The Battle of Henderson

With Ben's visit, we threw together an ACW scenario using Black Powder. What follows are some images from that fun game. But first, a little commentary and then the order of battle that we used.

I really like Black Powder. The "issuing orders" mechanic has a lot going for it. And, offers the opportunity to have unexpected things happen in a game and wonderfully creates a lack of total control of your units. In this game, I gave a careless order that resulted in my troops being over exposed due to the distance they ended up moving. This actually cost me a regiment. If I had total control of my little lead minions, there is no way I'd see that happen. We'd all line things up perfectly and have everything go exactly according to plan.

Also, there was a classic event. Feeling his flank lost, Ben ordered the retreat of Company A of the 10th Louisiana Artillery. The order was issued by a "Headstrong" brigade commander ("Headstrong" is an attribute that allows better command actions but with a slightly increased chance of a "Blunder"). The command roll resulted in a "Blunder" for this order and the blunder resulted in the artillery battery moving into a position on the flank of the approaching Yankees! Marvelous! A player with complete control of their little lead minions would have calmly retreated to safety exactly according to plan. Instead, both Ben and Matt were in a small panic as the artillery moved exactly NOT in accordance with the plans of EITHER of them. The resulting shooting broke a Yankee regiment and contributed to the securing of that flank for the Rebels. There will be battle honors issued to that artillery company for sure, and an extra portion of green corn and hardtack at camp that night.

Here is the order of battle. I made it all up based on the miniatures available in my collection. Besides the "Skirmish" attribute, I gave each regiment a semi-random attribute to mix things up and to let those rules get exercised so that Ben could experience them. The unit and commander attributes are a very important element of Black Powder.


Confederate Forces 
Wright’s Division – Major General George G. Wright
•    Command Rating: 10
•    Aggressiveness: Typical
•    Decisiveness: Typical
•    Independence: Typical

Divisional Artillery
27th Georgia Artillery, Company F
•    Artillery Type: Smoothbores 24lb, Black Powder Type: Smoothbore Foot Artillery
•    Artillery Firepower (number of dice): 4-2-1
•    HtH: 1 – Morale Rating: 4+ - Stamina: 2
8th Virginia Artillery, Company B
•    Artillery Type: Smoothbores 12lb, Black Powder Type: Smoothbore Foot Artillery
•    Artillery Firepower (number of dice): 3-2-1
•    Hth: 1 - Morale Rating: 4+ - Stamina: 2
10th Louisiana Battery, Company A
•    Artillery Type: Smoothbores 12lb, Black Powder Type: Smoothbore Foot Artillery
•    Artillery Firepower (number of dice): 3-2-1
•    Hth: 1 - Morale Rating: 4+ - Stamina: 2

Atkinson’s Brigade, Brigadier General James Atkinson
•    Command Rating: 9
•    Aggressiveness: Typical
•    Decisiveness: Typical
•    Independence: Typical
23rd Georgia
•    6 stands (Normal) – Stamina: 3 – HtH: 6 – Shooting: 3 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    Tough Fighters – Reroll one missed combat attack
17th Georgia
•    6 stands (Normal) – Stamina: 3 – HtH: 6 – Shooting: 3 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    Steady – Passes first break test of battle
7th Alabama
•    6 stands (Normal) – Stamina: 3 – HtH: 6 – Shooting: 3 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    First Fire – +1 on first shot of the battle

Sutton’s Brigade, Brigadier General Henry T. Sutton
•    Command Rating: 8
•    Aggressiveness: Typical
•    Decisiveness: Typical
•    Independence: Headstrong: +1 if 1sr commander/turn, 11 or 12 to Blunder
11th Mississippi
•    6 stands (Normal) – Stamina: 3 – HtH: 6 – Shooting: 3 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    Crack – Reroll one failed morale save if has no casualties already
9th Mississippi
•    4 stands (Small) – Stamina: 2 – HtH: 4 – Shooting: 2 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    Ferocious Charge – Reroll misses on combat following charge
6th Louisiana
•    6 stands (Normal) – Stamina: 3 – HtH: 6 – Shooting: 3 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    Reliable – +1 to command
4th Louisiana "Fryer's" Zouaves
•    3 stands (Small) – Stamina: 2 – HtH: 4 – Shooting: 3 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    Elite – Overcome disorder on 4+ at start of turn

