Our group fought the Henry House Hill scenario on March 5th, The set up was the week before so this will not be an AAR (yet) but perhaps a BAR (Before Action Report).
Here are the troops involved:
(https://i.imgur.com/WzcTUyn.jpg)
the Confederate troops.
(https://i.imgur.com/1ng9J0p.jpg)
and the Union troops.
Let's see if this worked.
So that did work (a bit easier to post pictures now).
Here is the set up of the battle field.
(https://i.imgur.com/ciulj9q.jpg)
These are the base boards for the terrain.
(https://i.imgur.com/7Ho8Qrv.jpg)
I previously shaped the styrofoam and here it is in position.
(https://i.imgur.com/ri8nyD9.jpg)
The Cigar Box battle map covering the styrofoam.
(https://i.imgur.com/nZh2eTp.jpg)
Muddy streams.
(https://i.imgur.com/T2COKUg.jpg)
Primary and secondary roads.
(https://i.imgur.com/GQNjS4u.jpg)
Fences and structures added.
(https://i.imgur.com/SbkFzI7.jpg)
Base for the cornfield.
(https://i.imgur.com/gYrdB8x.jpg)
Cornfield and rocks in the streams,
(https://i.imgur.com/GVYHv7s.jpg)
Woods added.
(https://i.imgur.com/yGXYMiq.jpg)
And the initial set up for the troops. Union on the right and Rebels on the left.
(https://i.imgur.com/NlPVN8g.jpg)
This shows the brigades of Bee, Bartow and Evans in disorganized state. Jackson's brigade is covering them with artillery in front of Jackson.
(https://i.imgur.com/SUx3ooM.jpg)
And the Union Zouaves with artillery at Henry House.
(https://i.imgur.com/wvY6Pa3.jpg)
A view of the field from the south.
This as was mentioned, was put in place the week before the group, The Gentlemen's Gourmet Wargame Society, got together to fight this battle.
That will be a subsequent post.
Don't care about the troops, the terrain is amazing!
The whole thing is spectacular!
And now the battle. The scenario calls for 11 15 minute turns, but we were only able to get through 5. there were 8 of us with myself as the referee. As you can see, the last picture in the set up was actually the first turn. The Union moved first and the 11th and 14th NY Zouaves moved to the Henry House to support the two batteries there. That area was an objective point (occupy the area encompassed by the Union guns. Similarly the Confederate gun line was an objective for the Union.
(https://i.imgur.com/uMbnKEW.jpg)
These are Union reinforcements, turn 1, arriving from the north. Note the Union regiment in grey. There are 3 Union regiments in grey for this fight and one Rebel in blue. Early in the war militia units on both sides came in what they were already in.
(https://i.imgur.com/hKVCaXQ.jpg)
This shows the Rebel defensive fire and then the Union offensive fire (I only used the cotton for smoke to see how it would look for these pictures. No other effect other than cosmetic). The Confederate artillery was very effective during the whole fight, causing Union batteries to fall back and regroup.
(https://i.imgur.com/mmKtgps.jpg)
On the Rebel turn the 27th VA of Jackson's brigade moved to threaten the 11th NY. Other regiments of Jackson's brigade assaulted the nearest Union battery and the Henry House grounds.
(https://i.imgur.com/XMlcZS7.jpg)
A view of the Confederate gun line and several of the rallied regiments from Bartow's brigade behind. There was a chance during the maneuver portion for the broken Confederate regiments to panic off the board. None did.
(https://i.imgur.com/lX8Ihty.jpg)
The only cavalry regiment on the board was the 1st VA led by COL Jeb Stuart. Prior to this picture that regiment charged the rear of the 11th NY while the 27th VA charged the front. As can be seen the Union regiment broke and fell back behind Henry House. Also in this picture is the fight at Henry House. This ebbed and flowed then entire 5 turns, with neither side gaining uncontested control. At the top of the picture is a Union Marine unit, led by a brave Major. One of our players is a retired Marine COL who had also been an exec officer of a Marine artillery brigade. So I had to have him command the Marines and the Union artillery.
(https://i.imgur.com/cHribWc.jpg)
A closer look at the Henry House fight and the Marines.
(https://i.imgur.com/aaTb4AJ.jpg)
Two large Union regiments are moving through the cornfield to join the Marines and the Henry House position.
(https://i.imgur.com/4ajTtfZ.jpg)
The reformed Confederate regiments move up to form a new battle line. Jackson's brigade has the blue clad 33rd VA on the left behind the 27th VA. The other 3 Jackson regiments are fighting at Henry house; one in combat and two in support.
(https://i.imgur.com/05elHgT.jpg)
A close up of the 3 Jackson regiments and the isolated Marines.
(https://i.imgur.com/QkL64CX.jpg)
More units for both sides. Jeb Stuart and his regiment are threatening the 1st MN that is advancing up the hill.
(https://i.imgur.com/Ivnvs4D.jpg)
Confederate reinforcements and a broken regiment at the top. They had engaged the Marines who handily threw them back.
(https://i.imgur.com/xtN4ryg.jpg)
At the north General Sherman's brigade has arrived while the 14th NY was pushed back at Henry House. The Marines are still holding the objective.
(https://i.imgur.com/XcfemiT.jpg)
The Marines pushed back the two Rebel regiments but lost 25% of their effectives. At he far right side is the 1st Louisiana, Wheat's Tigers in their straw hats.
(https://i.imgur.com/YgSVZGN.jpg)
A massive push by the Union to retake Henry House. (The structure removed temporarily so the fight can proceed).
(https://i.imgur.com/lbemWil.jpg)
Sherman's men advancing with the Confederates forming their lines for the coming combat (which we did not get to as we quit after this turn).
(https://i.imgur.com/SspShJ9.jpg)
More of the combat at the house. Once again the Union has been repulsed.
(https://i.imgur.com/Nw4fGKm.jpg)
More Rebels arriving from the south. This was a bit demoralizing to the tired Union players.
(https://i.imgur.com/k9FyjRz.jpg)
The Confederate right flank when we stopped.
All in all we had a good time. Several of our members had not played these rules before so that slowed things a bit. But all want to do more of RFF in the future. I am planning to do the fight at Valverde which was in New Mexico. It even has some Rebel lancers which will be interesting.
Wow! What a great game on so many levels, from creating the terrain through to the lovely figures. Oh and I love the walls lined with books, very envious!
Very very impressive, it was particularly interesting seeing the terrain evolve as more and more of it was laid out
One question I noticed a number of strings pinned to the table, some look to be marking the edge of woods but others are in more open areas... What are they
Great looking game!
"Paulr - Today at 07:07:00
Very very impressive, it was particularly interesting seeing the terrain evolve as more and more of it was laid out
One question I noticed a number of strings pinned to the table, some look to be marking the edge of woods but others are in more open areas... What are they?"
I believe they are contour lines Paul ... but may be entirely mistaken! :)
All excellent stuff there
Enjoyed the batrep. Thanks for posting.
The pins and yarn delineate the boundary of the woods (yarn with green pins) and the crests of the hills (yarn with red pins).
Thanks, I shall file the crest line idea away for potential future use