BattleCry: Seminary Ridge, July 1st, 1863

Brian was over this afternoon for a game of BattleCry.  (Ken was supposed to come over - but I realized i never gave him the time....)  We played my Seminary Ridge scenario, taken from the Enduring Valor Johnny Reb Scenario book.  The resulting clash was great fun and was, in my humble opinion, tactically challenging, and the cards made it more of a nail biter.

Seminary Ridge Battle Positions

We started out with historical units straight from the Enduring Valor scenario.  You'll note the regiments are labeled, as are the commanders.  No fudging here!

BG Solomon Meredith and his Iron Brigade - we had special rules for the Iron Brigade to represent they had been in constant combat since the late morning.  Note the 24th Michigan

12th South Carolina wait for the start of the attack - Seminary Ridge is in front of them!

Pender's Division - Center Section 

NY Artillery!

143rd Pennsylvania on the far right

Brian's plan is to assault the far Union left where Biddle's Brigade is posted.  The Iron Brigade digs in and places 3 fieldworks in their wooded, hilltop positions!  A tough nut to crack in the Union Center.  Add to that the weight of firepower with the Union Artillery anchoring the far right objective near the Cashtown Road draw, and Brian's plan is to roll up the Union left.

Lots of movement in the Confederate rear as Brian moves units from the center, including an artillery battery, to reinforce the rebel right.  Biddle's Brigade is going to be in trouble!  Meanwhile, Union Artillery is pounding the Confederate left astride the Cashtown Road.

Biddle and the Excelsior Troops withstand a withering fire.  Biddle has survived multiple attempts on his life now and while he's having his regiment shot out from under him, he remains unscathed.

Brian's assault against the Union left gathering strength!  Some good Yankee shooting forces a regiment back, but the boys rally and come forward again.  Brian plays a reinforcement card and rolls up a fresh artillery battery!  Just what the doctor ordered to assault those people on Seminary Ridge!

Brian sends in an assault and pushes back some of the Pennsylvania troops holding the far left of the ridgeline.

Meanwhile the rest of Perrin's Division is forming in the Wheatfield, preparing to assault Seminary Ridge.  The Artillery deploys amidst all of the constant stream of shot from the hill.  The Rebs are pulling it off!

Brian continues to develop the attack.  I immediately use my "right flank" cards to move a single Pennsylvania Regiment across the Cashtown Road in order to reinforce the center or the left.  Brian's attack against Biddle's Brigade is working and whittling them down.  I'm starting to think about pushing the Iron Brigade over to the left, out of their fighting positions.  Meanwhile, one Regiment after another starts to go down and I keep funneling the remainder of Biddle's Brigade into the breach in the line.  It's important to note that there is a geographical objective right behind Biddle's position.  Brian needs to capture it, and take out 4 Union units.  He's well on his way!

Biddle has ANOTHER Regiment shot out from under him!  But somehow doesn't die.  He even survives a fusilade of confederate fire and still is able to escape

 With the destruction of a Pennsylvania Regiment who skedadle back into Gettysburg, Brian clenches the game with a score of 5-1!  The Rebels have captured Seminary Ridge!

The Butcher's Bill

Note an Iron Brigade unit slowly making its way westward, towards the breakthrough.  The Union position is untenable and they would retreat into Gettysburg, just as they did historically.

Thoughts

This was a very fun game and Brian handled the Confederate attack very well, focusing on a single portion of the Union line to pierce, and resisting the temptation to use some of his other cards to cause damage elsewhere.  I really enjoyed the feel of BattleCry at the Regimental level and would have liked to add a bit more Chrome into the game (fences?  Brigade orders?) to make it a bit more ACW-like.  Still though, this was a very fun game and finishing at under an hour and a half, made for a really great scenario I think.

I think the addition of an additional Rebel artillery battery gave the Rebs a good fighting chance.  I also think the Union will need to shuttle units around in order to win.  The fieldworks helped and ensured the Rebels didn't attack the center.  Additionally, the 2 x batteries anchoring the Union right pretty much ensure the Rebels will not attack straight on there.  This was a fun scenario that I'd like to play again.

Speaking of playing the scenario again, I'd like to try this again using Norm's excellent "Two Flags - One Nation" rules since I have the hexes and the troops already set up.

This was a very nice and "lighthearted" game for a Sunday afternoon and the Commands and Colors series of games usually give you a very good weekend game with very plausible results.  Mission accomplished!