First Bull Run Refought

Today, the 152nd anniversary of the battle,  we refought the First Battle of  Bull Run, or Manassas. 

The Union Army

Hunter's Division: Porter's and Burnside's Brigades, with two batteries

Heintzleman's Division: Franklin's, Willcox's and Howard's Brigades with two batteries

Tyler's Division: Sherman's, Keyes' and Schenk's brigade with one battery

The Confederate Army

Army of the Potomac: Bonham's, Cocke's, Evans', Early's Briagdes, along with three batteries and the Hampton Leigon

The Army of the Shennandoah: Jackson's, Bee's, Bartow's and Smith Briagdes, along with three batteries.

The Game

The game assumed that McDowell executed his turning movement as planned and started with Burnside facing off against Evans on Matthews' Hill. Bee and Bartow's brigades are marching to Evans' aid. Porter's Brigade is crossing Bull Run in support of Burnside.

Burnside attempted to flank Evans but struggled to get going. Not until Porter was able to come up on Burnside's left, could Evans be forced back, by which time Bartow and Bee  had formed a solid line behind him. Jackson had by this time arrived and formed on Henry House Hill. Cocke's Brigade came up on Jackson's right.

Burnside faces Evans, with Bartow and Bee forming to the rear. Porter follows Burnside across Bull Run.

The Confederate line stabilised in the low ground between Matthews' and Henry House Hills, while Heinztleman's Division came up and formed to the right of Burnside.

Heintzelman forms on Burnside's right

With a sudden rush Porter attacked and dispersed Bartow's brigade while Sherman's Brigade, with Keyes in support, moved to flank the the Confederate line in the low ground. Evans swung back to face Sherman, while Jackson and Cocke came forward. Sherman was forced to face Jackson. 

Meanwhile Kirby-Smith's and then Early's Brigades extended the Confederate left, overlapping Heintzleman. The Union advance stalled. Burnside's Brigade was caught in a vicious crossfire and began to retreat. Franklin's Brigade was similarly engaged, but managed to hold its position for a turn.

On the Federal left Schenks' Brigade finally arrived at the stone bridge and  prepared to cross, covered by Carlisle's battery. Things were beginning to go badly for Sherman and when Jackson opened a heavy fire, Sherman's brigade melted away. 

Flanked by Jackson, Sherman takes heavy fire

Porter, in an attempt to ease the pressure on the Union left charged forwad and drove back Evans, but when he attempted to drive off Jackson, he was halted and then driven back.

Keyes' Brigade, assisted by Schenck attempted to cover Sherman's collapse, but they were caught by the arrival of Bonham's Brigade and were driven back by a concerted attack by Cocke and Bonham. 

Bonham and Cocke roll up Schenk and Keyes

On the Union right Willcox's brigade charged Early and despite an initial success failed to drive him off. At the same time Howard's brigade was caught in a fire between Bee, Smith and three Confederate batteries, and gave ground.

The whole Union army was in retreat and the game ended, much the same way as the original battle ended.

RJW Game and More

Today we played another RJW game. Once again this was a shake down for our main event in August. Lots of things learned and good fun had by all. In the end the Japanese failed to make any real headway and their attack was repulsed with a heavy loss.

Here are a series of images from the game. 

A Russian infantry regiment and their machine guns in their central redoubt, with their batteries on the ridge behind.

The advance of the Japanese centre on the redoubt

The Russian infantry on the right of the redoubt

The advance of the Japanese Kobi Brigade

All infantry figures are Tsuba Miniatures, artillery and MGs are by Redoubt.

And the new project...

Early War WWI

The first batch of 1914 WWI figures figures are completed. This includes:

- 13 stands of French infantry

- 3 stands of French HMGs

- 13 stands of German infantry

- 4 stands of German HMGs

- 6 stands of Belgian infantry

- 1 stand of Belgian HMGs

- 1 Belgian Minerva Armoured Car

Below are a couple of images of the Minerva AC from 1st Corps

RJW Project - Phase One Complete

The final artillery batteries (both Russian and Japanese) arrived from Redoubt a couple of weeks ago. They are now painted based and waiting for their first game.

