GTC #2 Replay
June 1st
The Union win the first few initiatives in a row and surround the Confederate II Corps. The VI Corps crosses the South Anna River in the void left by the Confederate III Corps which withdrew to Richmond. Sedgwick’s troops swing to their right behind Ramseur and Rodes. The Union II Corps sweeps to the south and flanks Johnson's division. Lee and Ewell attempt to fight their way out of trouble with a +6 assault against Barlow's division. Barlow's boys hold tough but are pushed back on a 1Dr/1Da result. The Confederates win a string of initiatives and are able to withdraw Ramseur and Rodes from their positions adjacent to the South Anna River. Longstreet's Corps starts the day south of the South Anna near Hanover Junction. Lee orders his I Corps to march with haste to support Johnson's division in its battle at Berea church. Longstreet is able to cover the path to Richmond that is open to the south of Johnson's division. The Union spend the day preparing a counter-attack on Johnson's division which is launched by the V Corps. The +2 attack results in a f/3D repulse of the Federals. The VI Corps moves up into line facing Rodes and Ramseur’s divisions, both east of Johnson's division. Warren's V Corps leads a second attack with the V Corps division not used in the first failed assault. This attack targets Rodes division (the unit under the abatis between Force 5 [V Corps] and Force 6 [VI Corps]). Ricketts and Wright join the +4 attack which results in a Dr/3Fa push back of Rodes.
While the battle rages at Berea Church, AP Hill's Corps moves up to fortify the Confederate right. Upon reaching the battle field, Hill notes that the Union left is held by Getty's division and on his own initiative, orders an attack. Wilcox's division flanks Getty's position to the north and Hill leads Anderson's attack from the south. Getty's boys hold stiff as the +4 attack results in 1D/2D. Heth then takes a crack is repulsed (+3 attack, -/1D result). Hill's attacks leave his units at F4 with Wilcox's division exposed. Stuart's cavalry withdraws from Richmond and heads to the fords south of Hanover Junction. He covers the fords, preventing Burnside from moving directly south and flanking the entire Confederate position. Burnside crosses the South Anna over the ford west of Blunt's Bridge. Stuart moves south to intercept Burnside and attempt to protect Wilcox whose flanking is "hanging in the air." Hoke also moves up from Richmond to bolster the Confederate right, leaving a brigade in the capital. Near dusk, Burnside launches a +2 flank attack on Wilcox and is victorious with a 2DR/fa result. Two initiatives later, the turn ends on a double-1.
June 2nd and 3rd
June 2nd was another short day, ending on a double-1. The exhausted units from the June 1st battles recover and some units entrench.
At this point, I start to wonder about my dice...and I wasn't even using ACTS
The night of June 2nd brings thunderstorms that last into the first part of the day on the 3rd. The roads turn to mud but both armies are prepared to fight. Grant orders a pre-dawn assault on Kershaw's division which is guarding Johnson's right flank. Johnson's division is still entrenched near Berea Church and forms a salient in the Confederate line. Warren leads the +3 attack with 3 divisions from the V Corps supported by Wright's division (VI Corps). Kershaw’s boys are pushed back on a 1Dr/2Da result. Warren advances and flanks Johnson.
Both armies are fixated on Berea Church. While the Federals now flank the position, Lee "taps out" one Rebel division (i.e., fatigue level 4) in return for tapping out four Union divisions.
Rodes moves up behind Johnson's division and prepares to counter-attack. The Union wins the next initiative and Hancock's II Corps assaults the Berea Church Salient (42:12 ratio, +3 attack). The Bluecoats are met with murderous fire (a 1-6 die difference) and repulsed, f/5D. Ewell's II Corps then launches its counter attack on the Griffin and Wadsworth's division which occupy Kershaw's old position. The Rebels drive their foe from the field on a +4 attack resulting in 2DR/1a.
It goes without saying that Union luck has been quite poor but Hancock's result really throws salt on the wound. If this had been a FTF game, I would be tempted to throw in the towel as the Union out of sheer frustration.
The Union assaults leave 7 Union divisions spent for the day at a cost of one Confederate division spent (Kershaw). Lee sees an opportunity to drive the Federals from the field and attain victory. Longstreet is ordered to attack the Union right with Field and Pickett's division. Field's division outflanks Gibbon and Mott's position southwest of Berea Church and assaults at +3, driving the Yankees from the field (1Dr/1Fa). Pickett moves up and with Johnson's division attacks Barlow and Birney at +4. Barlow's men fight valiantly and hold their position thereby securing the Union right for the day (D/2D).
On the other end of the line, Burnside attacks Sub-2, hoping to outflank AP Hill's Corps. His +4 attacks is met with fierce resistance and a D/1D result. AP Hill attempts to assault Getty's division but fails to co-ordinate his divisions (assault roll fails) before Sedgwick arrives on the field and reorganizes Getty's defenses (removes the refused flank marker). Wilcox's division moves up to the line (it had recovered from its rout on the 1st behind the lines) and joins a grand assault led by Hill against Wright's division near the center of the Federal line. The entire III Corps, supported by Early and Rodes crush Wright's division (+6 attack, 5DR*/a result) which flees across the South Anna over the Ground Squirrel Bridge. Hoke's division moves up to the line to join the battle and Stuart's cavalry flank Burnsides corps on the Union left. Sedgwick attempts to pre-empt Hill's attack with a -2 assault on Anderson and Heth's division; the attack fails at -/3D.
The Union is getting desperate as the tide begins to turn in the battle. Had the Rebs destroyed the Ground Squirrel Bridge, the AoP would have been crushed or even destroyed against the banks of a swollen South Anna.
