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Gettysburg Game Review

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There are probably over a hundred board games on the Battle of Gettysburg, so why another. Well that is exactly the point.

The game we will be looking at is an adaptation, or a descendant, of the original Kriegspiel. The game information will have to come second to perhaps fulfillment of a long time dream.

A Wargamer’s Needful Things -By Robert Peterson

This is a picture of a ‘light pull chain’ defending a valley, and in the mid 1960’s to me it was state of the art for wargaming. I collected every one I could to add to my growing army of them. As you can see, with the bed covers formed just so, you can create any terrain you want. You can also form your army units (chains) in any shape possible. They can also represent any army from ancient times to the 20th century. They can be armed with firearms or sword and shield; it does not matter. Why, you ask, am I bringing this up? Because I have been looking for a game that reminds me of wargaming with my chains, and I think I finally have one in Pub Battles: Gettysburg. To be more exact, I think all of the Pub Battles games will do. So, on to the game.

 The Pub Battle games all have a few things in common. First, they are relatively easy with only about four pages of rules. Second, they do a good job of showing how units had to march and fight historically. Third, they are beautiful beyond compare. The maps are all period ones that have been enhanced by Command Post Games to be easier for players to use. The map not only looks good, it actually feels good. You wouldn’t be surprised to see it come out of a museum case. It is rolled up when you receive it, however it flattens right out without adjusting or counter-folding by the player. The map is more of a time machine than just a wargaming map. It allows your mind to wander when playing so you actually believe that you have Hood, Hancock, and Meade around the table with you. The counters, while really only wooden rectangles, have the same effect. Once they are on the map it feels like von Moltke is in a chair nearby looking on approvingly. 

 This is what comes in the game tube:

Pub Battles Rulebook 
Pub Battles Gettysburg Rulebook
Six small die and one large (all six sided)
24″x24″ Paper map (you can order a canvas map, and per 
  Command Post Games one is being used in a museum exhibit)
Six small Light Chain Pulls (coincidence?) to be used to calculate
  Rates of March. You can also get wooden ones.
Black and Gray rectangular, and square blocks 
Myriad of stickers for the above

 I will post this write up from Command Post Games:


  • Units realistically sprawl out in road column, resulting in delays, snaking and traffic snarls.
  • Baggage Trains add to the traffic and congestion problems. They have to be protected but also need to be kept close to the action to properly supply the troops.
  • Realistic, chaotic move sequence. Your troops don’t move when you want them to. You don’t know when exactly when your troops or the enemy will move. As the commander, you can only try to speed them up or slow them down. If that fails, you have to react quickly with contingency planning.
  • Chaotic move sequence also results in massive re-playability. You will never see a game open and develop the same way twice. However the timing works out, you must adapt to the situation at hand.
  • Realistic Fog of War: blocks hide exact unit strength and type. You can also hide your reserves off board. This forces players to realistically screen and probe. You can never be certain as to how close you are to breaking the enemy. Are they out of reserves or can they still reinforce their line? Where are they strong? Are they massing for a counter attack?
  • The detailed narrative generated by the tense game play makes for great solitaire games.
  • Combat and movement models are based on accurate, military, combat data from the period: Kriegsspiel.
  • Optional rules for multiplayer team play.
  • Optional written orders are both fun, easy to implement and very realistic. These are great to use with multiplayer teams. They also greatly enhance solitaire games.
  • Sophisticated and deep strategy. There are tons of decisions to make every turn. Every one of them must be weighed against possible advantages / disadvantages to you and the enemy. Players must consider how the timing of moves will impact other commands and the enemy. 

 The game looks to be easy, but that is deceptive. The addition of the different optional rules make it both deeper and more historical. Please one favor though, rules lawyers do not apply. This is a game where you and your opponent will need to be gentlemen and come to agreements over movement and the battles. The one thing about this game is that it will get crowded with pieces in different places. On a Gettysburg map that is going to be the ‘fish hook’. The rules are very clear, but because of the compression effects on the units it sometimes gets a little hazy as to exact unit placement. When that happens, it can either be a rules fight fest or a friendly compromise on the issues that may arise. Remember that its forbearer Kriegspiel did have umpires. 

