Kernstown – turns 5-8

Dave’s artillery continued to shower the 1st West Virginia with canister but despite this their morale held and the lads were able to reply with close range rifle fire. In the end it was the artillery whose nerve broke first and the guns were forced to limber up and retreat back down the Laurel Grove Road.

The 1st West Virginia see off the West Augusta artillery (you can just see a limber sneaking off between the buildings!).

 The 37th Virginia having turned the Union right flank settle down behind a rail fence to exchange shots with the 7th Ohio.

Meanwhile the battle in the centre of the field was intensifying and Dave took the decision to carry out a passage of lines by pulling back the worn out 4th Virginia through the advancing ranks of the 27th Virginia. At this point Dave revealed that the 27th were a 'veteran' unit and they were at full strength having been shielded from shot and shell by the ranks of the 4th.

The veterans of the 27th Virginia prepare to swop places with the rather jaded men of the 4th Virginia.

The 23rd Virginia belatedly get to grips with the 1st West Virigina near the Glass Farm.

 The Rebs got the best of a duel between skirmishers on the Union left flank but this had little impact on the outcome of the battle.

I was a bit nervous about being confronted by fresh ‘veterans’ particularly as both my regiments lining the wall opposite them were ‘green’. However I needn’t have worried because the Virginians stepped forward into a cauldron of fire from 13 infantry stands and my artillery and they were soon dropping like flies.

 As the 27th Virigina advanced they were greeted with a solid wall of flame from the Union line (+1 for resting weapons!).

As we moved to the morale phase at end of turn 8 it was crunch time with all the front line units having to test. My 1st West Virginians broke under the flanking fire of the 23rd Virginia but Dave suffered a worse result with both the 33rd and 27th Virginia taking to their heels.

The Rebel line starts to crumble...

...and then breaks completely (Dave has even added the correct regimental name to the flag of the 33rd VA - nice touch!).

So at the end of turn 8 the Union had amassed 11 VP’s (2 broken enemy infantry units, 1 broken enemy artillery battery, 4 enemy stands removed and possession of the Stone Wall) whilst the Confederates had only 4 VP’s (1 broken enemy unit, 2 enemy stands removed) – a convincing win for the North!

 The positions of the units at the end of the battle - turn 8 (click the image to zoom in).

Next game will be another of these 15mm ACW ones as we have been enjoying playing them and the rules are now 99% there. Meanwhile the flocking of the 1/300th armies continues – we hope it will all be over by Christmas!

Kernstown – turns 1-5

As this was to be an encounter battle we started the game without specific orders issued to individual regiments and with all units deployed in field column. We agreed that orders could only be issued once the two sides had spotted each other, which under the rules would occur at a distance of 1,000yds, line of sight permitting.

Tyler's brigade on Sandy Ridge.

Garnett's brigade hurry forward 'on the double'.

"Come on boys, lets get them Rebs!"

I quickly moved my columns down from Sandy Ridge with the intention of heading directly towards the stone wall whilst Dave pushed his Rebels forward from the opposite direction. By the end of turn 1 most of the troops were visible to both sides and we began to issue orders.

Garnett's brigade occupies the high ground south of the stone wall.

 The Union troops move forward towards the stone wall.

I ordered the 110th Pennsylvania and 7th Indiana to form line and then to press on quickly to take the wall where the skirmishers of both sides were already in action. To my surprise though Dave halted the bulk of his forces on the high ground south of the wall and deployed the 4th Virginia into a single line.

Tyler deploys his brigade into line.

 The 4th Virginia deploy into a single rank opposite the stone wall.

Dave's decision not to advance further gave my forces an important tactical benefit as my troops would receive a morale bonus for ‘hard cover’ as well as increased fire power for ‘resting weapons’. The Confederates on the other hand would receive a morale bonus for ‘high ground’ and were able to bring maximum fire power to bear from the 4th Virginia whilst keeping their reserves intact.

The battle-lines now fully deployed are starting to engage in a fire-fight.

General Garnett (looking suspiciously like Robert E Lee) takes up position behind the 4th Virginia.

Meanwhile Dave had ordered the 37th Virginia supported by the West Augusta artillery to advance into the wheat field in an attempt to turn my right flank. It was a bold move to bring artillery so far forward (something I had tried successfully in the last game) and soon the Rebel guns were blasting the ranks of the 1st West Virginia regiment with canister.

The West Augusta artillery unlimbered by the Glass Farm and about to fire cannister at the 1st West Virginia.

 Meanhwhile the 37th Virigina are trying to sneak around the Union right flank.

The situation at the end of our playing session half way through turn 5 (click on the image to zoom in).

To be continued.

Battle of Kernstown

Battle of Kernstown - 15mm ACW Scenario
March 23rd 1862, 3.00pm – 5.00pm (12 turns)

Jackson advances directly up the Valley Turnpike with the aim of surprising and defeating what he believes to be a single Union brigade at Kernstown. In fact the town is defended by an entire Union division under the temporary command of Col. Nathan Kimball.

During the morning Jackson attacks the Union line in front of the town but is checked and pushed back. Realising he can make no headway by a direct assault he decides to shift the bulk of his forces to his left in an effort to turn the Union right flank. This scenario is based very loosely on the action that followed.

The Confederate brigades of Fulkerson and Garnett are advancing with the aim of gaining the high ground of Sandy Ridge. At the same moment Tyler’s Federal brigade arrive to shore up the Union flank. All units begin the game in field column with artillery batteries limbered.

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

Order of Battle

Union Forces 
Third brigade (Col. Erastus Tyler)
1st West Virginia – Thoburn (10)
110th Pennsylvania – Lewis (12)
7th Ohio – Creighton (10)
7th Indiana – Cheek (14)
29th Ohio – Buckley (8)
4th US artillery

Confederate Forces
Fulkerson’s brigade
37th Virginia – Carson (10)
23rd Virginia – Taliaferro (12)
West Augusta artillery
Garnett’s brigade
4th Virginia – Ronald (14)
27th Virginia – Echols (10)
33rd Virginia – Cummings (8)

(the number of stands in each unit are given in brackets)

Victory Conditions
The Stone Wall – 2VP’s are awarded for control of the wall.
Glass Farm – 2VP’s
Sandy Ridge – 2VP’s for each Confederate brigade that reaches the ridge.
Marcauley House – 2VP’s for each Union brigade that reaches the house.
2VP's for each enemy unit routed.
1VP for each enemy stand removed.
The first player to amass 10 VP's wins the game.

Troop Experience Levels
Each player secretly rolls a D6 for each regiment at the start of the game and allocates experience levels as follows:
Confederates: 1 = green, 2,3,4,5 = hardened, 6 = veteran
Union: 1,2 = green, 3,4,5 = hardened, 6 = veteran

Leader Ratings
These are diced for by both sides as follows:
1 = poor
2,3 = unpredictable
4,5 = dependable
6 = bold