Gettysburg, part 1

Thursday evening the Corlears Hook Fencibles started playing the draft scenario of Gettysburg using the Bloody Big Battles rules. People on the Yahoo group had previously opined that the scenario was weighted in favor of the Confederates. I worked up an alternate OB based on the Gettysburg Companion which had substantially more artillery than the original scenario. All other scenario rules remained in place. Bill commanded his Confederates with Jay as Longstreet. I led my Union forces with Ken as Hancock, commanding a wing of II and III Corps. Confederate units and leaders are in italics.

I deployed Buford to the north of Gettysburg, making Ewell deploy further north since Wadsworth was on the scene. Gettysburg mavens should note that all Union infantry corps save VI Corps have two infantry units. The larger one is usually a conglomeration of two smaller divisions. Thus Wadsworth also includes Doubleday’s division and Caldwell includes Gibbon, etc.

I briefly considered going up Seminary Ridge and taking on both Pender and Heth. Then my meds kicked in and I relented. On the first Confederate turn Pender moved up while Heth was delayed. Reynolds stayed back near the town to hurry reinforcements forward. This kept him from his date with a rebel bullet.

On came Ewell’s corps. Buford fell back.

Wadsworth lost heavily to accurate Confederate fire, becoming spent (blue marker).

Overnight both sides received reinforcements. Buford withdrew.

The Peach Orchard became an objective. III Corps occupied it, with II Corps moving towards Little Round Top. Longstreet threatened our left.

Robinson pulled back from Gettysburg. Barlow’s orders seemed to have gone astray.

Union troops got to Culp’s Hill just ahead of the enemy.

The hammer came down.

Barlow’s remains were thoroughly defeated and the Confederates poured up Cemetery Hill in their wake.

Fighting raged along the line.

My spelling on some photos seemed to suffer from combat fatigue.

We played 7 turns and a night interval in less than 4 hours, not counting the dinner break. Losses so far: Union, 8 infantry, Confederate, 6 infantry. In next week’s session the Yankees will have to suffer through one more daylight turn before night falls and VI Corps arrives.

Everyone enjoyed the game. The Army of Northern Virginia is a formidable foe, but the wealth of Union artillery seems to have stiffened the Union backbone. There will be some personnel changes next week. Bill and Ken can’t make it, so Jay will take over as Lee and Rick probably assume Longstreet’s mantle. It’s been a crackerjack game.

I have some ideas on how to lower the Confederate octane some more but it looks like it won’t be needed – so far. Stay tuned.

Rather sobering was the news as we stopped our little war. There was an outbreak of Big War while we were playing.