Mapless Mini Campaign - Finale

 For the third and final battle I rolled a 3, Flank attack. The Federal Army (Attackers) are attempting to outflank the advancing Rebel force. The CSA's scouts have alerted their Commander, who takes refuge on a defendable hill. Both sides objective in the game is total control of the high ground. The bulk of the US Army force arrives on the flank of the Confederate Army and straight into the fray.

I decided at the start that this was going to be a very difficult task for the attackers, so I gave them a numerical advantage and, as this was the deciding game, I set EP at 50%. This all proved to be unnecessary. 

The US Army piled in from their flanking position and the Rebs were in trouble from the outset.

The CSA cavalry, despite their reputation, were quickly dispatched and the Federals got down to business.

Outstanding dice rolling from the Blues rapidly reduced the Confederate force to EP (not that they were going to move from the hill...)

The Union regiments surrounded their adversaries and demanded surrender.

A bit of an anti-climax as a game, probably due to my generosity towards the attackers, but a success as a Mini Campaign system and one I'd like to use again; "Chapeau!" to Mark.

A Mapless Mini Campaign - Battle 2

 After his defeat at the hands of the Confederate Army, Colonel Baudebridges falls back towards the Federal lines with his remaining force. Realising that they will soon be over run, the US force makes a stand...

For this game I threw a 6 (see rules on the previous post) and set up the OHW Bottleneck scenario (more or less). The US Army (defending) has a smaller force but may enter the woods (on their right). The objective for the CSA is to clear the road of Union forces to allow their main force through.

Start of the game - the lakes are impassable

CSA cavalry rush off to clear the road

The CSA cavalry limp back after a catastrophic encounter.
The Union's Zouaves take to the trees 

The Union's line holds and the Zouaves create holes in the
Reb's flank, despite his artillery firing blindly into the woods

The CSA reach Exhaustion Point

Despite having a numerical advantage, the Confederate Commander (let's call him Colonel Sanders) was forced to withdraw. This defeat puts the Union back in the lead and they will be attackers in the third (and final) battle of the mini campaign...

A Mapless Mini Campaign - Battle 1

 

I started a three battle mini-campaign over the weekend, squeezing in a couple of games between work and domestic distractions. I was inspired to use my ACW figures by Ross Mac's recent games. The rules for the mapless mini campaign are from Mark Cordone, originally posted on the PW FB page, and are his intellectual property:

For the first game I rolled a 5; Seize Ground. I used inspiration from OHW to layout a battlefield but gave a slight advantage to the defenders (CSA) who started a little closer to the objective (the hill). The winner must have control of the objective once both sides reach exhaustion point (EP).

The chocked gully on the right of the hill is impassable

The CSA grabbed the objective whist the Federals attempted to out flank them

Despite reducing the CSA to EP, the Union Army could not get on to the hill

The Blues reach EP and victory goes to the Confederates

So the Confederate Army wins the first battle and, buoyed by their success, go on the offensive, pursuing their retreating adversaries...  

Finale

 The final game in my OHW mini campaign, set in the imaginary US state of New Wiltshire, saw General Wise retreating north with the surviving members of his Army. With fresh troops a days' march away, the Union force set up a rather disorganized triple line of defence in order to slow down the approaching Confederates. The CSA General Gilder knew that success could give him a chance to take the strategic town of Scrubyville, County Featherstone, opening the road towards Washington.

To win the scenario, a side needs to exclusively occupy the hill to the North of the river. To give the smaller Union force more of a chance I made the woods impenetrable so only a frontal attack is possible.

Game 5 Triple Line, or Crossing the Papercon

The Confederates approach the bridge across the River Papercon

Fierce fighting for the crossing point delays the CSA

A breakout is finally achieved

Lines are formed. The Rebs hope for the same success as their previous battle

The larger CSA force looks unstoppable as it closes in

The Union troops staunch defence of the hill

The last line of defence

With time running out, a charge with fixed bayonets is ordered

Battle's end and the Federal force has held the Southerners at bay

A disappointed General Gilder pulled his forces back and started planning the next campaign.

Final Campaign Scoreboard: USA 8 CSA 7

Tolled

 The fourth battle in my OHW mini campaign is probably the least interesting of the 30 scenarios in the book. I have added a road, and a building that represents the toll booth for a now removed turnpike, to the otherwise symmetrical landscape. These have no affect on the game mechanics. The side with the largest surviving force at Turn 15 (or when both sides reach exhaustion point) will win.  The two sides diced to see who would play Red (moves first each turn) and the CSA won. With this in mind I decided to play the CSA, under General  Gilder, aggressively, and the Union force, led by General Wise, defensively. 

Game 4 Pitched Battle, or the Battle of Gushville Turnpike

The two armies face each other across the Gushville Valley

 

General Wise establishes himself on the hill known as Little Square Top

CSA cavalry roar towards the Union's left flank

The Union guns miss their mark

Early action on the left flank

Musket fire rings out across the valley - the Union side take hits

The Blues fall back to the hill...

..and are soon at Exhaustion Point

The CSA troops close in on Little Square Top

The CSA hit EP and win the day

General Wise and his surviving men escape, abandoning their guns, but with a chance left to stop the Confederate surge towards Scrubyville, the supply hub for the State of New Wiltshire.

Campaign Scoreboard after four games: USA 3 CSA 7

With 5 points on offer for the final game, can the Blues cause an upset?

Juncture

 The first two games of this OHW mini-campaign have seen the Federal Army dominant; in the third game, however, the North finds itself very much on the back-foot. In this scenario, the winner is the side in control of the hill at turn 15.

Game 3 Fighting Retreat, or the defence of Dunce's Hill

Part of the Union Army has become separated from the main force and is hurrying back to join them, pursued by a stronger Confederate contingent. Spotting what he hopes is a defendable hill, Colonel Brandon leads his men across a pair of fords...

The Blues rush towards the hill.
The light green area is marsh, impassable to all units.

The CSA in hot pursuit 

The Federal force established on Dunce's Hill 

Artillery opens fire across the river as the CSA infantry close in

Early afternoon and casualties mount on both sides

The Union force is at Exhaustion Point as the Rebs close in

The CSA troops are on the hill

Heroic last stand

Despite the Union force still having a tiny presence on the hill at turn 15, the Umpire ruled that control of the hill was in the hands of the men of the South. A Confederate victory; is this the turning of the tide?

Campaign Score Board after three games: USA 3 CSA 3.

It's all to play for. 

Infiltration

 The second game in the OHW mini-campaign (see preceding post) follows. There has been a slight change in the scoring system; the suggestion in Mark Cordone's comment has been taken onboard and so this game will be worth 2 points, game 3 will be 3 points etc. No Exhaustion Point was applied in this game as the scenario lends itself to a savage fight to the finish.

Game 2 Infiltration or, Bushwhacked!

A party of Confederate troops have been out foraging (stealing) for supplies and must make their way back to camp, avoiding Union patrols.

Bushwhackers

The CSA force starts a mad dash across the board

Union forces are blocking the exit point
Confederate cavalry attempt to cut their way through

With an inevitable Rebel Yell, the Rebs charge in

One Union company falls but the exit is still held...

and help is on the way from the South (ironically)

The Blues close in

and close in again to ensure that there's no escape

The Rebel General slips away disguised as a Fur Trapper

"Onward to Victory!"

Campaign Score Board after 2 games: USA 3 CSA 0