms of the A-historical and counter factual. "What if Lyons survives ?". He has an initiative of 4 and a combat modifier of + 2 making him a very useful divisional leader both on the map and tabletop. A ** general can lead a division and a separate brigade - so two counters only I believe under the map rules. In this situation I expect that Lyons would command the higher cohesive infantry XX 3-3 counter as well as the cavalry X 1-4 unit. That's useful in the Western theatre in any event.