Action in the Plattville Valley

'Old School' Gaming, Donald Featherstones Horse & Musket Wargames...

I always wanted to play the ACW scenario from Donald Featherstone's 'War Games'.  I first read the book back in 1979 & I was blessed.  My local 'Whinny Banks' library had DF's 'War Games', Charlie Wesencroft's 'Practical Wargaming' & the eye candy feast that was 'The War Game'.  Very strange to have such quality books, in that Whinny Banks was one of the 'hardest' areas of Middlesbrough in those days...

Anyway I bought a copy a few years ago, but it ended up on the shelf.   I picked it up the other day & read the Horse & Musket section.  Basic enough rules, all d6 based.  I won't go into them here, but they work pretty well.  Anything that wasn't covered then we just made up a house rule OR rolled the d6, highest gets the ruling.

We followed the set-up for the 'Action in the Plattville Valley'.  Six regiments of Infantry, 2 Regiments of Cavalry &  2 guns each.   Below is pretty much the battlefield map laid out in the book.  We used 15mm figures, the ones based for our previous DBx games.

The Rebs come in from the South, the Yankees from the North.
Each side would have an advance guard of 2 regiments.

The splendid Reb advance guard

Race for the bridge.

Square up against the enemy.

Not enough movement to fully deploy.
This round only limited firepower.

The Yankees take some casualties then open up themselves.

The Texans hold the top of the hill. 

However they also take casualties.

Two rounds of firing takes its toll.

Third round & the rest of the forces appear.
The d10's are for the amount of ammo the guns have.

The Rebel guns split.

The Union force advances across a muddy field.

The Union left was strong.

A Union Cavalry Regiment reinforces the right flank.

This Reb Brigade advances in the centre.

Virginia Cavalry arrive.

This Reb Brigade would hold the church yard.

Overview of the table from the Rebel left...

..and the other side.

The Union troops are being reduced by casualties.

Artillery was very open to Musketry in these rules.

Turn Four, the Reb Cavalry charge into the Union Cavalry.

The large Union Regiment attacks the graveyard.

The Reb Artillery opens up.
One regiment is left in reserve, bang in the centre.

On the Union left, the Cavalry dismount & open fire.

BOOM!  But the die rolls are pants...

Huzzah! On come the Union troops...

Oh dear! The Union Cavalry is whooped...

Success to the Rebs!
Great Musketry forces a Morale check, FAILED.
The Union lads peg it.

Run Run Run....

It's now hand-to-hand combat in the graveyard.

The New York lads give supporting fire. 

With the Reb Cavalry on their right flank, this Regiment is effectively pinned.
It can't advance to help the attack on the church.

CHARGE!!!
The Reb Cavalry pile across the bridge.

The Reb central reserve is hurriedly deployed to support the attack across the bridge...

The Yanks are Running!!!
Another failed morale check & the Union left has collapsed

One of the Union guns fails a morale test. 

Any hope for the Union rests on the graveyard scrap.

OOoohh!
The Reb regiment is sent packing, but the Union losses are heavy.

The Virginia Cavalry fall back.

The other Rebel Regiment in the graveyard attacks the Union troops.

.... AND turn around. Reinforce the other flank!

The Reb Cavalry dismounts to fire on the flank of the remaining Union guns.

The Arkansas Regiment is too strong for the Union troops.

With that Spav throws in the towel, the Union force retreat.
Final positions... 

...and on the other side.

A smashing game, the rules played really well.  There is some rewarding joy from throwing a fist full of dice & watching  our opponents face wither from the amount of sixes you rolled...LOL

We will definitely use them again, I have now got a copy of Donald Featherstone's Skirmish rules & we plan to have a few games.


'War Games' book review by Phil Dutre on BOARDGAME GEEK=
https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2262708/book-launched-miniature-wargaming-hobby