 There are probably over a hundred board games on the Battle of Gettysburg, so why another. Well that is exactly the point. It has never had the Command Point Games treatment. So, even an old jaded campaigner will look at the battle through fresh eyes. The game is simple, but in its own way it brings to life the problems of command in that era. The price point for the game is not cheap. However, were you to be able to hold the components in your own hands and feel the quality, you would immediately understand. There are a lot of stickers that need to be applied, so keep that in mind. They are also harder to apply correctly on the rectangles than when you are putting stickers on a block game. Someone who is a stickler (sorry) for having things just so will need extra time and more patience than usual with setting up this game. 

 Gettysburg allows you to play all three days as separate games, or a campaign with night turns. You also get three what-if scenarios. First, Jackson was not killed at Chancellorsville. Second, Jackson was wounded at Chancellorsville, but arrives in time for the battle. Third, J.E.B. Stuart is present at the opening of the festivities. Victory conditions are cut and dried. A Player receives one Victory Point for every enemy piece destroyed. The player with the most points wins. There are a few Gettysburg only rules. These are:

Treat all creeks as Streams.
All Cavalry are dragoons: they roll only 2 dice.
Both Confederate and Federal HQs have a rating of 3.

 This is the sequence of play:

1. Place all Command Chits in a cup.
2. Pull a Command Chit randomly from the cup.
3. Move pieces from that Command
4. Repeat Steps 2 & 3 until cup is empty.
5. Resolve Combat between all enemy pieces in contact.
6. Start a new Turn.

 So, how does it play? It is a lot of fun, and strangely very deep, in a very historical way. With the game being a chit pull one, you will never know what to expect to be able to do or what your opponent can do. The main rule to keep in mind is listed in bold “Move where the majority of the piece can fit”. The piece is in one type of terrain: the type under the ” majority of the piece”. HQ pieces move first and then you determine command ranges There is an optional rule where Baggage Trains can be added. These really add to the historical flavor especially in their uncanny ability to clog roads. The designers suggest that after you get the rules down to add ‘Optional Hidden Reserves’ to the mix. For example, the pieces of a corps if in reserve would be hidden in their HQ unit. As long as the HQ unit is not spotted by the enemy they can lay in wait like a rattler waiting to pounce. To find an entire corps pop up over a ridge that seemed safe is extremely disconcerting. There are also rules on multi-player with special rules dealing with teams that try to cheat, so beware. Thank you Command Post Games for allowing me to review this almost hidden gem of a game.

Check out the full review here.

When to Be Fresh

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Pub Battles Question: When do pieces become Fresh? At the beginning of every turn?

This is an important distinction to draw. No, regular combat pieces only become Fresh again when and IF they Rally. You may end up fighting the entire battle and never Rally a piece but we don’t recommend it.

A piece can only Rally during Movement, by NOT moving. Instead of making a move, it spends the time Rallying.

Don’t confuse this with HQs. We turn HQs to their Spent side to show they have already attempted to Alter this turn. You can only do that once per turn. Because of this, we do turn up all HQs to Fresh, at the beginning of every turn.

That can be confused…

Supremacy -Mercenaries and Legionaries

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Mercenaries and Legionaries. Do you have any plans to put this back out?

Howdy:

Boy, am I glad to see this game back on the market!!!

Thank you, guys!

Say, I used to have an expansion deck-box called: Mercenaries and Legionares. Do you have any plans to put this back out?

Thanks!

Sincerely,

JM

 

 

Thank you!  Glad you found us. 

We have gone through all the old expansion material, things covered by mercenaries, warlords, pirates, merchant marine, etc.  and completely revamped them.   We’ve taken the best parts and reorganized them into a new line of expansions.  What we have now works incredibly well. 

I highly recommend the Minors with the new Fortuna.   The Minors gives all the neutral areas forces.  Fortuna brings them to life with their own actions.  The result is absolutely amazing!!  Minors will build and get aggressive on their own.  They will seize companies in their country and even invade their neighbors to seize their companies.  This makes the game feel like the real world. 

Rising Crescent adds a Terrorist player that can build terror forces anywhere on the globe.  They can launch suicide, pirate attacks and even steal nuclear weapons.

The expansion with Subs accounts for the merchant marines and allows players to target resource transportation at sea.

We have 1 more expansion planned that will allow players to influence, control and manipulate minors.  Also covering unconventional forces.  Things like Coups, Civil Wars, assassinations, etc.       

Strategies for Dominating a Board Game

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Board games come in all different shapes and sizes. While there is no one size fits all board game there are certainly positives to be said about any game you may be interested in playing. Board games, especially ones involving strategy are good for healthy brain development.

