Friday, May 5, 2017

Additional Blue Regiment Units

Here are the last units for the Blue Regiment.

One unit of elite commanded shot and two units of gallopers.

First Army for The Pikemen's Lament

Here is my first army for The Pikemen's Lament.  These are Perry figures that I had painted years ago mostly by Dave Woodward of Every Victorious Miniatures.  I did paint up a few of the command figures.  The army has two units of gallopers, one pike, one shot, one commanded shot, and the falconet.

Here is a shot of the entire force.
Here is the pike unit.
And the shot

Monday, May 1, 2017

Hello Again


Well, it has been a very long time since I posted anything.  I lot has happened in my life ... moved from Virginia to Texas, bought a new house, and changed jobs.  However, I'm ready to post a few things again.
My new home does not have much room for gaming, so I have downsized to a 3 by 4 gaming table. This is great for skirmish games.  I recently discovered the rules by Daniel Mersey.  He has done Lion Rampant, Dragon Rampant, and The Men Who Would Be Kings, plus others.  I have been playing games with his The Pikemen's Lament (TPL). These are a set of pike and shot rules for skirmish gaming. 


I had a lot of English Civil War miniatures on the shelf gathering dust.  I had painted up a few units, but I realized that I would never have enough figures to play a mass combat game like Warlord's Pike and Shotte.  Fortunately, TPL being a skirmish game, only takes a few figures.  You build you force using a point system, so you have lots of choices.  A typical army will have five or six units, with each unit have six or twelve figures.

Here is a unit of dragoons.  The figures are from the Perry range of 28mm figures with the exception of the dismounted horse, which is from Empress.



Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Regimental Level Fox Gap Civil War Scenario For Gettysburg Soldiers Rules

Morning Battle at Fox Gap, South Mountain
September 14, 1862
 

The spring and summer of 1862 had seen the Army of Northern Virginia defeat two powerful Union armies, one under McClellan in the Peninsular Campaign and one under Pope in the battles near Manassas in northern Virginia.  The defeated union forces had fled back to Washington and the security of its fortifications.  The victorious General Robert E. Lee was then faced with an important strategic decision … how he and his soldiers would maintain the initiative and set the stage for a Confederate victory in the war. 

Lee and the Southern leadership agreed that the best course of action was for Confederate forces to carry the war north.  So Lee took his soldiers across the Potomac and for the first time since the commencement of the war nearly a year and half earlier, led a Confederate army onto Union soil.  However, almost from the start, things did not go as planned.  The Union garrison at Harper’s Ferry did not flee in the face of the advancing Confederates, but dug in and waited for battle.  Additionally, McClellan used his extraordinary administrative talents to quickly organize the demoralized Union forces near Washington into a renewed Army of the Potomac.  He then also moved to counter Lee’s invasion with uncharacteristic alacrity.

After crossing the Potomac River into Maryland north of Leesburg, Virginia, the Army of Northern Virginia continued north and occupied Frederick.  At this point, Lee divided his army with some troops marching to invest Harpers Ferry while others moved west across South Mountain toward Hagerstown … only D. H. Hill’s Division and some of Stuart’s cavalry were left to act as a rear guard.   Unfortunately for the Confederates, McClellan and the Army of the Potomac were now in pursuit, and the Union forces marched toward Frederick and South Mountain in multi-corps strength. 

On September 14, pitched battles were fought for possession of the three main South Mountain passes: Crampton, Turner, and Fox Gaps.  By dusk the outnumbered Confederate defenders were driven back and McClellan was in position to destroy Lee’s army before it could concentrate.  However, McClellan’s limited activity on September 15 after his victory at South Mountain condemned the garrison at Harpers Ferry to capture and gave Lee time to unite his scattered divisions at Sharpsburg.


The Scenario

This scenario is designed for use with the Gettysburg Soldiers rules and covers the initial morning engagement fought at Fox Gap between Garland’s and parts of G. B. Anderson’s North Carolinian Brigades (both of D. H. Hill’s Division), and General Cox's Kanawha Division of the Union IX Corps.  Later scenarios will cover the afternoon action in the same area when both sides fed reinforcements into the fight.
 

The Terrain

This scenario requires a small playing area:  4’ x 3’.  Terrain should be laid out as shown in the scenario map.  Terrain effects for the scenario are as follows: 

Woods.   The wooded areas are dense and rated rough terrain for movement (rule 17).  Shooting distances are limited to 6” (rule 37).  Targets in woods cause a -1 fire modifier because of the cover (rule 51).

Cornfields.  These areas represent mature standing stalks and are rated rough terrain for movement (rule 17).   Shooting distances are limited to 6” (rule 37).  Cornfields do not provide any cover.

Elevations.  Elevations have a continuous slope, from the lowest to the highest level marked by a crest line.  Elevations block line of sight for any stand over 1” beyond the crest line.  The defender in hand-to-hand melee receives a +1 modifier for favorable ground if the attacker charged up slope (rule 69).