The day's fighting ends with Hill assaulting Burnside's divisions at +7 and driving them from the field (5DR*/- with two retreat losses). Union garrison troops in Caroline county move south and Sheridan's cavalry begin to move up the Peninsula. West and the rest of his cavalry division board transports in the Bermuda Hundred and move down to Fort Monroe.
Usually, it is difficult for the Confederates to mount a major offensive attack in GTC. However, there were several factors that gave the Rebels this opportunity: 1) the Union army is not as strong as it could be (two of IX Corps divisions are off-board or on garrison duty) and not all of the replacements were able to make it to the AoP; 2) the Union army attacked first and failed miserably, leaving many units disorganized and at F4. 3) the Union units were did not entrench before attacking making them more vulnerable. The Confederates are on the verge of a Decisive Victory and can potentially drive the Union from the field. At the end of the day, 5 Union divisions are routed and the combat value of the units south of the South Anna favor the South, 82 - 59.
June 4th
Grant decides to try to hold his position south of Ground Squirrel Bridge. The Union win the first three initiatives and solidify the line by moving two II Corps divisions into the hole in the center and digging.
A potentially risky move by Grant. Though he is outnumbered, forcing the Confederates to push him back will cost Lee some manpower but the potential for a rout or the capture of the Ground Squirrel bridge before the Union army escapes safely is enhanced.
Lee orders Longstreet to assault the Union right held by Crawford and two II divisions. The grand assault brings in all of the Confederate I Corps for a +3 attack resulting in 1Dr/2Da. Warren's force retreats to the hex just south of Ground Squirrel Bridge. The two II division (Birney and Barlow) run out of ammo as a result of the battle. On the other end of the line, AP Hill fails an assault roll. Sedgwick attempts to assault Hill's force to fatigue/disorder the Rebels before they can attack. He to fails his assault roll. Hill ends up winning the next initiative and leads a grand assault against Ricketts and Robinson at +4. Even dice leave the Yanks fleeing to the rear north of the South Anna (2DR/2fa).
Hill's advance flanks Hancock's position (held by Gibbon and Mott's divisions). The grand assault is a +5 attack but Hancock's men hold fast, winning the die roll by 4 for a 1D/3D result. Because his position is flanked, Hancock voluntarily withdraws across the bridge to the safety of the South Anna. Getty's division joins the only other Union force south of the river, Warren's force, just south of the bridge. Hoke and Rodes are the only Confederate infantry divisions that are not spent and they move up to the line. Longstreet fails his assault roll so the attack against the Union bridgehead is called off. Sheridan moves up to Ashland and Stuart withdraws towards Richmond.
The Union hold a bridgehead south of the river but will probably have to withdraw and attempt to cross in force at another point. The Battle of Two Churches (Berea and Ground Squirrel) lasts four days. Union casualties number 20,500; Confederates half that at 10,000.
June 4th Strategic Cycle
The Strategic Event is "Strong Confederate Logistics." The Confederates receive 2 replacements which are attached to Wilcox's division. Ten Union replacements join the V Corps. So far the Union unreplaced losses are: 93 losses - 40 replaced = 52 unreplaced. The Union rolls a 3 (x4 for 12 replacements). All 12 are assigned to the AoP. The Union's Valley reinforcements arrive in Lexington.
In the Valley, Hunter attacks Lexington and Ferrero attacks Lynchburg to prevent Breckinridge's force from reinforcing. Ferrero's attack is -2 and results in -/1D; a major defeat for the Union. Hunter attacks at +2 but is out-diced by three, losing F/3D.
I mistakenly thought Crook's force could arrive in Lynchburg so Breckinridge ended the previous cycle there for defense. As it turns out Hunter's attack is decisive but not in the manner the Union hoped.
The Union decides to not complete the depot at White House Station. There are no Union units in Henrico county so it is not needed. Not completing the depot this cycle allows Brooks division in Fort Monroe to move by river to reinforce the New Kent bridgehead. The Union Navy marker flips to Transport Troops. All forces are in supply. Hunter and Butler receive command points and go active.
Losses stand at 97 to 47 in favor of the Confederates. The Union needs to roll a modified 10 or more to continue the game with a +1 drm. The roll is an 8 and the game ends with a Decisive Confederate victory.
Hunter's failed attack turns out to be decisive. Had he won the battle and Union losses not reached 97 (the next bracket up on the game end chart), the game would have continued.
Aftermath
| Victory Points | ||
| Reason | GTC #2 Result | Historical Result |
| Control of Caroline County | +12 | +12 |
| Control of Staunton | +9 | +0 |
| Control of Hanover | +10 | +0 |
| Control of New Kent | +3 | +6 |
| Control of Port Walthall Jct | +0 | +9 |
| Destruction of dismantled depot | +10 | +15 |
| Union Div. Near Richmond | +0 | +30 |
| Confederate on-map losses | +129 | +192 |
| Confederate off-map losses | +12 | +24 |
| Union on-map losses | -156 | -194 |
| Union off-map losses | -38 | -24 |
| Total | -9 | +70 |
| Random Events Summary | |
| Event | No. Turns |
| Rain (total days) | 9 |
| Confederate Command Paralysis | 5 |
| Union Command Paralysis | 3 |
| Union Night March | 6 |
| No Effect | 10 |
More than anything, thing game demonstrated the difficulties for the Union if they attempt an overland supply line. The garrison in Culpeper County and the ease with which the Confederates can damage a RR station far outweighs the benefits of a larger transport capacity and the ability to attack Richmond from both Henrico and Louisa counties. This game also shows that the Confederates do not have to just play defense. In fact, attacking an off-balance AoP particularly as it lunges for Richmond can be decisive.