Sigur goes South - The American Civil War

[DintheDin]

Cracking job, Sigur! Cheers!

[Battle Brush Sigur]

@DintheDin: Thanks very much for dropping by and leaving a comment. Always appreciated.


Right, now for something different for a bit. Yesterday I had my first game in our Longstreet Campaign!

Here's Col.Herbert P.Soup's Brigade. Before deploying to the front lines a pastor preaches sermon and reads from The Good Book.



Then it's off to the front. First we drew Biography Cards for our brigade commanders. These depict character traits of our commanders in the shape of special rules. Virago and I each drew three such cards and were free to discard one and keep the other two.

Virago, in this campaign to take the role of Union Col. Hiram O'Goedel, chose the following:


O'Goedel plays the long game. From 1863 on things would get very interesting indeed.


Whereas I, in my role of Confederate Col. Herbert P.Soup, chose these:


I chose a personal physician (never a bad thing), and for Col.Soup to be a veteran of the Mexican War, giving an option for additional dice in close combat (along with the danger of getting wounded, but that's what a physician is for).


The campaign itself is rather simple. We play the full length of the way. One game for 1861, two games for 1862, three in 1863, two in 1864, and one final game in 1865. The winner isn't necessarily determined by winning games, but by building legacy. A brigade (which is the force each of us commands) won't change the course of the war. It's about accumulating Epic Points (EP). These are gained from:

.) Participating in a battle
.) Winning a battle
.) Achieving Mission Objectives during a battle
.) Grand bayonet charges or repelling bayonet charges without taking any causalties
.) Spezial scenario specific situations
.) EP may also be granted via special situations if both players agree on it.


The first scenario:


The middle of the table is full of high-standing crops which reduce sight and firing effectiveness to just a few inches. After terrain setup and deploying the figures the table looked as such:




...and here with a ton of explanatory text:




Col.Hiram O'Goedel's Union Brigade (defenders):
69th New York Infantry (10 Bases, Eager Recruits)
39th New York Infantry, the Garibaldi Guard (10 Bases, Eager Recruits)
63th New York Infantry (10 Bases, Eager Recruits)
7th Pennsilvania Cavalry (8 Bases, Eager Recruits)
Battery G, 3rd New York Light Artillery (2x 6pdr Smoothbore Guns, 1x Howitzer)


Col.Herbert P.Soup's Confederate Brigade (attackers):
9th Louisiana Infantry / 1st Louisiana Special Battalion "Tiger Zouaves" (10 Bases, Eager Recruits)
3rd Louisiana Infantry (10 Bases, Eager Recruits)
8th Louisiana Infantry (10 Bases, Eager Recruits)
2nd Louisiana Cavalry, "Partisan Rangers" (8 Bases, Eager Recruits)
Moody's Company, Madison Light Artillery (2x 6pdr Smoothbore Guns, 1x Howitzer)

Each side has an objective in their deployment zone as well. Controlling those by the end of the game grants extra Epic Points.

My rebels deployed in marching column, the artillery was limbered.



The union brigade was deployed in line and with guns deployed:



Garibaldi Guard in their snazzy uniforms


Below you will find an overview of what happened during the first few phases of the game: Union cavalry, screened by infantry to their side, advances swiftly at my right flank and threatens my artillery. At the centre the Garibaldi Guard advances steadily to meet the 3rd Louisiana infantry. My cavalry stays at the left flank while 8th Louisiana turns face and marches towards the centre.








As a result 3rd Louisiana charges Garibaldi Guard who under light losses fall back. After this the Louisiana boys sit right in front of the Garibaldi Guard infantry and Union artillery.



At my left flank Union soldiers (mostly Irish actually) advance in a wide line. My Cavalry can do little to stop them, so they slowly give way. At my right flank my Tiger Zouaves fanned out i line to cover the limbered artillery from the Union cavalry. 8th Louisiana hangs back for reserve.

The Zouaves start an attack against the 63th New York to stop their advance. At the other flank my cavalry charges the Union regiment to their front head on. This generally never is a good idea, but it's 1861, we're rebels / Southern Chivalry, Eager Recruits and I had a slightly helpful card to play. Of course I forgot about making use of my Mexican War Veteran trait which would have given me extra dice to roll. Shame. Either way, the whole operation didn't go too well. The Tiger Zouaves did minimal damage and the cavalry even had to take losses and retreat.

In the mean time 3rd Louisiana is still stuck  at the centre and tied up by fire, starting to take losses.


Now the Union mount a counter attack.


Infantry and cavalry attack my Zouaves at once. I had gambled away a potentially very helpful card at that point. On top of that the dice rolled very well for my opponent. Green dice are my successes, red and white are successes of the Union player. Ouch. The Tigers were completely broken.

