Petersburg III, Bloody Big Battles

After two games as R.E. Lee, I finally got to try out Grant’s shoes. I had a plan to run through the first two strategic phases in short order, using as few activations (of the 30 allowed) as possible and then go to town on the third and last strategic phase, when Sheridan and his veteran cavalry were available. Bill and his son Mathew conspired against me. Mathew did bring a heavily laden box of goodies from Cousin John’s Café and Bakery in Brooklyn, a good thing.

 

First strategic phase, Turn 1

The first two turns went well enough despite Wright’s beating by Johnson. Two turns, four activations, two objectives (the Weldon RR) and the plan was going well. That would be the last of that.

 

First the Rebels pushed their works aggressively into the gap left by Wright’s defeat. Then they noted how I had weighted my left flank to go after their railroads, and how my right flank was held by the raw troops from deep in the US rear. They didn’t man the new works, instead massing the aggressive, veteran divisions of Mahone and Johnson against my extreme right. I had hoped that artillery support from the nearby troops might stop or slow down some of the attackers.

Second strategic phase, turn 3

Nope. I finally opted to stop the strategic phase, figuring the raiding Rebels would be isolated at the start of the 3^rd and last phase. Ending it on the 5^th turn would have left me some more activations and 1 objective, since the enemy sitting on my LOC ate one objective each turn.

I started the last strategic phase with 10 activations and zero objectives. By now I could only get 2 or 3 objectives on the enemy supply lines, needing 5. I had to take Petersburg itself for a win. I didn’t mention this but the Secesh figured it out. Heads down and charge was the only option. Sheridan and his boys were not of much use making frontal attacks on forts, except as big targets.

Third and last strategic phase, turn 7, ~10 activations left

We played 9 turns and two inter-phases in 3 hours and 21 minutes. The taste of defeat was ameliorated by the pastry from Cousin John.

 

I made two rules errors during the game. I had a raw unit that snuck into a CSA fort. It began the 3^rd phase in the ZOCs of three CSA units. I wheeled it left and attacked anther fort, only to be repulsed by Heth’s heroes. Checking the rules later, I found that it could only have attacked the enemy within ZOC and the front arc, and then the closest. I plead ignorance due to the length of time between our games lately.

 

The second error: I ruled units that had their retreat blocked by impassable terrain/table edge/enemy troops stopped that turn. If they are disrupted (as all units losing assaults are) then they also lose a base. Each side would have lost at least two more bases, which might have made some difference but not a game-changer. Still, something to keep in mind next time.

 

This scenario fascinates me. There’s the incredible scope, 8 months played in an evening. And the trench lines snaking across the table between each strategic phase, unlike anything I’ve played before.

 

Won't play it again this year. We’re heading north in a week and will ring in the new year there. 

American Revolution: Continental Flags

Made a trip to Fraunces Tavern today, where Washington bid farewell to his officers. They have a flag room with replicas of various flags. Here are the regimental ones.

A few days before he bid the officers farewell, there was a dinner in his honor with the officers present. They made 31 toasts. 79 bottles of Madeira and 30 of port were emptied. Some 14 shillings of wine glasses were broken. Fraunces Tavern Musuem is worth the visit. And afterwards, one can head downstairs to the tavern proper for a meal and a pint. 

New Crimean War 15mm Russians - Minifigs

Bought some Minifigs Crimean War Russian infantry on eBay. Painted and based them while waiting for my next order from Old Glory 15s (Rank & File) to show up. That order has more infantry, artillery, dragoons and Cossacks. Some All of those infantry will have spiked helmets. The flags are by Maverick. Some of the infantry below are in advancing pose, most in muskets at trail, both very similar.

I have a Turkish army that has not seen action yet. In the past we have played the 1854 Caucasus battle of Kurudere without either of the actual combatants. Once these are complete we can try again with actual Turks and Russians. I made an error with the initial Turkish deployment last time. Rules used: Bloody Big Battles. I also hope to run the more usual ones like the Alma, Balaklava etc. Right now my plan is to use Napoleonic British and FPW French. Perhaps the bug will bite me and I'll paint up actual figures from that period. Though my shelves groan, both with figures and books. 

Here are some pictures of my First pack of painted Rank & File Russian Infantry in Helmets, marching.

This side is where they look thinnest.

Rear View.

Minifigs in hat on right for comparison.

And some partialy painted figures so you can see how thick the bases are.

Petersburg Campaign II: KABOOM!

