Gettysburg - the Final Day

[Hertsblue]

The story so far:

Lee has spent two entire days clearing Gettysburg town of Union forces. With his battle-line now established, he has ordered Ewell and A.P.Hill to attack Culp's Hill, turn the Union right and roll up their line down the length of Cemetery Ridge. Longstreet is to hold off the rapidly reinforcing Union centre and left with the assistance of the newly arrived division of General Pickett.


Hill's corps debouches from Gettysburg town to attack Culp's Hill.


Longstreet's two divisions prepare to defend Seminary Ridge as Pickett's division arrives on their right.


The famous seminary. Ewell's corps can be seen to the left of Gettysburg.


Culp's Hill (extreme left) about to come under Confederate attack.


Union reinforcements under Sedgwick and Sykes arrive on the Union left.


Birnie's Union division with Meade in the background.


The Confederate attack goes in. In the centre, Early's division, in column, climbs Cemetery Ridge.


On the Confederate right, the Union forces begin their own advance on Seminary Ridge.


With the Union right close to collapse, the arrival of further Union forces down the Hanover Road manages to save the situation and night falls, ending the game.

The game was played with the Bloody Big Battles rules with 6mm figures. It lasted from eight p.m. to 10.30 p.m. with three players a side. The first two days had been played out the week before and the slow progress of the Confederates can be put down in part to unfamiliarity with the rules. It was noticeable that play was far more rapid on the second evening.

In the event, the battle was adjudged a draw - the Confederates having secured Cemetery Ridge courtesy of Early's advance - whilst the Union forces held the Peach Orchard.       

[Techno]

Excellent, Ray ! 
Cheers - Phil

[mollinary]

The game looks lovely Ray, especially that Seminary building!  . But, if I may, are you a bit short of trees?  I doubt if Culp's Hill has been that bald in a thousand years !

Mollinary

[Chris Pringle]

Mighty purty! I hope y'all had a good time, and that it felt right as a battle as well as working as a game?

Chris

Bloody Big BATTLES!
https://uk.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/BBB_wargames/info
http://bloodybigbattles.blogspot.co.uk/

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Great report, thank you.

[toxicpixie]

Looks cracking!

Plays quick and easy from that, as well?

[Steve J]

Looks great to me and reminds me that I really need to find some time to get a game in.

[Hertsblue]

The game looks lovely Ray, especially that Seminary building!  . But, if I may, are you a bit short of trees?  I doubt if Culp's Hill has been that bald in a thousand years !

Mollinary

You are no doubt right, Andrew, I didn't set the game up (Ah'm jist a dumb Reb). I suspect Nigel could have filled the landscape with trees (see Kohima) had he wanted to. I think he was more concerned with us tyro players.

Mighty purty! I hope y'all had a good time, and that it felt right as a battle as well as working as a game?

Chris

Bloody Big BATTLES!
https://uk.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/BBB_wargames/info
http://bloodybigbattles.blogspot.co.uk/

We all enjoyed it, Chris. It panned out entirely differently from historically, but that was probably down to the tactical ideas of the individual players. There were the usual blunders with the rules, but that was to be expected when learning the game mechanisms.

Looks cracking!

Plays quick and easy from that, as well?

Yes, eight moves in two and a half hours, once we'd got into our stride. 

[toxicpixie]

Good stuff - despite not being the historical result, did it "feel" like a historical outcome, and in the same in play?

[Chris Pringle]

The scenario as written does indeed call for one or two more trees:
https://flic.kr/p/pvft3W
But their omission wouldn't necessarily favour one side over the other, and might not change the shape of the battle dramatically. I was pleased to see the match ended in a draw - usually a popular result!

I like the hex terrain. Big battles like this often require pretty complex topography, and the hexes are definitely one answer to the problem. Would be less brain pain than my weekly polystyrene jigsaws! Can the hexes cope with 2- or 3-level hills / mountains?

Chris

[jambo1]

Lovely looking figures and terrain, eye candy at it's finest.

[Hertsblue]

The scenario as written does indeed call for one or two more trees:
https://flic.kr/p/pvft3W
But their omission wouldn't necessarily favour one side over the other, and might not change the shape of the battle dramatically. I was pleased to see the match ended in a draw - usually a popular result!

I like the hex terrain. Big battles like this often require pretty complex topography, and the hexes are definitely one answer to the problem. Would be less brain pain than my weekly polystyrene jigsaws! Can the hexes cope with 2- or 3-level hills / mountains?

Chris

Yes, we've had up to seven levels in the past. It's pretty robust once it's clipped together.

[Leman]

Fantastic looking game, and one I've got bookmarked for the future using BBB.

[Westmarcher]

Thanks for posting, Hb. Photos and report much appreciated. As for the trees, yes. Visited Gettysburg in 2012. Should be lots of trees. Lots. Only when I was there that I appreciated the difficulties that the Confederates were presented with on that flank (then again, I was looking at trees with nearly 150 years growth on them since 1863 but, nevertheless, .......)

[Womble67]

Very nice battle report. Where did you get the buildings from.

Take care

Andy