LUNDY'S LANE, 1866: A CHOCOLATE BOX WARS BATTLE

 

A close up shot of Mark's British Intervention Force figures ready for action. 

Greetings, dear readers.  For those who have not yet grown tired of the topic, I have yet another report on a Chocolate Box Wars game.  This one was the second of a pair, following on the "match" game between Mark's Union army and my Russian RTW army in the last report.  This time I went to Mark's place and he hosted. Rather than a pure tournament style game, though, it would be a scenario.  Mark's focus is on the "New World." Among his "other" collections, he has an excellent 28mm War of 1812 collection.  Thus, in CBW he has put together a U.S. (Union) force and a "British Intervention" force. As usual, in this report, you may clix pix for BIG PIX (and I would recommend doing so to see Mark's excellent figures).

Above Left, the US (Union) army ready to be deployed. This would be its second time out after its victorious debut against my Russians in the last game.  Above Right, Mark's British Intervention Force, waiting to be deployed. 

Several special units among the British Force: (Above  Left) a contingent of Confederates equipped with advanced weapons (AW). Above Right, the "Ladies from Hell"--Highlanders-- would be the British elite line infantry (Morale A). 

The battlefield: Mark set up his War of 1812 Battle of Lundy's Lane terrain. We would use the deployment scheme in CBW from this point onwards. 

I should mention a word about terrain, specifically elevation, in CBW. Hills are treated as templates. Units uphill get "cover" from units firing from lower elevation.  To avoid complications, units are either completely on a hill (C), partially on a hill (B), or completely on zero elevation (A).  These are progressive. So a unit on elevations B and C would get cover benefit if fired on from a unit on elevation A. A unit on elevation C would get cover benefit if fired on from a unit on elevation B (think of the border of the hill template as a contour line). This major hill was the center of much action, and this simple but incremental terrain model was proofed and added much to the feel of the game. This hill position was a major challenge (as you will see). The buildings were for show (we moved them out of the way as needed)--the town templates themselves were the fixed terrain that mattered. 

Mark would take his British Interventionists, setting them up for their first battle. 

Above Left: I would take and set up the U.S. Union. Above Right: A long shot of the British Deployment. 

The disks behind the unit are Activation Point (AP) markers, ones that have been assigned to units at the start of the turn. There are others in the Command Pool that are issued from the HQs (which can go to any unit). At the start of every turn, every unit must be assigned one AP, ensuring that all units will be able to act every turn. Multiple APs allow more activations. If assigned to units, they are only for that unit. If in the command pool, they can be allocated to any unit (with varying effectiveness if too far from the HQ). 

The US/Union Deployment. The Iron Brigade served as the Elite Line Unit for the US. Rather than having an Advanced Weapon unit, the US had a Veteran Infantry unit (Morale B) in the Zouves. The cavalry on both sides was light, and I deployed mine as Squadrons rather than a single regiment. I also deployed my light infantry Battalion as Companies one on each wing. My intent was to weight my right in order to take the hill with 4 line battalions while holding the rest of the line with the Iron Brigade and Zouves--the idea being that given their quality, these troops would be able to hold off the British right wing until the attack went in. My artillery I would get onto the only high ground available to me and use it to support the operation with long range fires from there. So much for plans... 

Mark's British Deployment. His cavalry was also deployed by squadron, opposing mine. He split his light infantry companies, as I did, assigning one to each wing. He had two battalions plus his artillery poised to take up a strong position on the hill, with units within supporting distance available. This was going to be a fight!

Oh, perhaps the most important accessory on the table, the "Dice Gulag" was ready to receive under-performing randomizers. 

 Above Left, Mark had the high dice on the initiative roll, and so opened the ball, taking the "Active" side first. Above Right, first contact (and blood) went to my US light infantry on the right wing, hitting its counterpart for two hits. The AP markers had an "X" on their reverse. When spent, you flipped them over. In the above, you can see that my light infantry had two spent AP markers at that point, meaning that it had activated twice. The red cross markers are hits. Infantry stands take four hits to eliminate, artillery and light cavalry three. 

An overview of the initial phase of the action as the armies move towards one another. It was clear that Mark was going to make a stand on the hill, spotting his very dangerous Advanced Weapon infantry and his artillery there. 

