Into the Woods AAR: The Sherman-McClernand Counterattack, Scenario 6 — A Playthrough with Simple Rules (SV)

Introduction:

Around noon on April 7, after a beating taken at the hands of the Confederacy all morning, William T. Sherman and John McClernand initiated the first significant Union counteroffensive of the day.  The battle line was irregular and the units were badly mixed, but 13 regiments of 3 divisions advanced and caught the Confederates off guard by the boldness of their move.

This short 2-turn scenario on its own 11”x17” map was played using the newly introduced Simple Version GBACW game rules (SV).  Game system features have been described in previous articles – see Nathan Mueller’s “Simple Great Battles of the American Civil War Overview” blog on the GMT website.  A reminder of the salient points are:

• Streamlined mechanics and play sequence that keeps the focus on the battle, not the rulebook.
• Simple has a single Fire Combat mechanic that covers both ranged fire and close range fighting.  Instead of shock, Charging is substituted as a version of Fire Combat from an adjacent hex, with special modifiers to represent the nature of intense close-in fighting.
• Fire Combat results are based on 1 die roll for each player and consist of variations of Cohesion Checks, Cohesion Hits, and Strength Point (SP) losses.
• Orders are simplified to a brigade assuming Attack “posture” which gives their good-ordered units the flexibility to move and fire (including charging) in the same activation.
• SP losses are tracked by brigade and combat units are selected to rout, typically when their brigade loss total reaches 7 SPs.
• Artillery batteries have been condensed to a single gun type for easier DRM calculations (shown with yellow stickers seen on the counters.  New counters will be provided in the upcoming Simple GBACW 4-pack).

The simple victory conditions award a win with possession of 3 of the 5 VP hexes (shown with the round white chits).

Simple Optional Rules Used are Refused Flanks [SV 12.1], Green Units [SV 12.2], and [Skulking Brigadier [SV 12.31].

The scenario rules result in 2 consecutive McClernand activations to start the action, allowing 7 regiments reorganized under Colonels C. Carroll Marsh and James Veatch comprising Union Group 2 has just enough time to approach and then initiate a line of charges through the woods on their second activation.  Stewart and Johnson’s brigades, both under replacement leaders, are defending in surprise against the onrush.  To the Union right, Sherman’s 4 regiments under McDowell (Union Group 1) advance more cautiously to the edge of Crescent Field where they set up for mid-range fire.

All across the line of charge attacks, a string of low die rolls results in minimal damage to either side – just a couple CSA retreats and a couple of disorders.  One good roll by the Union inflicts 2 SP losses on the 17^th LA which pushes Anderson over 7 SPs, so they rout a unit.  In this action, the Union has possession of 3 of the 5 VP hexes.

McDowell with Group 1 fires at a 2-hex range.  More damage here though, as the 13^th MO takes the brunt of canister (3 SP losses) from the 6 guns of Cobbs battery.

Veatch with the 15^th IL makes a little headway into the CSA line, but a gap has developed between McClernand and McDowell.  Marsh with the 20^th IL makes some headway on a charge into Anderson’s brigade, and the 9^th TX is routed; but the advance on the end of the battle line has put him in an awkward spot. 

Cobb’s battery activates and gets off a close range shot against Marsh, coupled with infantry fire from 2 of Trabue’s infantry regiments (a total DRM of +5 results in a modified die roll of 13)  The 20^th IL passes their additional Cohesion Check, but still ends up with 3 SP loses and Marsh getting killed.  His brigade SP losses are now over 7 and the 45^th IL is chosen for rout, putting Marsh’s brigade down to 2 units left.

Pond’s brigade is activated next and responds with a 2-hex ranged attack across Crescent Field against the Union right.  Trabue follows up with more lead in their direction.  McDowell survives this with only moderate damage, but their position looks precarious.

With more pressure from Anderson, the 20^th IL now with Marsh’s replacement suffers a Head for the Hills retreat; this is the SV rule for when a unit has no legal retreat path and skedaddles to the rear with an additional 2 SP loss.  The CSA seizes a central position on the road.  This is a key attack breaking the Union line and moving forward toward the middle VP hex.  But can Veatch put enough pressure on the CSA right to steal the southern VP?  Not likely, as the momentum of the Union counter attack is winding down and 2 of Trabue’s “Lost Units” have now been freed of their restrictions.  If the CSA can exploit this soft Union center they can split the Union forces and gather up the VP hexes.

