This is the scenario I'm going to be playing (and play testing) at PacifiCon. I don't plan to schedule it ... I'll just play it adhoc with my jolly group of fellow gamers (it is easy to get a table on Friday or Sunday).
This scenario is designed for
This Hallowed Ground. The link is to v1.0 ... but I'm making some minor updates and additions (to the units, e.g. Berdan's Sharpshooters are a dedicated skirmish formation not currently represented in the v1.0 rules). Another big change is that in order to reflect the lethality of the weapons used, I'm doubling the firing dice for each formation. This worked very well in the recent game we played.
Anywho, on to the scenario ...
Gettysburg, July 3rd, 1983 - Pickett's Charge
This battle really needs no introduction. Given the scale of the units involved, I've chosen to focus on the advance of Pickett's division. Trimble's division is considered to be just off table, advancing along with Pickett's division. The table can certainly be expanded in width if players decide to represent both divisions (although it is already 6' wide).
Orders Of Battle (OOB)
The following orders of battle are used for the forces involved.
CONFEDERATE OOB
Division Commander: Pickett
1st Brigade (Garnett)
- 8th Virginia
- 18th Virginia
- 19th Virginia
- 28th Virginia
- 56th Virginia
2nd Brigade (Kemper)
- 1st Virginia
- 3rd Virginia
- 7th Virginia
- 11th Virginia
- 24th Virginia
3rd Brigade (Armistead)
- 9th Virginia
- 14th Virginia
- 38th Virginia
- 53rd Virginia
- 57th Virginia
Division Artillery
- 4 x Regular Artillery Battery
Note: To represent the strength of the units involved, all Confederate infantry units have their morale values increased to 16/18 for Garnett's and Kemper's units, and 18/20 for Armistead's units.
UNION OOB
Division Commander (1st Corps, 3rd Division): Doubleday
3rd Brigade (Stannard)
- 13th Vermont
- 14th Vermont
- 16th Vermont
- 1 x Regular Artillery Battery
Division Commander (2nd Corps, 2nd Division): Gibbon
1st Brigade (Harrow)
- 19th Maine
- 15th Massachusetts
- 1st Minnesota
- 82nd New York
- 2 x Regular Artillery Battery
2nd Brigade (Webb)
- 69th Pennsylvania
- 71st Pennsylvania
- 72nd Pennsylvania
- 106th Pennsylvania
- 1 x Regular Artillery Battery
Note: All Union infantry units morale values are 14/16.
Map & Deployment
This scenario uses a 6' by 8' table as pictured below (click the picture to enlarge).
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| Map and initial deployments. |
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| Here is a picture of the actual table setup. |
The Union brigades each have units forming a "second line" (reserve) with artillery batteries dispersed throughout the Union lines. The Confederation artillery is positioned on the hill to the rear of Pickett's infantry brigades. The open space between the opposing forces contains tall grass fields and other light vegetation and does not limit movement in any way (although the snake rail fencing does present an obstacle).
Special Rules
The following special rules apply to this scenario.
Union Second Line - The 5 Union infantry units that form the secondary line (in front of the Taneytown road) are not permitted to engage forward of their deployment positions until one or more Confederate units engage one or more of the first line Union infantry or artillery units in melee. Once a melee has been fought, second line units can move and engage freely during their next activation.
Rebel Yell - Charging Confederate infantry units gain a +1 modifier on charge home tests (per page 20 of the rulebook).
Forward Men! - This rule only applies to Armistead (the brigade commander model). Once per game, before declaring charges, Armistead can declare "forward men!" Place an appropriate marker (such as Armistead himself with his sword through his hat) by the brigade commander. Any infantry unit from Armistead's brigade that declares a charge gains a +1 to the charge home test (stacks with Rebel Yell) and any Charge! result on the charge home test is instead considered a Determined Charge!
Extreme Artillery Range - Artillery may shoot beyond their normal maximum range (e.g. 60" for regular artillery). Any shooting done at this range is considered "extreme range" and requires a D6 result of 6 in order to hit (normal modifiers apply - dice are halved per the normal rules for shooting).
For Virginia - The normal rules for broken brigades do not apply to the Confederate brigades. Instead, a Confederate infantry brigade is only broken when all units in the brigade at either broken or shaken. This represents the amazing determination shown by Pickett's division in driving on to the Union position.
