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After Action Report:
The involved forces were from the Army of Mississippi (Confederate) and Army of Tennessee (Union).
We created our own division level commanders since we are planning a campaign style game based on these reports. (Bishop – Confederate / Curly - Union)
Using Black Powder Rules with 6mm distances, we clashed over a road that stretched between two towns and the objective was to secure both towns. Since it was our first time using the rules it was pretty choppy going, especially for the North.
Union mounted infantry had taken both the town of Ellton & Hampton. The infantry in Hampton had dismounted to secure it while the second battalion had pressed on to Ellton. Right after entering the center of it, Confederate cavalry appeared on the ridge overlooking the town, swept into Ellton and scattered the ambushed Federals. (even turning to face the charge, Bedford Forest lead the charge himself & there was little hope of surviving it).
After this, the rest of the armies started to move up along Hampton & Haystack road. The Union took immediate control of Hampton, setting up two batteries of horse artillery on the hill overlooking both Hampton and Haystack road, later a third would be added. (this would become a commanding position). Meanwhile, the first battalion of infantry on foot (4th Illinois) marched brazenly towards Eltton. Again, this proved to be both fool hardly and a mistake. The headstrong and aggressive Bedford Forest lead his regiment of horse into the flank of unprotected and exposed horseless infantry and they were driven off after causing two casualties to Forest's Tennessee.
The Confederates meanwhile moved a brigade up Hampton road towards Ellton and another up Haystack Road towards Hampton. Confederates had a problem all day moving and getting their foot artillery into position while the Union's horse artillery is unlimbered and already inflicting casualties upon the rebels!
Despite this, for the Union, not everything is going as planned. The problem is the Marsh & McArthur brigades become entangled as they came on one after the other. Marsh deployed on both sides of Hampton to engage both fast moving confederate brigades. This would cause McArthur to do the same to reinforce each group, instead of just one brigade taking one side of the town. This would prove to be the final nail in the union coffin! Both Brigades were split and command quickly broke down as both commanders could not be in range of their regiments so due to Black Powder rules, they suffered unnecessary negatives to all command checks.
Battle lines finally came together as the two sides moved into effective weapon ranges and started to engage in firefights. However, on the Union left that was pressing towards Ellton, a Confederate command blunder turns into a lucky break. The 4th Tennessee that had formed an attack column in the center of Ellton, misunderstood their orders and instead of forming line and advancing out of Ellton, they charged straight into the Federals formed battle lines. The Union regiments were unable to drive the regiment back with closing fire and the ensuing hand to hand saw them drive off the vaunted 20th Illinois. In addition, they carried on through in a sweeping advance into the next line of Union Troops and while they lost that fight and were broken, they did manage to inflict some casualties onto that regiment. This would ultimately cause a break in the Union Left Flank.
It was here, as both Marsh and McArthur moved to the Union left flank to take command and reorganize the line that Forest's Tennessee Cavalry showed up again attacking the 13th Missouri and driving them into the back of the Union line that was facing the Confederates just east of Ellton, putting the Union left into a precarious vice. Each regiment had taken damage with only the reliable rated 9th Illinois remaining untouched while facing 3 regiments of still fresh Confederate infantry supported by both regiment's of Bedford Forest's Cavalry.
The Division Commander, J.J. Curly on the Union side took command of the entire Union right flank which had just survived two assaults from Stewart's Brigade that had driven off the 48th Illinois. The remaining 45th Illinois were effectively stuck in March Column due to bad command rolls, the 12th Illinois & 14th Missouri were able to hold back Stewart with the support of the combined efforts of 3 horse artillery.
Then game finally fell apart for the Federals. The Confederate artillery setup and started to add its weight on the Union left flank. Bedford Forest and his boys were threatening another flank attack, and two regiments of Union troops (12th Illinois & 13th Missouri) broke and fled on the Right flank thanks to very poor rolls, and a rallied 13th Tennessee. At this point, even though Union had a slight hold on Hampton, it had no chance of taking Ellton so to save the remainder of their forces the Union quit the field, giving control and Victory to the Confederates.
Afterword:
This of course, was our first time with Black Powder rules and our first time playing an American Civil War Historical and 6mm scale. We each had two brigades of 4 regiments each. Two regiments of Cavalry. Mine was rated as mounted infantry, my friend’s was rated as dragoons. I brought Horse Artillery while his was standard artillery (using the standard stock templates from the back).
It was interesting. He benefited from having a split deployment, so he did not have to worry so much about his lines becoming “tangled”. Mine on the other hand, due to my deployment and own natural inexperience they quickly became tangled and it went downhill from there. I believe I was also a lot more aggressive then my commanders were rated and did not play to their strengths. I was able to get things moving and positioned due to staying in column and on the road, but once things spread out, and we came to grips, my leaders were not effective enough to overcome the stress I had put them in.
Overall, it was an excellent game! Very fun!
There will be more, I assure you. Plus pictures next time.
(first posted battle report. EVER. be kind)
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