Review – April’s Harvest

I would fight them if they were a million.

Introduction
April's Harvest is the 9th game released in the Civil War Brigade (CWB) Series. It simulates the Battle of Shiloh (aka Pittsburg Landing) April 6&7 1862.

I enjoy CWB series and there is only one other review for the Series under 3 Battles of Manassas. I chose Shiloh to review as it is a well known battle in the west and I have found it the game play to be true to form. Finally I was at the 2007 Shiloh reenactment, so why not.

CWB as the name implies is a brigade level coverage of a particular battle. To cover a battle a brigade level makes a good compromise in detail to keep the number of units manageable, but provide enough units to control. Higher level commands (divisions and Corps) are represented by the Commanders of those formations

As a series each game shares the same core set of rules, with special rules for each battle.

Components
The series rules are detailed (meaning long and wordy) but flow well once you play a few turns. The current series rules downloaded from the MMP site can be used for any game from the earliest ones in the series, I have used the current rules with In Their Quiet Fields I.

Each game has a few pages of special rules that will outline special constraints and optional rules to provide the flavor for the particular battle. The game specific rules sets includes an order of battle to record casualties for each army as well as several scenarios for the full engagement, interesting hypothetical alternatives, and shorter ones highlighting a key parts of the battle.

The earlier editions had austere counters and maps, but they have evolved to feature full color counters and maps (in the case of Shiloh perhaps too colorful).

The maps use color to show the topology of the battlefield, it is easy to discern the roads and the high ground (Shiloh's map is garish since the battle was fought in the woods on rolling terrain). The maps usually provide additional room for maneuver so you can attempt alternate strategies. However, the Shiloh map is tight, as it is heavily wooded with small open fields, it leads to a lot of close range (meaning lethal) combat.

The counters representing brigades are shaded using the parent corps or division so you can tell which units belong together. Primary information is morale level and size of the unit (fire strength). While losses are gradually recorded, fire strength have only 3 levels (A,B,C). This leads to a stair-step reduction in capability. Also only a limited number of men from a hex can fire a turn so any strength over an 'A' level requires you to extend your brigade to more hexes so more men can shoot (and be shot at).

Divisional and Corps leaders are included with a rating used to determine initiative and morale benefit. The values are from 0 to 4 with 0 representing people like Bragg & Polk and 4 for Sherman & Grant (both made mistakes before the battle, however, they acquitted themselves well during day).

The remaining counters are markers to show a units current morale, size, and extended lines for large brigades to have a larger front.

GAME PLAY

Command and control or why didn't the general take the hill.

This is the area where CWB differentiates itself from many other games on the Civil War. The player does not have complete control over his units. Before a force can move or engage in serious combat, they must have orders. There are 2 ways for a unit to get orders.

Each turn the army commander has a number command points to create orders. The orders can be given verbally to aides, written, or in person (requiring the army commander go seek out the subordinate). The order can have a "force: (0-2) meaning from "attack if practicable" to "attack immediately or your relief will". The more effort made into producing the order the fewer you can create, but the more likelihood the subordinate will act upon them. Orders are broken into simple moving without fighting or complex - those which have the possibility of fighting.

You have written your order, but you're not done yet, you have to calculate using movement rates on how long it will take an aide to carry the order to the subordinate. This could be up to several turns. Of course by the time the order arrives the situation may change.

Ok now we're ready to go - well… not quite - The subordinate rolls for order acceptance which uses all the factors from above and the ratings of both the subordinate and you as commander. If it is Lee talking to Longstreet - life is good. If it is Bragg hectoring Polk well you get the drift. Three things can happen - the order may be discarded (you want me to do what?), It may be accepted (yes sir!), most likely it will be delayed - (As soon as I get my troops together we will get going.)

The other way to get orders is roll for initiative, the subordinate sees an opportunity and creates his own order. Again three things can happen 2 of them bad. You may get to write new orders, most likely nothing will happen and there is a small chance you may get a "loose cannon" result where your opponent writes an order for you to execute next turn. (Hello Dan Sickles).

What makes up an order, and yes you should write them down to give guidance when moving the subordinate commands. I try to keep them succinct and provide an approach path along with a single objective. For example:
Advance down Corinth-Pittsburg road - capture crossroad next to Water Oak pond
Defend the sunken road next to the peach Orchard.
Support the attack by 3 Corps by demonstrating across Duncan Field. (this means you want the unit to fire at a distance but not press home an attack).

Now that you got your orders all is well, again not quite, each turn when executing the order you roll for corps stoppage, based on the condition of the troops and the commander. A better (higher rated) commander has a tendency to press home the attacks then a low one. As more Brigades get shot up the odds of failing the check goes up as well. This covers a reluctance of commanders to continue making attacks or holding a position in the face of mounting casualties.

