Battle of Gallow's Grove, 1864

A DBA-Hx production of the American Civil War

As Sherman marches on the sea, one of Taylor's junior generals, Lt. General Ennis, is sent to protect the agricultural centre of Gallow's Wood with a small division (8 Rifles, 2 Jaeger, 2 Cannon).

As he prepares his defences, a Northern division under General Bartlett (8 Rifles, 2 Jaeger, 2 Cavalry) comes a-knocking. Desperate to spare the town, Ennis advances to battle through the cornfields, blocking the road and daring Bartlett to come to him. The forces meet just as Bartlett exits the small copse known as Gallow's Grove...

McCullough (left) advances against the Union right.

Bartlett orders a general advance.

Union rifle fire recoils the Confederate guns.

Caley's doughty skirmishers hold off McCullough's entire brigade.

A wing battalion disperses under heavy fire.

Weight of fire starts driving Caley back.

The Union centre bounds forward & McCullough's skirmishers attack their flank.

The shattered remnants of Caley's command withdraw.

As dusk settles, the Confederates command the south & east.

Bad dice and Confederate cannon fire shatter the Union centre and drive back the wing.

Caley's men finally founder.

McCullough's skirmishers break the remaining centre battalion.

In one last, desperate, gallant charge, the Union cavalry achieve next to nothing.

As the day dies, Bartlett grimly orders a general withdrawal.

At 7-0 to the Confederates, this was one of the grimmest games of DBA-Hx that I've ever played. Despite an attempt by a third of the Confederates to even the burden of attack, the Union had appalling dice for everything but initiative and consistently drew or lost combats in both sides' bounds.

Man of the Match: Imaginary commander Caley, of the Union Jaegers. Those boys held up 5 elements with 2 for most of the game. It didn't do much, but damned if it wasn't an impressive holding action.

Candle's Bluff, 1862

As the War Between the States intensifies, both sides decide to seize the hill known to the locals as Candle's Bluff. Unfortunately, as brothers are wont to do, they come to the same conclusion simultaneously - and battle is inevitable.

The battle was fought using the Humberside Extension for DBA, both sides (accidentally!) coming out to:
General; 1 Cannon; 1 Cavalry; 3 Rifles; 2 Jaegers; 5 Muskets. And then, due to a mysterious accident of arithmetic, the Union got an extra piece of cannon.

The Battlefield in all its felty glory.

The Union advance before the might of Barbarossa's elbows.

Unfazed by Barbarossa's giant hands, the Confederates move up too.

Both sides advance towards the hill and up the road.

Confederate sharpshooters crest Candle's Bluff.

Bloody fire is exchanged as the Union press forwards.

A bold charge by the Union cavalry is repulsed by cannon fire.

...and ended by muskets. 0-1

More boys in blue die on Candle's Bluff. 0-2

Union rifles rout the Confederate right wing. 1-2

The return fire is just as deadly. 1-3

Union skirmishers exact revenge on Candle's Bluff. 2-3

Union volunteers wither and flee under the weight of Southern fire. 2-4

Bloodied but unbowed, the Union finally take Candle's Bluff. 3-4

Cannon and skirmishers together rout the southern horse in the woods. 4-4

A Confederate battalion breaks under grapeshot from close cannon. 5-4

So many have died that there aren't enough death tokens... 5-5

Skirmishers fall as the southern battleline turns. 5-6

The straw that breaks the Union's back. 5-7 CSA win!

From Hell's Heart New York stabs at thee! Final score 6-7.

This was a fun, tight game between me and Barbarossa, who was playing DBx for the first time. A staunch GW player, he was astonished at the fun possible with just one die each - and to be honest, it was even more fun than I thought it would be too. I guess he's just a great opponent.

We swapped sides and had a rematch too, which ended 6-8 to the Union. Again, the bluff itself was key to the way the battle ended as the brigaded Union Rifles stormed the hill and massacred the opposing skirmishers and cavalry with heavy fire - and a good thing too, as Barbarossa's Confederates dominated the plains and slaughtered my jaegers in the woods.

Men of the Match: Rifles, on both sides. This truly was a chance for them to show their quality, and they did, outmatching every unit on the table in both killing and staying power.