A detail of the early action on the U.S. right (the main effort).  I made the mistake of deploying the center line battalion in line, which forced me to veer the left and right battalions away in order to advance. Not a major disaster, but a lesson learned in the management of larger formations. Mark's light infantry have occupied the town and dished out two hits to my light infantry, evening the score there. Mark, seeing me coming out on the wing, swings out his infantry battalion to cover the flank approach. Meanwhile, the left battalion of the main effort, suffering the long range (deadly) fire of the advanced weapons infantry and the artillery on the hill has lost a stand and been reduced having barely crossed the start line!

A detail of the early action from behind the US left/center. The Zouves have deployed and the Iron Brigade is making its way forward. The light company has faced off against the British light company, which has occupied the town. The artillery and the Zouves have inflicted hits on the lead British battalion, which Mark has pulled back to get out of the line of fire with the intent to later rally off the hits.

A detail of the left end of the US line. The cavalry squadrons would face off here and neutralize each other. My major concern here was to use my cavalry in a defensive, counter maneuvering fashion to protect my artillery. My light infantry company was also deployed with the intent of covering my artillery from any action coming from the town. There would be some minor cavalry skirmishing out here, and eventually my light infantry company would roll a stupid good result and take out the British infantry company in the town (which I would then occupy)...but that was late in the game. 

Speaking of dice, in this game, my dice rolling was insanely streaky. I would either roll a pack of 1s and 2s, or all 10s, 11s, and 12s (the game uses 12 sided dice).  Mark wisely limited the number of dice available to me, so rather than overflowing the Dice Gulag, I consigned my dice there for various "time outs" and then brought them back when I needed them. Mark, on the other hand, had incredibly bad luck with his rally rolls, although he was still adept at doing just enough at times to bring units back before they lost a stand. 

The Battle intensifies.  My main effort claws its way up the hill. I put three hits on the British battalion covering the British left, which Mark manages to get back on a "Retire and Reform" action, saving it (and keeping me from inflicting a fourth hit that would have killed a stand and reduced it). I keep on putting hits on the artillery, never killing it, but degrading its fire and forcing Mark to spend APs to rally it rather than fire.  Meanwhile, given the hammering that the left hand battalion in the attack had taken I have had to push another line battalion up, the one that was in the line to the right of the Iron Brigade, to continue the advance. Mark counters by swinging a battalion into a position on the flank of the artillery, delivering heavy supporting fire against my attack. Another of my attacking battalions is reduced. My center battalion on the hill has just managed to get into the cover on the hill (the cemetary), but it has three hits and is one away from being reduced! Mark has rallied off the hits on the battalion on his right, which is ready to come back into the line. My light company has managed to clear out the British light company from the town on the edge of the hill. The Crisis of the battle has arrived!  

Looking at the situation at that point from behind the British Right. Ignoring the incoming fire from the British line, which is inflicting hits on the Iron Brigade, my left wing infantry (Iron Brigade and Zouves) plus my artillery, all deliver desperate long range fire against the British battalion that is positioned to sweep my attacking units in front of the hill. They don't kill a stand, but they put multiple hits on it, degrading its ability to operate and reducing its fire effectiveness. Will I be able to continue this suppression, and will this be enough and sufficient to cover my advance? 

Meanwhile, back out on the right and on the hill, I manage to rally off the hits on my center battalion and push the reduced battalions up. With the expenditure of multiple APs to move, I manage to get my right wing battalion up onto the hill and flanking the Confederate Advanced Weapon battalion. My light infantry take the town. One of my reduced battalions on the hill is one hit from being eliminated. You will notice that all of the AP markers are "X" side up--this was a maximum effort maneuver. I have no more actions left, and the next turn would determine the results. (I'll also mention here that when I did then shoot, I rolled something like 12 to 15 dice without getting a hit: that streaky thing). So we rolled into another turn...

...and we then reset the turn again (Note the AP markers with no "X"s showing). Mark got the initiative, and was the active player...and then, a terrible noise erupted from behind the British line: the skirl of the pipes! The Highlanders, that Mark had positioned so well, were going into action!

They smartly swung to the left and headed straight for the Union infantry that I had so laboriously maneuvered on the flank... 

...and with two crashing volleys (a "move and fire" and a "fire") put four hits on them, taking them from a full strength battalion that was on the on the verge of sweeping all before them to a reduced battalion of one stand! 

The dead pile was now tipping against the U.S...what a scrap!

