Battle of Matthews Hill : Bull Run 1861 : ACW

For probably the last battle of 2019 we return to the ACW, a small scenario I found on the internet https://www.talesfromawargameshed.com/acw.html covering the morning of the 21 July 1861. The Union Forces are looking to outflank the Rebels along the line of the Sudley - Manassas Road. The confederates have a small Demi-Brigade under Colonel Evans who has taken up a defensive position on Buck Hill just to the North of the Warrenton Turnpike cross roads close to a well built stone House. Obviously I have adapted the scales and squeezed as much as I can in.

For the Union Forces Burnsides’ Brigade is in the lead New Hampshire and Rhode Island Infantry, all the rest of the Union force under Colonel Porter must enter along the Sudley Road but can then fan out as ordered. Their objective is to take Buck Hill and if possible the cross roads to open up the flank of the rebel forces further south on Henry Hill. Evans small force is holding Buck Hill and has called for reinforcements these will arrive at the cross roads determined by a dice roll so nothing is guaranteed !

The confederate holding force on Buck Hill, Evans seems preoccupied looking over his shoulder ? Where are the reinforcements he requested !

The Union troops are in a hurry to sweep the rebels aside, full of naive innocence they rush down the hill

The first unit is met by a tremendous volley and sent scuttling back up the hill

Evans’ men move down to the fence and give a cheer when the first support unit 2nd Mississippi Volunteer regiment runs up the road behind them

By the book ! Burnside starts to deploy and set s up his artillery on the crest of Matthews Hill

A shot from the side showing the steepness of Matthews Hill

.....but it is taking too long to deploy and due to good dice the Confederates are building a stronger and stronger force on Buck Hill

Just one of those period shots 🙂

A small unit of US Cavalry is sent left to try and turn the rebel flank 

But another reserve unit is on the Warrenton Turnpike

The Union Forces are back in good order and looking good at this stage, holding in the centre they are in danger of outflanking on left and right making the defence on Buck Hill useless !

Training, training, training that is what makes good artillery and the Union Forces have had none, they would be lucky to hit the stone house let alone the rebels !

It just requires one strong push through the centre .......

This picture tells a sorry tale, whilst in the distance on their right flank the Union troops are pushing through, they have had two Regiments wipes out in the centre one by devastating grape shot as it advanced across the wheat field in the centre.

Union cavalry now dismounted but all they can really do is harass the enemy flank

A final throw of the dice to break through the New York Zouaves advance down the road

Due to a miscommunicated order they are charged and a desperate hand to hand combat ensures on the road

Union Forces have rallied on the right but are seriously depleted, the confederates on the other hand are still holding a strong defensive position on the hill, the Union right and centre are in rout.

A very fun game, thought it would be easy for the Federals but poor rolling and a lack of speed allowed the rebels to build a strong defence. Their artillery was particularly poor so needs intensive training. Clearly this makes a mess of history with no final decisive battle on Henry Hill. I wonder what Jacksons' nick name would have been perhaps Thomas Jack Rabbit Jackson as he chased the Federals off the field and I guess he would command the Jack Rabbit Brigade ? Oh dear thanks for reading 🙂 and your support in 2019.

Not the last post of 2019 ! Probably......

Well probably not most of the festivities over, as my kids are mainly self sufficient now I have managed to get a bit of painting done that is when we weren’t watching Star Wars films.

 A German 8Rad in the usual early war colours (have had this for ages lucky as I nearly bought a second one by mistake !)

My next SYW Austrian Cuirassier Regiment

Good King Wenceslaus I : A Christmas Adventure

For our last battle before Christmas I chose something with a festive theme. It is the year 934 AD Wenceslaus the Good (also known as Vaclav in his day) has headed out on Christmas Eve to distribute presents and gifts to the local population. Unbeknownst to him his brothers have hatched a plot to depose him. The main protagonist in this evil plot is his brother Boleshaw (Boleslav) who would go down in history as Boleshaw the Cruel !

Returning to his castle keep Wenceslaus and his retinue are ambushed by Boleshaw who has hired a ragtag force of bohemian tribesmen and mercenaries. Wenceslaus must get back to his keep avoiding any distractions on the way !

