Second Manassas Scenario Thoughts

Battle of Second Manassas Scenario.
Twelve Federal cavalry are finished and once flocked, will be ready for the tabletop. In 10mm, a simple paint job makes quick work of two units of cavalry. With the completion of the Union cavalry, I know have the 10mm ACW collection complete. That is, I can field all arms for both combatants for most medium to large-sized battles.

One aspect of the game that frequently troubles me is how to display unit information for each stand. The options I've considered are:

1. Unit Statistics label on a small but separate base.
2. Unit Statistics label on figure base bottom.
3. Unit Statistics on a roster with unit identification on base edge.
4. Unit Statistics label affixed to figure base bottom with Unit Statistics shown vertically on figure base trailing edge.

When playing solitaire, I prefer having the unit information affixed to a separate 1.5"x0.5" base. This informational base then remains with the figure stand and unit's data are easily accessible at a glance and in photos. The latter is especially useful when drafting AARs from a set of game photos and speeds up note-taking during the game. The downsides to this approach are that the info base must maintain contact with the parent unit and two bases must be moved for each active figure base. In densely populated areas of the battlefield, info bases can become quite jumbled and detract from the look of the game.

A second alternative is to affix the unit's information data onto the bottom of the figure stand. While this resolves the visual clutter disadvantage of the separate info base, this method requires each base to be picked up and examined for every assault, rally, and panic resolution.

A third option is to transcribe all unit data onto a roster that is then referenced during the game. To make a roster most efficient, the figure bases should be identified in some fashion on the trailing edge of the base. Notation on the trailing edge would allow the base to be cross-referenced to the roster without having to pick up the base. The roster method eliminates the disadvantages of the clutter (option 1) and picking up the base (option 2) but does tend to slow play while the eyes are frequently shifting from the table top to the roster and back. Some players do not enjoy using a roster system but casualties and morale states could still be tracked on the game table.

A fourth option involves making a label that is affixed to the bottom of the figure stand but is large enough to wrap around the trailing edge with a bend 90 degrees from the table. All unit information is transcribed onto the upward portion of the label. This method reduces tabletop clutter but with 10mm figures, the visible portion of the label can extend to nearly the height of the figures. Currently for Option (1), I use Avery 1.5"x0.5" self-adhesives labels. I'll have to either find a suitable equivalent or simply print the labels on paper and cut and affix each label onto it's base.

28mm American War of Independence Project:
In honor of Independence Day, seventeen British line infantry are on the painting table. The figures are Perry's in slouch hat for a yet to be determined regiment. Since Austin was planning to field the British contingents at Saratoga, these fine chaps will likely become a regiment not present at Saratoga.

YTD Painting Totals

Priming. With the announcement from Sash & Saber of a limited 40% discount offer, I pulled two French guns and crews, and two limbers with teams from the inventory pile for priming. My goal is to paint these to see how they look painted before ordering another set of limbers and artillery crew. The foot figures paint up quite nicely but are a little smaller than the First Corps figures that I have for the British and French (skirmishers and Legere). On the tabletop, the difference to my eyes is not too great and on sale, the S&S figures are about half the cost of the FR. Too bad S&S doesn't expand this range.

Also hitting the priming table were:

• 24 15mm Eureka SYW Austrians cuirassierss
• 20 28mm Front Rank French Leger
• 27 30mm Renegade ECW foot
• 16 28mm Perry AWI British

18mm SYW Project:
IR#45, Heinrich Daun, is complete.

Battle of Second Manassas Scenario.
Minor adjustments to the OB are occurring as I re-read sections of Henessey's book. Jackson is getting a downgrade to a '2' and King is being downgraded to a '0'. On the painting table are 12 Federal cavalry that will represent Buford and Bayard. Hopefully, these two units will be completed this weekend and I'll be ready to begin 2BR. The tentative plan is to meet on 10 JUL to begin the battle.
Painting for June was again a bit on the light side but a glance at the half-yearly totals show that I'm ahead of my 2010 goal of 900 figures.

