The Wilderness Campaign 5th May – 8th May 1864
Here is the plan for this one-off game. Playable whenever the club is ready.
I need preferably four union players and three confederate players but I will make do with who we get.
The Wilderness
U.S. Grant, the new commander of the Union forces has been tasked with finally pushing through the defences of General Lee.
The goal is to reach Richmond but inbetween lies the wilderness, a vast stretch of unmarked and un-mapped roads.
Our campaign will take place over the course of one afternoon, starting at 1:30 finishing around 4:30.
Both teams will be given a map of the area much like the one attached to this message. It will detail major roads and landmarks but not all passageways through the wilderness are marked.
Players will have to discover the correct paths through cavalry and time.
The Teams
On the Union side, Grant is accompanied by the following forces.
II Corps – W.S. Hancock –
V Corps – G.K. Warren –
VI Corps – J. Sedgwick –
IX Corps – A. Burnside –
Cav Corps – P. Sheridan –
On the Confederate side, Lee is accompanied by the following forces.
First Corps – J. Longstreet –
Second Corps – R.S. Ewell –
Third Corps – A.P. Hill –
Cavalry Corps – J.E.B. Stuart –
Each player will take control over a Corps and is responsible for their orders. Each Corps is roughly made up of 6 units, each unit containing 3 bases. So in total 18 bases of infantry. This does vary between Corps and side.
The Turn
Each turn, players will give a movement order for their corps on the map.
The Umpire will be able to tell them roughly where they are located but otherwise they will have to wait until they pass one of the key Green Map locations to be able to prove where they are.
If they come across a road junction, they will be asked which turn they wish to take.
The Boards
Across the map, four locations have been chosen that will be represented by physical boards with terrain. If a player’s choice of move takes them onto a board, they will place their forces on the table.
If opposing forces meet on a table, they are welcome to fight it out or block each other.
MessagesIf any player wants to give information to another player about the game, it will be written down on a piece of paper and given to the umpire. The time the note arrives depends on how far the player’s forces are.
The Goal
The Union have been tasked with either crushing the Confederate forces entirely, putting an end to Gen Lee once and for all, or making good progress defeating Confederate forces in the area, to launch a successful assault south to Richmond from Spotsylvania Court House unopposed.
Union forces enter from the north (Blue Arrows) while Confederate Forces march from the west (Red Arrows). The two gold stars are the roads south the Union forces must be able to march from based around Spotsylvania Court House.
The game is focused more on good map reading and messaging allowing teams to gather their strength and attack where weakest. By design, moving around the map is fairly quick, marching on roads in Corps March. Once Corps split into divisions and deploy their forces their movement drastically decreases. Once you commit to a fight you will likely be stuck to it. Without support or a clear line of retreat you will have to slog it out.
Attacks are brief and fairly inconclusive. Consistent volley fire and time was needed in the ACW, so sweeping and crushing charges are not possible. Most of the turns will be spent positions and preparing for the fights.
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