At the start of Turn 2 (1pm), Sherman and McDowell reorganize a better line and narrow the gap between McDowell and McClernand.

Anderson’s 2 regiments are disordered, so they cannot advance an attack down the farm lane.  They spend 2 activations rallying, and are now stuck in place for the rest of the turn.

Veatch presses the attack on the far Union left.  The 43^rd IL takes a hit in disordered state pushing Veatch over the rout threshold, and the 43^rd IL goes off.  2 strong units are left for Veatch, but they are well off on the wing.

Johnson’s (repl) intact regiments move into the center and put Marsh’s (repl) 2 remaining units under pressure.  The charge attacks against the 20^th IL and 11^th IA result in carnage with 4 SP losses.  The 15^th TN in the Union response takes 2 SP losses and the Volunteers are routed off.  But the successful charge and advance by Blythe’s MS seals off any Union path to the middle VP hex.  Only McDowell is left with any strength to do anything about it; but he has Pond and Trabue to deal with. 

Just as the Union looks beaten, the unassigned 15^th IA and 46^th IA of the 6^th division come charging into the fray.  (The setup is perfect, as the 16^th Iowa is exactly 2 Activations of movement to get into a charge position at the 3330 VP hex).  The 15th IA gets pushed back but the 16th IA succeeds in charging Trabue’s 4^th AL and Crew’s regiments out of the hex and advancing in to occupy the critical VP hex.

2 AMs left and they are both for Trabue.  Will history repeat itself or can the Iowa boys hang on?  The16th IA is only 1 Cohesion Hit away from being driven out for the CSA victory.  They are pretty well surrounded by rebels, but Trabue has to maneuver around Anderson to get the fight on.

The Iowans, as brave as they have been, are now defending the VP hex in a disordered state with a Cohesion of 3.   On comes Trabue leading a 2-regiment, 14 SP charge into their right flank with muskets for a +5 DRM.  It’s a bloody affair on both sides, with 16^th IA taking a 4 SP loss and a Heads for the Hills retreat.  Trabue’s 31^st AL is hit hard and their failed Cohesion Check forces a retreat, but the disordered 5^th KY with its higher cohesion holds steady and advances into the VP hex for the Confederate victory.

Not counting the at-start unit eliminations, the Routed unit count is 4 for the CSA and 3 for the Union.

SP Loss totals:

CSA = 28             USA = 34

Final Comments on the Scenario:

A set piece fight, this is a straight forward advance with head to head fighting.  There’s some shifting of regiments for optimal command distances, protecting flanks, and squeezing through gaps in different formations, but not a lot of grand maneuvering options.

The scenario develops according to the success of the initial Union advance.  If they can manage to take the center VP hex, then it’s the challenge to hold it for through the next turn when the CSA responds with reinforcements.  It’s reminiscent of the Battle of Cedar Mountain in miniature.

Trabue advanced with fresh troops at the end which tipped the balance in the Confederates favor, similar to how the historical event played out.  The random activation chances of the “Lost Units” add some exciting flavor to a key component of the battle.  They ended up being a key to the CSA success in the end.

The Union was having a tough time as their attack lost momentum, but then the 1 pm turn Iowa reinforcements added a bit of spice to the mix and provided for an unexpected end game.

With the disjointed command structure and the relatively few brigades activating separately each time, a key aspect of the scenario is maneuvering; specifically positioning the brigades in order to allow through movement by others in different formations.  This was a critical consideration at the end of the scenario when units were fighting for the deciding VP hex.

The ever-present woods are of course an obstacle as well to movement around the map, especially when in Attack Posture.  It’s beneficial that the MP allowance rounds up for those units to be effective.

Check out Bill Byrne’s “Go in Where the Fight is the Thickest”: The Sherman-McClernand Counterattack — A Narrative AAR for Into the Woods, Scenario 6 for another description of this scenario using the Standard GBACW rules if you want a feel for how the rule sets are different.

For game strategy, perhaps a more gradual and continuously lined approach by the Union would have fared better; but as the weaker force, they need to push hard with the surprise advantages rather than allow a slow attrition type of fight where the CSA can gradually push the Union back and accomplish their VP hex gains.  It did end up being closer than it was shaping up to be and provided plenty of excitement down to the last activation.

---