ACW: Stones River - Dec 27

On 27th December a couple of my club members decided to play an Acw scenario: Stone River.

We used a rule system created by Paolo M. that is partially based on his rule book "L'Italia s'è desta!". The game mechanisms are similar and partially simplified but in a larger scale (ie at divisional level). We played the scenario with 8 players including the two generals in command that had to decide the initial strategy and, only after the first contact with the enemy, could give written orders to their sub-commanders.

Sub commands and their generals couldn't speak between them. This rule permitted to recreate the chaos typically of Acw struggles.

Scenario

1862 winter, western theater (between the Mississippi River and the Appalachian Mountains).

After the failure of Kentucky invasion, which culminated in the Battle of Perryville, the General Bragg's Confederate army retires in southeastern Tennessee. Even the Union army, now commanded by General Rosecrans, moves south and takes place at Nashville.

The Union takes the initiative and moves toward Chattanooga. On their way they meet the Confederates camped at Murfreesboro. The two armies clash at north of town on a land (manly forests) cuts by a road and a small stream: the Stones River

Copyright Wikipedia

Rule system:

Douple line

Miniatures:

All miniatures are 28mm and are painted by Alberto M., Paolo M., Franco B., Franco Bel., Francesco R.

Battle orders:

Union

Right Wing (Maj. Gen. Alexander McD. McCook)

Corps Command: McCook

First Division (Brig. Gen. Jefferson C. Davis)

First Brigade [4]

Second Brigade [4] Unreliable 

Second Division (Brig. Gen. Richard W. Johnson)

First Brigade [4]

Second Brigade [4] Unreliable 

Third Division (Brig. Gen. Philip Sheridan)

First Brigade [4]

Cavalry Reserve [2] Breech loaders

Artillery Brigade [5 batteries] 

Confederates

Hardee’s Corps (Liut. Gen. William J. Hardee)

Corps Command: Hardee

Cleburne’s Division (Maj. Gen. Patrick R. Cleburne)

First Brigade [5]

Second Brigade [5]

McCown’s Division (Maj. Gen. John P. McCown)

First Brigade [4] Brave

Second Brigade [4]

Wheeler's Cavalry Division (Brig. Gen. Joseph Wheeler)

First Cavalry Brigade [4]

Artillery Brigade [4 batteries] 

Sharpshooters Battalion 

Scenario Rules

Forest: broken terrain (moving 4 '', visibility 2 '', light coverage).

Hill: broken terrain (moving 4 '', light coverage).

Hedges and fences: broken terrain (moving 4 '', light coverage).

River: difficult terrain (movement 3 '', the artillery passes only to bridges / fords, light coverage)

placing.

After armies initial deployment other terrains are added

Deployment and set up

The first division of each armies deployes within 20 '' on the edge.

The remaining units arrive during the 1st round.

Confederates moves first

15 rounds

Victory Conditions

To win an army must take the control on two objectives. The objectives are the two hills and the camp in the centre.

Battle report

Phase 1 - initial orders

The initial deployment it is simple ... all the units directly on the objectives with the confederate cavalry that try to cut the road to the union forces

Phase 2 

Union units arrives at the camp for first obstructed by confederate cavalry...

 

 ... in the meanwhile the union cavalry and the batteries reach the hill. After a brief match the cavalry is repulsed back and the batteries remain alone.

Phase 3

On the hill also the last union battery is destroyed ... 

 ... on the left all the confederate brigades reach the camp while cavalry form a skirmish shield 

Phase 4

In the last rounds the confederate units try to take the camp while the union reinforcements do not allow the control of the second hill by Virginian forces.  

The final positions

The union army obtains two objectives but with several deads so we decided that the game was a tie.

A great game well organized and prepared by P. Montinaro and Franco B. Many thanks to all ... to the next battle!