Simplified Antietam - Morning of 17th September 1862

Deployment: The Army of Northern Virginia faces disaster. It has been caught out with its Division's scattered across Maryland, and now faces the far larger union army with its back to the Potomac. Fortunately reinforcements are on the way and the union commander seems determined to squander his decisive advantage by sending in his forces piecemeal. In this northern part of the battlefield 'stonewall' Jackson's wing of confederates face a union Corp under 'fightin' Joe Hooker. To win the union must capture the 'Dunker' church near the southern edge of the board by the end of turn 12, signifying that they have successfully turned the rebel flank. For this scenario we are using simplified orders of battle, with Hooker as the sole union Corp commander on the field. We have also standardised brigade sizes at 8 stands to aid speed of play. Both sides have reinforcements with variable arrival times. The union have two starting Division's; Doubleday on the left and Meade on the right. All are rated regular except for the elite Iron Brigade leading Doubleday's column. The Confederates also have two starting Division's; Jones on the left and Lawton on the right, with Stuart's horse artillery off table to the left.  



Union Turn 1: Doubleday marches his two leading brigades into the cornfield, led by the elite iron brigade. The rest of the Division slowly advances through the north woods and drifts out to the left. Meade boldly sends his guns into the east woods, but his infantry dawdle and fail to keep up. 





Confederate Turn 1: Jones's drifts his reserve brigade to the left through the west woods to secure that flank. Lawton wheels his Division up alongside Jones to form a strong defensive line spanning the gap between the woods. Together with Stuart's battery's they unleash an almighty fusillade into the cornfield, cutting down many bluecoats. The union however return fire and their guns on the hill decimate the leading ranks of Jones's Division. 

Union Turn 2: Emboldened by the overhead cannonade the union troops launch a direct assault into the teeth of the enemy, despite their clumsy and deep formation. Meade personally directs the assault on the left, slowly pushing Jones's men back. But on the right, the Iron Brigade turn tail and flee straight back through the cornfield! Elsewhere the rest of the union army slowly advance and deploy into fighting formations, whilst the battery's on the hill pull back to the ammo wagons. 

Confederate Turn 2: With an almighty rebel yell 4 confederate Brigades hurl  charge forwards and counterattack. The union troops are instantly overwhelmed and Meade's career is cut short as he is shot trying to rally his men as they stream back through the cornfield. The confederate charge is so successful that their commanders cannot stop the the men charging on after the defeated yankee's, bringing them face to face with the double-cannistered union guns in the east woods. 

Union Turn 3: Doubleday's forces on the left push forward to the edge of the west woods, whilst on the right the brigade in the east woods redeploys into supported line and swings round to enfilade the confederates. A union battery races up the road on the right and unlimbers, but is instantly silenced by rebel counter battery fire. The steadied federals supported by artillery bring their full firepower to bear and scythe down the two leading rebel brigades in the cornfield. 



Confederate Turn 3: As wildly as they charged, the southerners now pull back from the cornfield with calm, orderly determination, keeping their faces to the enemy. Jones brings up his reserve brigade to support the line whilst Lawton occupies the cemetery on the right to anchor that flank against any more envelopments. 

Union Turn 4: Rallied and reinforced, the union army advances once more into the cornfield supported by strong detachments in the woods on each flank. They exchange a steady drumbeat of musketry with the rebels. Whilst general Seymour takes command of Meade's Division and directs them from the east woods, general Lawton takes a shot through the leg as he pulls his men back and and is dragged from the field. 





Confederate Turn 4: Jones's leading Brigade hurl themselves forwards once again, but they are outnumbered and isolated as the second line fails to keep up! Despite losing dozens of men on the way in, they just keep on going and the panicked yankee's break and run, giving up the cornfield once again. On the left Hood's Division arrives and sweep up behind the west woods. 

Union Turn 5: Doubleday and Seymour swing in their Brigades in the woods on each flank. Jones's lead Brigade are slaughtered as bullets fly into the cornfield from three sides. 

Confederate Turn 5: Yet more reinforcements arrive as Hill's Division enter from the southern edge around the Mumma farm. Early takes command of Lawton's Division and charges forwards with them to dislodge the federals from the east woods. They smash into the end of the union line, easily routing their enemy and then ploughing on into the next Brigade and scattering them as well. Under cover of the charge the artillery battery's redeploy into the centre and cemetery on the right. Whilst on the left Jones's Division wheel to face the Yankee's in the west woods.

Union Turn 6: The rebel's surge forwards into cannister range of the guns in the east woods. But just as they are about to fire, a scattered volley of musketry fells a few of the crewmen and they're shaken comrades dive for cover, losing a perfect opportunity to halt the southerners. At last Sedgewick's Division arrive marching from the north down the Smoketown road. 

Confederate Turn 6: In the east woods the panicked federals abandon their guns as Early's men renew their assault. On the right Hill's division charge down another union battery, clearing that flank. On the left Hood's elite Division dash forwards in column, and together with Jones's survivors and fire from Stuart's batteries they drive Doubleday from the west woods. With the rebel position stronger than ever and his own men tumbling back to their start lines, general Hooker recognises his battered Corp cannot break through and orders them onto the defensive. Confederates win!