Battle at Mack's Creek (ACW)

[has.been]

Laid on an ACW game, using Rebels & Patriots, for MacksMecha.
A simple game for his first try out with these rules.
A small Union force (3x6 Cavalry plus one large Zouave unit) are trying
to delay the Confederates & their attempt to cross the eponymous
water.  The Rebs had a larger force (5x12 Line Inf & an artillery battery).
Due to the Reb Inf. being Green both sides ended up at 19pts.

All of the Union side were new (to me at least). The Cavalry were a swap
but I wanted the dismounted & horse-holders rebased. The Zouaves
were painted for me by my friend Dave Brooks, I only based them.
All this was only finished this morning.
Pictures show the work.

[has.been]

536 = Bart Moonlighter leading the Louisiana Reg. towards a hill that
          dominated the Creek.
537 = Virginian troops advance.
538 = 8th New York Cavalry lead by F J Gunthorpe (Me) contest the
          advancing Rebels.
540 = 6th NY dismount & also prepare to shoot down Johnny Reb.
541 = Men of Tennessee move towards the river.

Moonlighter was hampered by a distinct lack of enthusiasm amongst
the Southern boys. Too many failed activations due to that -1 (green
troops). Add to which the gun had to be man-handled.
My faster, easier to activate, Cavalry were able to concentrate fire
onto the hill where Moonlighter & his beloved Louisiana unit stood.
Through-out the battle they stood firm. Losses were mounting, but
they passed all tests. He himself survived no less than SEVEN tests
to see if he was the fallen.

[has.been]

We had a count down score, starting at 35 & at the end of each
move the defender (me) rolled a dice. When the score reached
zero, night had fallen & the fighting would end. I was praying
for the darkness to come. However my first five throws were:-
2,2,1,3,1 well below average. At that rate even the slow moving
green Reb. troops would be across the Creek in large numbers.

I had to put my Cavalry into harms way & take casualties. If he
was firing at me, he was not advancing. This seemed to be working,
Moonlighter & his Louisianans WERE being whittled down. I might
get lucky & hit HIM, but even when they did fail a morale test &
become disorganised, he rallied them!
I thought the tide had turned when his artillery became stuck in
the mud trying to cross the Creek. The 9th NY came out from
behind the hill that had concealed them, fired on the Reb gunners.
Lucky dice throws resulted in me inflicting 50% losses on them.
Moonlighter's poor throw for their morale saw them abandon the
gun & skedaddle.
My joy was short lived as lines of Grey blazed away at both the
6th NY & Gunthorpe's 8th NY. The problem with 6 figure units is
it is much easier to get down to 50% (big morale problem).
Both units threw low on morale & fled the field. Thankfully at that
point night fell & the Confederates had lost the chance to cross
the water.
We diced up the post battle bits which ended fairly even.
He had broken two of my units, but failed to get anything onto
my side of Mack's Creek. I still controlled there, one battered Cav.
unit (9th NY) AND the still concealed in a wood my reserve of (an
expensive) Zouave unit. PLUS when I diced to see what fate had
befallen Gunthorpe, since he had fled the field, I managed a
double six! = Escapes the enemy... Daring adventure...vital
information of enemy's battle plans...win favour with an enemy
 general's wife...etc.

542 = Louisiana reg & Moonlighter remain nailed to their ridge!
543 = 9th NY fire on & end up routing the Rebel gun.
545 = 8th NY break & run, taking Gunthorpe with them.
546 = 6th NY follow their leader.

Good game & he did seem to enjoy it.

[flatpack]

CHICKENS 

[has.been]

CHICKENS 

STILL a good idea of yours Bob.

[Norm]

Thanks, I enjoyed that. I will pull down my copy of the rules later, which are worth the price of the book just for the lovely illustrations! My bases are bigger, with 6 figs per base, but I think I could get a game to work.

[has.been]

Go for it Norm!
It is an elegant, simple, robust set of rules & seems
quite able to put up with the little game tweaks we
give it. Have fun.

[CapnJim]

At least the Boys in Blue put up quiet the scrap.  Tis a pity the Zouaves couldn't tap in.  Ah well, so do the fortunes of war...

[vodkafan]

You have got your cavalry on the table already! They look spiffing, really nice.
You have done fantastic work here getting our new pal into AK47 and now ACW.

[has.been]

You have got your cavalry on the table already! They look spiffing, really nice.
You have done fantastic work here getting our new pal into AK47 and now ACW.

Thanks James. Next I'll have a go at the Confederate Cavalry,
which is now possible with your kind 'empty' horses donation.
Problem is I still have ACW units on the shelves of shame, which
(apart from the limbers) I don't really need.

[vodkafan]

My ACW are also on the "trays of Shame" looking at me accusingly

[has.been]

At least the Boys in Blue put up quiet the scrap.  Tis a pity the Zouaves couldn't tap in.  Ah well, so do the fortunes of war...

With my usual 20:20 Hind-sight I should have chosen a wood nearer
to the Rebs deployment area & got the Zouaves involved.
Though if I had, I no doubt would have lost them. That would have
triggered an army wide panic (points wise they were my biggie)
which I avoided by a whisker.

My ACW are also on the "trays of Shame" looking at me accusingly

Come on Appletree! Get your troops moving.

[Zingara]

Nice report Pete. You've done well with the troops - again. Your recruitment rate is impressive - not to mention all the scenery that you continue to knock up.

[flatpack]

James
Those aren’t”trays of shame”.
They are “ongoing adventures”.

[Westbury]

Nice looking game Pete.