With a combination of key reactions during Mark's active phase, and surviving the punches delivered during the rest of the British initial activation, I switched to the active player myself, and had husbanded enough APs to still have some unit APs and a enough in the command pool to provide flexibility. And my dice got streaky hot again at just the right time. The fire from my reduced battalion and the full battalion in line on the hill, plus the light company, managed to take out the pesky Confederate Advanced Weapon battalion, unhinging the Brit position on the hill at last (although the Highlanders were still in a good position holding the new end of the British line).

But with the Iron Brigade and Zouves now deployed for maximum effect in line, I was able to advance and do multiple activations (the veteran and elite ratings make these more likely) and deliver a few good shots to take down the reduced British battalion that had been supporting the artillery, as well as the other British battalion that had been holding the right end of the British line. It was not without cost, however, as another of the U.S. infantry battalions on the hill had gotten wiped out. Nevertheless, this broke the back of the British force and the day went to the U.S.: Mark's Union force has (once again) come out on top.  

My convivial host, Mark. I certainly can't say that I "outplayed" him. This was a good fight that just happened to go my way this time around.  The lessons learned from this game are similar to the last: I mentioned having to be "bloody minded" to operate in this system (apropos of the era), and so it proved in this game. Mark made superb use of the elevation increments as I was being beaten about the head and shoulders as I clawed my way upwards on the hill position. I had learned from the last game and allocated more units to the main effort, but it turned out to almost not be enough, regardless. I still had to divert another unit into the meat grinder: at the end of the day, sending four battalions against the hill, two of which were reduced and one eliminated by the end of the game--and at several points had I not rallied off hits at critical points could have wound up worse. Looking back on the overall flow, it seems not unlike the Confederates attacking up Cemetary Hill at Gettysburg or any other number of assaults in the mid-19th Century. 

    This game also saw much more close range action than others. I was able to keep putting enough hits on some of Mark's key units to force him to rally rather than fire (particularly his artillery), and in turn, I had to expend resources to rally off hits to sustain the advance (and even so, I still lost units).  Both Mark and I had to keep making these kinds of decisions: whether it was better to rally off hits, to punch or counterpunch, or to move/and/or maneuver to get into position for a subsequent shot.  This game also brought forward space management. 

    The 1" buffer between units and the straight line moves forced both of us to maintain coherent positions and lines, to think in terms of larger formations and units operating together. It was challenging, but not in a frustrating sort of way.  In other game systems, we would have just jammed as many units as possible onto the hill and from there it would have just been bunches of dice. In this game, we both found ourselves still making tactical moves and adjustments with our units in close combat on the hill. 

    All in all, a pitched battle that took us about 3 hours to conclude: so playable in an afternoon or an evening. In short, the game and battle felt both challenging and "right." We then retired for an excellent repast of grilled steak tips, and I headed home, thinking about the next match!

Excelsior!

 

CHOCOLATE BOX WARS FIRST: A MATCH BETWEEN ASYMMETRICAL OOBS

 

Scene from behind the Russian Center, mid game. 

Greetings, dear readers.  Recently, we here at Meanderer Central had another first. Mark D came over with his newly completed CBW Union Army and we had a game. Unlike previous games, he had put together an army list from the army building scheme and I had done the same.  We then went through the "quick game" set up procedure and had at it. I guess that would be two firsts, come to think of it. This was the first time that we had asymmetrical OOBS AND it was the first time that we had armies belonging to two different players meeting on the table.  It was (and is) completely a-historical given that I picked to my 1870ish Russians to put on the table, but the actual representation doesn't impact game play. Given that Mark started with a Union Army and my armies are all European, in order to see Mark's army on the table something had to give. I picked my Russians since they provide a nice contrast and there were several options I picked that went nicely with the army...

We started with the terrain placement scheme, and wound up with a pretty balanced table. The towns on the edges are "small" towns (hold a compay). The brown, kidney shaped bit in the foreground is rough (acts as "cover" but does not block LOS. However, given that this was the first time we were running through the "quick game"/"tournament game" steps, I can say that the terrain set up worked fine.

