Thursday, April 25, 2013

Next Club game: Gettysburg, Saturday, 4/27/13

The next game of the IU Confict Simulation Club will be this Saturday, 4/276/13, at noon in the Indiana Memorial Union Building, the Persimmon Room, on the beautiful Indiana University campus.
It will be a Volley and Bayonet game of the three days of Gettsyburg.
Come join us if you are in the area.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Red Actions Scenario: Defense of Rail Station #1703

I just found this scenario that we played in September, 2011. The AAR is a post on this blog from that time. It is designed for the Perfect Captain's Red Action rules; my rules of choice for the Russian Civil War. This is the only game I've run with two armored trains.

 The Defense of Rail Station #1703 White Players Briefing:
Two days ago, the front was 30 miles to the West. Today there is no real front; most of the army is routing to the East. Isolated groups are making a stand where and when they can. This is one of those stands. An armored train is on it's way to aid in our defense and assist our escape. Expect the enemy from every side.
 Whites
 Irkutsk Hussars
Three cavalry squadrons of three stands
76.2mm Field Gun

 7th Inf Rgt
 Three companies of White Conscripts, each of 5 stands
One machine gun detachment

33rd Inf Rgt Three companies of White Conscripts, each of 5 stands
 One machine gun detachment

HQ Company One company of White Cadets, four stands
Two 76.2mm Field Guns
One machine gun detachment
The armored train, “Victory”

 Red Players Briefing: Our forces have defeated the enemy in a major breakthrough yesterday. Seize Rail Station #1703 and cut off their retreat. It is lightly held.

Reds
47th Cavalry Rgt
Two companies of three stands of Red Army Cavalry Squadrons
One Tchanka

13th Cavalry Rgt
Three companies of three stands of Red Cossacks
22nd Cavalry Rgt Three companies of three stands of Red Cossacks

2nd Bn, 57th Infantry Rgt
Three companies of 4 stands of Red Regulars
One machine gun detachment

3rd Bn, 57th Infantry Rgt Four companies of 4 stands of Red Conscripts
One machine gun detachment

Armored train  "Victory"


 All White units set up within 12" of the buildings, except their Armored Train, which enters on turn one from the railroad at the top of the picture. The Reds enter along the edge of the table at the bottom of the picture. There are three buildings on the table. The side that controls two of the three is the winner. Playing time is four hours. None of the vehicles parked near the buildings are operational. The Reds did not know this in my game.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

A Give Away at Loki's

Here's another cool give away, this time at http://napoleonicwargamingadventures.blogspot.co.uk/ First prize is painted figures; I think I will pick Bavarians when I win this one. Have a look, it's a great blog.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Gettysburg AAR

This year at the Origins Game Convention in June, my friend Jim will be GMing two sessions of Gettysburg using Volley and Bayonet. He and I did this exact game at Origins in 2000. In addition, Jim's wife is teaching a two session class on Gettysburg later this month. As part of that class, the students will have an opportunity to participate in our Gettysburg game as well. In preparation for this, we played the game at his home as a play test.

The Gettysburg battlefield, looking North

Heth's Rebel Div on the right, Buford's Cav on the ridge, and Union I Corps moves up to support
 In all the games of this we have played, the key to the rest of the battle is what happens on McPherson's ridge. If the Union can hold long enough, they will hold Culp's and Cemetary Hill's and be in a great defensive position. If the Rebs can brush aside Buford's cavalry, and the I and XI Corps, they will hold the high ground and win. In this game the defense of McPherson's Ridge was very good. Heth's Division of the Army of Northern Virginia moves onto the board in a long marching column. They attacked Buford one brigade at a time as they came out of road column.


  
2nd Div of I Corps faces the Rebel advance from the north edge of the table.
 The other avenue of advance for the South is from the north. The Union XI Corps faced this threat and stopped it.



Union XI Corps takes a stand just south of Gettysburg


Near the end of the first day
 By the end of the first day, the Union I Corps has retreated south between Seminary and Cemtary Ridges. The XI Corps is standing just in front of Culp's Hill, and on Cemetary Hill.
The confederates will be at the foot of Cemetary Hill, but it's not enough.





Hardtack among the snacks
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
Last turn of July 1, 1863

The Union line

I Corps holds the Union left on Little Round Top

Rebel Assault
 Longstreet's Corps arrives during the night turn. As it was moving up, the Rebel II and III Corps threw themselves at the Union line one more time; to no avail. Although Johnson's Divsion make head way, it was stopped.


Brady wearing a Hardee Hat

Union I and III Corps attack the Rebel right
 By the time Longstreet is up and ready to attack, his two divisions are  the only intact units in Lee's army. If the Union can knock them out, the game is over. And that is what Brady and I did; we attacked Longstreet and overwhelmed him.



9AM, July 2, High Tide of the Confederacy
 One Rebel brigade briefly advanced onto the crest of Cemetary Hill before we threw it back.


Longstreet's Corps gives way.
This is one of the classic scenario's. Have fun every time I play in it.