FIRST BULL RUN, PART I

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I linked up with Alex of “Commission & Regiment” and “Up the Blue” fame to game First Bull Run with my draft ACW rules (themselves a variant of NT’s ACW rules from his “Wargaming: An Introduction” book.). Ive always liked Bull Run due to the huge variation of units that fought there as well as the strange reinforcement schedule that favors the Union in the first half of the battle and then favors the Confederacy in the latter half. Using the scenario from “Forward the Colours” on Wargame Vault, I pieced together a scenario using my 20 x units per side (so brigade strengths are a little fudged).

The resulting game has so far been alot of fun. Much like the armies of both sides coming to grips with “modern” warfare, our recent battle saw us coming to grips with Neil Thomas’ ACW rules, as well as NT’s 19th Century rules – both of which were heavily discussed.

The turns are 20 minutes each. Units are regiments. The Union (Army of Northern Virginia) much seize the crossroads and the multiple portions of Henry House Hill by the end of Turn 23. The Confederates (Army of the Potomac and the Army of the Shenandoah) must prevent them from doing so.

We stopped around Turn 10 – there are still a bunch of Rebel reinforcements and yet ANOTHER Union Brigade scheduled to come on the table. I will let the pictures tell the story from here.

Burnside and Porter’s Brigades fanned out, assaulting Bee’s Brigade and cutting the Warrenton Turnpike (running across the pic). Franklin and Wilcox’s Brigades are coming up to continue the attack up Henry House Hill in the background. Bee is putting up stubborn resistance on his hill and the veteran Louisiana troopers are giving ground grudgingly.

Alex’s attack against Buck Hill is textbook and he forms a beautiful line across the battlefield. More importantly, the full firepower of his formations is being brought to bear and Alex is using the “Full Volley” rule to good effect. Bee eventually loses an Alabama regiment atop Buck Hill while his veterans slowly withdraw from their position

Bee facing combined elements of Burnside, Franklin and Wilcox’s Brigades

The view from the Rebel side looking at Buck Hill and teh Warrenton Turnpike. Henry House Hill is to your right off-camera. Porter’s Brigade has crossed the Warrenton Turnpike in the foreground and is advancing towards the woods while elements of Franklin and Wilcox’s brigade relieve him along the fenceline. Note the Rebels (Bartow’s Brigade) have refused their left flank and are taking what meager cover they can. The Rebels are attempting to stave off the Union Army as best they can while Cocke’s Brigade and Jackson’s Brigade deploy.
Burnside’s 2nd Rhode Island push Bee’s / Evans
Louisiana Troops continue to move out of the woods on the hill. Bee’s men at the bottom to the left continue to make an orderly withdrawal to the fenceline along the Warrenton Turnpike (left). Bee will take up Bartow’s positions, while Bartow shifts left to handle the attack into the woods. The Union troops are right at the Confederates’ doorstep!

Alex’s line continues to strengthen and he continues to move his artillery up with him. Meanwhile, Rebel reinforcements are pouring in from Manassas as Cocke’s Brigade advances through the woods up Henry House Hill and Jackson’s Brigade moves up Henry House Hill moving around the woods. There is lots of combat power massing on Henry House Hill now but the Confederates need time to establish a second line. Alex does not intend to give me time to leisurely set up my defense!

Cocke’s Brigade moves into position by Henry House. They’re tagged to relieve Bartow so he can shift his Brigade along the Warrenton Turnpike Fenceline position. So far the battle is turning out eerily similar to history.
Jackson’s men arrive up the backside of Henry House Hill. They will be instrumental in trying to blunt the Union attack materializing in the woodline to the southwest.
The fight along the Warrenton Turnpike is tough. Heavy shooting from Union muskets and artillery has shredded a number of units from Bee and Bartow’s Brigades. Cocke’s reinforcements are deploying to your left (off camera) and Bartow is trying to shift up in the picture as Alex’s Union sledge-hammer comes down on the Confederate positions.
Confederate Troops of Bee’s Brigade have given up the woods atop Buck Hill as Burnside’s men occupy their old positions. Note the horde of Rebel columns atop Henry House Hill upper-center. You can see Cocke’s Brigade next to the Henry House model moving at speed to support Bartow. Ominously, there is a horde of troops to the upper right attempting an assault on Henry House Hill from the west.
Porter’s Brigade moving through the woods as Jackson’s Brigade moves to deploy to cover the objective (red bead)
1st Minnesota taking cover at a stone wall at the base of Henry House Hill. Alex is fighting to gain a foothold on the south bank of the creek! There was a rebel regiment here a few turns ago who were driven back and fled the field.
Sherman’s Brigade arrives onto the field now, further complicating my plan!
The entire field at the bottom on turn 10 (1230pm roughly). A major attack is setting up from the woods and Sherman’s Brigade has arrived to continue the attack on my right. Jackson and Cocke’s Brigade are deploying to meet them both while Bartow and Bee trade more lives to buy time for the defense of the hill. I still have more reinforcements coming on in the form of JEB Stuart’s Cavalry, Kershaw and Early’s brigades in the afternoon portion of the battle.

Lessons Learned So Far

I am enjoying the rules but there are some kinks to work out still. The saves provided in my previous download version were much too generous, prolonging the game more than was necessary and so the saves have been reduced to 6 and 5 in cover (being dug-in allows a save 1 better than the terrain). The retreat rules brought up some questions such as what happens when a unit retreats through another unit that itself had 3 hits on it – if that unit loses a base, does it have to test to retreat now? I do like the retreat rules as units were driven off frequently from shooting, but came back just as frequently.

Additionally, Alex suggested that since units consist of 3 bases (vrs 4 in the NT rules) I should play the units with 3 bases (meaning they are done at 12 hits). Much to ponder there. We have not been physically removing any of the bases but rather using red dice as counters to track base loss and casualty figures as individual hits).

Otherwise, I think the game has certainly kept the spirit of NT’s ACW rules alive and well (buliding upon them with more chrome) I have really been enjoying the game so far and watching Alex’s attacks materialize brings about a sense of excitement and dread 🙂

If I can more intelligently deploy Cocke and Jackson’s brigade, perhaps I’ll have the opportunity to say “THERE STANDS JACKSON LIKE A STONE WALL! RALLY BEHIND THE VIRGINIANS!” but so far my deployment has been a bit foppish.

Future Plans

Concluding Bull Run may bring about the end of “ACW Month” (April) but since it’s still May and I’m still painting ACW stuff and playing ACW games, I’m not sure “ACW Month” will actually conclude… It has been immensely satisfying getting my 15mm ACW troopers on the table for some hard campaigning especially after repainting and rebasing so many of the troops.

They needed to stretch their legs out and it has been too long since an ACW game graced my table! So I kind of fouled up the schedule taking way too long to get ACW stuff onto the table and I completely missed May which was supposed to be 10mm Fantasy and 15mm Vietnam stuff. But since ACW has been on the table, the boys have fought in some tough brawls (including a 1st Manassas scenario fought with Ken using Valour & Fortitude and a bunch of test NT ACW games using the One Hour Wargame scenarios)

All this being said, it’s almost June and D-Day beckons! I plan on playing Bolt Action with Andy and his 20mm 101st Airborne and possibly more Kursk action using Bolt Action, preparing to reap a “bitter harvest” in July for Kursk month. Still have about 20 US paratroopers to finish painting and some German howitzers.

I’ve also been reminded that it’s going to be America’s 250th birthday soon, and so I should probably get an AWI game in. To be honest, that was not part of the 2026 agenda, but it just seems like the right thing to do 😀

Stay tuned!

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