At this point orderly retreat became a viable option. Not possible though, as the 3rd Louisiana was still stuck in their predicament. The game went on a tiny bit longer until my brigade reached the break point and the game ended.



Campaign Phase


In the end both of us had gained 5 Epic Points. We immediately did the post-game campaign stuff. From experience we know that if we don't do it immediately after the game it will never happen. We started with the most important thing - promotions. Longstreet makes use of an abstract ranking system for brigade commanders (1, 2 and 3 Eagles). Those can be equalled to historical ranks or not. As both of us started as Colonels and got our promotions both our characters now are Brigadier Generals (= 2 Eagles rank).

Then we went on to recovering wounded and fled troops. The Tiger Zouaves of course had taken bad, bad casualties, the rest was kinda OK. But then Cholera and camp fever struck the rebels. This cost me quite a lot of bases. Those additional losses were lighter on the Union side. The Elan rating of my Zouaves and the 3rd Louisiana got reduced from Eager to Seasoned. On the Union's side all troops stayed Eager.



The next step was drawing campaign event cards and replacements. The union brigade regained a few bases lost to cholera. On top of that raiding cavalry had gotten my brigade's marching orders in hands, which would be of help to my opponent for the next game. I got a few nice cards, allowing me to advance the 3rd Louisiana to Veterans and from the next game on the veteran 14th Louisiana (also known as the "Polish Brigade" of New Orleans) would be part of my brigade.



The 5th New York Infantry would joint my opponent's brigade from the next game on. Apart from that us both got the Sabotage card, which would also come into play at the start of our next game.


Post-Game Musings

Well, this didn't go that well. I don't play Longstreet often enough. Must be that, right? No, of course I made mistakes. At one point I made a bad decision, and the Union counter attack was pretty ghastly. Never mind, now I got veterans on my side and there's always another battle (well, for most). Apart from that I got that promotion and that's what it's all about, right?


For our next game the brigades look as such:

Brig.Gen. Hiram O'Goedel's Union Brigade:
69th New York Infantry (8 Bases, Eager Recruits)
39th New York Infantry, the Garibaldi Guard (8 Bases, Eager Recruits)
63th New York Infantry (8 Bases, Eager Recruits)
5th New York Infantry (6 Bases, Eager Recruits)
7th Pennsilvania Cavalry (8 Bases, Eager Recruits)
Battery G, 3rd New York Light Artillery (2x 6pdr Smoothbore Guns, 1x Howitzer)

Total: 41 Bases


Brig.Gen. Herbert P.Soup's Confederate Brigade:
9th Louisiana Infantry / 1st Louisiana Special Battalion "Tiger Zouaves" (6 Bases, Seasoned Recruits)
3rd Louisiana Infantry (7 Bases, Seasoned Veterans)
8th Louisiana Infantry (6 Bases, Eager Recruits)
14th Louisiana Infantry, "Polish Brigade" (6 Bases, Seasoned Veterans)
2nd Louisiana Cavalry, "Partisan Rangers" (4 Bases, Eager Recruits)
Moody's Company, Madison Light Artillery (2x 6pdr Smoothbore Guns, 1x Howitzer)

Total: 32 Bases


Well, let's see how that'll go. Longstreet is a solid, solid set of rules and the campaigh rules included are real good fun. Hope you liked this first campaign report!

[DintheDin]

A comprehensive AAR, a real advertisement for Longstreet rules, I'd like to play the sooner possible!
And a nicely set up table, full of beautiful figures, an exciting game! What more a wargamer could want?
...And I suspect you are painting more ACW troops! 
Eager to read your next Longstreet AAR! Cheers!

[Breazer]

Your minis are so rich in detail
even from a distance. It is awesome!

[Gargobot]

It must be so rewarding to play a long and in-depth campaign like this. And even with great looking minis... good thing for the Union that the better painted army doesn't get any boni.

[von Lucky]

Agree, lovely looking and well written up AAR. Thanks for sharing.

[Jabba]

Great looking game and AAR, looking forwards to this campaign going forward. Did the 69th NY loose Epic Points for flying their regimental flag upside down? 

Tony.

[Battle Brush Sigur]

@DintheDin: Believe it or not, I'm out of ACW figures! However, I've been eyeing at the Perrys ACW field hospital and maybe the campaign at some point will make it necessary for me to paint some more infantry and maybe a gun or two, so let's see. And yes, the Longstreet rules really are fun.

@Breazer: Thanks very much! Those Perry ACW minis just are very, very pretty.