Union Forces 
2nd Division, 3rd Corps – Major General Edward Crawley Hampton
•    Command Rating: 9
•    Aggressiveness: Typical
•    Decisiveness: Hesitant: If gives command of 3 order, must roll again
•    Independence: Typical

Divisional Artillery 
1st US Artillery, Company K
•    Artillery Type: Rifles 3in, Black Powder Type: Siege Howitzer
•    Artillery Firepower (number of dice): 3-2-1
•    HtH: 1 - Morale Rating: 4+ - Stamina: 2
1st US Artillery, Company D
•    Artillery Type: Rifles 3in, Black Powder Type: Siege Howitzer
•    Artillery Firepower (number of dice): 3-2-1
•    HtH: 1 - Morale Rating: 4+ - Stamina: 2
1st Indiana Volunteer Artillery, Company A
•    Artillery Type: Smoothbores 12lb, Black Powder Type: Smoothbore Foot Artillery
•    Artillery Firepower (number of dice): 3-2-1
•    Hth: 1 - Morale Rating: 4+ - Stamina: 2

Dorsey’s Brigade, Brigadier General Granville Dorsey
•    Command Rating: 9
•    Aggressiveness: Typical
•    Decisiveness: Typical
•    Independence: Typical
12th Wisconsin
•    6 stands (Normal) – Stamina: 3 – HtH: 6 – Shooting: 3 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    Sharp Shooters – Reroll one missed shot
6th Illinois
•    6 stands (Normal) – Stamina: 3 – HtH: 6 – Shooting: 3 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    Steady – Passes first break test of battle
11th Pennsylvania
•    6 stands (Normal) – Stamina: 3 – HtH: 6 – Shooting: 3 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    Tough Fighters – Reroll one missed combat attack
9th Pennsylvania
•    4 stands (Small) – Stamina: 2 – HtH: 4 – Shooting: 2 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    First Fire – +1 on first shot of the battle

Hardy’s Brigade, Brigadier General Edward Hardy
•    Command Rating: 9
•    Aggressiveness: Typical
•    Decisiveness: Typical
•    Independence: Typical
32nd Pennsylvania
•    6 stands (Normal) – Stamina: 3 – HtH: 6 – Shooting: 3 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    Crack – Reroll one failed morale save if has no casualties already
22nd Pennsylvania
•    4 stands (Small) – Stamina: 2 – HtH: 4 – Shooting: 2 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    Elite – Overcome disorder on 4+ at start of turn
19th Pennsylvania
•    6 stands (Normal) – Stamina: 3 – HtH: 6 – Shooting: 3 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    Ferocious Charge – Reroll misses on combat following charge
29th Pennsylvania
•    4 stands (Small) – Stamina: 2 – HtH: 4 – Shooting: 2 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    Elite – Overcome disorder on 4+ at start of turn

Eaton’s Brigade, Brigadier General William Spencer Eaton
•    Command Rating: 8
•    Aggressiveness: Typical
•    Decisiveness: Typical
•    Independence: Typical
12th Illinois
•    4 stands (Normal) – Stamina: 3 – HtH: 6 – Shooting: 3 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    Elite – Overcome disorder on 4+ at start of turn
8th Illinois
•    4 stands (Small) – Stamina: 2 – HtH: 4 – Shooting: 2 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    First Fire – +1 on first shot of the battle
12th Minnesota
•    6 stands (Normal) – Stamina: 3 – HtH: 6 – Shooting: 3 – Morale: 4+

•    Skirmish
•    First Fire – +1 on first shot of the battle
3rd Michigan
•    6 stands (Normal) – Stamina: 3 – HtH: 6 – Shooting: 3 – Morale: 4+
•    Skirmish
•    Reliable – +1 to command