Walls and Fences.  All walls and fences are obstacles for movement (rule 18) and do not block line of sight.  In fire combat the firing stands suffer a -1 modifier when firing at any target aligned behind a wood fence, and a -2 when firing at a target behind a stone wall (rule 51).  A defending unit aligned behind a stone wall in charge combat received a +1 modifier for defending favorable ground (rule 69). 

Roads.  Only units in column, limbered artillery, or generals receive the 3” road movement bonus when moving along the Old Sharpsburg Road (rule 16).  All other roads are poor and the above units moving along them move at normal rates even through rough terrain.

Buildings. All  buildings are wood construction and are obstacles for movement (rule 20).  They have no effect on line of sight, but may be occupied by 1 stand of skirmishers. Targets in buildings cause a  -1 fire modifier because of the cover (rule 51).  Defenders in a building in hand-to-hand melee receive a +1 modifier for favorable ground (rule 69).



Order of Battle

Union Forces:  Total Union units represent a force of approximately 2500 men and two guns.
1)      Starting units and leaders are deployed as shown on the game map:  BG Scammon and 3 infantry regiments; 1 cavalry unit (6 hidden movment marker).
2)      Enter turn 3 at A:  1st Battery, Ohio Light Artillery (reduced crew) (2 hidden movement markers).
3)      Enter turn 4 at B:  11th Ohio (2 hidden movement markers).
4)      Enter turn 5 at A or B:  BG Crook, 1st Battalion, 36th Ohio; 2nd Battalion, 36th Ohio (3 hidden movement markers).

 

Confederate Forces:  Total Confederate units represent a force of approximately 2000 men and 6 guns.
1)       Starting units and leaders are deployed as shown on the game map:  BG Garland and 5 infantry regiments, Jeff Davis battery, 5th Virginia Cavalry, and Pelham’s battery (reduced crew) (12 hidden movement markers).
2)      Enter turn 6 at C:  brigade leader Tew and 2 infantry regiments (3 hidden movement markers).

 

Game Length

The game is played in 12 turns.  Do not roll for choice of maneuvering on game turn 1.  The Union player automatically has the choice. 


Winning the Scenario

Key Position.  The Confederate defensive position along the Ridge Road between points X-Y is a key position.  One side achieves victory if at the end of the game it was the last side to have only friendly units between X-Y.

Special Scenario Rules

Option Rules.  Optional rules 97 and 98 are used in this scenario. 

Hidden Movement.  It is recommended that players use the Hidden Movement rules (page 19) for this scenario.  If they do, the number of hidden movement markers available to each side is as indicated in the Order of Battle above. 

Players are NOT required to use the historical setup.  However, the starting locations of the hidden movement markers of the CSA player must be between X-Y and no further southeast than the Ridge Road. 

The starting locations of the hidden movement markers of the Union player must be between and southeast of a line drawn between the Barn and the Coffman House

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Fox Gap Scenario Is Done

Regimental Fire and Fury Scenario Page

Well, I finally finished the Fox Gap scenario that covers the morning fight.  I did it for Regimental Fire and Fury and you can find it at the above link.

Thanks, Mark

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Field Trip to Fox Gap, South Mountain, Maryland

I am in the process of designing a small scenario to use with the various US Civil War miniature gaming rules I want to try out.  It will cover the 14 September 1862 morning fight at Fox Gap between General Garland’s North Carolinian Brigade of the ANV and General Cox’s Kanawha Division of the Union IX Corps.  I have finished the research on the order-of-battle for the units involved and now need to develop the scenario game map.  I plan on doing it at a scale of 25 yards equals one inch (the scale used by Regimental Fire and Fury, Gettysburg Soldier, and other rules). 

Yesterday turned out to be a beautiful day, with a high temperature of about 75 degrees and mostly clear skies.  So, because I live only about 90 minutes from the battlefield, I decided to take a field trip to South Mountain and get a firsthand look at the terrain.  Walking the actual ground gave me a better appreciation of the topography and will allow me to develop a more accurate scenario map.

The trip was very productive, so I thought I would share some pictures that I took.  If you would like to take you own trip to Fox Gap, the Friends of South Mountain State Battlefield web site has a walking tour of area.  You can find it here: 


Also, before I get very far into this, I would like to make an appeal for your support of The Civil War Trust.  TCWT is America's largest non-profit organization (501-C3) devoted to the preservation of our nation's endangered Civil War battlefields.   The South Mountain Battlefield has been designated as one of our nations most endangered battlefields. 


Additionally, if you are really interested in a detailed history of the Fox Gap area, then I would recommend you visit ‘A Gap in Time: The Wise Farmstead and Fox Gap Archeological Project’ at:


Click on the link to the ‘Project Results’ and then the pdf under ‘II Place for the Past.’  It contains a detailed description of the battle at Fox Gap and includes some of the best battlefield maps I have ever seen.  These are by Steven R.  Stotelmyer, and I have keyed the photographs to one of his maps.


 
These pictures are of the Reno and Garland monuments which are located near the spot of the Wise cabin on the map.  By the way, the Wise house is no longer standing.






























