The turn sequence, as we were reminded, is everything here. Care when shooting, and extreme care now when attacking stationary brigades (post Napoleonic units with Rifle Muskets get 7 dice in stationary melee with '6' to hit - an attacking unit gets 4 dice in the revised 2nd edition for ACW).
Turn Sequence is :
Command - check those radii Move - BIG moves, but you can get too enthusiastic VERY easily. Rally - critically important, and always forgotten for Corps Commanders. Morale - one bad dice role can end a division's entire day. Combat - firing and melee - careful who you fire at - they fire back!
Exhaustion - critical for the victory conditions in this one.
The scenario was based on the entire battle, with reinforcement schedule based on card draw - the scenario being from Jessee A. Scarborough's 'A Storm in the Valley 1862' scenario book. Two entire Confederate divisions did not make it to the battlefield...
We actually did part of the centre effort for this battle a few years back - with Fire & Fury - though with V&B, a base is a brigade, so considerations are a little different.
Victory Conditions were crucial here, with Victory Points awarded on how many divisions had been exhausted and/or collapsed, and who held Seven Pines - this, to me, is the core of V&B and gives you great mechanics for how armies fall apart. An option for a second day of battle could be taken, if both players agreed.
Looking west as Hill's Division makes its way through the woods
a goldurn railroad trek
Union forces are in defences, but can not activate precious 'stationary' status right away. The Union would take an absolute mauling early on their right - but at great cost to Whiting's Division
Union reinforcements on the Williamsburg Road - the cards would not be so kind to the Rebs
One of the Minifigs 1970s figures kindly donated to me by Steve many years ago - I have promised to use them, some require basing and will indeed see the light of day soon
Rebs are itchin' fer a fight
On the Confederate left, the Rebs do not let up, forcing poorly rolling Union troops from their positions with close assaults, and pinning across the creek with accurate musketry fire (but...at a creeping cost)
The Union divisions learn the value of the Rally phase early on
'Charge them guns boys!"
The Union right in disarray
...outflanked and outfought...
The flank holds for now, even though the centre 'appears' to be collapsing
Re4b reinforcements, seriously? And they still have two divisions to bring on...
...but it is the Union troops that are about to gain the upper hand, with the expectation of two divisions...and...the Rebs have bled themselves white on their left...about to hit...divisional exhaustion and then...
...Divisional collapse
The entire Confederate left is in deep trouble...
The centre holds...
...and here comes Longstreet
All the Union has to do is hold ...unless of course, the Rebs get 'them thar two divisions'
The Confederate line is forced to bend, but yet another division is close to collapse
Longstreet plugs the gap, and with only 4 or 5 game turns to go, attacks the Union centre, now heavily reinforced, at Seven Pines
Pickett's 'other' Charge
Gathering for another attack...
The deck a Union one today...despite its 17th century livery
In the woods, a Union division is exhausted...but in the same turn, another Reb division falters
...and the Union have power in numbers on the collapsing flank
Seven Pines is contested! No clear holder of the objective, as a single Confederate brigade surges on.
"Get off my land boys!"
In the end though, a close run thing - two Union divisions are exhausted, but for the Rebs - one Exhausted, and one collapsed. Union wins on victory points - and elects NOT to fight a second day. Great game as usual.
Oh - change of period, but if you can catch these recent two movies - latest versions of Dumas' 'Three Musketeers', they are absolutely stunning. 'D'Artagnan' and 'Milady'. Eva Green is in it, what's not to like!
Thanks Norm. I keep coming back to V&B. Its pedigree is more that of GDW boardgames, and I guess the rigid sequencing of GDW's other offerings - but it all works; there are foibles and creases, but it forces you to fight the battle in a certain way. At the other end of the spectrum id something like Piquet/Field of Battle, where there is more inserted 'chaos' - both systems work well, and I am thinking that V&B, with players' traits brought to the table - without any dilution via a commander stat mechanism, is great for a group game.
Thanks Neil. It's been a while, but I always come back to it. The cards in this expansion dictate the appearance of reinforcements. Now, the absolute beauty of this system we found - was that when previously a player would be keen to 'turn a flank', instead not knowing if the road near your flank could see rapid reinforcement on behalf of the opponent, kept you guessing - worked very well, though sometimes a poor card draw could really hamper the Rebs - they had two divisions that remained undeployed throughout the day.
Fantastic batrep, Darren :) Like Norm, I will always have a soft spot for V&B battle reports.
Last game i played was almost 4 (!!) years ago when I played Mollwitz and lost horribly as the Prussians. That wall of "stationary" Austrians proved a tough nut to crack and my cavalry lost both flank battles. I wanted to storm out of the room and leave the battle just like Frederick 😁
Thanks Steve. I can understand why the stationary rules got tougher, but boy they can be difficult to navigate tactically. I know this really makes a lot of sense, but it does change the way the game is played - now that too is probably a better thing - since you want to anchor the enemy and then flank them - it does make the whole thing more challenging.
I am looking at some old figures and considering two things - (1) making this my rules of choice for late 17th century (with Ed's adaptations from a few years ago) and (2) trying them out with the Jacobite supplement(s) for 1715 and 1745 Jacobites charging English musketry aye!!!
