With Hot Lead and Cold Steel. Update March 7, 2024. Youtube battle report

[vodkafan]

Couple of questions General Lee. A LOT of folks will already have their existing ACW forces based 4 men to a stand, typically on 40 x40 bases. So a large unit might translate to 6 stands, an average to 5 stands, small to 4 stands, tiny to 3 stands. So far so good, but will that not slightly mess up your system When you receive 6 casualties but only take 1 stand of 4 away? or perhaps it won't, thinking about it.....just makes a unit a bit more resistant?
My other question concerns units that could be tiny, but elite, for instance Sharpshooters, with more tenacious morale than normal infantry. Is there anything in the rules to cover them? 

[vtsaogames]

Couple of questions General Lee. A LOT of folks will already have their existing ACW forces based 4 men to a stand, typically on 40 x40 bases. So a large unit might translate to 6 stands, an average to 5 stands, small to 4 stands, tiny to 3 stands. So far so good, but will that not slightly mess up your system When you receive 6 casualties but only take 1 stand of 4 away? or perhaps it won't, thinking about it.....just makes a unit a bit more resistant?
My other question concerns units that could be tiny, but elite, for instance Sharpshooters, with more tenacious morale than normal infantry. Is there anything in the rules to cover them?

My two cents: 6 hits removes a stand regardless of the number of figures. Sharpshooters would have better shooting/longer range rather than better morale. Hood's Whitworth-armed snipers around Chattanooga picked up and left when the Union troops landed in pontoons, leaving uncouth combat to Law's infantry. The snipers' specialty was shooting down troops too far away to reply. The detachment of Berdan's sharpshooters remained aloof from 20th Maine's epic fight on Little Round Top until the retreating Confederates (Law's, again) almost ran over them.

[General Lee]

Hi guys thanks for the questions! I'll try to answer them as best I can and probably will add them in a future video

"Will there be Sharpshooters represented or Skirmishes at least as snipers and skirmishers knocked off a few Generals amongst other chaps."

Sharpshooters yes, snipers not in a physical form (yet). Sharpshooters may reroll all 1s as a special rule, which is one of the very few exceptions in the rules. Normally 1s may never be rerolled. In addition, you can upgrade them to veterans which will give the unit a +1 shoot die, and a +1 to its morale. I thought about adding snipers but there was literally no more room to add anything to the book as the Osprey Wargames series has a max. of 80 pages, and that's what you guys will be getting: a book filled to the brim with ACW specific rules. I do plan to keep supporting the book with scenarios and perhaps extra things that I couldn't fit into the book, for example, snipers. Snipers are now included in the 'Unexpected Event' table. More on that later.

Couple of questions General Lee. A LOT of folks will already have their existing ACW forces based 4 men to a stand, typically on 40 x40 bases. So a large unit might translate to 6 stands, an average to 5 stands, small to 4 stands, tiny to 3 stands. So far so good, but will that not slightly mess up your system When you receive 6 casualties but only take 1 stand of 4 away? or perhaps it won't, thinking about it.....just makes a unit a bit more resistant?
My other question concerns units that could be tiny, but elite, for instance Sharpshooters, with more tenacious morale than normal infantry. Is there anything in the rules to cover them?

Yes basing, as I said in the video, that's a bit of a thing. Me and most of my gaming group base our infantry on 60x40mm (6 figures per stand) and some had them based, 4 to a 40x40mm stand. When you play games without base removal, there is obviously no problem, but when you do need to remove stands, it becomes slightly trickier. In the end there is no perfect solution for this. During gameplay, there will be moments when units of the same size type will have a slightly larger frontage than those with a different basing style. The most important thing is that you can see that a unit has decreased in size and therefore must use a decreased staline from that moment onwards. The example I gave in the video shows that there isn't a huge difference in frontage when using either basing methods. And in the end, it is not a competitive game, as long as both sides know know what a unit represents and is about the same size as the opponent unit, they'll be fine.

As for the sharpshooters, I hope I have clarified that question above, but just in case: Any unit size may receive the Sharpshooter special rule which states that all 1s rolled during the shooting phase may be rerolled. A large unit of sharpshooters will probably be overkill but as I have written in the book, players should look at the original Orders of Battle of a given battle to form their armies. In addition, yes, if you make them Veteran, that unit will receive an additional 'shoot' die (because they will be batter at handling their weapons) and they receive a +1 on their Morale.

[AdmiralAndy]

Things for the answers General Lee, have also just watched Miniature Realm first impressions and with your additional answers, seems there was a reference to tiny and skirmishes in nit list, and with veteran and sharpshooter, can tweaks units to also represent Zouves.

Wondering if option to add shotguns for an effect to units as well, would be intersting. Mostly confederate cavalry I think ended up using them, and Louisana Tigers I think also armed with shotguns.

