The Battle of Ceder Mountain 9th August 1862

The letters and numbers are shown on the map below.

Union Forces ( 2nd Corp ) = 8,800 men, = 8.8 pts x 3 = 27puts ( rounded up. )

( E) C-in-C  Nathaniel P. Banks. = 1pt.

William,s Division.

( D ) : Alpheus Williams = 1pt.

( A ) : Crawford: 1 x infantry = 2pts.  1 x infantry = 3pts. = 5pts.

( B ) : Gordon: 1 x infantry =3pts.

(C ) : 1 x Heavy Rifled Battery = 2pts.

Auger,s Division.

( F ) : Christopher Auger = 1 pt.

( G ) : Geary : 1 x infantry = 2pts.

( H ) : Prince : 1 x infantry = 2pts.

( J ) : Green : 1 x infantry = 3pts.

( L ) : 1 Heavy Rifled Battery = 2pts.

( M ) : 2 x Light Rifled Battery ( 1pt ) = 2pts.

( K ) : Bayards Cavalry Brigade = 3pts.

Confederate Forces

Jackson= 15000 = 15pts x 3 = 45pts.

A. P. Hill = 10,000 = 10pts x 3 = 30pts.

( 8 ) :  C-in-C :  Stonewall Jackson = 2pts.

Ewell,s Division.

( 1 ) : Richard Ewell = 1pt.

( 2 ) : Trimble :  2 x infantry ( 2pts ) = 4pts.

( 3 ) : Forno :  2 x infantry ( 2pts ) = 4pts.

( 5 ) : Early  : 1 x infantry = 3pts. 1 x infantry = 2pts. = 5pts.

( 4 ) : 3 x Heavy Smoothbore Batteries (2pts) =6pts.

Winder,s Division.

( 6 ) : Charles Winder ( 1pt ).

( 7 ) : Ronald ( stonewall ) 2 x infantry ( 3pts ) = 6pts.

( 9 ) : 3 Heavy Smoothbore Batteries ( 2pts) = 6pts.

( 10 ) : Taliaferro: 2 x infantry ( 2pts ) = 4pts.

( 11 ) : Garnet : 3 x infantry ( 2pts ) = 6 pts.

Hill,s Division.

( 17 ) Ambrose Powell Hill ( 1pt ).

( 12 ) Thomas : 2 x infantry ( 2pts ) = 4pts. 1 x infantry 3pts. = 7pts.

( 13 ) Branch : 2 x infantry ( 3pts ) = 6pts.

( 14 ) Pender : 2 x infantry ( 3pts )= 6 pts.

( 15 ) Archer : 1 x infantry ( 2pts ).  2 x infantry ( 3pts ) = 8pts.

( 16 ) 2 x Light Smoothbore Batteries ( 1pt ) = 2pts.

NOTES.

■ Only the Divisional Commanders are represented in the battle, but
I have listed the Brigade Commanders should you want to do your
own recreation.

■  The Union Army moves first on every Game-Turn.

■ The Union Army gets the initiative point on every Game -Turn.

■ Ceder Creek can be forded.

■ General Winder.
If a field gun in an adjacent square to General Winder is removed as
a casualty, General Winder himself is also removed.

After a one Game-Turn gap, the General himself is restored as
General Taliaferro ( pronounced Toliver ).
General Winder was mortally wounded sighting the guns.

A.P. Hill,s Division.

No stand of A.P. Hill,s Division can be moved until a stand of Union troops
enters the wood on the South side of the Wheatfield ( marked with an " x " ).

Special movement.

The 2pt infantry are Line infantry. They can move in any direction but
cannot be diced for " avoidance".

Light Field Guns of 1pt can move as Horse Artillery.

Army Equipment.

All muskets are rifled = 3 squares range.

Rifled Cannon = 6 squares range.

Confederate Cannon are minus 1 when firing. ( poor ammiunition.)

Victory Conditions.

《1》The Confederates must remove 5 stands of Union troops by
the end of Game-Turn 8.

《2》The Union must get 2 infantry stands into the woods ( even
If they get removed ) and must not loose more than 4 stands by
the end of the 8th  Game-Turn. ( not including Generals ).

《3》The Confederates win if the Union army leaves the field
before the end of the 8th Game-Turn.

Well, as before this is my take on the battle based on my own perceptions. Myself and my Wife Joyce have played this twice and I have solo gamed it once. The Confederates can win but they do suffer!

On the day of battle it was extremely hot and the Cofederates suffered from the heat.

 There was also great confusion with the orders as General Jackson didn't let his Divisional Commanders know what he intended.

 General Hill got very angry with Jackson. His Division was further back to the left of the road, but I've represented his Division on table with conditions, as his Division came into the battle piecemeal.

On the Union side, Banks was still smarting from previous defeats. He was ordered to take up a defensive position.

However he was itching to redeem himself and ordered an attack not realising he was outnumbered 3-to-1!!.

I used dismounted cavalry markers for the 2pt infantry stands.

I used 15mm figures and those shown are from Miniature Figurines, Peter Pig and Essex.
The flags are by Peter Pig as are the buildings.

The hills were made by Brian at Essex.
The trees are by various manufacturers.
The outline bases for the wooded areas are by S and A Scenics.

The rivers, road and fields were made from thin cardboard.

The snake fencing is ready painted in 10mm and from
Northumbria Painting Service and MBM Scenery.

This is how the battle was set up on a 3 feet x 2 feet ( 90cm x 60cm ) table
with 2 inch ( 50mm ) squares.

A map of the battlefield;

The Great Northern War Part 3 : Narva 20th November 1700

The forces I used were scaled down as follows;

Swedish Army : 11,000 = 11 points.

