American Civil War game with Black Powder

[Nathaniel Weber]

We played a really fun game of Black Powder the other day, with 12mm Civil War troops in a scenario super vaguely based on the Wheatfield/Devil’s Den area of Gettysburg. (“Based on” in that poorly deployed Union troops were defending some rough terrain against an enthusiastic Confederate attack.)

Black Powder are solid rules and our game “felt” right—there was a back-and-forth attack/counter attack that one regularly encounters when reading about Civil War fights; frontal assaults over open terrain were risky; and both sides ground the other up in a nasty, multi-turn fire fight.  The first Union brigade, defending a field and a hill, were gradually overrun by two attacking Confederate brigades, who were too shot up to overtake the fresh Union brigade that arrived later in the game.  Highlights of the game included a crushing Confederate charge that destroyed a Union regiment, and a small, veteran Yankee regiment that held its own for almost five turns of close range musketry and canister fire.

The red counters indicate disorder or casualties. And why yes, the worm fences are folded up pieces of cardboard.

[Norm S]

That’s a nice sized game.  The Glory Hallelujah book (ACW Supplement) has a suggested rule that if a unit moves more than once in a turn (i.e. gets and uses two or three moves – it can’t fire), would that rule have made much difference to your game?

[Konstantinos Travlos]

Good show!

[Nathaniel Weber]

@Norm Smith: It might have changed things a little. Not too much, though. But I like the sound of it as a house rule. Seems like the kind of thing that should have been in the main rules! 🙂

I have heard mixed things about the Glory! supplement. What were your thoughts? I’ve drummed up my own special rules for ACW and am not sure if I want to spend the money on the supplement.

@Konstantinos, thanks!

[Norm S]

I would describe the supplement as a nice thing to own rather than being essential. It has a good bit of period information, a lot of lists for each year / theatre and around 3 pages of special rules, of which 1 page is dedicated to terrain.  The rest just add a general flavour, such as dampening down the enthusiasm / impact of charge.

The move only once and retain fire capability rule was much talked about amongst gamers before this supplement came out, so you are right, this supplement does not own that rule, it seems something that many gamers will be happy to universally apply to all BP games.

The one thing I did not like was that the scenario maps are not given table dimensions, despite some being none-standard shapes. Perhaps my expectations in this regard had been raised by the superb Rebellion supplement in which Steve Jones not only gives table dimensions, but also gives unit frontage that he has matched to that table … very helpful to those of us with smaller gaming spaces.

From what you say, you have been able to get BP to something that you are happy with for the ACW, which is why I think for you it would be nice rather than essential.

[Nathaniel Weber]

Thanks for the info, Norm. I think I might give the book a pass for now.  I have the Zulu War book and it’s OK–the Rorke’s Drift section has interesting scenario and rule notes but the other battles, less so.

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