@Gargobot: Cheers! Yeah, well, so far we haven't finished a single campaign. Furthest we got was probably in Chain of Command or Dux Britanniarum. Well, the Union army looks really, really nice, so I'd say our armies are on par in terms of prettiness.

@von Lucky: Thanks for commenting!

@Jabba: Thank you very much. You know, I never noticed the flag being upside down. Maybe they're protesting something. Or the flagmaster is drunk. They are an Irish regiment after all... But then if we were completely correct about flags I'd have to give up on all my pretty Louisiana State flags, so I'll keep my mouth shut about this.

[Ray Rivers]

What a gorgeous battlefield.

Wish I was your neighbor... 

[Battle Brush Sigur]

@Ray Rivers: Thanks. It's all virago's terrain I have to admit. I do have a bunch of fitting terrain as well, but not that nice a mat.



Last weekend I had another game of Sharp Practice with Cpt.Shandy and his great collection of 15mm ACW figures.

Here's my battle report:
http://skirmishwargaming.com/sharp-practice-defence-in-depth/

..and here's my opponent's:
https://wargamingraft.wordpress.com/2018/07/13/rearguard-action-a-sharp-practice-aar/



Hope you enjoy the battle reports!

[Flashman14]

Beautiful use of lichen too!

[Battle Brush Sigur]

@Flashman: Oh yes, lichen are just great stuff. Throw them across a table for instantly improved looks, use them to cover up terrain piece borders, etc.


Right, last Friday I had another game of Sharp Practice. Sadly I can't write a full battle report because it was a playtesting thing of sorts. All I can say is that Sharp Practice is good fun.

Also - Over the past 2 days I started working on a new ACW thing:



It's a horse-drawn ambulance wagon without the horse-drawn ambulance wagon.

[Battle Brush Sigur]

Herbert P.Soup's Brigade assembles for the second game of our Longstreet campaign.



Dem Boys had taken a bit of a battering during their battle in 1861. But that was last year, now it's 1862 (the game tonight will be the first of 1862, then there'll be another one in 1862, three in 1863, two in 1864 and a final game in 1865). The regiments are set up as lean, flexible, smaller units (mainly because SOMEONE had stuck bayonets in parts of my regiments and camp fever has also struck pretty badly). However, the rascals of the 14th Louisiana, "1st Polish Brigade" (6 bases, Seasoned Veterans), have joined our ranks, and just last night an odd band of mostly Germans and Italians showed up in the camp as well. Their commander, Cpt.Myke, introduced them as his hand-picked Mechanics Guard Volunteers (4 Bases, Eager Recruits). They don't have any written orders, but seem to be eager to fight.

Thus, the brigade for tonight's game is set up as such:
2nd Louisiana Cavalry "Partisan Rangers" (4 Bases, Eager Recruits)
1st Louisiana Special Battalion "Tiger Zouaves" (6 Bases, Seasoned Recruits)
3rd Louisiana Infantry (7 Bases, Seasoned Veterans)
8th Louisiana Infantry (6 Bases, Eager Recruits)
14th Louisiana Infantry "1st Polish Brigade" (6 Bases, Seasoned Veterans)
Mechanics Guard Volunteers (4 Bases, Eager Recruits)
Moody's Company, Madison Lt.Artillery (3 Bases)

[DintheDin]

Irritatingly interesting! 
I mean I was always searching for a buddy to create the regiments storyline of a campaign...
But this was always finishing ingloriously...

I'll be following for the continuation!
Cheers! 

[Battle Brush Sigur]

@DintheDin: Cheers!



Right, the AAR of the second campaign game...

Last Friday we proceeded on our Longstreet campaign. After the first battle which took place in 1861 it's time for the first of the two battles in 1862.


Once more Brig.Gen. Hieram O'Goedel (my mate virago) and Brig.Gen. Herbert P.Soup (me) would meet in battle. After O'Goedel's Yankee brigade had only taken few casualties in the first game they deployed en masse and eager for another victory. His three infantry regiments were each reduced to 8 bases, and a whole new regiment of recruits had joined their ranks since: the 5th New York, Duryee's Zouaves (6 bases).

My chivalrous defenders of the South's Freedom to do horrible things on the other side has gone through some personnel change: Instead of three large infantry regiments I had five smaller ones and my cavalry has been reduced to half. On the other hand I had two regiments of veterans at hand now: The 3rd Louisiana and the 14th Louisiana (the "1st Polish Brigade").

We met around 7pm and got to it. First we rolled for a scenario and who would play defender and attacker.



This one would see Union troops attack two hilltops held by rebels.
After that we placed terrain based on the rulebook's nice little terrain card system. Pretty neat and quick. After that I deployed my troops first, then virago deployed his attacking troops.



