LENGTH OF GAME: The battle begins with the 7:30 a.m. turn and ends when one side achieves its victory conditions or just gives up trying.
VICTORY CONDITIONS: In order to achieve a major victory the Union player must drive the Confederates from their works and the field of battle. The Confederate player wins if he avoids this. Thus, the side which loses 60% of its command value first must retreat and will lose the scenario. It is possible for the Federals to suffer a 40% loss, and can no longer advance, but in turn inflicts a 60% loss on the Confederates, who must then retreat. If this happens, it will be considered a minor Union victory.
TERRAIN DESCRIPTION: The light woods and open hillocks are treated as BROKEN ground. Hillocks with light woods are considered ROUGH ground. The swampy creek known as Bullen's Branch is treated as ROUGH ground. The railroad was built on an embankment, so movement across it is considered BROKEN ground, while moving along or directly beside the railroad in its clearing is considered OPEN ground movement. The embankment also provides cover equal to medium works if a unit is within I inch and parallel to the tracks, but only to fire coming ACROSS the tracks. The exception to this cover benefit is when two Opposing units are on opposite sides of the tracks and both are within I inch. In this case neither side would get the benefit of cover. The Confederate breastworks and redans are considered MEDIUM WORKS facing south. Each redan has a maximum troop capacity of 1 infantry stand or I artillery section. They should be constructed on the table in this dimension. Infantry in redans are considered skirmishers for all purposes.
VISIBILITY: The first 3 turns of the scenario are foggy and visibility is reduced to 9 inches. The HIDDEN MOVEMENT rules are used, with both sides getting half as many dummy counters as real ones.
INITIAL DEPLOYMENT: With the exception of the 2nd N.C. Cavalry and the 24 pd. gun section, the Confederate player is free to deploy his units anywhere directly behind or to the north of the breastworks and redans. The section of 24 pd. seige artillery can enter on the north edge of the table along any road or the railroad on Turn 1. The 2nd N.C. Cavalry can enter similarly on any turn after Turn 1.
For the Union player, he deploys Foster's Brigade anywhere in the woods to the south of the breastworks and east of the railroad. Reno's Brigade enters on Turn 1 along the railroad. Parke's Brigade enters on Turn I along the Beaufort-Newbern road. Both enter from the south.
More Battle of Newbern, NC: March 14, 1862
Back to The Zouave Vol II No. 2 Table of Contents
Back to The Zouave List of Issues
Back to Master Magazine List
© Copyright 1988 The American Civil War Society
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com