Iuka 1862 Valour and Fortitude Game

 

Initial Union deployment

Initial Confederate deployment

Confederate forces advance

Union forces also advance,
some battalions though the fields.

Turn three sees all the Union brigades on the table

It's pretty congested at the Union end of the table

Can the weight of Union numbers win the day?

Confederate artillery battery is deployed on a hill,
Union cavalry threaten the Confederate flank

Last Sunday Craig, Gary, Rob, Rick, Chris and I met down at Vikings Club in Lanyon for the Canberra Regional Wargames Group's monthly meeting. We played our first ACW Valour and Fortitude game, the scenario was Iuka 1862. We actually played a game of this battle about two years ago with the Osprey rules With Hot Lead and Cold Steel but the V& F game was quite different with rules and also a different take on the actual scenario. Craig, Gary and I commanded the Union brigades, Rob, Rick and Chris commanded the Confederates. The Union and Confederate forces contested the road, the main objective in the game. 

The Union forces suffered early losses and struggled to make headway. The terrain, inexperience (most Union brigades were rated green), and congestion of their forces hampering their attack. The Confederate artillery battery deployed on a hill, was effective and proved a thorn in the Union side the whole game. The Union forces eventually had some success, their weight of numbers began to tell, and the game was in the balance. In the end the Confederates managed to hold on and win the game.

Confederate and Union forces contest the
road the main objective in the game

Union forces suffer early losses

Union artillery battery is deployed

Confederate artillery battery proves effective,
a thorn in the Union side the whole game

Terrain and congestion of forces hampers the Union attack

Union forces finally have some success

Game is in the balance

Confederate forces hold on and win the game

With Hot Lead and Cold Steel First Game - Iuka 1862

 

Confederate view of the table

Union view of the table with Mower's brigade
at the rear ready to come on in turn three

Sullivan's brigade advances

Sanborn's brigade advances

Confederates dig in

First fire

Last Thursday afternoon Craig, Gary and Robert came over and we played an ACW game out in the shed. Craig was keen to try the new Osprey ACW rules, With Hot Lead and Cold Steel. These are similar to Black Powder but use D10s rather than D6s. Craig had made up a two page QRS which was very handy. The scenario was Iuka 1862, we used the one on p.136 in the Glory, Hallelujah, Black Powder supplement. Craig and Gary were the Union commanders and Robert and I were stuck with the Confederate command.

The two Union brigades advanced, their objective was to hold the road junction after seven turns. The Confederate brigades just dug in the woods which meant they counted as being in heavy cover. Regiments from both sides became unnerved and retreated early on but were able to rally and continue the fight. Union reinforcements from Mower's Brigade arrived on turn three and the Confederates were slowly but surely being whittled down. Confederate regiments from Herbert's and Martin's brigades panicked and retreated but were able to rally and dig in again. A desperate final Union charge nearly succeeded but the Confederates were able to just hang on.

Union regiments in Sullivan's brigade
become unnerved and retreat

Sanborn's Brigade suffer heavy casualties

Union reinforcements from Mower's Brigade arrive 

Confederate regiments from Herbert's and Martin's
brigades panic and retreat

Confederates rally and dig in again

Desperate final Union charge