 

The gameplay is beneficial in many ways including the development of your brain’s frontal lobe and well as executive function control. Many families take time out of their busy lives to have regular family game nights because it has shown to help kids in many segments of life.

 

Board games can benefit not only children of course, as playing games has been shown to help ward off dementia. Games help the mind stay sharp and competitive and that spirited approach can really help you not only succeed intellectually but when playing all manner of card games, video games, and online tabletop games as well.

 

While every game is played differently there are some strategies for playing board games that remain key no matter which game you’re playing. These ideas may not work completely for the game you enjoy playing most but the spirit of the tip should ring true in a high percentage of the games you’re bound to encounter. (Feel free to substitute the word money for army etc.)

Play By Yourself

With many games giving you the ability to play as one player, getting some practice games played is a great way to find the perfect strategy for you. When you first begin to play a new board game it can be hard to figure out what your strategy should be as you’re still trying to grasp the rules and instructions.

 

So once a game is introduced to you set out to play it by yourself, even if it isn’t a one-player game. Getting deeply familiar with a game will bring you a sense of reassuring comfort so you can actually focus on creating a strategy and not keeping the rules straight.

 

But after you have played a few times and you understand the basic goal of the game, you are going to need to develop some strategies. There’s no better way to test out your strategies than by playing yourself. Whether your game is capable of being played one player or whether you control two different pieces or units you can see what works and what doesn’t.

 

Obviously, if without an opponent it can be difficult to see how a technique will hold us when you’re actually playing but nevertheless, playing solo can give you a competitive advantage in you can bank the knowledge you obtained and can pull from it in different scenarios you may face.

Think Economically

Because many games incorporate randomness into the gameplay there are risks to be taken with any strategy as you can never fully predict what will happen. While strategic board game enthusiasts can run a risk assessment before making their move when a game requires a specific role of the die or a drawing a certain card, there’s always a chance things could go poorly.

 

 

Yet, being skilled in assessing the possibility and the probability of each event will still only get you so far because of the randomness during play. In this case, you should bear in mind basic economic principles, especially when playing games involving resources or funds.

 

Just like in real life, whoever has the most money has a significant advantage during a game and can opt to bleed the opposing players dry based solely on the fact that they control the highest cash flow. Being conservative in giving up resources/armies/money can be a really sound gaming strategy.

 

It’s possible to have a great strategy while being creative and brilliant but still lose based solely on the fact that you cannot finance your gaming strategy. Therefore when you are playing a game with money or resources, collecting more money is never a bad strategy to have in place.

Be Flexible

As you develop your strategy for playing games you will have to make some key choices and then execute the choices while actually playing. You can use a strategy for the entire game attempting perhaps to earn as many points as possible. You can use a strategy for a number of turns such as collecting cards to eventually make a move that will earn you points.

 

But rarely can you enter a game and keep the same strategy throughout the entire time of gameplay. It is one thing to create a strategy in your mind and another to execute while playing. You can commit to your goal for a time but if an opponent begins to advance to quickly it may pay off to switch to your plan B.

 

Don’t get caught up in other people’s strategies. If your plan is to go on the offensive then go for it. If you’re always attacking no matter what, the other players will have no choice but to retreat and will not be able to achieve their own goals within the game.

 

However, The offensive strategy only works if you can achieve success, since as you advance your fellow competitors will likely retreat. In some games, this can result in a cat and mouse game that will become boring very quickly. Other times playing agressively will certainly pay off. Part of the fun and excitement of a board game is never really knowing what’s going to happen.

 

Being too conservative, especially in wargames isn’t going to result in a fun game. It’s key to remember that while winning is great, having a fun time with your gaming companions is also one of the reasons board games are so popular. While you should typically never make a move if you won’t survive the worst result of that attack if you aren’t having fun, what’s the point?

 

All the strategies in the world can’t account 4 random card drawings and what your opponent will be doing. That’s why part of having a good strategy is being flexible and adaptable with your gameplay actions. you need to be able to react quickly and make contingency plans no game is ever going to develop the same way twice so you have to be able to adapt.

Conclusion

It can be hard to break into a board game community that’s new to you, maybe these people have been playing for years but it’s important to remember that while board games can bring out negative traits in our personalities, they can also help you to see the strengths you have. Board games are a great way to expand your social relationships and to exercise your brain.

 

The more times you play a game the better you’ll be and the larger variety of games you are familiar with will give you more strategies to fall back on. Take some risks and focus on your strategies, once you start winning you won’t want to stop.

