American Civil Wargaming in History - Antietam

The Wargaming in History Books by Charles S Grant are truly inspirational. The writing style, content and approach to representing famous battles are a lesson to us all of how to recreate battles on the tabletop.

In the last few months I have once again returned to thoughts of gaming the American Civil War.  This has partly been inspired in my son Max who has got the ACW bug.

The other evening I started thinking about putting on some large games using my 28mm collection. Having just about finished reading the first volume of Shelby Foote trilogy's my head is full of the early battles and the battle of Antietam in particular.

Antietam has always been my favourite action and is I my opinion the best of all the battlefields I have visited. 

So I have decided to give Antietam the Grant treatment and put the game on in the same style as the battles in Wargaming in History books.  I am not sure which rules to use yet.

More later

Ilkley Young School

After Football training my son invited 2 of his friends over a game with their dads. I quickly set up a game for 4 players. 

Each player had 24 Infantry, 8 cavalry and a gun and 4 crew. Each player also had a General figure.  In all 37 figures each.

The rules used where the simple rules from Charge with a few house rules.

Mark struggled with the low ceiling in my basement. Whilst Loius decide decided to wear a steel helmet to protect his head.

The kids and dads had fun and they picked up the rules quickly.

Louis command started well causing loses to Max's troops. However Louis divided his infantry allowing Max to maneovre and fire into the rear of Louis infantry which took him over 50% loses and forced out of the game.

Harry and his Howard his father had been trading loses but as Max's victorious infantry turned on Harry flank the combined firepower was too much and Harry's command was soon joining Loius and forced to retire.

Both the boys and dads enjoyed the games and asked if they could play again. 

Plattville Project

I kicked off this project sometime ago and it has languished for over a year. Although I did put on the Battle of Plattville at Triples in May using my 40mm Prince August figures.

The recent passing of Donald Featherstone is something that I want to mark by celebrating his contribution to this great hobby.

I met Don twice. The first time was circa 1970 when my father took me to Dons house. I remember going but nothing about the conversation we had. The second time was about a decade ago at Historicon.

I have decided that that my stalled Plattvile project needs to re started and that it would be my celebration to Don.

I have now finished my second unit of metal Spencer Smith figures. They are Gloss varnished and un based.

I have also started gathering extra bits and pieces. Firstly I have managed to get 260 original plastic Spencer Smith figures. This cost a bit but are just right for my project. The first unit is on the painting table.

I have also got two packs of Merit plastic trees to use for Platts wood. And the search for a rubber Triang church is underway.

Cheers

Max's First figures based

My son Max has started his first armies. ACW plastic figures which he is going to use unpainted. After some initial problems getting the figures to stick to the cardboard bases he has now got his first base finished.

The bases are simple with some scenic groundwork added.

He has also received some old Airfix figures thanks to Tim Hall from the WD3 Forum. So it's full steam ahead with basing.

I am going to use Don Featherstone rules for our first games.

A day out

Today my children's school was closed due to a teachers strike so I decided to take a day off work and take them to Eden Camp at Malton.

Unfortunately my daughter is a bit under the weather so instead we went to the Duke of Wellington, aka 33rd, regimental museum just outside Halifax.

The 33rd fought in the American War of Independence and were Cornwallis regiment.

The uniform has a fair bit of lace and has got me thinking of painting up some of my 40mm Sash and Sabre figures as the 33rd

The museum boasts a hat worn by Wellington himself.

There is also a fair bit of on the Great War     

and they will have new section opening in August 2014 to coincide with the centenary of Britains entry into the war. Another visit is now on the cards.

After the museum we popped into Halifax  and I bought my lad some Italeri ACW plastic soldiers to get him going. On the drive back home I asked him how many ACW battles he could name. He got 9 right ! 

A pleasant afternoons gaming

My son Max is 7 and showing more interest in gaming. He has been getting into the American Civil War and has been looking at the drawings of the battles in a Bruce Catton book drawn by David Greenspan. These pictures inspired me as a youngster and seem to be having the same effect on my son.

So this afternoon I got out my old and battered copy of Battle Cry by Milton Bradley for a game. 

The initial dispositions showing the important railroad network.

I played the Confederacy and Max the Union. The rules are simple and he picked them up quickly. We played for an hour or so and the battle was raging in Kentucky when we had to halt the game for dinner.

Miniature Warfare

You can tell the age of tree by counting its rings. For a wargamer it's a bit harder. For me I know I was gaming by August 1969 because I still have the first magazine I bought from Teddington Model Supplies.

And a closer look at the date.

The next issue had one of my favourite covers and certainly helped kick of my ACW Airfix collection.

With adverts like this it was not long before I ventured North of the River buy Hinton Hunt figures from Camden Passage near the Angel Islington.

I am now going to browse through my collection of Miniature Warfare mags whilst sipping a glass or two of fizz.

Breaking news - today I bought 267 Spencer Smith original plastic figures on eBay. Looks like my Plattville project is back on