A view of the village of Stara with the Keep in the foreground

Boleslav, ambushing from the woods

Full of Christmas cheer some of Wenceslaus’ armoured infantry

The Duke himself Wenceslaus, the alarm has been raised and he sends his retinue in all directions

Mercenary tribesmen rush forward intent on mischief even though it is Christmas Eve !

Bohemian light cavalry harry the flanks

Boleslav the Cruel has hired a local lass to distract anybody coming through the village (we had some special rules for her where she would reduce leadership or cause units to be pinned)

The light cavalry have been sent to cut off the route to the Keep

Would you believe Wenceslaus has been waylaid in the village, his wife looking on from the keep doesn’t look very happy !

Boleslav charges in to kill the Duke’s bodyguard

He then gallops towards the Duke to minister the killing blow

But the rebels are too late to stop the first unit of heavy cavalry make it back to safety

and then a second unit makes it home......Wenceslaus is now making a dash for safety

In the end Boleslav earned a minor victory, killing one more unit than escaped, but Wenceslaus made it home safe, unfortunately meeting his wife under the Christmas tree she doesn’t seem to happy and has a few questions about why he is late home !

Also managed to finish off a couple more bits

Another unit of Austrian infantry 

Diminutive 10mm from Pendraken

And some Gondorian  knights who had languished half painted almost since the third age ! But now they are done

If you have made it this far thanks for taking the time to read. I would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas, hopefully Santa will be kind and you get a few more figures. Roll on 2020 😀

Some more painting before🎄

Managing to keep up some productivity on the painting front.

Some dark age Celtic types, but I have left them as generic as possible so they could double up as any Celtic/Galatian Hill tribes I am sure some Greek hill tribes would have looked like this as well ?

Another Persian general (Foundry figure)

A solitary Greek/Macedonian Officer ( and I have noticed I haven’t put any tufts on the last two bases so I will sort that this evening)

A week to go so a couple more bits to get done before Christmas 🎅🏽

Battle for the Thymbris Plain : Blood in the Sand

Once more into the depths of history and a border conflict to the East of the known world. A time when land and expansion are on the minds of many of the ancient kingdoms rulers and tyrants. Reports have found there way back to King Nannacus II of Phrygia that his western borders have been raided by a force from Mysia. The enmity between the two kingdoms has existed for some time when the offer of marriage between the Kings sister had been rejected. Moving through the mountains this invasion is clearly intent on reaching the productive heartland of Phrygia so a sizeable force has been sent to meet the Mysians. Having manoeuvred for two days the armies have now faced off across the flat valley of the Thymbris River. There will be no subtly today both forces are intent on destroying the enemy and holding the ground for themselves.

The battlefield at dawn, although cut by the River Thymbris this will only slow any movement and is crossable it’s entire length

The Phrygian right flank a strong contingency of calm and horse archers

In their centre units of bowmen with large wicker shields two forest elephants and a single chariot

The Mysian left wing is predominantly infantry

The Phrygian line advances

....using its superiority in ranged weapons to weaken the Mysians

The Mysians are also advancing to try and get into combat

Inevitably the elephants from both sides start to push ahead

and are no close to clashing between the two armies

No one is sure if the blocks of infantry will be able to withstand the charge

Over the river Median spearmen are charging down the small incline

The chariot crashes home as well...

some time has elapsed here and the Phrygians are turning the Mysian left flank

The last elephant of the battlefield attempt to crush another unit

Mysian heavy cavalry has started to turn the Phrygian left flank and suddenly a lot of space has opened up

At this point the battle was drawing to a close the Phrygians have clearly dominated the right flank but have lost the left.

Our victory conditions were based on unit s which managed to get beyond half way, this proved to be the Mysians who when we added up had also lost slightly fewer units so a minor victory was awarded to the invading Mysians.

A trophy was duly set up on the battlefield by the Mysian General who also captured the two Royal princesses as part of the Phrygian camp. Clearly a rescue will be required and it is a long way home.

A fun game played over about 5 hours, we used slightly modified kings of war but added some complexity using bolt action dice for command, but not giving either side enough so difficult decisions needed to be made through out on where to focus effort. It worked pretty well but needed a little modification.

As I had them out I to9 a few photos 

The recently painted Phrygian/ Persian royal family

My current Persian army

A side shot of the Persians, I have plenty more to paint some skirmishers and immortals to start with

and a chance to put all my elephants in a line 😀 if nothing else it shows the size variations isn’t to bad all five were fighting in the battle.