The command system sounds complex but in reality all you are trying to do is describe what your subordinate units can do, it does require you to play within the spirit of your orders. The system forces you to plan ahead, expect that things will not work the way you want, delays and missed opportunities will occur. It will be frustrating to not get an attack launched until the enemy is ready, a hole in the line unexploited, a successful attack called off when one more push would finish them off. CWB are excellent in showing how things worked for the commanders, but can make for a poor competitive game. Since I play wargames mainly for historical insight, I find this a plus.

Movement & combat: you have your orders, now what do you do with them.

It is Time to put on the subordinate commanders hat.

The remaining part of the turn for each player
Movement - with integrated close combat (melee)
Defensive fire - (this is the Civil War and defense had the advantage)
Offensive fire
Rally disrupted and routed units.

During movement your brigades need to stay with in 4 movement points of division commander and the division commanders within 8 of the corps HQ. On defense you corps HQ is stationary until it receives new orders or enemy attacks force an emergency retreat. Terrain such as woods, going up hill, crossing streams cost extra unless you are in column on a road. Close combat (overrun) during the movement phase is very destructive to both sides and should only be done by units with excellent morale.

After movement both sides can fire (defender first). Fire combat is a 2-12 CRT with some modifiers for terrain (uphill, sunken roads (natural trench), flanking positions, ammunition supply. Woods do not provide a defensive benefit - an issue that has been debated since the inception of the series. Dean Essig has stated his reasons - in the woods combat was at closer ranges so any benefit would be cancelled, and on the edges of woods, the troops would be positioned just outside the words. As a reenactor I have seen the difficulty of marching a line though the woods so I can agree with some of his arguments.

The crt is fairly bloody especially since we as commanders tend to push our cardboard counters harder, than the original commanders.
Losses are marked off a strength chart as more troops are lost the brigade will begin to lose fire strength. Also after a certain number of losses the brigade will become "wrecked" which dramatically lowers its morale and makes it difficult for that brigade to hold ground and close to impossible to use offensively.

Losses come in two modes - permanent casualties (killed/wounded) and "stragglers" which represent lightly wounded men, disorganization … (the numbers of "stragglers" is impacted by permanent losses (men hit) and the brigade's morale) If the brigade is pulled out of the line in a few hours these men may fall back into line.

When losses are taken or called for in the CRT the brigade must make a morale check to see if they retreat or take additional casualties. The unit's base morale can run from outstanding (very willing to take losses and hold the line - Think the Orphan or Iron Brigades) to poor (ready to run at the first opportunity - think 11th Corps here).

The morale die roll is reduced by the current morale state, if the unit is flanked, the brigade is broken all of which make it more likely a bad result will occur.

Morale results are
No effect: likely for high moral units.
Shaken - (with and without retreat) doesn't allow the unit to go into close combat.
Disorganized - (always retreat) reduces fire and increases likelihood that future results will be worse.
Rout - "Retreat and save yourselves" a large retreat and several strength points lost as stragglers as the boys take to the hills.
Blood Lust - (got to love the name) The only good result. This is an enhanced morale representing a desire of the unit to close with enemy and be done with it.

A final step is to rally, a unit's morale goes up by one level Rout -> Disorganized -> Shaken -> Normal. If a unit has not moved it can see if it has recovered some stragglers lost earlier. Also if the unit has expended its ammunition it can be resupplied from the wagons.

Shiloh specific: or "My God, we are attacked!"

The Union army does not have a corps. Also until Grant gets to the field at 9am the only way the divisions can get orders is by initiative. To make matters worse the divisions gradually become "alert" when they are allowed to begin rolling for initiative. Federal forces are subject to defeat in detail.

The Confederates have their own problems. Their initial deployment is abysmal (reflecting history). Each corps is lined up behind each other. This leads to massive traffic jams and command control problems throughout the morning. Also as the Confederates attack the union camps they have to roll for stragglers to account for looting.

For both sides: The wooded terrain with lots of ravines and small clearings provides good defensive terrain. The arrival of the Army of the Ohio is eagerly anticipated or dreaded.

Final thoughts: or "Yes, Lick 'em tomorrow, though."

If I haven't already bored you to tears or put you to sleep.

April's Harvest, more than any other game on the battle plays consistent with the battle. In every game I find the Union driven back to Pittsburg landing with Confederates without the strength to muster that last drive at the end of the day. The second day primarily depends on the appearance of Buell. With the Army of Ohio the Confederates are driven from the field with out them the battle is mostly a draw.

CWB is a detailed wargame, it is fairly complex to learn, but the gameplay flows well once you learned it. The command system is subtle. I find that I adopt two personas: the commander looking at the "big" picture to get your formations in the right position with the right orders, and the corps commander looking at the best way to accomplish your mission. The command system along with unit formations must be used to get the most out of the series. There has been a lot of argument about what is permissible to do without orders as well as how the orders should be written.

If you are looking for a historical experience this is a good series. If you are looking for a competitive game expect to have issues. More than any other wargame, I find that CWB is best played when both sides have similar understandings of the command rules, and are willing to play by the "spirit" of the rules" Using the written commands can give you the experience (mostly frustrations) felt by the commanders on the field.