ACW Action: Battle of Middletown - Part One.

Well, the heatwave has abated and we have had rain! The workshop has also cooled down enough to finish my ACW game that I began several weeks ago! One of the advantages of being able to leave a game in situ, something I have rarely been able to do in fifty years of wargaming.

The game is the Battle of Middletown, a fictional action as part of series of linked games I have decided to do with my ACW figures. The first game was before we moved house, follow the link: Battle of Allanville. I have decided that game was  between the right wing of a Confederate force and local Union troops. This action, at Middletown, is being undertaken by the central body of the Confederate army, once again against Union forces hastily assembling to launch their own attack. Allanville was a convincing win for the Confederates; Middletown proved to be a tougher fight.

The Confederates had two infantry brigades and one cavalry brigade, a total of eight infantry regiments, three cavalry regiments and four batteries. The Union side had the same, but had eleven infantry regiments and two cavalry regiments, with three batteries. The Confederates were all average troops, except for one unit of veterans; the Union side had seven regiments of raw infantry, the rest of their units were all average troops.

The scenario has the Union side hastily moving in to position having received warning of the approach of the Confederates. They have to hold the hills and prevent the attackers reaching Allanville. The Union infantry commanders were both cautious, the cavalry commander average, so nothing unusual was to be expected from them.

The tabletop from the Confederate end, with the Union troops deployed in the distance. The Mound, then Bleak Ridge are in the centre; North Hill to the right.

The view from behind the Union lines. Allanville is at the bottom of the picture, with South Bridge over Dry River to the right of the town. The forward Union brigade is Brigadier General Blake, behind him and to the left is Brigadier General Coverdale. The cavalry is under Brigadier General Mount.

The small town of Allanville. Buildings are by Sarissa from their North American 28mm range.

Union division commander, Major General Hill, in the street. An average commander. He has kept back three regiments and a battery to secure Allanville.

Defending the ford.

The Union cavalry brigade.

Blake's Brigade holding Bleak Ridge and the Mound.

The foremost Union unit has thrown forward a company of skirmishers onto The Mound.

Part of Coverdale's Brigade deployed to support Blake's troops.

The view from beyond the Union right flank. Hill has covered his front well in the centre and partly on the left, but his right is in the air, with only the cavalry available to counter any move against this area.

The battery on Bleak Ridge ready to support the infantry: a rifled 3" Ordnance unit.

The leading Confederate brigade under Brigadier General Merlin advances, the division commander, Major General Best watching on. The Confederate brigadiers were all bold; Best was average. The plan: to seize the hills, deploy batteries to make Allanville untenable, while the cavalry outflank the Union line and seize South Bridge.

More to follow...