WIA3 Next Year?

I am working on a draft for WIA3: Draft WIA3 Manual

Potential Players are starting to express interest here: MMG Forum Post

Crooked Creek - Test is Over

As the two sides sank into the mud on opposite sides of Tar Bottom Run, the Crooked Creek sim was declared over without total combat. Assault across the creek would have been disastrous for either side.

The test of the maps and stats method was concluded with helpful feedback from the participants. One of the main reasons for the test was in preparation for expanding the campaign in the southwest sector with additional troops and commanders. The expansion is likely to take place in the beginning of 2014. Map revisions have been underway and I am working on minor revisions of the rules. The I Corps, II Corps, XXVI Corps and XXIX Corps will carry over into the expanded campaign, with the addition of at least one more corps for each army.

Night of May 30th

One of the things makes campaign simulations interesting is the battles which never happen. Federal infantry slipped away from Midway on the night of May 29^th as Confederates planned a morning assault which was never to be. The Federal commander used the “night withdrawal rule” for the simulation and withdrew by an open route to the nearest town. This gets units safely away, but keeps them at their destination for most of the next morning.

Back at Midway, Marple’s Federal cavalry brigade came in from Rockport with an aggressive stance and launched into Martin’s Brigade, first unit it encountered. They skirmished at Indian Rock, where Martin got the best of Marple and forced him back to the Raney and Becks farms to the east. The two brigades continued to skirmish heavily through the Raney peach orchard and surrounding fields and woods. Dibble came up to Martin’s support, but Marple retreated southward, rather than leaving the Midway vicinity back towards Rockport. Marple was still on the field in the evening and his brigade is encamped at the Jones Farm on Pleasant Ridge Road.

Randall’s Brigade was resting at Point Cedar for most of the day near Kirby’s Store. A lone Ohio cavalry regiment appeared to the south on the road from Midway, but then fell back without a fight and used a small trail to move from the Midway Road to the Lightfoot House on the Centreville-Rockport Road. In the evening, Kraft’s Brigade appeared from Hot Springs, was joined by the Ohio regiment, and deployed across the road along a wood line.

Crooked Creek- 7:30 a.m.

With the two lines well-established on opposite sides of the swampy Tar Bottom Run, neither side has been enthusiastic about launching an attack. The Confederates moved some batteries up to their right flank and rolled them towards the creek in order to fire canister into the enemy lines. The Federals had foreseen this and moved their infantry back and batteries forward.  Artillery fired canister through the swamp and each side lost a battery routed, but there were few losses among the infantry lines.

Infantry sees Infantry - Midway - May 29th

For the first time since breaking off the fight at Tulip Creek more than two weeks previously, infantry has sighted infantry on the late afternoon of May 29th at Midway.  Confederate cavalry arrived in Midway in the early afternoon and was resting near town. Later in the afternoon, they sighted Federal infantry arriving on the Point Cedar Road. One brigade of cavalry advanced out the Point Cedar Road, deployed on a hill east of St. James Church and threw out skirmishers as Federals deployed on Meeting Hill.  Another Confederate cavalry brigade deployed south of the Sullenberger Farm, also throwing out skirmishers.

The Federals advanced out skirmishers as their main line deployed along a stone wall on the hill. Skirmishers lightly engaged, with Federal skirmishers from a Missouri infantry regiment being driven back from woods west of the Sullenberger orchard towards the junction to their west and the Federal main line that had its left at the Still House. Near St. James, Confederate cavalry on the skirmish line engaged with a Kentucky infantry regiments that deployed along a wooden fence line at the bottom of Meeting Hill west of the church. A battery on the hill opened fire and drove back the Confederate skirmishers. Total casualties on both sides were a little over 100 men.

Just before dark, the Federal Infantry observed Confederate infantry arriving in Midway town on the Rockport Road....   What will tomorrow bring?

Crooked Creek Map 0700

Here is a map of units visible to both sides as at 0700 a.m.

Crooked Creek - 6:30 - 700 a.m.

The XXIX Corps (US) and I Corps (CS) are extending their lines on opposite sides of Tar Bottom Run, as fighting continues at the junction at the Marshall House.  Tar Bottom Run is wide and swampy, keeping most of the opposing units out of range of each other. Some units had moved into the swampy creek before 6:30 a.m., but have since withdrawn and reformed. The Confederate line due south of Tar Bottom has re-established itself along the Arkansas Post Road.

Rockport - May 28th - Kraft vs.Dibble

There was some cavalry skirmishing at the crossroads in south Coffman's Woods.  Dibble's Brigade (CS) attacked Kraft's Brigade (US) first thing in the morning and was repulsed. Dibble continued to engage, while a second CS cavalry brigade began moving on Kraft's left flank and rear. Kraft quickly withdrew, retreating from Rockport towards Pleasant Ridge.  Total losses in the engagement were slightly over 200 men.

May 27th 1864 - Confederate Infantry and Cavalry Sighted

Early in the day, a Federal cavalry regiment that was posted in Midway was overwhelmed to find the entire Confederate cavalry division arriving from the south. It quickly retreated towards Point Cedar, but was able to report the Confederate movement northward.

At Rockport, a Federal cavalry brigade was moving northward from Pleasant Ridge, when it came acrossConfederate infantry across the Princeton Road in Coffman Woods. The cavalry pulled back and formed a line across the road at a crossroads with a trail that leads to the Pugh house. The Federal cavalry's left reported the sound of a large body of cavalry arriving from the direction of Midway.

The Battle of Crooked Creek Begins- 6:30 a.m.

The Battle of Crooked Creek has begun at a junction just south of the Marshall Farm...