 

 

 

 

Waterloo OB

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Calling all Waterloo experts!

We’ve been having many people ask us for a Waterloo Kriegsspiel set.  The map graphics are done and ready to go.  The big hold up is the time to put together a detailed and accurate OB.

That got me to thinking.  Why reinvent the wheel?  Wargamers are an incredible resource of information and expertise.  I bet many of you already have this information at your fingertips, ready to go. 

If you do, please, send it to us and help us get this ready to roll sooner.

Why?  What’s in it For You?

  • You’ll get to have it sooner. 
  • We’ll give you credit in the rules. 
  • Free stuff!  We’ll also cut you in on free product, commensurate with your contribution.  Get us most the info first, and we’ll send you a free copy of the map (paper), pieces and stickers for a Waterloo Kriegsspiel.  Help us proof and adjust for accuracy and we’ll send you coupon codes to get it for a discount.   

What We Need

We need a detailed OB for the battle going down to the 450 man unit.  Kriegsspiel calls them “Half Battalions”.  I find that in the American Civil War, this usually translates into Regiments.  Regardless what they are called, we are looking for approximately 450 units.  Cavalry usually goes down to 150 man squadrons.  Depending on the numbers involved, we sometimes bump this up.

How ?

Put this together into a spreadsheet.  Please use this format as an example:

Brandy Station Confederate OB KS

Send it to us in an email. 

I’ll compile and post the first draft here.  That way, we can get lots of eyes on it for corrections and adjustments.  If you see something that needs to be changed, please comment below.   

 

 

Kriegsspiel vs Pub Battles

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We have 2 Brandywine games.  A Kriegsspiel version and a Pub Battles version.  Which one is better?  How do they compare?  This post was prompted by a great question:

 

I have been looking at your Brandywine games in detail:  The Kriegsspiel and Pub Battles version.  Both games look fantastic.  Pub Battles seems a bit pricey.

What would you recommend between these two?

Manuel

 

 

Great question.  It depends what you are looking for.  I’ll try to summarize the advantages here:

Pub Battles:  Brandywine

  • Fast Play time.  You can setup and knock out a game in less than 1 hour.  
  • Small Map size.  Easily fits on a small table.  Easy to transport and play at a bar, park or restaurant.
  • Because the map is smaller scale, the area to the Colonial left is expanded.  This game allows the British the option to flank from either side.  In this way, I think it allows for a truer command feel by the Colonials.  They have no idea where the British will attack from.  A true sense of surprise. 
  • Canvas Map option.  The ‘pricey’ version comes with the canvas maps.  That’s what real maps from the period were made from.  They are amazing quality, durable and water resistant.  -Great for spilling drinks.  Note that this is an option.  You can get the regular paper map for only $62.66 right now.  The Kriegsspiel sets all come with paper maps.  
  • Standard 2 player format.  No Umpires needed.  You can play with up to 6 players.
  • This is the better option if you are new to the hobby or looking for a game to teach new recruits.

 

Kriegsspiel:  Brandywine

  • True Kriegsspiel Rules.  Fully compatible with the original Reisswitz, Prussian Kriegsspiel.  You can play this with multiplayer teams and umpires etc.
  • Pub Battles Rules option.  We ship this with Pub Battles rules.  Alternatively, this converts the game into a full blown, detailed, traditional, 2 player wargame.  Check out the Review tab here for a player report on how this works.    
  • Smaller scale.  This matches true Kriegsspiel scale but the map it huge!  It does give you more detail and finer control as far as being able to form your lines along tree lines and slopes.  Also more detail in actual contact and types of combat. 
  • This is the better option if you have time, space and are looking for a more detailed, standard type wargame. 

 

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brandywine Variant

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Tom recently sent this in as a player’s guide and variant for our Kriegsspiel Brandywine Scenario.  It is a fantastic supplement!  Our Battalion rules allow you to fight this out as a detailed Pub Battle.  Fast, easy and very dynamic.  We need to further develop this into a whole new series!  

 

Every time I play the KS games reinforces the unique nature of this addition to your family of games. These games offer a completely different dynamic from the standard Pub Battles offering, capturing the flow of each battle much more effectively, and offering deep insights into the circumstances and outcomes of each modeled battle. They represent a truly new departure for your game system, and one that will, in my view, prove very attractive to both new and veteran military board gamers.

