Battle of Gettysburg

Started by mmcv, 19 June 2019, 09:59:09 PM

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mmcv

Battle number two of the holidays (and probably the last).

Battle of Gettysburg, American Civil War. Using BBB ruleset and scenario from their Yahoo Group.

Dad took the dirty rebs, I took the upstanding army of the Union.

Here's some pictures of the layout, ran out of brown tape (having used it at the Boyne) so grey and brown indicate roads, black is railway (and later rifle pits) and blue the streams. Sorry about the poor lighting, though as you can see by the light it's been a glorious day outside.









The rebels swept in from the north but fell like wheat to the scything gunfire of the Union forces. All day they pushed forwards but couldn't make ground on Gettysburg. They did better on the western flank, after a bit if a stalemate over ttje railway line, they broke it and proceeded to push the Union back from the railway, forcing them to retreat up Seminary hill and pushing forward to threaten the west of Gettysburg.

Night fell with nothing more gained and the forces pulled back to recover their troops and give space for reinforcements to.make their way to the field. Day two opened with a smattering of ineffective gunfire from the Union on the west, but a devastating barrage on the east against the rebel artillery position caused some damage.

The rebels pushed forwards with great gusto, advancing on Gettysburg from the north and west but the concentration of fire from the Union lines held them at bay. A Union assault up Benner's hill was repelled by the rebel artillery but a further Union barrage swept the hill wreaking havoc amongst the rebel artillery corps.

The rebels... Had to pause the game to go for a pub dinner and a walk through the hills followed by some toasted marshmallows. Hopefully we'll pick up again tomorrow to finish the second half of the game!

Some shots of where things are:


Gettysburg


The west


The east

My dad seems to be enjoying these rules more as he claims they're less complicated and less to remember. Plus he's always loved the ACW history.


The marshmallows are calling...


Steve J

Nice and simple but effective layout 8). I love these rules as, like your Dad, there isn't too much to remember, so you can concentrate on the game. Looking forward to the next instalment.

mmcv

Thanks Steve, yeah it's my second time with the rules and really enjoying them. Takes a lot of the complexity out of the rules and leaves it for the actual tactical maneuvering and strategic decisions, so flows a bit more smoothly.

Techno

Nice one, 'M'.  :)

Cheers - Phil

Duke Speedy of Leighton

You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner

Chris Pringle

Great to see your Gettysburg layout. The card units look really smart and effective. I'm glad your dad is enjoying the game and appreciating the low brain-pain quotient of BBB.  :)

Sounds like a nicely evenly-matched tussle, shaping up for a tense climax. Looking forward to the next instalment!

Chris

Bloody Big BATTLES!
https://uk.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/BBB_wargames/info
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fsn

I now have a yearning to dig out my SPI games - thought I'm confused because you have proper terrain.  @-)

I love the alien death rays, centre of the table in the first two pictures. Really good. I'm not up to speed with Gettysburg, but are the Union Aliens or Confederate aliens?  :P

Seriously though, I love the simplicity and the spirit. To me it harkens back to Kriegsspiel.  :)
Lord Oik of Runcorn (You may refer to me as Milord Oik)

Oik of the Year 2013, 2014; Prize for originality and 'having a go, bless him', 2015
3 votes in the 2016 Painting Competition!; 2017-2019 The Wilderness years
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2024 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

mmcv

Thanks guys!

Quote from: fsn on 20 June 2019, 07:33:34 AM
I now have a yearning to dig out my SPI games - thought I'm confused because you have proper terrain.  @-)

I love the alien death rays, centre of the table in the first two pictures. Really good. I'm not up to speed with Gettysburg, but are the Union Aliens or Confederate aliens?  :P

Seriously though, I love the simplicity and the spirit. To me it harkens back to Kriegsspiel.  :)


The death ray was actually invented by a 7 year old Nikolai Tesla on holidays to his future country of residence. It played a crucial part in the outcome of the civil war. Like much of the rest of his work, his input in the matter was greatly overlooked.

The counters work really well for BBB given the higher level of play. Does give you more of a strategic general feel. My eventual plan is to start working on 2mm terrain and units to replace them. Though I'm sure I'll do a 10mm for it in the future too.

Quote from: Chris Pringle on 20 June 2019, 07:16:02 AM
Great to see your Gettysburg layout. The card units look really smart and effective. I'm glad your dad is enjoying the game and appreciating the low brain-pain quotient of BBB.  :)

Sounds like a nicely evenly-matched tussle, shaping up for a tense climax. Looking forward to the next installment

Thanks Chris, they do make for a fairly smooth game, only had to flip through the book once or twice as the qrs covers most of what's needed.

mmcv

Fighting intensified in the second half of day two. Pender lead the assault from the west of Gettysburg while McLaws and Anderson pushed from the North and Rodes advancing cautious from the North East. Early and Heth sat back and licked their wounds. The invicible Hood charged the rifle pits of Barlow against withering fire from across the hill, pushing them back to the river then obliterating them in a follow up assault.

The assault on Gettysburg was a success and in the closing hours of day 2, despite the valiant defence from the Iron Brigade they were shaken out if Gettysburg and the victorious rebels swarmed into the town for a well earned night's rest. The forces consolidated their positions over night and brought in their last reinforcements. The cavalry was still engaged in battle on the east field so didn't make an appearance.

Day three opened with the Union moving swiftly up to defend their western flanks and trying to take the round tops and devils den against Pickett and Hood moving up the West. The northern lines sent a smattering of fire into Gettysburg without much impact. The rebels launched their assault on cemetery hill, throwing everything they had at the position and quickly overwhelming the defending Union troops. Good and Pickett, overcautious of the Union artillery after the damage they'd done in the previous day's hung back, attempting to silence the artillery position before assaulting up the steep slopes of the round tops. They succeeded in silencing them but we're unable to take advantage of this before the fresh Union reinforcements made their way to the hills and the den. The Union made a failed attempt to retake the cemetery and as the day drew to a close the rebels in the North threw their forces against Culps hill in one last desperate charge but was thrown back by the combined firepower of the Union.

The battle ended in a draw. The rebels had fought hard to take Gettysburg and cemetery hill, but were completely spent by the efforts. Both sides drew back to leave the fight to another time.

All in all a close run thing. Had the rebels taken Gettysburg earlier in the game they could probably have swept to victory. As it was, the solid defence put up by the Union troops broke the Confederacy troops down and managed to hold in to a draw.



Assault on Gettysburg



Assault on Cemetery Hill



Pickett's not charge



Duke Speedy of Leighton

You may refer to me as: Your Grace, Duke Speedy of Leighton.
2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner


paulr

Lord Lensman of Wellington
2018 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2022 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!
2023 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

Techno

I'll make it 4, then.  8)

Cheers - Phil

Dave Fielder

Nice to see a wargame as a board-game or is it a board-game as a wargame or is it simple a wargame with very small figures?  :- BBB gives you a good game and ideal for these larger encounters.
Romeo and Juliet is a Verona Crisis

mmcv

Quote from: Dave Fielder on 21 June 2019, 06:45:37 PM
Nice to see a wargame as a board-game or is it a board-game as a wargame or is it simple a wargame with very small figures?  :- BBB gives you a good game and ideal for these larger encounters.

0mm scale wargame? Does give a good large game that flows well