The fight for Henry Hill

We’ve decided to abandon our 15mm ACW play-test and move straight on to a proper game. This is partly because I had to clear the table for a Napoleonic game a few weeks ago but also because we felt that the rules are good enough to use in a full blown scenario. Hopefully any bugs in our rule set Muskets & Men can be ironed out in play.

The scenario is loosely based on the action centred around Henry Hill at the battle of Bull Run during the afternoon of July 21, 1861. The game starts at 1.00pm and continues for 12 turns until 3.00pm. If the Union have not won by the end of turn 12 the game ends in a Confederate victory. The Confederate brigades of Evans, Bartow and Bee have been forced to quit Matthews hill and have fallen back in disarray to the woods behind Henry Hill (these troops are represented in the game by the 1st Louisiana only, the other regiments are assumed to be out of action and reorganising). Meanwhile Jackson’s fresh brigade has arrived on the scene and his men have just deployed along the crest of Henry Hill. Believing that the battle is as good as won, the Union troops have paused momentarily in front of the Warrenton Turnpike to reorganise their line. Sherman’s brigade has just taken up position in the front line supported by Franklin’s fresh brigade behind him near the Stone House.

 Initial deployment of the forces - click the image to zoom in.

At the start of turn 3 (and each turn thereafter) the Confederate player rolls 1 D6 to see if Early’s brigade has arrived. His brigade arrives at the table edge behind Bald Hill in battle column.

Turn 3 – arrive on a 5 or 6
Turn 4 – arrive on a 4,5 or 6
Turn 5 – arrives on a 2,3,4,5 or 6
Turn 6 – automatic arrival

In addition to the standard VP’s used in the rules there are the following VP’s for terrain objectives held:

Bald Hill – 5 VP’s to Union
Henry House – 2 VP’s to Union
Henry Hill – 2 VP’s to Union
Robinson House – 2 VP’s to Confederates
Buck Hill – 3 VP’s to Confederates
Stone House – 4 VP’s to Confederates

The initial deployments of the forces engaged are as per the map. I will be playing Sherman and Dave will be Jackson, we hope to start the game next week!