Annual Painting Tally for 2010 through June

Number

Number

Era

Scale

Type

Figures

Equip

American Civil War

10mm

Artillery

48

6

American Civil War

10mm

Cavalry

18

American Civil War

15mm

Infantry

28

American War of Independence

15mm

Artillery

12

6

American War of Independence

15mm

Infantry

15

American War of Independence

28mm

Infantry

8

English Civil War

30mm

Infantry

27

French & Indian War

25mm

Infantry

49

Italian War of Independence

15mm

Infantry

204

Napoleonic Wars

15mm

Infantry

72

Napoleonic Wars

18mm

Infantry

91

Napoleonic Wars

28mm

Command

3

Seven Years War

18mm

Cavalry

24

Seven Years War

18mm

Command

16

Yearly Total:                                                                                                                          615                         12

Battle of Second Manassas Scenario Progress

Battle of Second Manassas Scenario. 
The OBs are tentatively set using a variety of sources. The major source of OB info comes from http://www.brettschulte.net/CWBlog/regimental-level-orders-of-battle/ which contains a number of regimental OBs for a number of ACW battles. All listings are in Excel and easily converted for use with multiple rulesets. A few handy battlefield maps can be found at: http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/secondmanassas/maps/secondmanassasmap1.html. The OB for my game is posted under the Second Manassas scenario.

In preparation for the battle, 18 Confederate cavalry have been completed. This should be enough to field Stuart's cavalry arm.

18mm SYW Project:
The Prussian Red Hussars are finished and two battalions of Austrian infantry are on the painting table. The two battalions will be fielded as IR#45 Heinrich Daun. I've already completed the eight grenadiers for this regiment so my painting tasks will be slightly diminished. Tonight I spent two, uninterrupted hours toiling on these Austrians. It has been several weeks since I've experienced a two or three hour block of time devoted to painting. I managed to get the faces, coat, and breeches completed on these 46 figures (22 foot; 2 mounted officers). While slapping on the white, I decided to add four Old Glory 25mm Napoleonics Austrians to the production line. These Napoleonic Austrians were already primed leftovers from a test battalion of 16 figures.

In the mail this week were Ned Zuparko's Vive L'Emperor rules, Peter Young's The Wargame, and copeis of GWD/GRD's Europa duo of Narvik and Balkan Front.

Battle of Second Manassas Scenario Progress

Battle of Second Manassas Scenario. 
I laid out a battlefield prototype on the game table on Sunday. The major, historical battlefield activities will be fought out on an area roughly six feet by six feet (roughly five miles square). The entire 12x6 table will be utilized but I anticipate two feet at each table end will see little action unless either,

1. Lee is able to push the Federals across Bull Run
2. Pope is able to strike towards the Northwest and intercept Longstreet earlier than happened historically.

For the scenario map, I'm giving MappingBoard a try. The results of my MappingBoard attempt are in the Scenario -> Second Manassas page. The map is not finalized but provides a good, preliminary scope of the battlefield. MappingBoard is easy to use having a very gentle learning curve. The interface is very intuitive and maps can be generated quickly. A tabletop battlefield layout is provided for comparison. OB work begins. Immediately, I see I'll need a few sizable cavalry forces; none of which I have painted. Another decision to make is basing for the cavalry. The infantry are mounted upon 1.5 x 2.5 inch bases and represent about 1,000 effectives. The cavalry forces present at Second Manassas also muster at least 1,000 troopers each. Should the horse be based on similarly sized bases or should I consider half-sized bases?

18mm SYW Project:
8th (Red) Hussars: Not much progress on the Prussian hussars this week. Horses are finished with the troopers next. A Eureka order was placed today to replenish my SYW inventory. Three heavy horse regiments and four foot battalions will be added as will a couple of stands of wing command. I think I'm seeing a correlation between busy work-weeks and placing miniatures' orders. That is, busy week with little time to paint prompts me to spend time planning and purchasing. Also included in the order are enough AB figures for four battalions of early French.

Projects Update

Friday evening passed with a bite to eat and a painting session with the guys. For my part, I brought along 8 Perry German Jaegers that, once completed, I'll field as Hesse-Kassel Jaeger Corps. Austin worked on some very nice-looking AB Russian horse including the striking Soum Hussars while Scott diverted his painting focus from his large commission to a unit of Carthaginian cavalry.

Work begins on the Second Manassas scenario which I hope to have ready for play later in June or July. My recent trip to the battlefield has given me a better feel for the terrain and the problems that it poses for both combatants. I have a variety of battlefield maps and will be using Hennessey's RtBR for much of the scenario ideas. I envision a number of smaller scenarios along with a full battle scenario. Preliminary measurements suggest that the tabletop battlefield will represent an area of about 4 miles by 6 miles .

