Chattanooga, 1863

On Sunday myself, Dave, Greg and Phil spent an enjoyable 4 hours playing the 1863 battle of Chattanooga using the Altar of Freedom rules. For those not familiar with the rules, they are as set we found several years ago when we embarked on ACW and are specifically aimed at 6mm, where I base of figures represents a brigade. We use bases of circa 30 infantry or 9 cavalry as a Brigade, albeit in most games cavalry are fairly non-existent.

The rules themselves are quite short, running to just over 15 pages of the rulebook, and some of these pages contain illustrations and period quotes so the actual rules are even shorter. They are meant to be played using historical scenarios and are supported by two scenario books. These contain maps and full ORBATS for the battles, plus markers for all the units and generals involved listing the unit strengths and the character strengths or flaws of the Commanders. This is a great help to actually setting up a game plus it makes each game unique and challenging.

As well as the normal nuts and bolts of movement, firing and close combat the rules contain several innovative mechanisms which really set them apart from other rules. Commanders all have a number of “priority points” based on their historic battlefield effectiveness. These are allocated to their various Divisions and during a turn Divisions move according to the allocation of priority points. If you want to go first allocate a high number but then risk other units not going that turn. Linked to this is the “turn clock”, which dictates the pace of the battle. Each turn the “turn clock” is reduced as each “priority point number” is activated, and when the turn clock reaches zero the turn ends. Each side can adopt different strategies for the turn clock depending on their set battlefield objectives or simply the tactical situation during the turn.

We have now played the rules several times and are finally beginning to understand their subtleties. Playing the Union on Sunday Dave and I came onto the table from the North and West and had to either break the Confederate morale or take the Rossville in the south-east by the end or turn 9. We had a preponderance of troops but close terrain to fight through and seemingly never quite enough priority points, but that does force hard decisions to be made. By the end or turn 9 it was a close-run thing. We hadn’t managed to take Rossville but with a final attack we did manage to take a Divisional HQ and break the Confederate morale, winning by the skin of our teeth.

After our first run-out with Altar of Freedom where some people tried to micro-manage units, we have now pretty much got the hand of them and realise that although individual Brigades do fight the results are often fairly inconclusive at Brigade level with the overall strategy of Army and Divisional command being the battle-winning factor, just as it should be!

The models in the photos are all Baccus figures with Leven Miniatures buildings.

Simon

 

The fourth game in our Wars of the Roses campaign was the battle of Northampton between the Yorkist Earl of Warwick (Paul) and the Lancastrian Henry VI (Adrian). 

 Historically Northampton looked like an even fight.  Despite being outnumbered the Lancastrians had deployed in a strong defensive position supported by their newfangled cannons and with their flanks resting on the river Nene.

 Unfortunately, it rained putting the cannons out of action and when Warwick contacted the Lancastrian line Lord Grey (Lancastrian right) changed sides taking no further part in the battle.  The loyal Lancastrians found themselves outflanked with their backs to the river. 

 Remember this game was NOT meant to be an historical replay.  The aim was to kill as many of the enemy as possible.

 Adrian stuck with the army he had selected for 1^st St. Albans.  Paul select 3 camps and enough palisades to wholly enclose them.  This added two extra victory coins to his stock and indicated a largely defensive battlefield strategy.

Paul relied on his mounted infantry to scout the battlefield and gather intelligence on the opposition.  Adrian fielded a more balanced attacking force including Northern Border Staves (light cavalry), Currours (medium cavalry),  mounted longbows and Irish Kerns.  This gave him a significant advantage in scouting points and he comfortably won the scouting.  Warwick therefore began the set up process.

Warwick started his deployment by screening his right with a mixed line of billmen, doubled armed with longbows.  A unit of Shire Levy were deployed in the relative safety of Delappe Abbey. These troops were under command of Sir Thomas Neville (Tony)

Opposite these Henry responded with his Welsh contingent.  This consisted of Tudor mounted infantry, deployed in forward positions and supported by Welsh longbowmen.  This wing was under the command of Jasper Tudor 1st Earl of Pembroke (Reg)

Warwick then deployed his centre, a formidable array of fortified camps manned by his heavy artillery and the remainder of his Shire Levy.  This force was commanded by Baron Hastings (Mal). 

Henry then set up his cavalry right wing.   A daunting array of cavalry and knights under command of Thomas Courtney 13th Earl of Devon (Rick).

To complete his deployment Warwick faced off against the Lancastrian right with an offensive force of bills and knights under his personal command.

Henry concluded the set up by deploying a centre of bills and longbowmen.  His longbows were on the left supporting Jasper Tudor’s right flank.  His bills and foot knights were on the right in support of Devon’s (Rick’s) mounted troops. 

Henry began the battle by smartly advancing his entire line, leaving only Jasper’s Welsh longbows North of the river

In response the Yorkist artillery opened fire disordering the leading Lancastrian bills. To their right Sir Thomas Neville’s troops stood their ground.

