Sunday 30 July 2017

American Civil War Game

When I woke this morning it was a frosty -2 degrees C. For us in Auckland that is pretty cold, but a cold frosty morning for us usually means a fine sunny day, and that is exactly what we got. So on this stunning day we locked ourselves indoors and played an American Civil War game.

We had six players and the scenario was a simple one with the Union forces charged with controlling a crossroads at game's end.  A single Confederate infantry brigade, heavily supported by an artillery brigade and a cavalry brigade held a position dominating the crossroads. They could expect reinforcement by two infantry brigades. The Union had two infantry brigades and a cavalry brigade on the table, with another infantry brigade expected as a reserve.




Not going to to too much detail, but the two Union brigades attempted to drive off the Confederates from their position before reinforcements could arrive. But they found access the Confederate position difficult. A strong attack was repulsed and much of the Union centre collapsed. 





On the Union right six infantry regiments, five batteries and two small cavalry regiments faced thirteen infantry regiments, three cavalry and four batteries. The Union troops put a desperate fight, the artillery in particular,  and drove off all of the Confederate cavalry and five infantry units, before numbers took their toll and the Union troops were driven from the field.





On the Union extreme left the fight continued, but the end was nigh. The Confederates scored a decisive victory.

16 comments:

  1. Looks like a great game Mark, your photos are great as always. Nice to see Johnny Reb get a win for a change! Are some of these Union figures your own castings from several years ago?

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    1. Yes about half are my own figures, thr restcare Old Glory.

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  2. Excellent stuff! Always good to see an ACW game with plenty of troops about.

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    1. Thanks Rodger, although I could have done with a few more troops...I commanded the Union right that was swamped innte end!

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  3. Mark, you guys always set a handsome game table. Great layout and beautiful troops. Are the buildings scratch built by you?

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    1. Thank you Jonathan. A lot of effort goes into the terrain. The building were my builds. Originally they were made far an AWI game, but were eventually used as casting masters for a range that we manufactured in the late 80s-early 90s, but now long out of production.

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  4. A lovely looking game. Who did the sculpting for the figures that you casted?

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    1. Thanks Lawrence. It wasn't looking too flash for us Unionist by the end of the game though, with most of the troops dispersed to the wind! I designed a range of ACW troops and Austro-Prussian Austrians and Italians for my own amusement. I would have gone further, but they got quite pricey to cast and Domestic Control was beginning to ask questions...

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    2. Yet another story I'm looking forward to catching up on.

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    3. I actually made (and still have) masters for the Bavarians and Hanoverains for 1866, but when I had the moulds made for the 1866 Saxons they screwed up the moulds and ruined most of the figures. It was very discouraging and the masters are still in thie boxes.

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  5. Great looking game! The big brigades look formidable.

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    1. Thank you John. Indeed they were formidable, but unfortunately for me they were aimed at me!

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  6. Lots of lovely looking troops and great terrain, it sounds like fun whoever won!
    Best Iain

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    1. Iain, I concur it was fun. What can be better than good friends and toy soldiers? Well maybe some wine or beer, but we all had to drive home afterwards!

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  7. Replies
    1. Thank you. If you look back through some of mt East African posts you will see the way that your own East African buildings provided inspiration for my own project.

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