ACW 15mm Play-test

Back in the 80s Dave and I built up two sizeable 15mm ACW armies that saw action in many enjoyable battles and campaigns. Eventually we sold these off and replaced them with the 1/300th figures that feature on this blog because we felt this was the only scale suitable for creating the army level games we wanted to play.

Some very pretty Union Zouaves advancing towards the Rebs - actually they haven't advanced very far yet due to a poor supply of Command Points.

 The 24th New York seem to have found their way into a hornets nest of Confederate rifled-muskets.

However, the appeal of 15mm figures has never really gone away and over the last 10 years or so I have been gradually collecting some new 15mm forces with the idea of playing Fire & Fury games. I now have a reasonable number of infantry stands but I must admit that despite owning the rule book for over 20 years I have only ever played one game of F&F (and Dave has never played one at all). The thought of trying to absorb a set of commercial rules at our time of life has put us both off F&F so instead we did the only sensible thing and wrote our own!

Dave has moved his artillery to a postion where it can enfilade the Union line - sneaky!

The Union artillery has been forced to split its fire in order to respond to the Rebel threat.

I say ‘we’ but actually the new rules have been written by Dave and he has drawn on our AWI rules as well as our existing 1/300 ACW rules for inspiration. So this week we had our first rule play-test of Muskets & Men using three units of infantry a side together with a battery of guns.

 Another of my NY regiments is slowly working its way around the Confederate left flank.

It’s so far so good and the rule mechanics seemed pitched just right for a tactical game of up to a brigade per side which is what we wanted. The rules use our AWI system of breaking down each turn into phases and using command points to allow unit actions e.g. fire, load, fix bayonets, deploy etc. Moves are simultaneous (Dave and I have never favoured I-go-you-go rule mechanics) so written orders are required but the paperwork is simple and the result is worth the effort.

 The situation in the centre of the battlefield at the end of turn 3.

We intend to have a further play-test session and then move on to a proper scenario which will appear here in due course.

For those of you waiting to see another 1/300th scale ACW game – please be patient as Dave is currently flocking approximately 400 troop stands during a major refit of the armies!

Crane's Station - Objectives & Rules

Victory

McClellan's Army of the Potomac is trying to fight its way south to the James River – to escape from the Peninsula. General Lee with his fledgling Army of Northern Virginia is attempting to cut off this escape route. The DM level for both armies is 6.

Union infantry control of The Sawmill, the Sawyer House or Beckettville will increase the Union DM level by one point per location for as long as they are held.

Deployment

Allocate a numbered entry point on the northern map edge to Cooke's Cavalry and to each infantry Corps – forces may enter behind each other on the same road if required. Initial orders for infantry Corps are simply to march south with all haste by road. This may create traffic jams but this is intentional to simulate the chaos of the real flight. Order of march as per order of battle - all units arrive in March Mode. McClellan's Army HQ will enter just behind V Corps.

Cooke's Cavalry Division is in Recon Mode but must also have orders that he attempts to follow as the situation permits. He begins the game on the table deployed in road column, starting from his chosen entry point.

Intelligence

The enemy may have manoeuvred to block your path, screened by Stuart's cavalry. They are likely to consist of Longstreet's and A.P.Hill's commands, plus Magruder's small Corps from the Richmond defences.

Rules

Ammunition rule is not in use, but each Union Corps is encumbered with wagons for more historical chaos.

Game starts 7:00am -  ends in a draw if there is no winner by 8:00pm.

Suggested Rule Amendments to 5th Edition

Rule 3 – Command Control
Amended Rule
3b) Offensive orders may only be issued on the basis of reports received, or if the Army Commander can see the situation. Such orders can only be issued subject to rolling the required die roll given in rule 3e.

Rule 5 – Firing
New Rule
5e) Artillery have an arc of fire of up to 45 degrees from the corners of the unit base.
5f) An artillery battery that changes facing may fire that same turn but at reduced effect – use the R/S line on the firing table (a reduced strength battery may not change facing and fire in the same turn).

Tactical Order Modes

The Brigades of a division may only operate within the limits of that division’s current order mode as specified by the C-in-C.

MARCH: Move in column of march to specified destination and deploy into specified formation (battleline or reserve). May not enter hostile zone.

HOLD: Hold present position – troops deploying from march mode automatically enter this mode. Artillery may bombard, skirmishers may deploy.

ENGAGE: Advance and engage enemy in fire-fight only. May not assault or retire.

ASSAULT: Advance and assault the enemy without delay. Must continue to assault with all available forces until enemy is broken or retire orders are received.

RETIRE: Retire to specified position. Automatically enter hold mode when movement is complete.

RECON: Initiative mode for cavalry only – cavalry commander has complete tactical freedom within framework of his current orders.