I’d like to see a more robust framework for game play in this KS series. KS Bunker Hill is better than KS Brandywine in this respect, but still doesn’t provide enough information for the players to launch into the game without a lot of additional research. 

I think this is pretty easy to fix, and have attached what I put together for KS Brandywine. This version has been refined by multiple games, and I think provides a pretty good, “stand alone” start point for purchasers of KS Brandywine.

 Thanks, Tom 

Kriegsspiel (KS) Brandywine Scenario with Pub Battles Rules (using Version 2.92 Rules)

  1. Command Additions. For the British, Cornwallis and Knyphausen, as wing commanders, act as “extra” army commanders for their respective wings, in addition to commanding directly the troops identified immediately under them on the loss rosters. Subordinate commands for Cornwallis are Mathew (Guards and Grenadier Brigades), and Grey (3rd and 4th Brigades); Donop (Hessian Brigade) is directly subordinate to Cornwallis, and activates with his headquarters. Subordinate commands for Knyphausen are Grant (1st and 2nd Brigades); Stirn (Hessian Brigade) and the three battalions of the 71st Highlanders  are directly subordinate to Knyphausen and activate with his headquarters.  Only Howe, Cornwallis and Knyphausen can roll to change turn order, for themselves or for any subordinate under their respective commands (and within command range), on a roll of 4 or less.  All commanders (except Howe, who may be activated with any British command) have a “chit” n the command cup (but see Order of Appearance, below). British elite units include all three units of the 71st Highlanders (71, 72, and 73), all British Grenadiers, and the Foot Guards.

For the Americans, Washington is the Army Commander and also commands the troops directly under the “Reserve” on the loss roster.  Subordinate commands are Sullivan (including Stephen’s and Sterling’s Divisions), Greene, and Wayne.  All commanders have a “Chit” in the command cup, but only Washington can change turn order, for himself or for any subordinate within command range, on a roll of 4 or less. Defeat numbers for the two armies are 18 for the British and 14 for the Americans. You will need to make additional commanders blocks for this, as well as “commitment” chips, which are not included in the game.

Combat ineffective numbers are 50% of infantry and cavalry units (combined) for each command according to the rosters (the three British Light Infantry battalions are included under Cornwallis for determining combat ineffective percentages).

  1. Historical Order of Appearance. Knyphausen’s command begins the game deployed on the map anywhere south of Wystar’s Ford and west of the Brandywine, with the exception of the 1st and 3rd Battalions of 71st Highlanders – 71 and 73 unit labels, respectively. These are optional units, which enter the turn following any movement by an American unit west of the Brandywine creek (these units historically were assigned to guard Howe’s baggage trains, and did not take part in the battle). Cornwallis’ wing (with Howe) enters the game map on turn one as the first units to activate, crossing the Brandywine in road column at Jeffries Ford, in the following order: Mounted Jagers, British Grenadiers, Light Infantry Brigade, Hessian Jagers, Foot Guards, Artillery, Hessian Grenadiers, 4th Brigade, 3rd Brigade, and 16th Dragoons. Chits for Cornwallis’ subordinate units are not added to the command cup until turn two.  The game ends following the end of turn ten.

 

  1. Light (including Jager) Infantry. Light infantry units are exempt from all command rules, and can be activated with any friendly command. Bombardment attacks against light infantry have a -1 modifier. Light infantry units have all around facing, cannot be flanked and disregard fields of fire – that is, they may advance into enemy fields of fire without moving into actual contact, and do not exert fields of fire themselves.  Spent light infantry units may not rally in an enemy field of fire, however.

 

  1. Light Infantry Fire Combat. During the combat phase, light infantry units that are not in actual contact with enemy units (either attacking or being attacked) can “fire” (once) at any enemy unit within one third infantry movement that is not in contact with another friendly unit (bombardment attacks likewise cannot target enemy units in contact with other friendly units). The light infantry unit rolls two dice; normal combat rules apply (including cover). After the light infantry fire is resolved, non-light lnfantry or dragoon units that are targeted by light infantry fire may return fire (regardless of target unit facing), also using two dice, but resolve their fire with an additional -1 modifier. Light infantry units firing at each other resolve their fire simultaneously, with no additional modifier.  Light infantry units that retreat from combat during the combat phase (voluntary or involuntary) cannot also fire. The three American skirmisher units are NOT treated as light infantry.

