David R. Moody - Mar 29, 2007 2:13 pm (#17947 Total: 17954) ¡Señor Beavis! ¿Donde está tu hall pass? Had a glorious night of war last night at Endgame in Oakland, California, with Jason Pipes. First up was the Trevilian Station scenario from Grant Takes Command, Jason's first try at the GCACW system. I like to start newbies off with a cavalry raid, as those are fast and fun with lots of movement (I played that scenario with Joe Oppenheimer once upon a time as well). Briefly, the historical situation: June 8, 1864. Grant has been repulsed in front of Richmond at Cold Harbor. In the Shenandoah Valley, a small Union force under David Hunter crushed a small Rebel force at the battle of Piedmont, killing its commander, William E. "Grumble" Jones. Grant, sensing an opportunity, decided to send Phil Sheridan and two cavalry divisions to link up with Hunter in the Valley, wrecking the Virginia Central Railroad (Lee's lifeline to the Valley) on the way. Historically, the mission ended in failure at the battle of Trevilian Station. Well this playing was much different from both the historical events and the last playing. IIRC, when I played it with Joe we fought three small battles and I wrecked two railway stations (Louisa Courthouse and Trevilian Station), but Joe's Rebs blocked my way to Hunter in the Valley; nonetheless, damage and losses gave me a Marginal Victory. Last night, not a shot was fired (or at least not enough to be reflected in game turns). Typical opening--Little Phil and the bluebellies (me) riding hard for the Valley, Rebs in pursuit. We both pushed the march, and I was at first unable to get ahead of Jason and wreck the Virginia Central; he cleverly used his brigades to block the crossings of the North Anna and make me try and go around him. I thought about sending David Gregg's division to try and force a crossing, but thought better of it, still having time and maneuver room. With both sides riding hard (all units on both sides Exhausted, some units flipped to Disorganized), I finally got an opportunity to slip around Jason when I won initiative and got a big movement roll, putting Sheridan's boys a few hexes from Gordonsville, near the exit points on the edge of the map. A second initiative win, and I was there, Sheridan's exhausted troopers staggering into town, at 4 Fatigue level, two brigades reduced in strength. I had stolen a march, with the rebel cavalry still along the North Anna. Jason managed to regroup some of his also worn-out cavalry, and hoped to throw most of them at Gordonsville in the morning (June 11) to try and prevent my exit, but low movement rolls prevented a major concentration. Then my luck with the dice held, as I won the first two activations on June 11, had Tom Devin's boys (the only ones still strong enough) wreck the Gordonsville station, then skedaddled off map with all five of Sheridan's brigades after sweating out two Extended March rolls for the ones now at 1 strength and Disorganized. So the result was the same as the last time: Union Marginal Victory. Sheridan manages to link up with Hunter, but doesn't do a lot of damage to the Virginia Central, nor inflicts any loss on Hampton. A pure game of maneuver, and a bloodless victory.