For my Russians, I picked the light cavalry regiment (which I deployed as two squadrons, represented by my Caucasion Cossacks), and in the discretionary unit categories I picked a line bn rather than a guard (from the elites), and again a line bn rather than a light bn (in the line category), and then for the Aux, I picked a volunteer light battalion (which I deployed  as two companies), which I represented with my dismounted cossacks (I've been wanting to get them on the table). Taking the two infantry battalions in lieu of the guards and lights allowed me one additional upgrade, so I added a chief of staff and I upgraded one of my line bns to B (Veteran), which I represented with my Bulgarian Legion.  By opting for the light cavalry regiment and the line battalions vs guard, I gained two extra AP points. By picking the Aux light battalion, I gained one extra AP point (as opposed to another Aux unit that would have only contributed one). By taking the Chief of Staff, I also gained an AP. One of my intents was to exchange a bit of troop quality for an operational edge by having more APs. As it turned out, plans often don't survive contact with the enemy, but more on that anon...

Mark decided to go with a more straightforward OOB for his Union Army. For his core cavalry regiment unit he let it stand as the default: line cavalry regiment, B. He took a unit from each of the categories, so from the elites he took an elite line bn (Rating A), represented on the table by the Iron Brigade; from the line category he took the light bn (B), which he deployed in company stands; from the Aux category he took the veteran (B) infantry (reprsented on the table by the Zouves). He only had one upgrade, but he, too, took the Chief of Staff with it. Both he and I took the default artillery (Field, Foot). His deployment, like mine, was balanced, with his center anchored by his zouves and the Iron Brigade backing it. 

A shot of the Union center showing Mark's excellent new Union Army (Iron Brigade in the foreground behind the Zouves). 

    Back to "lessons learned": we had proofed the deployment process during playtests, but this was the first time we had done the full "tournament" process together: OOB construction, terrain placement, and unit deployment. And we found that the process worked just fine. So we now know that we can do these kinds of matches going forward.

Out on my right flank, I had composed a strike force composed of a line infantry battalion with two companies of dismounted cossacks (an Aux Volunteer Light Battalion deployed in two stands). I placed the chief of staff with this group to allow it to continue to operate independently.  In hindsight, I probably should have added one more infantry battalion to the force--as it was, it didn't have the combat power to influence the overall outcome, and so wound up taking away from the decisive action elsewhere.  But it certainly looked smart at the start (and it did give Mark some headaches)...

Mark (U.S. Grant) has seen plenty of action, so is unperturbed as the entire Russians line advances, flags flying and bands playing (oh, the grand spectacle and the optimism of the early turns in CBW, so characteristic of the era...). 

A few shots of the opening turns. Above, the Russian center and right moving ahead. The Veteran Bulgarian Legion (left rear unit) follows up in support of the forward line infantry battlions. The dismounted cossacks have jumped into the smal town and the woods on their way forward.

The Union counters, moving up the guns and taking position on the hill in their sector. 

A side shot as the mid game develops, just before the lines get into firing range and start hammering each other. Union (Mark) to the left and Russian (Your Humble Correspondent) to the right.  The situation on the Russian Right/Union Left is in stasis, with the two light cavalry squadrons facing the single cavalry regiment, and a battalion of infantry on the end of the line keeping an eye on things for each side. 

A shot indicative of the hammering being dished out and delivered in center, where things were decided. In the foreground, you can see that the Union zouve is reduced to one stand, but the two lead Russian infantry battalions are also reduced (with hits--the black squares--as well). The Bulgarian legion and another Russian line battalion are coming up to plug the gap, while the Iron Brigade is coming up to support the Union line. Eventually, Mark would retire and recover the battered Zouves out of danger and the Iron Brigade would arrive fresh to control the situation (against the blooded Russian line battalions and the Bulgarians, who by then had also taken a few pops). 

Meanwhile, out on the Russian right, I rallied one of the companies of the volunteer light battalion (dismounted cossacks)--as a volunteer, the  morale rating is unknown (and variable) until it rallies, when you roll to find out. Well, I happened to roll a 12, meaning that this was an elite volunteer company (!). Oh, another first--this was first time we put a variable morale unit on the table: that scheme worked as designed, too. Back to the game...so I pushed it ahead into the rough right in the face of the Union left. Being a light company, it couldn't dish out tons of damage, but being an elite, and in a bit of cover, I was able to keep rallying off hits and keeping it alive to continue to harass the Union left. Mark wound up expending a good amount of operational effort to mask and then (finally) get rid of this unit--as long as this went on, I was spending less to keep it there than he was to counter it. Problem was that I wasn't able to leverage that on this wing--that one line battalion I had out there wasn't enough to deliver a punch; that plus it just plain wound up doing badly (I won't blame the dice; but the battalion commander has since been posted to a garrison in a center stretch of the newly finished Trans-Siberia Rail Line).

