Game Reports

Epic ACW with 40 year old rules

Posted by PaulRPetri on 17 Jul 2022, 21:04

Greetings one and all. I thought I would post a short after action report from an ACW game I hosted yesterday. This was a "Bucket List" game if there is such a thing! I bought the rules On To Richmond around 1984 or 1985. They came out in 1983. This was very early on in my wargame journey and at the time I had wanted to game the ACW. Well for reasons I can no longer remember it never came off! So with the release of the Warlord Epic scale ACW figures I decided to have another go!

So here we go.

As with all of my battle reports we start with the happy board!
Image

Since I was going back in time with these rules I decided to use a scenario that was put forth by the rules author Paul Koch many years ago. Both the Rebels and the Federals had a small corps, 3 infantry divisions each and one brigade of cavalry attached attempting to hold the small town of Perryville. This scenario takes place in the Western Theater of operations. Some overview shots.

The cavalry brigades starting out on the Pike.
Image

The Rebel cavalry's view point. These are actually Kalistra 12mm figures!!
Image

Another view of the battlefield and the competing cavalry forces.
Image

Head on shot of the Union cavalry, these are actually Peter Pig 15mm figures! Where are the Epic scale figures!!
Image

A final cavalry view, Union. The game starts with the cavalry forces from each army trying to gain an advantage before the main forces come on to the board. The cavalry had to make there first moves on the road then on turn two they were free to move about the board.
Image

The first mass of Rebel infantry enters the table. If you look carefully way in the distance behind the woods there is another lurking Rebel command. Some Rebel artillery has already entered the church yard on top of the hill.
Image

Some Union troops enetring the board. The river is fordable across it's length but you have to roll to see if you lose any movement.
Image

The "Lurking" Rebel forces behind the woods.
Image

The gaming snack table!!! Great Goodness!!
Image

My brave Union cavalry about to get wiped out!!!!
Image

The mission was to hold the town. The Union was first on scene but the Rebel response was very violent!!! If you look to the right edge of the photo you will notice the Rebel flanking columns which will win the day for them.
Image

It would appear from this shot that the Union had a very secure position. Unfortunatly unseen in this shot a mass of Rebel troops was swinging in on the right.
Image

The Rebel left massing for a stern defense. That was not needed in the end.
Image

The Rebel "Hammer Blow" filing through the woods on the Unions left flank. Gulp.
Image

The Union center and right massing for an attack that comes too late.
Image

Union trying to organize a defense of Prattville.
Image

Unfortunatly i the heat of battle I forgot to take pictures. Not shown was a steam roller attack on the Union left flank along with a push from the Rebel front that crushed the Union left and center and gave the Rebels a convincing victory. It was a wonderful afternoon of gaming with agreat bunch of guys. Thank you gentlemen!!!
Image
I am the fellow in the Union kepi that I bought at Harper's Ferry in 1988.

Thanks everyone for having look!
PaulRPetri  United States of America
 
Posts: 657
Member since:
02 Apr 2019, 00:59


Posted by Peter on 17 Jul 2022, 22:15

Thanks for sharing! :thumbup:

I found the snack table the best, but that is maybe because I'm not allowed to eat that all anymore. To much sugar and salt! ;-) :-D
User avatar
Peter  Belgium

Moderator Moderator
 
Posts: 22737
Member since:
25 Mar 2008, 18:51

Posted by Rich W on 17 Jul 2022, 23:25

Excellent Paul. I think the 'Epic scale' really looks to work well on those tables-big armies in a relatively small space.

Not sure about the snack table though-that has diabetes written all over it...
Rich W  United Kingdom
 
Posts: 1326
Member since:
05 Feb 2018, 23:40

Posted by Kekso on 18 Jul 2022, 10:35

Image

Dou you touch figures with sticky fingers after eating all these snacks? :xd:
User avatar
Kekso  Croatia

Moderator Moderator
Supporting Member (Bronze) Supporting Member (Bronze)
 
Posts: 6880
Member since:
19 Oct 2011, 18:32

Posted by MABO on 19 Jul 2022, 09:58

Thanks for sharing really interesting! And it must be a joy to play with beautiful figures.
User avatar
MABO  Europe
Supporting Member (Gold) Supporting Member (Gold)
 
Posts: 9171
Member since:
12 May 2008, 18:01

Posted by Minuteman on 19 Jul 2022, 10:37

Splendid stuff! It is always pleasing to see a wargames table with large, well-painted armies facing each other, and this table-top action certainly looks very impressive. And great also to know that rules written 40 years ago are still fit-for-purpose.

