The First Day at Gettysburg

Scenario Briefing

by Mark Piper

Game Length: 8.00am to 3.00pm

1. Each turn is approximatley half hour. 3.00pm is the last move.

Victory Points (Calculated at games end)

1. Both sides: (a) 1 VP per enemy stand lost due to casualties or routing.; (b) 3 VP per artillery STAND lost due to casualties or routing. (Note: "hits" do not count)

2. Union: (a) 6VP if any good order brigades on HERR'S RIDGE; (b) 4VP if any good order brigades on MCPHERSON'S RIDGE, OAK HILL or BARLOW'S KNOLL.

3. Confederate: (a) 10VP if any good order brigades in GETTYSBURG.; (b) 4VP if any good order brigades on McPhersons ridge or BARLOW'S KNOLL.

4. Win: The Confederates win if they hold GETTYSBURG at the end of the game AND have inflicted greater casualties on the Union side than they have received. The Union side wins if they hold GETTYSBURG at the end of the game. Therefore to win the Union side must hold Gettysburg while avoiding taking casualties.

TERRAIN:

1. All elevations are rolled for as in the rules.
2. WILLOUGHBY RUN is treated as fordable.
3. Woods hexes treated as in the rules.
4. Artillery firing from an wooded elevation DO NOT roll for visibility but the target DOES count as in woods.
5. Movement through GETTYSBURG is by march column only, using the road bonus available in the rules.
6. When two terrain types exist roll for the worst case for movement.

SPECIAL SCENARIO RULES

1. Artillery - All artillery units are considered to be understrength approximately 4-6 guns. They start the game with one HIT in ON TO RICHMOND terminology.

2. Union Cavalry - The two brigades of Buford's cavalry division are armed with breechloading carbines.

3. Union reserve activation - Von Steinwehr's Division was held in reserve on Cemetery Hill. The Union side can reinforce with this division through GETTYSBURG from 1.30 pm, but this will automatically bring on Early's Confederate Division one move later.

4. On board units - Units starting on the board and reinforcements are indicated on the Order of Battle and the map.

5. Death of Union commanders - It's hard to simulate the unfortunate loss of Union commanders on the first day. If they are not lost, the Union side can gain an advantage through a greater number of total morale passes than the Confederates. A Union chain of command could be used. To win the Union player must play aggressively from the start and this should mean losing a general or two. Make the following changes to the commander casualties rule in ON TO RICHMOND. 0,1 on a ten sided die if a commander is with a unit that is fired upon, and 0-4 on a ten sided die if a commander is with a unit in combat.

6. Surrendering - During the first day two confederate brigades surrendered in the heat of the battle. While this sort of action is perhaps already factored into the ON TO RICHMOND rules, the following rule could be used to cover it. Every time a CONFEDERATE brigade loses two stands in one turn roll a ten sided die. A 0 or 1 means that brigade surrenders. It is removed from the board and counts towards victory points for the UNION side.

7. The railroad cutting - The railroad cutting is treated as a stone wall by a defender. The cutting can hold up to a brigade of six stands all facing in the one direction.

8. Holding fire - This rule is an addition to the ON TO RICHMOND rules that is meant to encourage players to close with the enemy or hold their fire, thus reducing the average range of shooting. If all of the stands of a brigade are within 50 yards of tan enemy unit their firing is modified by - 2.

9. Gettysburg - While Gettysburg should be represented by house models in the game, houses can be moved when troops move through the town. Any troops in the town count +2 when fired upon. March column is the only formation allowed in Gettysburg.

REFERENCES

Battles and Leaders : Volume III - The Tide Shifts.
Boeche, T (1990). "They led at Gettysburg - The Confederate and Union Generals" General (Avalon Hill), Vol. 25, No. 5, pp15-16.
Bowden, S. (1979). Stars*n*Bars (1st Edition), USA Empire Games.
Bowden, S. (1989) Armies at GETTYSBURG, USA: Empire Games.
Catton, B. (1982). The American Heritace Picture History of the Civil War, New York American Heritage.
DECISIVE BATTLE OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, Volumes I-III. (Strategic Studies Group).
GETTYSBURG (1988), AVALON HILL.(Board Game)
Gross, J.A. and Collins, A.B.(1971). GETTYSBURG : The Souvenir Guide to the National Military Park, USA.
Macdonald, J. (1988). Great Battles of the American Civil War, London : Guild Publishing.
Johnson, C. and McLaughlin, M. (1977). Civil War Battles, New York : Fairfax Press.
Shara, M. (1974). The Killer Angels, USA : Ballantine Books.
TERRIBLE SWIFT SWORD, (SPI) (Board game)
TIME LIFE Gettysburg - The Confederate High Mark

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