Basically I put my veterans right behind the hilltops. On the right side I deployed the main part of my brigade. Artillery at the centre of the hill, a forward line of defence (behind a wall and a small forest) I placed the 8th Louisiana and the small Mechanics Guard to their flank. Behind them veterans (as mentioned above), the Polish Brigade.



Behind the hill to my left I deployed the 3rd Louisiana veterans and next to them in column, and right along that nasty swamp, the Louisiana Tiger Zouaves. My shrunken cavalry I deployed at the centre in the small forest. So well hidden in fact that I forgot to put their location in the overview.
 


Not losing a step my opponent identified the left hill as the more attractive target. So he deployed most of his infantry right in front of it in the cornfield. In the centre he deployed his artillery (limbered and on their way to taking the position behind the wall), with the 63rd New York and his cavalry as flank guards.



The game starts and all the Yankee infantry at my left start advancing, the artillery goes in position...



...and the Union cavalry at my right also advanced and dismounted behind the small forest right in front of my troops.



This is not to be. Brig.Gen. Herbert P.Soup personally takes command of the 8th Louisiana and leads them and the Mechanics Guard to shoo them away.



Of course that had been the plan all along. After a not too impressive bayonet charge and only few casualties the Yankee cavalry retreated, quickly saddled up, and took off toward their own artillery. Even worse, during the charge through the forest Brig.Gen.Soup got lightly wounded. Of course the personal physician was no where to be found.

The Union cavalry (in the far lower right in the photo below; recognizable by the horse bums) takes off in the cover of their artillery who in the mean time had limbered up to turn towards any pursuers (my infantry, left, recognizable by their short legs and cursing officers).



In the mean time at my left flank...



Something's brewing. My dismounted cavalry is swiftly repulsed from their position (similar situation as with the enemy cavalry at the other flank), and the 63th New York deployed at the centre. The rest of the union troops prepare for storming up the hill which at this point is pretty much only defended by the 3rd Louisiana.

Originally my plan had been to have the 3rd hold the hill and for the Louisiana Tiger Zouaves and artillery to shoot the snot out of any assailants.
Didn't work out for several reasons, so the Zouaves had to watch as the 3rd Louisiana were faced with a combined attack of the New York Zouaves and the 69th New York. Despite the advantage in position my guys were swiftly kicked off their hill.



An overview:



All the units I had wanted to redeploy to the left took way too long to do so and had little impact on the game.

After the left hill had been taken not much more happened. A little skirmishing between the Tiger Zouaves and the 63th New York in the small forest, the union army rallied to meet a possible attack by the remaining rebel troops. It didn't happen though, my guys retreated, and we proceeded to the campaign phase.


Post-Game Campaign Phase

There were surprisingly few casualties. The 3rd Louisiana infantry just got routed, apart from that some regiments had taken a single base of damage.
 
First, as always, Epic Points (the one thing that counts in the campaign) were calculated. Virago got 5 EP for showing up, victory, holding an objective, and a heroic charge up the hill. I got 2 EP for showing up. Neither of us got promoted.

Unit attrition by desertion and various forms of tummy bugs hit the Union camp pretty hard this time; not as bad on the rebels. My cavalry got halved again (to two bases), and the 8th Louisiana shrunk down to 4 bases. Of the formerly routed 3rd Louisiana 5 bases returned, but they changed from Seasoned Veterans to Cautious Veterans. Then we went on to drawing campaign cards, starting with virago:



He drew New Artillery (and thus will get new state of the art rifled guns next game. Yikes.), a unit of infantry of his would 'level up' to veterancy and one would get the special status of Old Reliables (making the immune to some "Fog of War" things I may throw at them). On top of this O'Goedel's himself got some recognition: He got another biography card (Cavalry Commander), and got a promotion. This is where he showed his status as the good guy in the whole affair: He skipped the promotion to instead help his men to recover and add back one base to a unit.

Here's my campaign cards:


Broken Code (allegedly a chap from Winnipeg broke the code and thus saved us) gives me a bonus to the roll to determine attacker and defender next time (I'd need it, as my cavalry's barely in a state to scout any more), and two of my units gained veterancy. So that's good. The Tiger Zouaves and the Mechanics Guards. Lovely. On top of this I used the New Artillery card to add another base to the Mechanics Guards (because the card's not all that good for confederates anyway). Also: I may add a company of sharpshooters to one of my units.

On top of that I'll get another new unit of Eager Recruits (5 bases) for the next game. An order to Perry Miniatures has been dispatched yesterday. :p
 
Yup, that's it. Quick, well-flowing game. I made mistakes. Could have been better. Oh well, next game will be the second battle of 1862, and things will be better. At least I got to fire my artillery once this time.


Hope you like the report!