                                         

 Warwick’s left wing advanced resolutely to oppose the Lancastrians and drive off their light cavalry.

 Treachery!  As Warwick closed with the enemy a blast of brazen trumpets signalled the Earl of Devon to halt his troops and take no further part in the battle.  The Lancastrian right wing ground to a halt.

Reacting swiftly to Devon’s betrayal, the Lancastrian light cavalry engaged the Yorkists billmen with javelins disordering them but failing to charge home and deliver a decisive blow.

In the centre Henry’s troops held their ground as he turned his attention to his right reorganizing his cavalry in response to Devon’s treachery.   The disordered Lancastrian billmen were withdrawn and replaced with fresh troops.

On the Lancastrian left Tudor longbowmen fired an ineffective volley against the Yorkist right flank.

Seizing his opportunity,  Warwick now closed with the enemy pinning the Lancastrian knights against the immobile Earl of Devon.  A confused melee developed.

                                             
At this moment a second thunderbolt rocked Lancastrian resolve. Yorkist Billmen appeared behind the Welsh on the extreme left of the Lancastrian line.

The crash of cannon fire and the hiss of arrows continued to be heard from the Yorkist centre but with little effect.

Henry now moved to reinforce his imperilled right flank.  His currors advanced to join the growing melee centred on the perfidious Earl of Devon and he personally led his bills and knights in support of his embattled right wing.

  

On the Lancastrian  left the outflanked Welsh bowmen briskly about faced turning to address the threat in their rear. Confusion reigned within the ranks of the Yorkist flank march and they failed to turn towards the now threatening Welsh archers.  The remainder of the Tudor line was achieving some success as they continued to pour fire into Neville’s defensive line.

  

In the Yorkist centre the combined fire of cannon and longbow was taking it’s toll and the leading Lancastrian bills were destroyed. Ammunition was now running low but  things were looking sticky for the Lancastrians.

Keen to break the deadlock developing on his left Warwick continued to assault the trapped Lancastrian knights.

After a brief struggle the Yorkist flank march was destroyed and the Welsh archers turned to conform with the Tudor firing line.

The Tudor archers were now getting into their stride and Neville’s right wing collapsed taking with it  his bills. Neville moved to join his remaining  archers who were also under pressure.

Henry committed himself to the counterattack on his right.  As he personally led his foot knights into combat, his trapped Lancastrian knights and currors were fighting boldly against Warwick’s bills.  Unable to strike a decisive blow and with losses growing on the far flank Yorkist frustration was palpable.

Having expended their ammunition  the Tudor firing line began to advance towards Delappe Abbey.   Rallying his troops Neville pulled back into the cover of the abbey grounds rallying his troops

    

The stalemate swirling around the treacherous Earl of Devon was now to reach a resolution.  After bravely holding off everything that Warwick could throw at them the Lancastrian knights at last succumbed and were destroyed.

  Henry led his foot knights forward against the mounted Yorkist knights but in the face of a determined counterattack their morale broke.  In the ensuing chaos Henry suffered a light wound as he fell back to his supporting billmen.

                                         

The Yorkist right flank was now in danger of being rolled up as the Tudors moved menacingly forward towards Delappe abbey.  Despite this the Lancastrians only retained three victory medals to the Yorkist eight. Lancastrian losses were a small unit of mounted knights under the command of the double-crossing Earl of Devon,  a unit of billmen and two units of fully armoured knights. A total of  +9 points. Yorkist losses were two units of retinue billmen and a unit of retinue longbowmen.      A total of  +6 points.

At this point the returning rain drew a veil over the battlefield and the narrowest of Yorkist victories.

Raiding the Wilderness

We played another game of Sharp Practice set in the American Rebellion. This time based upon the Raiding the Wilderness from the 2023 Lard Mag.

In this scenario the Loyalists are intent on raiding a Rebel farmstead and have brought along some friendly Indians. The local militia have turned out in defence of the farmstead and are hoping for some badly needed reinforcements (continentals and state line) to turn up.

The militia deploy around the farmstead

Whilst the Loyalist provincials march down the road, torches in hand, ready for a bit of arson.

The sneaky Indians ambush from the woods in the north, knocking out the militia leader of some skirmishers. This is only the start of thing going badly wrong for the Rebels. However, The turn ends and he quickly gets up. Maybe things aren’t going to be as bad as they first appeared, or maybe not.

After a few rounds of fire from the Indians, the skirmishers are driven off

Only to be replaced by the militia line. However, their fire is pretty ineffective.

Meanwhile, the Provincials form line and advance upon the farmstead.

The Provincial skirmishers advance into the southern woods. However, the sergeant is livid as he finds that they haven’t been cleaning their barrels properly.

With fouled barrels, reducing their firepower, the Provincial skirmishers advance towards the farmstead, hoping to bring cold steel to the Rebels.

The Indians charge towards the militia, forcing them to break and run.

At this point the game ended due to the Rebel morale falling to zero and the expected reinforcements having not turned up.