Switching to the Russian Left, I think it can be said that it was events here, off on the periphery, that tipped the balance overall.  Above, my Caucasion Cossacks, operating in Squardon, facing off against the U.S. 2nd Dragoons. I decided to get frisky with my light cavalry, and wound up paying the price.  I knew better, but I sent one squadron forward to try and do a bit of shooting and dancing in front of the U.S. Cavalry. I got impatient, and did so when the opposing unit(s) had unspent activation markers and also fairly early in the turn, meaning that the Army had APs to use as well to get units moving, if needed. Predictably, the U.S. Cavalry was able to react (handily) and in the ensuing action took out my cossack squardon (being light, it only took three hits to make it go "poof"). Lesson learned (that I already knew)--on the post-Napoleonic battlefield, you don't send cavalry into action until later in the battle and against units that are reduced and/or will be hampered in their ability to react. Not a new lesson, really, that cavalry action is problematic in the face of fresh, well ordered units. (sidenote: back before the earth cooled, Mark and I had both served in the 2nd US Cavalry, so of course he did up this outfit for his US Cav: I can't say I was too disappointed to get whacked by this sentimental favorite).

Out on the Russian left, the other maneuver that fell into the "stupid move" category was to take my infantry battalion on the hill (above left) and move it out to try and take down the U.S. cavalry (seen in the distance; which had just clocked my cossacks).  I moved it off the hill without really thinking about the Union infantry unit sitting in line on the other side. Yep, I happened to move it into range. And so Mark, being no slouch and seeing that I had just sent a Russian battalion out into the open right in front of his lines waving a big  "kick me" sign, did so.  The Union infantry opened up and delivered several devastating volleys (sometimes General Dice doesn't save you) and even advanced a bit to close the range before I could counter the counter; I managed to rally off a hit or two in response, but that battalion was caught in a bad situation and was reduced in short order (above right). I can't complain about that outcome, though: this is the age of the rifle, after all, and the results are not outside of what would be expected. Again, a move like that would be better done against units that would not be able to react. Aside from not paying attention in the first place, my larger mistake was tunnel vision--taking a local focus disconnected from the larger operation.The bottom line was that I had gained an advantage on the Russian right where Mark was expending command resources in his fixation with my light company, which I then squandered on my left flank by my fixation on his U.S. Cavalry Regiment. The Russian left/Union right was basically a stand off. Trying to force a result here may not have lost the battle for the Russians by itself, but the consequences of failure here crtainly did push things past the balancing point. 

The mid-game "dead pile" (Russians closest to the bottom, Union to the top).  Despite the mutual hammering that was being dished out in the center, which was  (truth be told) working against the Russians, it was still a near run thing. However, as can be seen in the above, those two stands that got whacked out on the Russian left in that badly coordinated, ill thought out action, really made a difference.  Although the loss of combat power on the table was certainly being tipped, the loss in operational agility added to the downward slide--each stand eliminated also meant the loss of an AP.  Without losing those stands, the AP loss deficit would have been virtually even, 3 Russian to 2 Union. But being down 5 to 2 was a different magnitude. The deficit meant that the Russians couldn't take advantage of opportunities to the fullest; they were limited in their ability to react to Union moves--and at the unit level, they were increasingly less able to recover via rally, so punishment was adding up. In short, the Russians began to fray. Eventually, Mark and the Union would put the last hurt on the Russians and push them beyond their exhaustion point. 

Well done to Mark and his brand new Union CBW Army--victorious in the first ever Chocolate Box Wars "match" game! 

A few lessons and observations. As has been mentioned, this game proofed the entire system, basically. From army building to game set up and play. And it all worked (whether someone likes it or not is another thing).  We also liked the asymmetrical OOBs. Although I had not taken an elite, my side did have other things going for it (that I didn't leverage)--so it wasn't like one side walked all over the other. So far, the army list building seems to not be out of whack. As far as the game flow, this one had a very see-saw feel. In the early going, I really hammered the Union center, and it looked as if the game might be over early. However, when the Union became the active player, things swung back in the other direction and things balanced out. So if you're playing the game, you have to keep a level head and have a strong stomach to endure a beating or two as things develop. Manuevering into range, the only way to achieve results, means that you're going to take losses, so you must have a certain bloody minded attitude and not get rattled when you start to lose a few units.  Once again, though, it seems to me that bloody advances and drastic casualty swings are not out of the norm for warfare in the age of the rifle.

Excelsior!