American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Are there any negative modifiers for Entrenching?

For example if I have a unit trying to entrench a position and it is fired upon, does it recieve a negative modifier. Also for melee?

Thanks for your responses.

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Brigadier General Kevin Koch
2/2/VI
AotS

Hi,

As near as I can tell, the only modifier that applies to entrenching units is that they fire at 50% effectiveness.

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MG Mike Mihalik
Forrest's Cavalry Corps
AoWest/CSA

A personal house rule that I tend to observe regardless of my opponents habits, then I:

1861 & 1862; Never bother to to build breastworks.
1863; build breastworks only sometimes depending on the scenario.
1864 & 1865; build breastworks freely with any unit.

Seems odd to me that a unit can build defences in clear terrain ...using who knows what exactly to hide behind?

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Brigadier-General Jim Wilkes.
2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, XX Corps.
AoC. U.S.A.

If there is dirt, you can dig it. Breastworks=entrenchment.

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Gen. Drex Ringbloom,
AotS ,Commanding

As I understand it then the two things are entirely different?

Trenches can be added to a hex in the scenario editor but units have no ability to "dig in" as such and that seems correct in historical terms? They offer a serious defensive bonus and are outside the game titles we have so far.

Breastworks can be constructed during the game and require material to be arranged to offer protection. Usually branches etc and are a much more temoporary structure.

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Brigadier-General Jim Wilkes.
2nd Brigade, Cavalry Division, XX Corps.
AoC. U.S.A.

Although entrenchment is below ground and breastworks are above, it seems the game treats them the same as you can build breatworks on open ground with no rocks or trees around. It would seem to be an easy adaptation. Just as "fatigue" means more than being tired.

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Gen. Drex Ringbloom,
AotS ,Commanding

The HPS games use a very simplified mechanism to handle breastworks. In some situations they work in others they handle it very poorly. Probably a better term for what is represented is "Improved Position". In open fields this usually mean the nearest fence and any easy to tear down wood structures became the breastworks. In wooded areas fallen trees. Some areas rocks. If the troops had a road bed as a base they could put together quite strong improvements in a short time. They new how to dig too since trenches were used during the Seven Days they just didn't because of the attitudes of the leaders at this time. When you throw time (as in what year of the war) and you have changing attitudes towards these improvements. Early in the war the commanders thought improving the defensibility of their positions would make it difficult to get the men to leave them and charge the enemy. Later in the war the men didn't care much what the generals thought they dug in. Also the availability of tools to do the work with affected what they could do. In non-cultivated fields it is very difficult to dig in without a shovel.

The HPS method doesn't work badly for 1861-63 although not a good simulation. Breastworks spring into existence immediately on the roll of a die and then only on one side of the hex as if the whole regiment concentrate on only one part of their position. In 1864 the war and how the troops viewed breastworks changed dramatically and the HPS system doesn't handle this time period. Cold Harbor is a good example. The Confederates built a substantial line of not just breatworks but entrenchments in one day. Infantry started moving into position on June 1st. By June 3rd and Grants ill fated attack they had created an extensive line of entrenchments. If and when someone decides to add 1864 scenarios to HPS they will probably have to keep them short and prelay the entrenchments since the breastwork mechanism will not work well for this period.

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General Kennon Whitehead
Chatham Grays
AoT II/1/3 (CSA)