The North Carolina Monument is about 1000 feet south of the Reno Monument and was placed on the battlefield in 2003.  






 
This is a picture looking north at “17th Michigan Field.”  The field is just north of the Wise cabin location and Reno Monument Road.  It gives you a good idea of the flat open areas in the Gap itself.  See map reference point one.



Many of the Civil War era stone fences are evident … just remember NOT to cross them and head off into the fields on the east side of South Mountain.  These fields are on private property and are not under National Park Service control. 


This is a view looking east from behind the stone fence that was used as a defensive position by Col. Daniel H. Christie’s 23rd NC Infantry Regiment.  See map reference point two for this picture and the next.


This view is from the wall itself and the defensive position of the 23rd NC,  looking east across the field that Col. Carr B. White’s 12th Ohio Infantry Regiment would have attacked across.



 
See map reference point three.  This is the view toward the southeast.  Captain Bondurant’s Jeff Davis Artillery Battery fired in support of the 5th NC Infantry Regiment from this spot.  LtCol Rutherford B. Hayes’ 23rd Ohio Infantry Regiment attacked from left to right across the ground in the distance.



Monday, March 12, 2012

A Survey of American Civil War Miniatures Rules

I wanted to share the following chart with you.  It is a list of miniature wargame rules for simulating battles during the American Civil War.  Over the coming weeks I will review several of these rules, particularly the ones dealing with battles at the regimental level.  With a few exceptions, I only cover rules that are currently available.  The rules listed under the generic category are designed to cover 'black powder' warfare in general and are not specific to the US Civil War.  Also, if there is an asterisk next to the binding type, then the rules are available in soft-copy.



Rules
Publisher
Author
DOP
Binding
Pages
Price
Company Level






Brother Against Brother
MJD Publishing
Ivor Janci
1997
Softcover
44
$20.00
Terrible Sharp Sword
Too Fat Lardies
Richard Clarke
2010
pdf
68+52
$25.00
Smooth and Rifled
Dadi and Piombo
Lorenzo Sartori
2012
pdf
22+5
$11.80
Regimental Level






A Glint of Bayonets
Sergeants3
Larry Brom
2003
Softcover
26
$18.00
A Perfect Sheet of Flame, 4th ed.
Self-published
Mike Willegal
2005
Softcover*
38
$12.00
Bull Run to Gettysburg
Foundry
David Bickley
2010
Hardcover
176
$52.00
Gettysburg Soldiers
Self-published
Reber & Reber
2011
Softcover
22
$14.95
Guns At Gettysburg
Partizan Press
Dave Brown
2007
Softcover
64
$30.00
Johnny Reb III
Johnny Reb Co.
John Hill
1996
Softcover
48
$24.00
Micro Force: The Game
GHQ
Daryl Nichols, Jr.
2006
Softcover

$19.95
Mr. Lincoln’s War
Quantum
Gore & Phenow
2001
Softcover
34
$20.00
Rally Round the Flag
LMW Works
Scott Monsour
2004
Softcover*
34
$18.00
Rebel Yell: Battles in the ACW
OMM Publishing
Steve Winter
2006
Softcover
46
$12.00
Regimental Fire and Fury
Fire and Fury
Rich Hasenauer
2010
Hardcover
96
$36.00
They Couldn’t Hit an Elephant
Too Fat Lardies
Not Listed
2009
pdf
52
$11.00
Brigade Level






A House Divided: Fast Action Rules
Partizan Press
Halsall & Smith
2007
Softcover
120
$40.00
A Union So Tested
LMW Works
Palmer & Surdu
2009
Softcover
54
$29.00
Fire and Fury
Fire and Fury
Rich Hasenauer
2002
Softcover
74
$20
On to Richmond
The Courier
Paul Koch
1986
Softcover
32
OOP
Polemos ACW
Baccus
Peter Riley
2008
Softcover*
76
$23.50
Generic Rules






American Battlelines, 2nd Ed.
ODGW
Jonathan Coulter
2000
Softcover

$29.95
Black Powder
Warlord
Priestly &Stallard
2009
Hardcover
182
$48.00
Carnage and Glory II
Self-published
Nigel Marsh
2001
Pdf + software
60
$31.40
Die Fighting
Repiquet
Bob Jones
2011
Softcover
54
$29.95
Eagle’s Prey, 2nd Edition
Hoplite Research
Manny Granillo
2008
Softcover
128
$36.95
Field of Battle, 2nd  Edition
Piquet
Brent Oman
2011
Softcover
130
$35.00
Piquet, Hallowed Ground, 2nd  Ed.
Piquet
Brent Oman
2003
Softcover
162
$35.00
Honor and Glory
Self-published
David Marks
2006
pdf
90
free
Rank and File
Crusader
Mark Sims
2009
Softcover*
68
$30.00
There Are Your Guns
Partizan Press
Dennis Williams
2009
Softcover
104
$36.00
Volley and Bayonet, Road to Glory
Test of Battle Games
Chadwick & Novak
2008
Softcover
120
$39.95
Zouave II
Repiquet
Bob Jones
2011
Softcover
72
$29.95