Maps and Stats - Crooked Creek

The Crooked Creek simulation is approaching. It is a short, two-player simulation to test a simulation methodology called "maps and stats."  Players will submit their orders as maps, with the deployments for each brigade and battery indicated. They may also submit some basic instructions for formations, routes, etc.  A simulation turn will be run based on the maps and instructions. The report will be a map showing all units and visible enemy units and statistics. The statistics will be by regiment and derived by hitting the "L" key (unit locations) and taking some of the information and pasting it into a spreadsheet to give strength, casualties, % of casualties, morale, fatigue and ammo per man for each regiment. The game engine will be opened to note the status of each regiment (engaged, retreating, moving, resting, routed) and add it into the stats.

Map symbols are roughly to scale and different symbols are used depending on whether the brigade is in line, double line, or column.

And that's about it. I don't know how it will work, but it should start this week...

SAMPLE:

Night of May 26th - All quiet along II Corps and XXVI Corps positions

Neither side sighted the enemy on May 26th along the II Corps and XXVI Corps positions.  The calm before the storm?

Crooked Creek Manual

For those interested, the Crooked Creek Manual has been posted for download. Two veteran players are preparing to test a new command simulation methodology in a short tactical sim.

May 25th - Princeton Still in Federal Hands

They came. They saw. They turned around and left.  Confederate cavalry near Princeton spent the night of May 24th just beyond Federal lines on Bent Tree Hill and at Princeton Mills. First thing in the morning, they mounted up and left; one back towards Cache Marsa and the other towards Holly Springs.  Princeton remains firmly in Federal hands and the Confederate cavalry did not enter or come close to the town itself. No shots were fired during the face off at Princeton.

Expanding THE WAR IN ARKANSAS - Battle of Crooked Creek

THE WAR IN ARKANSAS II is expanding to a new front. Starting next week, the Confederate I Corps and Federal XXIX Corps will be fighting on the east side of the Arkansas River. This will be a two player tactical simulation that will have no direct affect the campaigning going on between the II Corps and XXVI Corps to the west. The I Corps and XXIX Corps will fight at Crooked Creek in a short tactical simulation to test a new methodology.

The I Corps is moving north from its headquarters at Arkansas Post, while the XXIX Corps is moving southward from it headquarters in Brownsville and a camp at Lake Bluff. They will engage at Crooked Creek in a short sim lasting a few turns. The two corps are balanced in terms of strength, quality and weapons. Any losses or changes in quality from Crooked Creek will be carried forward into any future appearances by the I Corps and XXIX Corps in THE WAR IN ARKANSAS franchise.

More next week.....

May 24th 1864 - Face Off at Princeton

Col. Kirk Marple's Federal Cavalry Brigade arrived at Princeton on May 19th and disrupted Confederate recruiting activities. Federals began recruiting in Princeton the following day and Marple sent the 25th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry to Hampton to do the same. When the 25th reached Hampton, it found two Confederate regiments there, which were joined by Martin's Brigade just at the 25th arrived. The Federals quickly starting retreating back towards Princeton, followed by Martin's Brigade.

The result skirmishing between Col. Dibble's Brigade and Brig. Gen. Krafts cavalrymen at Holly Springs was the retreat of Kraft's Federal horsemen toward Princeton to join Marple and resupply. As Kraft moved towards Princeton, Randall's Confederate cavalry brigade was simultaneously moving eastward towards Princeton from Cache Marsa.

Marple's Brigade deployed along the bridges on the north bank of Tulip Creek, where he was ready for Martin's arrival on the afternoon of the 24th. Martin did not attempt to take the bridges, but deployed on the south bank of the creek near Princeton Mills. Further east, Kraft had been moving to join Marple when Randall's Brigade appeared to the west, threatening Marple's flank and rear. Kraft stopped at Bent Tree Hill and deployed in a strong defensive position across the Greenville Road. Randall halted and also deployed defensively on the west bank of Plum Creek.

And that's where the evening found them... There was no engagement on the 24th, but after days of light skirmishing that was sometimes only between two or three regiments, a total of 15 regiments now face each other south and southeast of Princeton town.

 

Cavalry Skirmish - Methodology Used

The cavalry skirmishes that have been taking place along the southern section of the campaign theatre have been fought largely under control of AI. The defending line is established and the unit that is advancing on the field is moved into range to engage. Then both sides are left on AI. When they break, the skirmish is finished, with the exception of Camden, where I allowed the Confederates to advance again on the 2nd Federal line (which they did under AI).

Dibble Takes Holly Springs - May 23rd

Col. William Dibble's two Confederate cavalry regiments observed Brig. Gen. Augustus Kraft's brigade of three regiments near Kelly's Store. In the afternoon, the balance of Dibble's Brigade came up, having been on the march from Hampton. As soon as they arrived, Dibble launched into Kraft and they two brigades fought along a static line in the field just southwest of the junction at Kelly's Store.

The 19th Missouri Cavalry (US) was in the center of Kraft's line and was the first to give way under enemy fire. The 10th Iowa was deployed across the road to Beech Creek on the right of the line and was the second of Kraft's regiments to retreat from the line. The 15th Indiana was in a small patch of woods on the left and was holding up well, but withdrew before it could be overwhelmed by Dibble's men.

Kraft's Brigade is retreating towards Princeton. The 25th Illinois Cavalry is falling back from Hampton and reports Confederate cavalry following it northward towards Princeton.

22nd May - Light Cavalry Skirmishing Near Kelly's Store (Holly Springs)

There was very light skirmishing at Hampton and Holly Springs on the 22nd. Total losses for both sides combined were less than 20.  Confederates maintained possession of Hampton and drove off a Federal cavalry regiment that had advanced from Princeton. Holly Springs is contested with the two sides having camped on opposite sides of a large field southwest of Kelly's Store.