We played Chris Pringle’s evolving draft scenario for the Petersburg campaign again. Andrew (his first shot at this scenario) played Grant and I Robert E. Lee again, struggling to keep my great-great-great grandma in chattel slavery. I upgraded the Confederate forts with some Sculpey works, might make some more before the next game. Otherwise, resin earthworks by the now defunct Musket Miniatures (RIP) are used for entrenchments and rifle pits. This scenario allows you to play 8 months in around two hours.

 

The previous game saw Petersburg taken by storm. In part, this was due to crossed wires about zones of control (ZOC) rules for this scenario. In regular BBB, assaulting a unit negates the ZOC, so other units can move past. In this scenario, units in any kind of works retain their ZOC so no deep penetrations of works are easy. This change would make the previous game’s storm unlikely. That’s why testing is good. 

Andrew deployed with most of his troops facing my forts. He’s pretty aggressive, so I deployed everyone facing him. Mahone (all CSA units in italics after this and in photos) was prepared to move out against the expected thrust west towards the Weldon & Petersburg RR.

Andrew, perhaps influenced by the result in the previous game, made his main effort during the first strategic phase in frontal attacks on the Petersburg forts. Some attacks were stalled by defensive fire. Others closed but couldn’t overcome the -3 modifier for attacking forts. The one close call against Bushrod Johnson’s Division, supported by artillery, failed due to Johnson’s aggressive factor. He used up about half of his allowed 30 activations. A couple attacks on the 3^rd turn were defeated with loss, retreating far enough to expose his Line of Communications (LOC) to Confederate scouts and raiders. You don’t have to actually move units onto the LOC, just have the ability to do so not blocked by enemy units or ZOC. Teamsters and mules can be stopped by small parties of armed men. This put his count of objectives at minus two (after clarification from Chris, this should have been minus one, my bad). He declared an end to the first phase. Done after the second turn, his objective count would have been zero. 

I extended my rifle pits westward, as did he.

 

On the 2^nd strategic phase, he deployed three units on his left flank, Hancock and two raw LOC units. He left the other 4 seasoned corps in the entrenchments facing Petersburg. I put Mahone and Grimes aggressive divisions on my right. Lee stayed around Petersburg, for longer than I should have. A furious fight broke out on my right. The weight of numbers began to tell, but Andrew was burning through activations as I held on for dear life.

He had a unit that might have made it into Petersburg unopposed, but Hoke rallied after defeating some LOC troops and moved to place the threatening unit into his ZOC and squashed that. With only 2 activations left, Andrew stopped and explored his options. Given the redeployment between strategic phases, I would obviously put a garrison into empty Petersburg. It would all come down to a coup de main. The 29th activation failed, as Wright's VI Corps wasn't ready on time. As a result, the 30^th activation, on the 9^th and last possible turn, Warren’s V Corps, without help from Wright, had to assault  the fort held by Heth, preceded by the mine explosion, hoping for a big enough win to exploit into ungarrisoned Petersburg.

 

KABOOM! We got to use one of the explosion markers made by the late Tom Loback.

Perhaps one of the division commanders sought solace in the bottle (the dice were unkind). The sole result: the attacking force was disrupted before the assault continued. Warren’s troops tumbled back into their entrenchments without heavy losses, but the game ended with Union objectives taken at zero, a Confederate victory. He had picked up one on turn 4 by cutting the Weldon RR. He needed 5 for a win, 4 for a tie.

 

As in many BBB scenarios, the win means I did better than Lee. A real strategic win would see Grant’s army destroyed or seriously crippled, highly (insert your adjective of choice) unlikely. But I could claim a win, keeping my ancestor under lock and key a while longer.

 

Sunday afternoon quarterbacking: I think Andrew burned up too many activations in his first strategic phase, and his 2^nd strategic phase offensive had too many of his raw units while the old hands watched the enemy forts. I kept Lee watching them for too long when he was needed at the right flank, where the fur was flying. Oh yes, not having a garrison in Petersburg nearly did me in. Andrew was not pleased seeing that +1 aggressive trait show up again and again. My three aggressive divisions saw a lot of combat; one being eventually destroyed in the second strategic phase. The Confederate policy of not letting any troops muster out led to lots of veterans in the ranks, though cruel to soldiers who'd enlisted with the promise of going home when their term was up.

 

 

I am hoping to run this again on November 22. I will be playing on the Union side. Guaranteed. I owe it to G-G-G grandma.

Edit: I should specify that the game took just about two hours, start to finish. And the scenario is great.