Their completion finishes phase one of the RJW project. That phase sees one division formed for each side. Phase two will be the replacement of the artillery and machine guns with product made by Tsuba - the Redoubt figures just lack the flair of the Tsuba product - and some cavalry. Of course megalomania may yet get the better of me and I may be forced to do another division of Japanese and another brigade of Russians.

I still have a number of buildings to complete. One is finished, as below, but there is another 'Hutong' type of building, a farm, which is nearing completion, and a small monastery. These need to be completed by August when we have our annual wargames weekend. This is a good winter project.

In the meantime I have been attracted to a new project: Early World War 1 - 1914. I have placed my first orders and next week I should have the better part of a battalion each of French, German and Belgian infantry ready for painting.

Russo-Japanese War Scenario

Today I ran my first Russo-Japanese War game. This was really a practice for the main event - a game at our annual wargames weekend away.

The scenario was set in mid-summer 1904. Desperate to be seen as doing something after a series of setbacks, the Russian commander ordered an advance south with the object of trying to find some way to raise the siege of Port Arthur. 

Major General Gerschelmann's 10th Infantry Division marched south from Liaoyang as far as Haicheng, but there they struck a major problem. Unable to make use of the railway the infantry quickly out distanced their supply services and Gerschelmann was compelled to halt the advance to allow his supply column to catch up. He occupied Haicheng, while pressing troops forward to secure a crossing of the Huzhuang River.

Fearing that the Russians might force their way still further south, the 2nd Division, from First Army, was dispatched to intercept and turn back the Russian advance. 

THE TABLE

The table measured 4.8 meters x 2 meters. The Huzhuang River divided the table in half and was able to be crossed either at the bridge or forded at a shallow point within 400mm of the eastern table edge.  All hills are gentle, except for the double contour hill which is rough going. Around the two farms are a number of fields, some bordered with stone walls, and near the rivers are some areas of scrub the rest of the  terrain is open.

RUSSIAN BRIEFING

Order of Battle

10th Infantry Division: Maj. General Gerschelmann

1st Brigade: Major General Rjabinkin 

33rd Infantry Regiment (12 stands) 

34th Infantry Regiment (12 stands) 

2nd Brigade: Major General Martson 

35th Infantry Regiment (12 stands) 

36th Infantry Regiment (12 stands) 

9th Artillery Brigade: Colonel Schuchinski 

4 Field Artillery Batteries (1 stand each)  

2 Machine gun sections

Attached to Division:

7th Rifle Regiment (6 stands)

2 Field Batteries (1 stand each)

Deployment

The Russians may deploy:

One regiment and any number of machine guns or artillery batteries south of the river, but no further than 150mm south of the farm.

One regiment and any number of machine guns or artillery north of the river, may be deployed between the river and Haicheng.

Two regiments and any number of machine guns or artillery may be deployed within 500mm of Haicheng.

Any or all Russian artillery may be off table, to the north of Haicheng.

1,500mm of trenches anywhere on the table in sections of no more than  600mm in a single section and no one section may be within 500mm on another section.

600mm of wire entanglements anywhere on the table in strips of no more than 300mm with a least 300mm between strips.

All or any batteries may be deployed dug in.

JAPANESE BRIEFING

Order of Battle

2nd Infantry Division Lieutenant General Nishi

3rd Infantry Brigade Major General Matsunaga

4th Infantry Regiment (9 stands)

29th Infantry Regiment (9 Stands)

15th Brigade: Major General Okazaki

16th Infantry Regiment (9 stands)

30th Infantry Regiment (9 stands)

2nd Kobi Brigade 

14th Kobi Infantry Regiment (6 Stands)

17th Kobi Infantry Regiment (6 Stands)

Attached to Division:

2nd Artillery Regiment (two battalions each of three batteries = total 6 stands)

2nd Machine gun Company (4 stands)

Deployment

The Japanese may advance on the table at any point on the southern edge and in any formation they wish on turn 1.

Any or all Japanese artillery may be off table, to the south of the table edge.

VICTORY CONDITIONS

If one side's army morale collapses, the opposing side wins the game.

The Japanese player wins if two regiments are established on the notthern bank of the river and are not engaged in a close attack at the end of the game.

Any other result is a Russian victory.

