1st Day of Gettysburg - the action

DBACW - The first day at Gettysburg. 

The action opens with Archer Confederates and the Iron Brigade disputing Herbst Woods. The famed Iron Brigade are forced back by effective rebel volleys and go Shaken. On the Chambersburg Pike the Federal successfully hold their ground.

The remaining brigades of Heths Division arrive and extend the Confederate line facing the Iron Brigade. Musketry erupts.  The Iron brigade start on 3, plus 1 for Elite but are down 1 each for being shaken and for the Confederates having a supporting brigade, so are on a 2. The Confederates are on a 3. The Union roll a 1 and the Rebels a 5.  Final scores 8 - 3. The Iron Brgade are doubled and take 2 hits but as they already have a hit they are removed from play. Not a good start for the Union.

The Iron brigade have however bought enough time for the remainder of the 1st Corps to form a new line on Seminary Ridge. But Confederate reinforcements are arriving with Pender Division and Rodes division of Ewell Corps arriving on Oak Hill.

Penders 4 Brigades private to advance.

Union artillery are posted to support the defences on Seminary ridge.

The Rebel yell can be heard across the battlefield as Hills Corps attacks with 2 Divisions.

The initial advance is meet by resolute Union volleys and the Confederates take loses and 2 Brigades fall back.  

In DBACW hits can be recovered by using Cap points. A unit with one hit (shaken) can recover the hit for one Cap. A unit with 2 hits (Badly Shaken) can only recover the first hit. They have a permament Shaken marker. Once a unit has reaches 3 hits it is removed from play. I use a black die force first hit and a red die for the second hit. The black die can be recovered the red is permanent.

However concentrated Confederate artillery bombardment by Hill Corps artillery wreeks the Union artillery and defending brigade on the Chambersburg pike.

Looking towards Gettysburg from Oak Hill 2 Divisions of Howard's corps can be seen moving northwards to meet Ewells growing threat.

The final Division of Howard's Corps and Corps artillery arrive to support the 1st Corps.

The First Corps line is pushed back from Seminary ridge. Gamble's cavalry is broken and removed from play. The Confederates however have taken loses and lost formation and will need to reorganise.

The Confederates reorganize and launch an attack on the Lutherian Seminary. Are beaten back, rally and attack again this time driving Rowleys Federal brigade back. 

The Rebels are unable to exploit as both Hill and Ewell commands await Lee's orders. Hill rolls and gets 3 Cap points and Ewell only 1. Both commands only rally back hits and are unable to move forwards.

North of Gettysburg Ewells is unable to force back 2 of Howards brigades whose disciplined musketry beat back repeated advances by Rebel troops. Howards XII corps protect Reynolds 1st Corps right flank and restore their pride after the events of Chancersville.

Another of Howard's divisions  deploys on the 1st Corps left  flank to encounter Penders brigades massing around the Lutherian seminary.

Hill Corps moves forward to attack. Federal artillery forces the leading brigade back but the attack does not falter.

Howard plugs the gap in time and in the resulting close combat thrown the Confederates back who lose a brigade.

The Confederate do however destroy aUnion brigade which breaks from massed Confedrate musketry.

Ewell Corps is ordered to advance down the Mummasburg Road to support Hills attack if practicable. However he misunderstand the order. (Ewell again rolls low for his Cap points).

Ewell uses his limited Caps to push down the Harrisburg Road with artillery clearing the way destroying one and severely damaging the 2 brigades facing him.  A single Confederate brigade of Ewell Corps almost reaches the outskirts of Gettysburg but it is too little too late.

Howard's Corps artillery supports Reynolds line as the Confederates mount another attack. Loses are mounting on both sides with Reynolds and Hills Corps both taking a s passing Corps morale tests.

Reynolds orders a counterattack against Hill and is a able to destroy an isolated Confederate brigade in close combat.

Hills strength is close to exhaustsion. He rides over to his last 2 effective brigades and leads them forward in one more desperate assault. Its close but the Federals are a able to hold and drive Hills brigade back destroying one of them.

Howard and Reynolds confer on a their famous victory.  

Final scene showing the battle lines.  Ewell Corps is relatively intact and infact some of his brigades did not fire a shot in anger. Lee rues the missed opportunity due to Ewells poor command Cap dice rolls. Would Jackson have made a difference.

A fun solo game of DBACW. I am going to tinker with the rules some more for my next Brigade level game.