Fighting a battle with miniatures - Part Three

Been a couple of days since the last post, busy with real life chores and also wanting to finish off the new bases on the final ACW 6mm infantry. My American Civil War project has now ended, all the troops are painted and based. Amazing what you can get done when you become involved with the Tabletop Commanders Winter Warmer Challenge.

The new bases are 30 x 30 mm, as opposed to the majority of my infantry which are on 60 x 30 mm. They now look a lot better when marching down a road as I can put two bases, one behind the other. Though on this occasion, borrowing an idea from my good buddy Kurtus, I am using just a single base to represent a brigade. Saving a lot of space on my tiny table.

If you compare this photograph with a similar shot from my last post, you can immediately see the difference. Here is Morell's Division of three brigades, marching in column along the road.

Same with Longstreet's Division, no longer do they have to crab along sideways.

Turn One

Apologies for the poor quality of this shot. Longstreet's Division is deployed behind a split log fencing on the road by St. Mark's Church, as well as blocking the road, and one brigade is in the woods. Its single artillery battery is also deployed.

A closer view of the Confederate deployment.

Looking along Longstreet's Division. The right wing of the Confederate army is in place, but where is General Jackson's left wing?

Turn Two

Powell's Division sets up it two batteries with three brigades of infantry ready to advance.

Opposite the main rebel force Sykes' Division is in column ready to assault the rebel position, his artillery has joined with those of McCall's Division to form a large battery to soften up the enemy positions before the infantry assault.

The gun line and infantry brigades ready themselves for action.

A view from behind the rebel position.

High level shot of the table looking from behind the rebels. Morell's Division of Union infantry are poised in a good position to flank the enemy whose lines extend only into the wood at the bottom of the photograph.

The Confederate wing is totally outgunned and will have to hold on in the hope that Jackson arrives quickly on the Union flank and rear. Each Confederate turn from turn five on, a die will be rolled. A six is a success and Jackson will arrive, after that the die roll needed will be reduced by one pip each roll.

From behind the Union positions.

Turn Three

The single rebel battery opens up in counter battery fire, but fails to register a hit.

Turn Four

In response the massed Union batteries also target the rebel artillery and score a single hit.

The rebel artillery is silenced but not destroyed.

The two batteries of Morell's Division unleash on the woods containing a Confederate brigade.

Lots of damage to the trees, but the rebel infantry are unscathed.

Turn Five

The Confederate battery is hauled back into firing position, but cannot fire on this turn. The turn five roll for reinforcements was an abject failure, it will be successful on a 5+ next Confederate turn.

Turn Six

Them massed Union battery across the field now had their eye in, and registered no less than three hits on the rebel battery.

The battery is destroyed and will be removed at the end of the turn, leaving the infantry at the mercy of the enemy cannon.

More success too for Morell's batteries, they score two hits.

The Rebs in the wood are badly mauled, and drop two elan.

The situation for General's Lee and Longstreet is becoming dire, if Jackson does not appear soon, the plan to destroy Union V Corps will have to be called off and the rebel forces will be forced to retire, conserving their strength for another day.

We shall see...