Possibly a campaign with these options - so will keep you in mind for one of the commanders ;) (inside every American is a disgruntled Scot, a hard drinkin' Irish rebel, or an English veteran who wants to ride down both with superior cavalry LOL)
Cheers Darren- I am a 1/4 Irish on my father's side and my German Moravian "pacifist" side of the family had 2 sons serve in a loyalist light infantry unit in New Jersey during the AWI, while their father Andrew donated money to the Continental Congress' treasury. I'll bet "Weizel" family get togethers were ALOT of fun after the war!
Also re V&B - that Mollwitz game was brutal. Afterwards I racked my brain as to how you could pull off a successful attack against a prepared line. I haven't played since :(
Excellent - forgive my little joke - you are hired sir! Beating the V&B system is part of the fun apparently :) I was re-reading the original this morning; actually not much has changed from 1st to second , it was still +3 dice for stationary rifle muskets in melee back in the day vs original flintlocks, and I keep forgetting that opponents in 'close' range can return fire, even if nor fired upon - although of course muskets don;t get close range - it's the little things that make the difference :O ...now perhaps flintlocks can be defeated - just need to find out how :)
Many thanks, I rebased the ACW many years ago as a lockdown project for V&B - depending on the type of game , it always comes down to V&B or Field of Battle I suppose. Epic movies - watched them both twice now.
Lovely New Year game. I always get a nostalgic pleasure from V&B reports.
ReplyDeleteThanks Norm. I keep coming back to V&B. Its pedigree is more that of GDW boardgames, and I guess the rigid sequencing of GDW's other offerings - but it all works; there are foibles and creases, but it forces you to fight the battle in a certain way. At the other end of the spectrum id something like Piquet/Field of Battle, where there is more inserted 'chaos' - both systems work well, and I am thinking that V&B, with players' traits brought to the table - without any dilution via a commander stat mechanism, is great for a group game.
DeleteNice to see some VnB.
ReplyDeleteWhat were the cards used for?
Neil
Thanks Neil. It's been a while, but I always come back to it. The cards in this expansion dictate the appearance of reinforcements. Now, the absolute beauty of this system we found - was that when previously a player would be keen to 'turn a flank', instead not knowing if the road near your flank could see rapid reinforcement on behalf of the opponent, kept you guessing - worked very well, though sometimes a poor card draw could really hamper the Rebs - they had two divisions that remained undeployed throughout the day.
DeleteFantastic batrep, Darren :) Like Norm, I will always have a soft spot for V&B battle reports.
ReplyDeleteLast game i played was almost 4 (!!) years ago when I played Mollwitz and lost horribly as the Prussians. That wall of "stationary" Austrians proved a tough nut to crack and my cavalry lost both flank battles. I wanted to storm out of the room and leave the battle just like Frederick 😁
Thanks Steve. I can understand why the stationary rules got tougher, but boy they can be difficult to navigate tactically. I know this really makes a lot of sense, but it does change the way the game is played - now that too is probably a better thing - since you want to anchor the enemy and then flank them - it does make the whole thing more challenging.
DeleteI am looking at some old figures and considering two things - (1) making this my rules of choice for late 17th century (with Ed's adaptations from a few years ago) and (2) trying them out with the Jacobite supplement(s) for 1715 and 1745 Jacobites charging English musketry aye!!!
Possibly a campaign with these options - so will keep you in mind for one of the commanders ;) (inside every American is a disgruntled Scot, a hard drinkin' Irish rebel, or an English veteran who wants to ride down both with superior cavalry LOL)
Cheers Darren- I am a 1/4 Irish on my father's side and my German Moravian "pacifist" side of the family had 2 sons serve in a loyalist light infantry unit in New Jersey during the AWI, while their father Andrew donated money to the Continental Congress' treasury. I'll bet "Weizel" family get togethers were ALOT of fun after the war!
DeleteAlso re V&B - that Mollwitz game was brutal. Afterwards I racked my brain as to how you could pull off a successful attack against a prepared line. I haven't played since :(
DeleteAll that to say I'd love to play in a campaign :)
DeleteExcellent - forgive my little joke - you are hired sir! Beating the V&B system is part of the fun apparently :) I was re-reading the original this morning; actually not much has changed from 1st to second , it was still +3 dice for stationary rifle muskets in melee back in the day vs original flintlocks, and I keep forgetting that opponents in 'close' range can return fire, even if nor fired upon - although of course muskets don;t get close range - it's the little things that make the difference :O ...now perhaps flintlocks can be defeated - just need to find out how :)
DeleteOh no - you are right 100%. It's in our DNA😁
DeleteGood looking game, the multi figure bases are great. Those French Musketeer movies are very well done.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks, I rebased the ACW many years ago as a lockdown project for V&B - depending on the type of game , it always comes down to V&B or Field of Battle I suppose. Epic movies - watched them both twice now.
DeleteGreat report! Thanks for your insights on the rules, most interesting.
ReplyDeleteA set I am contemplating more and more Jack. I even had the 54mm Napoleonics unboxed this morning...considering...
Delete