There are no more irrational creatures than wargamers and historians. Worse, yet, when one is both. This time of year finds us in the full throttle of "Gettysburg Season". Those first three days in July when All Things Gettysburg abound here in the Duchy.
Yes, I am a Gettysburg Nerd.
I don't know why, I just am.
But on to the fun bits. The RAP Gamers played out one part of the First Day.....on the First Day of July.
Bruce P. laid out a grand table with his 15mm ACW collection and took us back to the late morning of 01 July 1863. We used All The King's Men rules, modified for 15mm ACW figures.
Phil G. and John F. on the left playing the dastardly Confederates (boo! hiss!) Steve T. on the right as my fellow Federal commander.
I took command of Lysander Cutler's brigade of New Yorkers and Pennsylvanians. Steve generously let me have Hall's 2nd Maine Battery as well. He took The Iron Brigade and played the role of Wadsworth, the division commander, as well. We were positioned as they were historically on MacPherson's ridge.
Phil and John split the four brigades of Heth's division and five batteries of artillery. We began the action after Buford's troopers and Calef's battery had withdrawn.
"There stands Cutler like a rail fence wall!"
Cutler ordering his Gold Chip over to the 76th New York (or maybe it was the 7th Indiana) to get them to do something Army-ish
Sadly, my dice rolling was sub-sub-par. ATKM uses a system where the colour of the chip behind the unit not only shows its status (think of it like cohesion) but uses dice of the same colour. The statuses are Green, Yellow, and Red, with a success being 4, 5, or 6 for Green, 5 or 6 for Yellow, and for Red you need to roll 6's.
It was amazing the number of ones, twos, and threes that a gentleman can roll in the course of an evening.
The above view of John's Rebels schwacking my Federals. Iverson's North Cackalackians getting the better of my right flank. John rolled exceptionally well, above the mathematical mean, which helped.
Phil surges across from Herr's ridge to MacPherson's, as Bruce (in red), Steve, John, and I look on.
Cutler struggled mightily to save his flank (and the soft bits he was sitting on), but three units were either destroyed or badly mauled. His other three were looking any too fresh, either. Fortunately, I was given Colonel Roy Stone's brigade of three regiments and Calef's battery of artillery.
Calef's battery was wiped out, but managed to eliminate two Confederate batteries. Stone's three regiments filled the hole in the doughnut so Cutler could consolidate on the right.
After three hours, we called it at 2200 (two of us are still working stiffs), took pictures to capture positions, and we'll resume next Wednesday night. I rather enjoyed myself despite getting badly handled (well, it's what happened in real life...) and I'm looking forward to playing out the rest of the game.
Bruce was hoping for eight players, four of us showed, so it was probably a case of too many units for the available number of players and functioning ears/hearing aids. (This is the downside to being in an elder set of gamers, methinks)
Again, a wonderful way to spend a Wednesday night and to kick off my annual Gettysburg Season.
More anon.
Looks like a terrific way to kick it off indeed. I , just to potentially horrify you , really love the film though l like Gods and Generals best.
ReplyDeleteDuly horrified, Alan. Actually, Gettysburg isn't that bad. G&G, on the other hand....uf da.
DeleteEric
Just for you Eric......
ReplyDeletehttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=53R4b0_3Rfo
It even has subtitles......☺
Neil
Thank you, Neil! Much appreciated. I find it interesting that they would do a six-episode programme on wargaming.
DeleteEric
It was an odd one. Shown in my local TV region when I was a kid. I literally found an episode by accident!
DeleteI know the late Charlie Wesencraft was approached to assist and he brought in the various gamers. I think it was trying to exploit the wargame shown in Callan.
Long thought lost, four episodes have been found - I think the WW2 and Nile episodes are missing.
Neil
That's a great way to mark the anniversary!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I thought it was, especially since I was there the previous weekend and I'll be there in a couple of weekends for another re-enactment, but this time a public event actually on the battlefield.
DeleteEric
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWith all the interesting or influential battles of the ACW, in all the areas, over the years, our little metal or plastic generals in various scales, always want to fight Gettysburg sooner or later. Not necessarily the entire battle, but at least portions, and we like to indulge our little metal or plastic officers and men.
ReplyDelete