 

  1. Road Column. For infantry and cavalry, per the KS Brandywine Scenario Pub Battles rules, there is no movement cost to enter or leave road column. However, a unit may enter or leave road column at the beginning or the end of its turn only (NOT both). Mark a unit in road column by stacking a baggage train block on top (baggage trains are not used in the Pub Battles version). For especially long columns, stack a baggage train marker on the first unit in the road column. Artillery DOES expend 1/3 movement cost to limber OR unlimber, and can do so more than once – for example, limber, move one third move, and then unlimber. Limbered artillery is always considered to be in road column.

 

  1. Stacking and the “combined Division”. There is no “stacking” in the Pub Battles version. Supporting units are placed adjacent to the rear of the supported unit, just as in normal Pub Battles games. The only “stacking” that occurs is by column markers on top of the lead unit in the column. Disregard the “combined Division” rules in the KS Scenario addendum. Treat Infantry, artillery and cavalry blocks just like any infantry, artillery or cavalry block in pub battles, moving and fighting independently.

 

  1. Terrain Notes. Fields of Fire remain 1/3 Foot movement, and Artillery Ranges remain one foot move (about three quarters of a mile). Disregard the “bridge / ford” rule – movement across a bridge or ford still reduces movement, if the unit is not in road column.

 

  1. Tracking losses and “Combat Ineffective” status. The larger numbers of physically smaller unit blocks makes determining combat ineffective status a bit of a chore. The easiest way to do this is to use the Loss Rosters. Simply move destroyed units to the loss roster, on top of their unit strength. You will be able to see at a glance which commands have become combat ineffective as the game progresses.

 

  1. OPTIONAL Movement Rules. At the much larger 1:8000 scale, and with smaller (one half inch) blocks, the original Pub Battles Terrain rules are simple and easy to apply. To use the original rules, apply a one third movement penalty for each terrain type. Always allow a unit to move one third movement regardless of terrain (except for rivers, which can still only be crossed at a ford). If a unit has already been reduced by one third, and it encounters other terrain requiring further reduction, it halts immediately.  (I strongly recommend using this rule – it takes greatest advantage of the superb Pub Battles maps, and forces the players to analyze and use terrain in the same way as the actual army commanders).

 

  1. Victory Conditions. Calculate victory at the end of the game: 1 point for every enemy unit destroyed, plus three points for the British if they control one of the two major roads (control=no American units within 2/3 foot move of the road).  The Americans receive one victory point if rebel losses are less than 50%.

 

Pub Battles Victory -50% of What?

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Rules Clarification for Pub Battles

Question

You are usually defeated when you suffer 50% losses in Pub Battles.  That sounds clear but 50% of what exactly?  What if there are reinforcements that have not yet arrived on the field?  Do they count?  Is it 50% of your entire army combined or 50% of just the forces in play on the field so far?

Answer

Count only the forces in play on the field so far.  So as new reinforcements arrive, your total strength and 50% loss number goes up.  This bolster’s your army.  You can fight longer and take more losses now. 

“Who ever saw a dead cavalryman?” Gettysburg

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John Mosby

 

 

To me, it’s not at all complicated to distinguish an Infantry unit from a Cavalry unit in PBs.  There’s such a thing as carrying “minimalism” too far, to the point of “bland.”  I might order a Scotch without water, but water without Scotch is simply rehydration.

We are very fortunate to have such a talented and knowledgeable group of play testers in our design team.  We have great discussions.  I often wish they were public.  This is a small example.  Just 1 email picked out of hundreds of our banter back and forth.  I hope you find it as interesting as I do!

 

Sorry to differ, but saying Artillery in PBs is “not an abstraction” beggars reason.  The Artillery units in PBs don’t represent 1-2 guns—I know you know this, of course—but these units also don’t represent “usual concentrations” except in the sense of portraying sections of the battlefield where Artillery is particularly focused/targeted (and at this, Artillery Range, from the physical location of the Artillery unit to the targeted unit, is still an abstraction—those guns would be firing from other in-range locations, not just in a hub-to-hub line of cannon).

 

Troops were very accustomed to Artillery “falling silent and withdrawing.”  It happened all the time.  Batteries redeployed at the orders of the Division or Corps commander to which they were assigned; batteries withdrew when ammunition-depleted; batteries shifted location sometimes when particularly effective counterbattery fire (actually rare in the ACW; Federal batteries firing on Alexander’s concentration on Day Three were ordered to hold fire by Hancock in order to preserve rounds for the infantry attack he knew was coming) began to impact them adversely (usually in terms of a caisson exploding or an unsustainable number of horse losses in the battery).

