I present the two-day Battle of Soggy Bottom Creek...played on a 4 x 4 table with an asymmetrical scenario thought up by has.been. 12 points of Confederate defenders against a full 24 points of Union troops trying to flush them out.
The sixth and seventh battles for my Union officer, Joshua Appletree who has wobbled up the ranks from 2nd Lt. to Captain. (But it has to be said he is not the same man since being wounded twice in previous engagements, it remains to be seen how long he can survive, the next fight may be his last!)
The rather desperate Rebs are holed up in a tight group in the vicinity of these farmhouses. (For this scenario troops were not allowed to enter the buildings, they are merely obstacles, as are the trees and wooded areas)
Peter has spent most of his points on his artillery piece, which he hopes will inflict great losses on my superior force.
Captain Appletree has decided to stay with the artillery today to be on the safe side. Two reliable line units (51st Pensylvania and 8th Michigan) are to advance in a straight line while a strong 18 figure unit of zouaves assemble out of sight for a possible rush up the left flank. On the far right flank a small unit of dismounted cavalry will act as skirmishers and have been upgraded to Good Shooters.
A close up of the Rebs. This is the whole meagre force, with his best unit (9th Virginians) facing front ready for a fight.
Appletree begins the morning business with a direct fire artillery duel. I start whittling down my opponent's gun crew. His cannon replies in kind but fails to cause any casualties.
The Union Line advances steadily, which temporarily obscures the line of site for my cannon.
The zouaves get off to a good start too, likewise the units on the far right.
The Reb cannon has multiple targets but is forced to switch fire to my skirmishers, who are getting close enough to be a threat; they take out one unlucky chap with a cannon ball to his legs.
The plucky Virginians have advanced to the fence and prepare to give the 8th Michigan what for. I expect to receive a devastating first volley here.
But a poor dice roll means they don't fire at all and I get in the crucial first volley in my next turn.
They take casualties and start failing all their subsequent morale tests until they lose heart and retire without firing a shot. Likewise the Reb cannon is soon silenced by shooting from my skirmishers, but only after the single brave artillery man keeps loading and firing to the very end.
There is nothing now to stop my units sweeping across the field.
The single Reb unit attempts a brave last stand but the sight of the zouaves unnerves them and their fire doesn't hit anything ...
They pile in and it's all over. The remnants flee.
The second game saw the second day of the battle, this time with the Union side defending with 12 points . against the 24- point Confederate counterattack. Perversely, Appletree chose to defend the exact same space between the buildings, which was a mistake. Seeing that artillery had made no difference to the Reb defence the previous day, Appletree spent all the 12 points on infantry, two Regular Line and one Green unit upgraded to large, which he placed himself with to help bolster their discipline.
I didn't take many pictures because the battle played out almost exactly the same way. I lost badly. The Rebs were as mad as a bee in a bottle and swept across the field.
Any time my line regiments poked their heads out between the buildings the vengeful Reb cannon chopped them up.
Appletree was wounded (for the third time!) by a sharpshooter but he was pulled off the field by his loyal troops and will be recuperated in time for the next battle!
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April 28, 2024, 11:34:21 AM
