For the first time in about 3 decades I got onto my hands and knees and played out a skirmish wargame with my Britains American Civil War 1/32nd scale soldiers on a 76" x 56" carpet, just about the ideal size for this kind of battle.
I wanted to try out a set of quick and easy wargame rules by John Lambshead titled, One Hour Skirmish Wargames, which are appealingly playful, with all decisions about battles and morale being resolved by playing cards rather than dice rolls.
I didn’t use any of the special rules. The only change I made to the rules was to increase the cavalry movement from 8" per turn to 12," or twice the distance of infantry.
The Forces
Unionists (attacking)
- 16 infantry (muskets)
- 6 cavalry (swords)
- 1 heavy cannon
Confederates (defending)
- 12 infantry (muskets)
- 1 medium cannon
Photo 1
The Confederates are defending a one-story building with 12 infantry, three of whom man a medium cannon that is ready to fire. Four infantry and one officer are inside the building, which provides them with hard cover. Three infantry on the right are hidden behind some trees that provide soft cover.
The Unionists are arriving on the edge of the battlefield. They need to bring on their cannon and get it into action before the Confederate cannon can do too much damage. On the Unionist left, their cavalry will attempt to charge forward and around the trees to take out the Confederate cannon from the flank.
At the beginning of the skirmish, only the Confederate cannon has the range to open fire. The musket carrying infantry have an effective range of 18"
Photo 2
Fire! The Confederate cannon opens up on the Unionist cannon as its crew attempt to bring it into action. The crew dive for cover. Meanwhile, the Confederate infantry on the left break cover to engage the approaching Unionist cavalry.
Photo 3
The Unionist commander leads the charge against the Confederate infantry.
Photo 4
The Unionist gun crew recover and are able to put in some counter-battery fire which sends the Confederate gun crew diving for cover.
Meanwhile, the Confederate infantry manage to hit one of the leading Unionist cavalrymen.
Photo 5
In go the rest of the Unionist cavalry, but alas, it looks as if the C.O. has been hit! Eventually, though, the cavalry overcame the brave rebel footsoldiers and prepared to flank the cannon, giving the Unionist gunners an opportunity to play their gun on the rebels in the building.
Photo 6
The operations table with all the essential kit. The Unionist side has the higher score according to the card draw for one encounter, but they have lost half their Cavalry.
Photo 7
With the Confederate cannon out of action, the Unionist heavy cannon begins to fire on the troops inside the building. They decide to evacuate and take cover behind the building, where at least they might be able to help get their cannon back into action…
Meanwhile, the Confederate flagbearer continues to defy the remnants of the Unionist cavalry.
And finally, the Unionist infantry begin to advance in force!
The Confederate infantry withdraw from the field…
Photo 8
One Hour Skirmish Wargames by John Lambshead
Conclusion
The rules proved to be easy to play and the outcome of the skirmish seemed unclear until very close to the end. In the early phase of the game it looked as if the Confederate cannon would eat up all of the Unionist infantry as they tried desperately to get their heavy gun firing and keep it in action. However, the Union troops were able to get their cannon firing and successfully suppressed the Confederate cannonfire.
Meanwhile, on the flank, the Unionist cavalry eventually overcame a stubborn defence by the Confederate infantry, but at a heavy cost of half their men killed, and one third unhorsed or otherwise out of action.
As the Unionist infantry began to advance unmolested, with the heavy cannon providing supporting fire, the surviving rebels who were not pinned down retreated from the field, leaving the gun crew on the deck and the lone flagbearer brandishing his revolver in futile defiance at the Unionist cavalry, crying the Rebel Yell as he did so!
The Unionist infantry replied with a deep “Hurrah!”
And so my entertaining, if knee-aching, evening of beer, toy soldiers, and “little war” came to a satisfactory conclusion.
Cheers!
David Hurley
#InspiredFocus