(11 points x 3= 33 points).

General Rehnskiold ( C-in-C )

2 stands of Cavalry

@ 3 pts= 6 points.

 3 stands of Line Infantry

@ 2 pts= 6 points.

 1 stand of Grenadier Inf

@ 3 pts= 3 points.

 1 General=2 points.

General Vellingk:

2 stands of Cavalry

@ 3pts= 6 points.

3 stands of Line Infantry

@ 2 pts= 6 points.

1 stand of Grenadier Inf

@3 pts= 3 points.

1 General @ 1 point.

The Russian Army : 20,000 = 20 points.

( 20 points x 3= 60pts ).

General Duke Charles Eugene De Croy  C-in-C.

General Sjeremetiev.

 3  stands of Cavalry

@ 3pts= 9 points ( dismounted)

 3 stands of Grenadier Infantry

@ 3 pts= 9 points.                                         

14 stands Line Infantry

@ 2 pts= 28 points.

  6 stands of Militia Inf

@ 1 pt = 6 points.

 3 stands of Cossack Cav

@2 pts = 6pts.                   

 2 Generals @ 1pt= 2pts.

NOTE:  The Swedes get the initiative on every Game-turn.

●  The Swedish garrison did not play any part in the battle.

●  The artillery of both sides did not play any part in the actual battle.

●  The Russian army totalled 45,000 men, but only 20,000 faced the Swedish army.

●  The Russian defenseworks were given as 2 metres ( 6 feet 6 inches ) in height.

●  The  Swedes managed to break through in two places, hence the gaps. Therefore stands of both sides cannot move over the defense works or engage in close combat.
   

●  Opposed stands can fire across the defenseworks at each other.

●  Stands cannot add points for " support " if there is a defense work section between friendly stands.

●  If any Russian stands suffer a " move-back" as a result of Firing or Combat, those stands are    moved toward either the camp or the bridge depending on their position and facing. Any stands that cannot be " moved back" are removed as casualties.

●  At the end of any Ģame-turn should the Russians have two stands on the bridge, a 6 sided die is thrown.   If a " 1" is thrown, the bridge collapses and any stands on it are lost.

Map of the Battle of Narva based on a 2" ( 50mm ) grid.

The " Snowstorm" at Narva.

The Swedes attacked as the storm blew toward the Russian position. Thìs is a procedure devised in an attempt to simulate the event.

GAME-TURN 1:     The Snowstorm is moved forward to the next square as shown in the  photo below. The Swedish stands are moved first.

 
 If the Swedish stands are moved beyond the " Storm" they  can  be shot at by the Russians.
 
If any Russian stands are moved there are only two options.

     A:  Turned on the spot.
     B:  They are moved toward the bridge WITH BACKS TO THE ENEMY. 

GAME-TURN 2:    The Snowstorm is moved forward to the 2nd position. The Swedish stands are moved forward.

If any Swedish stands are moved beyond the storm they can be shot at by the Russians.

The Russian movement is either on the spot or toward the bridge.



AT THE END OF  THE 2ND GAME-TURN:

The Swedish player throws a 6 sided die. If a 1or 2 is  scored the storm lifts. The Swedes become visible to the Russians.
                                                         
GAME-TURN 3:  The Storm is moved forward to the 3rd position shown on the map. The Swedish player moves their stands. The Russian stands can be turned on the spot or toward the bridge.

AT THE END OF GAME-TURN 3:   The Storm is lifted!.

GAME-TURNS 4 TO 8 :  These are now played as normal, however even in Solo play the Swedish army moves first on every turn.

THE WINNER.

At the end of the 8th Game-Turn : This will be the player who has lost the lower number of stands.

This photo shows the starting position of the respective armies;

                       
                             
In the actual battle the Swedes charged into the Russian positions under cover of the storm even managing to move some cheveu-de-frise out of the way.

The Swedes needed to win. The small Swedish garrison in Narva was close to exhaustion. The Swedes in the attacking force had left their greatcoats and packs at their camp. The cannon were not used by the Swedes so as not to slow the attack.

The Russians didn't fire their cannon because they could not see the Swedes advancing.

The Russian high command did not expect the outnumbered Swedes to attack!.

Toward the end of the battle a large number of Russians ran for the bridge. There were so many Russian soldiers on the bridge, it collapsed and many drowned in the
icey waters. 

Well, this is my take on the battle. Because this is a 3 foot x 2 foot table ( 90cm x 60cm) I only put in stuff that actually affected the situation.

Credits:   As explained in the previous blog the figures are a mix of Peter Pig and Miniature Figurines. The scenery is from the following souces:

The defense works are homemade using cardboard and cold-cure clay.

I  painted them white then painted over with Tamiya snow-effect paste.

The trees, I got from Amazon. I glued them to to 40mm square cardboard. I mixed up some white acrylic paint and some PVA glue with water so it's nice and runny. I then brushed the mixture onto the tree.

While the mixture was wet my Wife Joyce helped me in sprinkling on the snow dust. I got a " snow kit " from: www.scenics.com.

The " snowstorm" is white card. The bases I got from: boardgameextras.co.uk

The tents of the Russian camp are resin and from the Peter Pig scenic range which I painted white and with snow scenic material added.

Finally, the field is overlapping  thin white card sheets with grey squares painted on.  The river is thin blue card. It doesn't look as picturesque as custom made river sections but it makes it easier forming sections for different battles.

I have played this game solo and with my Wife Joyce. In both instances the Swedes won. However if the storm of snow clears early, the Swedes could face a storm of lead instead!!.