[vodkafan]

I will be doing both sides so I have so have already decided to base mine 4 to a stand as I can also use the same figures for Bonnie Blue Flag. It will also make all the units slightly smaller frontage (an important consideration for a small table)and be a little bit cheaper to build my units.
Looking forward to getting hold of these rules!

[vodkafan]

Ordered my copy of WHLaCS today and also a copy of Bonnie Blue Flag to have an interesting step by step read through of both at the same time.

[vodkafan]

My WHLaCS rules came from Osprey in less than 48 hours. Spent all my breaktimes at work yesterday going through them. Very interesting so far and I will be excited to try them out.
Those special officers whose job is to help the General put his tent up (Aide de Campe) seem quite important. As the maximum ADCs allowed per turn is 6 I think I might actually paint up 6 individual mounted officer miniatures per side to represent these in a game rather than just having dice.

General Lee, a couple of questions about Brigade Commanders? The answers might well be in there but I have missed them, if so apologies.

First of all, it seems that the only way a Brigade Commander can get killed is a two step process of rolling a 1 to trigger an Unexpected Event then rolling a further 1 again?

Can a Brigade Commander be a target?

If the answer to above is no (I could understand why, to discourage unlikely "gamey" playing) Can a Brigade Commander instead be deliberately targeted by an enemy unit  if he is attached to a particular regiment (for instance if he goes to try to Rally them)? Or perhaps share the risk if that unit then takes casualties?  I couldn't find anything about that. I feel like doing that should put him in at some sort of higher risk. But my reading so far is that Brigade Commanders are pretty invulnerable?

[General Lee]

I'm very glad you got the book so fast vodkafan!

Yes in brigade sized games you can have a max of 6 ADCs. I am painting up some figures myself as well. In Division/Corps sized games, you can have a max of 12!

you address a good point about commanders and their likeliness to getting killed. I will be the first to admit this could have used some more work in the book. Unfortunately, the Osprey blue books have a set number of maximum pages (80) and I quickly reached that number. Osprey even had to leave out a short history of the war I had written, and a rather large scenario for the Wilderness (I will upload that one as a free download soon). I had many more ideas including prone troops, snipers etc. There will be an addendum later down the line.

Anyway, your questions need answering! Yes a brigade commander can only get killed if you roll a 1 on the unexpected event table. He cannot be targeted in any other way during the game. So you are totally right about that.

For anyone else who is interested, I have created a QRS with my limited digital skills and provide it as an attachment here. There is also a Facebook group that you can become a member of!

Hope I helped you out vodkafan, if not, let me know!

[vodkafan]

Many thanks General Lee!

[craigjonwoodfield]

Yes, many thanks. A useful video and QRS. I shall definitely be picking up a copy - these rules seem like they might meet the trifecta of simplicity, specificity and playability, at a scale that appeals to me (and I can probably cover with my existing collection).

My infantry are on 40mm squares as well, and I honestly don't seen an issue, but then again I usually supply both sides.

ADCs aside, can you explain how many commander stands the game requires? Simply one for each Brigade and the C-in-C? Or are there options/requirements for artillery/cavalry commanders?

[General Lee]

Yes, many thanks. A useful video and QRS. I shall definitely be picking up a copy - these rules seem like they might meet the trifecta of simplicity, specificity and playability, at a scale that appeals to me (and I can probably cover with my existing collection).

My infantry are on 40mm squares as well, and I honestly don't seen an issue, but then again I usually supply both sides.

ADCs aside, can you explain how many commander stands the game requires? Simply one for each Brigade and the C-in-C? Or are there options/requirements for artillery/cavalry commanders?

I hope the rulebook will meet your expactations!

Yeah although I have given recommendations about the basing method, it should not be a problem to come up with your own. And 40mm squares will work perfectly.

Yes each brigade (infantry/cavalry )requires 1 command stand: could be just 1 officer figure or a larger base with officer, standard bearer etc. Measurements of the base is not important. A command stand for batteries is not required as the commander would keep to his guns at all times anyway. I will create some for my own collection in the future just because it looks good 🤣

[General Lee]

Mark from Mark's Gaming Room interviewed me a while ago on the game. Here is the result

https://youtu.be/VnOPJncZivE?si=GlPL9ic2AKvE3iYQ

I also posted some new play through videos on Youtube 

[General Lee]

The guys at Mark's Gaming Room have uploaded a video of their Antietam Game. So a full blown battle report. They got the ADC rule wrong but it wasn't too much of an influence. Hope you enjoy!

https://youtu.be/T4NPeh7aOC4?si=BH7OrFdXE5zInCl6

[CapnJim]

As I mentioned in my ACW thread, we're playing the Battle of Iuka tomorrow (Friday) using these rules.  I've posted the scenario info in my thread, and an AAR will follow.  We'd be interested in your thoughts, Arthur (and anyone else's...).