The Battle of Shiloh

 For the 1st time since about February I went over to Matt's for a game. Normally we play in the dungeon (cellar) on an 8x5 table. But with social distancing this would be problematic. However Matt has a new toy

He has a new shed, I say shed but it is more like a cricket pavillion and it easily holds a 12x6ft table. It's a really nice structure and fab for playing on a sunny summer day. Being the last weekend in August is is cold and cloudy.

We decided to go big and combine out ACW collections to fight the action around the crossroads at Shiloh. Overall there were 20 brigades and approx 1000 28mm figures on the table. We used our bolt action ACW variant which works very well.

The table was too big to get it all on a photo.

I was the confederates and generally have poor morale. My job was to attack, attack, attack. THe Union forces were battle hardened wit better morale

The Union wasusing hidden deployment with cards locating the regiments, some were blanks.

THe only plan therefore was to advance and find him. I rolled each turn to spot units, I only passed one of these so Matt appeared when he wanted to

Advancing past the abandoned Union camps

The Union camp has food, booze and boots so obviously the rebels kept stopping to have a look. THis really broke up my advance. Also historically the Confederates suffered badly from friendly fire, mainly cos some of them work blue uniforms. SO once per turn a unit, Matt's pick, to recieve an random number of pins and casualties. THis was also a little annoying

Artillery is generally not very effective in the rules. Not today. I haven't moved and Matt has routed a regiment from cannon fire

On the right as I advance the 1st Union division appears

On the left a few units appear

THe advance continues

Long distance shooting on the right is gradually thining out both sides, I am weak here

Back on the left the Union cards are nearly all blank.This is the way in. I can smash Matt's right and roll him up

The centre is also fairly weak. Let's smash that as well

Here we go

The field in the middle is difficult swampy terrain, keep out. THis will cause traffic jams

On we push

THe last turn, 8 hours later. I've not quite made it. The Union right is basically gone, the centre is at best about to collapse and I'm mob handed in both areas and will therefore force him to retreat away to the right. HTis is what happened in real life, the Union counterattacked, pushed the Rebels back and them the Rebels attacked again and won the day.

A brilliant game, the rules work well but we never quite finish, always too many forces. Great to see Matt again

Tidying up and Finishing off Collections

Afternoon all, hope you are well.

I'm still busy with work, but I've finished my marking. I've been painting random stuff in the lead pile and clearning up the storage. Made some space for new projects, need some new projects.

1st up I've completed all my ACW figures. This is the last Union cannon, the cannon is a Perry napoleonic Russian one, but I had the figures and no cannon. Not sure how the photo looks as i'm using the new blogger layout and can't find the bigger image button

This is the "final" Reb regiment - a generic one. There are 7 bases, normally 5 or 6 makes a regiment, but I had 28 figures.

Over the winter I bought the Bad Squiddo female AAA unit with a Bofors. I also bought the spotters and I had a model Bedford truck which I had picked up cheap at a show

This is the full unit now. Very nice, need them to fight now

The 10mm 7YW project continues, I've finished the planned Austrians and now onto the Prussians

These are what I've done so far. Actually I'm missing 7x12lb cannon that I have painted but forgot to photograph. Most of these are actually Brunswickers that I have repainted. The flags are moulded into  the casting and therefore I have to hand paint them

These will be quite good when done and I've done about 1/2 of the planned army.

It's not just painting though. I've played a couple of great games. One with Matt, which was great fun. The write up can be found here. On the 6th June we fought Utah beach, again great fun, and can be found here. I'm really enjoying online gaming

Have fun and stay safe

Martin

Battle of Oak Ridge

Yesterday me and Matt finally got our diaries together and I drove over to Penrith for a day's gaming in the dungeon. I was spectacularly hungover but looking forward to an epic day. Matt always puts on a brilliant game and this one used most of our combined ACW forces to refight the battle of Oak Ridge on the 1st day of Gettysburg. I was about as epic as battles get.

The Union were to the South and East defending Oak Ridge and the smelly rebel scum were to the North. I was the Union by the simple fact that I was too short to reach the middle and move the Rebels. The battle was a Black Powder scenario so for the 1st time we had different sized units. We used our Bolt Action mash up and therefore small units were very fragile. Once a brigade was below 1/2 actual strength it had to roll at the start of the turn and pass a morale test or the whole brigade legged it.

The battlefield from the South, told you it was going to be epic

My centre, couple of brigades

Bit more of my centre

My right flank. Only 1 brigade and very exposed as they are closest to the rebels

Some Rebel scum

and some more

Here they come

This looks very scary. My line is already taking damage and there are 2 brigades coming right at me

To the South I have a flanking brigade and starts to move forward

My reinforcements arrive at the south and start to dash forward. I have to roll up Matt's flank before he smashes my right. Only an entire division to kill

Back in the centre getting hairy

One of Matt's reinforcing brigades arrives

We use a random event dice and the unit I have occupying a farm find a stash of bourbon and take 6 pins. i'm never getting these back into action again

Here comes my left flank. Go get 'em boys

Crap. Matt's 2nd reinforcing brigade arrives. I'm never going to hang on

Still they come in in the centre. I can't move to reinforce my flank without getting cut in half

Getting to to position to the South. I'm going to have him in a cross fire. Get him marmalized

The drunk unit inthe farm get another random dice activation and have to charge the nearest enemy

Which they win, Dutch courage and general lack to feeling a spatial awareness will have helped

However my right flank is under pressure

Here we go. THe Left flank is in position and ready to unleash hell

Still they come in the centre

Hand to hand around the farm. Need to win this and roll them up

1 unit running and fighting the next

Need to be quick

We continue to press

But it's too late. Baxters brigade has routed and left a very small brigade against 2 brigades. Time to bug out.

A victory to the Rebels, not decisive but a victory. I have no centre left to rescue the right flank and whilst I'm confident I'm going to roll up from the south, Matt is about to lose a brigade, there are still too many men to get though and i will have nothing left to rescue.

God that was brilliant. The rules continue to work well, the melee rules need a little work but not much and using brigade activation can be very confusing - need markers for that.