 

Batteries might even just fold and fall back in the face of an attack (Infantry was very accustomed to orders to “Save the guns!”).  Such things did not disconcert any but very green troops.

 

Re ACW cavalry, most infantry never saw them engaged on a battlefield.  The bitter slogan “Who ever saw a dead cavalryman?” reflected not only infantry’s contempt for cavalry (especially in the Federal Army, at least up to Gettysburg) but the fact that ground-pounders rarely saw cavalry in action—they were more likely to be deployed to the infantry’s rear with orders to shoot any man who routed (there is a statue of a dismounted Federal cavalryman, kneeling with carbine at the ready, right behind the “High Water Mark” position at G’burg!  He was NOT there to personally help repulse Pickett’s Charge.)

John Buford

 

Reynold’s troops saw some casualty in Buford’s battle area, but understood that the troopers had bought them time to come up with tactics and with blood.  They were hardly shaken at the sight of a couple dozen troopers in their immediate front (despite the phrase “shattered brigades” in the text narrative at the end of the “Gettysburg” movie, Buford’s division had not been shattered, only wearied; they were withdrawn to Westminster to replenish ammunition, draw rations, re-shoe horses where needed and rest, and were very much involved in the pursuit after G-burg—read the account of Buford’s no-nonsense handling of a Southern spy captured between Westminster and the Potomac).

JEB Stuart

On the Southern side, Confederate infantry may have thought more highly of Jeb Stuart for the reputation he had built, but were singularly unimpressed with his Gettysburg Campaign wagon-train-raiding shenanigans.  But they were not shaken by his defeat by Custer on the East Cavalry Field, they didn’t even see it—it was out of sight and virtually out of the hearing even of the left-flank Confederate infantry.

 

The destruction of Pickett’s Division and failures of Pettigrew’s and Trimble’s infantry, coming after the “flat finish” of the second-day Confederate infantry attacks, are what really shook the ANV (and its commander) as never before.

 

This last not to undermine your statements vs friendly dragoons in the AWI, but out of genuine curiosity: where are some sources I could read re Infantry liking “having dragoons around” and the “infantry line” becoming unnerved at the dragoons’ absence? 

 

by Barry Kendall

Alfred Pleasonton

Marines at Brandywine

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What?!  Marines at Brandywine?  Yes!!

Teachers at military schools around the world are now using Pub Battles in the class room for training. 

Many hobbyists enjoy the Pub Battle series as a fast and simple board game.  Don’t let the short rule book fool you.  This game system is a serious model of military conflict.

Rather than focusing on the detailed complexity of comparing unit morale and weapon systems, Pub Battles focus on command decisions in a chaotic and unpredictable battlefield.

Though it functions well as a two player game, it was originally designed for multiplayer use:  cooperative teamwork with limited communications.  A perfect platform for training groups in a classroom.   

D. O’Connel has been using Brandywine to train Marine facilitators and school staffs in training workshops at Pendleton, Parris Island, Lejeune, and elsewhere.

We are currently working with him to design a game specifically made for classroom training with the USMC.

O’Connell also runs a great facebook page:  The Warfighting Society

 

Bio Information

D. O’Connell is a military historian, world-recognized teacher of decision games, and Senior Learning and Development Consultant for the Cognitive Performance Group. From 2012-2016, he led the efforts of Marine Corps University’s Case Method Project to institutionalize the case method at The Basic School (TBS), the Marine Corps’ school for newly commissioned and appointed officers. His duties at TBS included developing decision-forcing cases (DFCs), regularly teaching DFCs to students and staff, and conducting workshops for students and staff on DFC development and facilitation. O’Connell also served as the project’s lead for all work with the Infantry Officer Course, the Schools of Infantry, and the Fleet Marine Force.

O’Connell’s DFCs, in addition to seeing extensive use at TBS, have been integrated into the curriculum of several Marine Corps courses, including the Infantry Small Unit Leaders Course at both Schools of Infantry and the Sergeants Course, which runs at each of the six Staff Non-commissioned Officer Academies.

Outside of his work with the Marine Corps,O’Connell has presented multiple times at the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy, the Swedish Defence University, the Finnish National Defence University, the Estonian National Defence College, the Baltic Defense College, the US Naval Academy, and the FBI National Academy, among others.