Battle of Plum Run Hill. Pt1

The long Summer is drawing to a close and the first Hurricane of the season is drawing nigh. I decided that there was time for one last 'Garden Game' before Fall settled in to be followed by Winter. Casting my eyes about, I realized that it was 40's that had done all the outside fighting so far this year. It seemed only right to give the 54's an outing. I had left things with great uncertainty about rules and organization but ended up using an off grid version of the Square Brigadier.

I got the trimmer out, cleared the battlefield and starting thinking about scenarios. My first decision was to not use the knoll that had been central in the two 1790's games played earlier this year.  Sighhh.  Oh well.

"Enemy in sight Sir! Looks like they've blocked the roads and may have some troops in those woods on the hill."

I ended up deciding that Red was tasked with moving up the South-East road, leaving the hillock on their left. They had 1 troop of Mounted Rifles,  1 section of artillery and 6 companies of infantry, two of which were rated as elite shock troops. (The Highlanders of course!)  

Blue's orders were to stop the Dominion forces from moving down the road into Plum Run.  They had 1 troop of Mounted Rifles, 1 section of guns and 4 companies of infantry, one of which was rated as shock troops. (The Zouaves)

Brigadier MacDuff: "Hmm.Yes I see them. Looks like a hard nut." 

Having weighed the possibilities, I decided to entrench the gun and a company of infantry in a reboubt across the road. I then posted a company on top of the steep wooded hill, assuming that Red wouldn't be crazy enough to assault up that rugged terrain against an enemy in cover, while being subject to a flanking fire from the gun. I then posted 1 company on a trail that goes up the hill to the south of the knoll and winds up the back of the hill to a farm on the crest. That left me with 1 company of infantry, the Zouaves, and 1 of mounted rifles in reserve around the farm. 

An overhead view of the rebel positions.

As Brigadier MacDuff, I looked at the options and came up with three options. The first option was "Hey didle diddle" right up the road to storm the battery while screening the enemy on the hill, a potentially bloody option. The second was to threaten the battery, screen the hill, and focus on taking the small redoubt on the back road, sweeping over the hill, through the farm and taking the battery in reverse. Since it was a solo game, I assigned odds and rolled to see what plan to go with. I decided that the backroad seemed like the best route so assigned 4,5,6 to that option. The straight up the road approach had risks but was direct and left many of his troops out of the action unless their general reacted early,so I assigned 2,3 to that option. Lastly, to assault up that steep hill vs an enemy in cover against the center of his line where reserves could easily reach him. That seemed to risk disaster,  even if some units were assigned to keep the flanking forces busy but, if successful, it might more or less destroy the defending force and lead to a decisive result in campaign terms, so I assigned that option to "1".  Then I threw the die.

The orders have been issued and the first attack goes in, up the hill......

Up Next: The Battle for Plum Run Hill.