I am with those others who have commented on the 'snack table'...impressive, but sticky fingers would have to be a risk after consuming some of these goodies.... :-D

The 1988 Harper's Ferry kepi seems to be standing the test of time well too!
User avatar
Minuteman  United Kingdom
 
Posts: 1141
Member since:
06 Mar 2020, 21:38

Help keep the forum online!
or become a supporting member

Posted by PaulRPetri on 19 Jul 2022, 21:07

I could not resist taking a picture of the snack table. Just too over the top. My fellow "Gamers" are experts at snacking and gaming without leaving a sticky residue on the figures! Trained professionals.
Thanks all for the kind comments on the game and my ancient Kepi!! The rules held up pretty well just a few very minor changes for next game.
PaulRPetri  United States of America
 
Posts: 657
Member since:
02 Apr 2019, 00:59

Posted by PaulRPetri on 03 Dec 2023, 23:37

I have to admit my 40 year old rules really did not do as well as I had hoped. Taking stock of my situation I switched gears and while working on a 54MM ACW small side project I bought the rules 61-65 ACW rules by Ganesha Games, which uses the Song of Blades and Hero's game mechanics. I upscaled the ACW rules to handle corps level fights and had a go at an old ACW scenario from long ago. The game was much better with the Confederates scoring a slight victory. Random images to follow.
Image

Image
Rebel commanders in deep thought.
Image
The Union side wondering what sort of rules I have lured them into playing!
Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

It may appear in some of the photos that cannons from both sides were firing into the rear of their own troops. In these rules when you fire you are marked with smoke and must spend an action to reload. Gaining actions to do things is not guaranteed so some units may still need to reload while other units move forward to engage the enemy. Lots of back and forth with lots of fog of war. It worked!!

Thanks for looking!
PaulRPetri  United States of America
 
Posts: 657
Member since:
02 Apr 2019, 00:59

Posted by MABO on 07 Dec 2023, 16:46

These massed formations looks terrific!
User avatar
MABO  Europe
Supporting Member (Gold) Supporting Member (Gold)
 
Posts: 9171
Member since:
12 May 2008, 18:01

Posted by C M Dodson on 07 Dec 2023, 18:33

Very nice indeed and the amount of troops that can be deployed at a low cost is great value.

Personally I was wondering if some of your formations are a bit too close together, as they look a bit Napoleonic to my eye.

It is not a criticism, just an observation.

I hope you had fun with the action.

Best wishes,

Chris
C M Dodson  United Kingdom
 
Posts: 2660
Member since:
01 May 2015, 18:48

Posted by Susofrick on 08 Dec 2023, 09:34

Great to see! And nice to see some faces too! Reminds me of Peter Young's old book The War Game. Looks like great fun!
User avatar
Susofrick  Sweden
Supporting Member (Gold) Supporting Member (Gold)
 
Posts: 7708
Member since:
19 Feb 2008, 12:10

Posted by Rich W on 09 Dec 2023, 00:25

Looks great Paul. Smashing job with the Epic figures. I hope the snack table was a bit healthier this time though...
Rich W  United Kingdom
 
Posts: 1326
Member since:
05 Feb 2018, 23:40

Posted by PaulRPetri on 09 Dec 2023, 17:50

Thanks for the kind comments everybody! Rich that snack table lives on in legend and can never be surpassed in unhealthy treats in my opinion.

Chris you have me on the Napoleonic look of the game. I was sort of stuck with this look due to the fact that the Epic scale figures and their bases are 60mm wide. A 5 stand unit that is represented by one Epic Scale sprue and has a foot print as large as a 28mm figure unit. Since I didn't have the intestinal fortitude to chop figures up so I went with what Warlord provided. Since each unit represents a Brigade of 1500-2000 men and each stand is probably a regiment in size I went with the two bases deep to represent reinforced lines which was a standard formation in the ACW. For this game I used a standard 6 stand unit for both sides. If the units were in a single base deepth line they would be too long and take up too much space for the rules we were using. So the Napoleonic look of things came into play.
PaulRPetri  United States of America
 
Posts: 657
Member since:
02 Apr 2019, 00:59

Posted by Beano Boy on 10 Dec 2023, 17:03

Great guns in the morning, what an epic adventure unfolding and rising from the old set in its place Golden West. :coffee: BB
Beano Boy  England
Supporting Member (Gold) Supporting Member (Gold)
 
Posts: 8111
Member since:
03 Sep 2013, 14:45

Posted by Michael Robert on 11 Dec 2023, 20:43

Massed troops and tense plot
Looks very impressive and like lots of fun, Paul
Thanks for posting
User avatar
Michael Robert  France

Supporting Member (Bronze) Supporting Member (Bronze)
 
Posts: 825
Member since:
14 Oct 2009, 19:22


Return to Game Reports