HOW THE GAME PLAYED OUT

The Russians deploy one regiment in trenches south of the farm south of the river. The machine guns company was deployed in a small redoubt on the double contour hill. Another regiment was deployed entrenched north of the river at the ford. The artillery was deployed on the hieghts south east of the town with the two remaining line regiments and the rifles regiment near the town.

The Japanese moved first, with tow full brigades against the Russian position infron of the farm, with the Kobi brigade on the left and the artillery south of the briad ridge, firing indirectly. They advanced swifly across the open ground, but were suddenly struck by Russian gunfire and cut to pieces. 

Here the game was suspended. Clearly the rules needed some tweaking so we paused for lunch andstarted again.

The Japanese changed their tactics, masking the Russian trenches with te Kobi brigade and advancing directly on the steep hill with the remainder ofhe division. To suppress the Russian machine guns they saturated the steep hill with fire from six batteries.

The Russians brought  the Rifles regiment and one of the line regiments acrss the river, but as the latter crossed the bridge they were caught by Japanese gunfire and suffered severely. Meanwhile the Kobi brigade were repelled on the Japanese left, but soon rallied and managed to work thier way around the right of the Russians in the trenches. With the support of the two machine gun sections asingle   Kobi Regiment stormed the trench, drivng the Russians back to the river bank.

Simultaneously the Japanese destroyed the Russian machine guns and occupied the steep hill, pouring fire into the Russian regiment that had crossed the river, completely dispersing it. The Russians then pulled bach what remained of the rifles regiment,while the line regiment that had held the forward trenches attempted to extract themselves.

Here the game ended. Although the Japanese had not fullfilled the victory conditions, the Russians were in a bad way, having lost one full line regiment, another one badly cut up, the rifles regimen down below half strength, two field batteres and two machne guns destroyed. Conversly the Japanese had lost one Kobi regiment, and the other damaged, but all their artillery, machine guns and all four line infantry regiments in tact. It was only a matter of time before they brought pressue on the remaining Russians. 

The result, a winning draw to the Japanese.

Lots of things were learned and a few adjustments for the rules.

Update on the RJW Project and A French and Indian War Game

Life in the real world has been busy of late so I haven't had time to post much. This is not to say that I haven't been busy on my RJW project. Since the last post I have completed two Russian and four Japanese machine guns and two field guns a side. I have also received, and painted, two regiments of Russian infantry. Finally I have placed orders for the last of the Japanese infantry and the last of the artillery for my initial armies. The armies will get their first test in action when we play our first game in early May.

Today we fought a French and Indian War game. The scenario had a French force charged with attacking a fort while a secondary force held off a relieving force.

We French launched a quick assault on the fort and were lucky enough to carry it at the first attempt. But the British were able to quickly rally and when the relieving force came up we were soon forced to burn the for and retreat, but not before we had done significant damage to the British.

Russo-Japanese War Machine Guns and Artillery

Yesterday I received a parcel from Redoubt containing six Japanese machine guns, two Russian machine guns and two guns each for Russians and Japanese artillery.

I have completed a machine gun for each side, and they look OK when based up, but I have to admin that the figures are not a patch on the Tsuba Miniatures. However, I need guns and machine guns before I can play a game. I will replace them later when Tsuba produce theirs.

If the weather holds over the long weekend, I might be able to get a few photos posted on Monday.

English Civil War

Yesterday we fought an English Civil War game based loosely on the First Battle of Newbury, fought in September 1643.

On the Parliament side the were eight pike units and six regiments of horse, with an artillery force of three guns.

The Royalists had six units of pike, nine regiments of horse, one unit of dismount dragoons and three guns.

The were three players on each side, plus a game organiser/ umpire.

The battle began with a cavalry action on the flanks. Two regiments of Royalist horse were driven off, but the remaining four succeeded in passing around the right of the Parliament infantry. When the Royalist infantry failed to stir, the Parliament foot were able to drive off the Royalist horse, assisted by the artillery.

On the opposite flank the a Royalists drove off two units of the Parliament foot and one of the regiments of horse, but could not drive off the remaining units.

When the Royalist infantry finally managed to get going on the left-centre it was too late and the Royalists were compelled to retire to Newbury.

It was a great game in which generally followed the historical outcome.