30mm English Civil War Project:On the painting table are 27 Renegade ECW foot soon to be fielded as Skippon's regiment. Well, much to my disappointment, I discovered (while basing) that I painted only 26 figures for Skippon's regiment! Ah, I need to be more careful when counting out figures. This isn't the first time I've mis-counted only to discover my error during the basing process. The missing musketeer was quickly primed and painted.

Skippon's regiment was quite enjoyable to paint so on deck for priming is another unit of 27 foot. Will it be mustered as a Royalist or Parliament regiment?

28mm American War of Independence Project:
The eight HK jaegers that I began Friday night during our painting session were completed Saturday afternoon. Although these were not needed for the Saratoga OB, I thought these would make a useful, yet small addition to the project. Eight figures turned out to fit nicely into our two-hour painting session. That exhausts all of the original Perry's I purchased in September 2009. With the British mustering slowly, I placed a small order for British foot to help accelerate the mobilization for Saratoga.

18mm SYW Project:Next up on the painting table are twelve Prussian hussars in mirliton. These twelve will be fielded as 8th (Red) Hussars under Seylitz and will represent two squadrons.

Grant's Tomb

Returned from a trip to New York City to attend Daniel's graduation. While there, one stop was a visit to Grant's Tomb. In honor of Memorial Day, below is a photo of Grant's Tomb taken on 30MAY2010 bedecked with U.S. flags and bunting.

One of the displays inside the tomb focused on a uniform and accoutrements. The kersey trousers were a little more blue than the picture shows although the blueish-grey depicted in the photo is an acceptable. shade. Perhaps, Ceramcoat's Blue Jay would be a close match although I often use Ceramcoat's Ocean Reef Blue and Blue Heaven for the kersey trousers.

As with most of my plane travels, cross-country travel provides an opportunity to catch up on reading without the normal distractions. On the May trip to NYC, Sutherland's Fredericksburg & Chancellorsville, The Dare Mark Campaign was the subject of my attention in addition to a few magazines. Sutherland's book,

covers the activities of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville from the operational and political slant. Battlefield minutia is kept to a minimum with emphasis on the decision-making processes and the interaction between the field generals and the heads of state. Sutherland paints the Rebel army as a well-oiled machine under lee's leadership while the Federals are broad-brushed as a bumbling organism led by a disfunctional command system. Another recent acquisition taken along for review was Waxtel and Burke's, They Died for Glory.

Painting tally for May was a little understrength but not bad production considering my May painting funk.

30mm English Civil War Project:On the painting table are 27 Renegade ECW foot (hopefully) soon to be fielded as Skippon's regiment. Below is a photo of a painting found in NYC's MOMA. Note, in this painting, that the sleeveless buffcoat is the same shade of leather as the knee boots. Ceramcoat's Golden Brown is a close match.

Projects Update

15mm American War of Independence Project:
As I dug around the trays to pull cavalry for rebasing, I found several stands of 'orphan' figures. That is, surplus, painted stands that were no longer needed after the infanty rebasing activity. I have one remnant stand containing five colonial militiamen. To field this as a full unit requires fifteen figures. I pulled ten militia from my inventory and will paint these to add to the five-figure cadre.

The markers are complete for tracking CE for the game. I used Litko 30mm hexagons for the CE marker, each side having two sets of three faces. Side One is marked with "1-2-3" and "2-3-4" with Side Two marked with "3-4-5" and "4-5-6". Now, we'll be able to easily track when a unit has fallen more than two CE levels from current. In the rules, a unit may only recover up to two levels above its lowest point in the game. So, if a unit begins the game as a "5" and loses 3 CE (becoming a "3"), it may only recover up to a CE level of "4". These markers will be utilized in my ECW, FIW, and AWI Ironsides-derivative rules.

All of the cavalry have been rebased but the bases are unpainted and unflocked. I'm awaiting my flocking activity near month-end to finish these off.

15mm Second War of Italian Independence Project:
Up next on the painting table are 18 Austrian infantry that I'll be fielding as a grenadier battalion. The figures are Freikorps and look quite nice. I'll be interested to see how this painted battalion of Freikorps look alongside the painted battalions of Old Glory.

30mm English Civil War Project:
Although I considered following the 1859 Austrians with a unit of SYW Austrians to complete a trifecta of Austrian production, a regiment of ECW Parliament foote will cross the painting table next. The regiment is yet to be decided after I check my flag inventory but the 27 figures will be Renegade.