1/32 ACW 54mm battle at Gent Red Barons Convention (Part 3/3)
Date: April 18, 2010.
Hi,
We played a massive 54mm ACW battle on the occasion of the Red Baron Convention in Gent, 4th April 2010.
Regards
Dirk Donvil
Belgium
On the Confederate side, there were 260 figures in 24 units of between 8 to 11 figures per unit. The Federals had 280 figures in 25 units of between 8 to 11 figures per unit On each side the figures were fielded over 5 brigades in two divisions, each brigade having 1 battery. All figures are from and painted by Piet Lambrecht, who could not be present at the convention.
The scenario was : 2 southern brigades (2nd division) defending a harbour with factory, having fieldworks. The first division deployed on the left side, making a counter offensive, the 2nd brigade, coming up later on over the bridge. The northern troops had to take the city, encountering the unexpected southern counter strike.
Deployment: On the left, Ronny with 1 brig., then ship and scenery builder Gilbert with the 2nd brig, then his son Erwin, then Steven with the Iron brigade flanked by Siegfried with the zouaves brigade. Confederate side : left Adrien with the 3th brigade, then Patrick and Geert with the 1st, Alex coming up with the 2nd. In the fieldworks, our youngster Mark with the 5th, and I on the right with the 4th brigade.
I expected a Confederate victory as the fieldworks would prove very difficult to take, even with 3 brigades against 2 defending. On the right, they would themselves be outnumbered. A major factor that on the Southern side, the players of 1st division were very interest by the presence of traders and the other tables of the convention, therefore often being absent, replacing one another, resulting in uncoordinated moves. Adrien took the offensive as the Confederates had charge bonus. Patrick did split his brigade , taking with 2 units the farm in the centre of the field, but facing utterly outnumbered the strong Iron brigade. He did send the other part towards the city as he thought it would be overrun quickly, which was certainly not the case. Geert took over, redirecting the units towards the front, but by now the other part of the brigade was already destroyed. Adrien's offensive failed, resulting into his brigade melting away. 2nd brigade came up took up the Iron brigade alone, resulting in heavy loses, 1 division only able to take defensive positions.
On the other side of the table Gilbert assisted his son Erwin with the assault on the central hill, and part of the fieldworks besides the hill. Ronny attacked my positions along the whole line. The hill on the far right, without woods was the weak point of my defensive line, so I had to redirect rather early my reserve unit towards it, lost the crest but retook it very easily. Ronny's assault on the battery redoubt failed completely, losing two units in the process. By noon, he had lost 3 full units, the 4th being halved. Gilbert redirected his reserves to support Ronny.
On Central Hill, Erwin and Gilbert pushed the Mark backwards, but with his reserves was able to repulse them with ease, as Gilbert's reserves were committed elsewhere, the Federals were unable to follow up their initial success. Gilberts reserves now in front of the artillery redoubt also underwent the same fate as Ronny's units, being destroyed trying to break into the defensive lines. But I had lost by now 2 units, one being halved, and lost my brigade commander, Ronny brought up a cavalry unit, but it did not participate any more as the fighting died out.
Conclusion : The Confederates failed to defeat the Federals, so this was a Condederate defeat. Seen the troops remaining, the Confederates had no other option then to use the cover of night to abandon the city, as a renewed assault by the relative fresh 2nd Federal division could not be countered with sufficient troops.
Bat of 1st and 3rd Conf. Brigade holding the line
4th Brigade holds the line
5th Con. Brigade retakes Central Hill
2nd Fed Brigade helping 1st Brigade
Critical moment
Dismounted cavalry joinging the fight
Victorious Iron Brigade
Zouave Brig countering and destroying the 3rd Conf Brigade
Desperate attack of the last unit of 1st Conf. Brigade
Iron Brigade
Casualties
Remains of the 1st and 2nd US Brigade with their last assault
Federal team
Many thanks to Mr. Donvil.