6mm Altar of Freedom

[Leman]

Have just had my first game with the 6mm ACW Confederates I had painted over the last couple of years. Unfortunately I lost. The game was the Altar of Freedom Seven Pines scenario. On this occasion, though, I was playing the Union, painted by Eddie, another member of the Liverpool club. My opponent was Leon, another committee member and a man who has worn the khaki for Queen and Country. Here's a shot of the battlefield with the Union troops deployed behind their rudimentary breastworks. All figures by Baccus, HQ tent and observation balloon by Irregular, 3mm houses free from the Altar of Freedom website, 3mm railway from Paper Terrain, mounted on lolly sticks.



Close up of some Union troops:



The twin houses at Seven Pines:



The Confederates deploy, although initially only Longstreet's command can manoeuvre:



The Confederates initially launched their attack on their right flank, taking Seven Pines and then shaking out into battle order. The Union held their position deciding that the Confederates could break themselves on it as waves against a cliff.



No plan survives first contact, and the Confederates began to sweep round the left flank of the Union position, whilst on the right the large division under the command of Gustavus Smith marched rapidly onto the board.The Union left flank was shattered and fell back in disorder, abandoning the breastworks. Fortunately the Union general (Heintzelman) was controlling the pace of the battle (the clock) and the Confederates were unable to capture Keye's HQ.



Night followed day, the turn clock was still controlled by the Union and troops were able to withdraw and relocate under the cover of darkness. But this was a double-edged sword, as it also meant both Longstreet and Smith could bring their HQs forward; extremely useful as, both being tardy generals, they were not allowed to move more than 6" from their respective HQs.



Meanwhile Summers' command, which had come onto the table overnight, found itself immediately pressed by Smith.




Hooker's command had come onto the board on the Union left, only to find itself confronting Longstreet's much larger force. Hooker's men fled through the woods, losing their artillery on the way. The battle ended in a mass of Confederate charges which pinned the Union into a salient position in the woods. Although able to withdraw the Union forces had been badly bloodied.



The table at battle's end. A Confederate minor tactical victory.



Looks like Grierson's had a go at the railway though!

[paulr]

Nice looking game, nothing seemed to go right for the Union

Interesting to see so many tents on the battlefield

[Leman]

Each block of tents represents a corps, or army, HQ. This is where broken troops must go to rally. If both their corps HQ and the army HQ are captured then they cannot rally and must be removed. Even if they make it to an HQ area they are more likely to disappear than rally on a dice roll.

[toxicpixie]

For, from the tone of the write up I expected a pasting for the Union! Nice looking game, sounds like it played well too and I like the "rally to the HQ tent!" Rule

[Leman]

As well as painting up some cavalry for First Bull Run, the next development will be to get some uniform looking narrower roads for this game, BBB and GWSH II.

[Shecky]

I,like the look of structures being one scale lower than the figures. And your solution for the railway has me thinking about something similar for roads.

And your game played very similar to when I played that scenario.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Lovely looking game, great report. Lucky man to play a game of that high quality.

[Steve J]

Nice report. I was expecting a bigger win for the Confederates the way the battle was going earlier on. Nice idea about rallying at the tents thought .

[Techno]

What those two said !! 
Cheers - Phil

[Subedai]

Great looking table. I also like the idea of the tents as Rallying Points as well. That's one of the beauties of the smaller scales, you get so much more on the able and it doesn't look the slightest bit cluttered.

[jambo1]

Really top notch looking game.