From: Jim Paterson Subject: Aussie Dixie Tournament Hello all, I play Dixie, both games and Eagles. I recently won the Australian Cardcon Dixie tournment. I would like to give an after action report and also give you my battle deck make-up, as well as tournament rules, which are the best I have played with so far. Tournament Rules: 350 points, with as many special cards as you like but max 2 of any one type of special card to be used. Minimum 40 cards per battle deck. If terrain is included in a battle deck one terrain card, of the players choice, may be taken out and included in the muster, with one less card being mustered. Muster is 20 for the south and 24 for the North. Game Rules Used: are standard rules with the modifications published in the Canadian Wargames Jounel. Players' must have both Confederate and Union 350 pt Battle decks. A die roll at the begining of each game will decide who will play with there north deck and who will play with there south deck, winner of the die roll has the choice. Note: the organisers made this decision based on previous tournaments in which the Union was found to win 75% of the time. But the previous tournaments had been 300 pt battle decks, which gives the Union an advantage IMO. This was found not to be the case with 350pt Battle decks, with both sides winning an equal share of games. My Union 350pt Battle Deck. 101- Miles General 0/1 5pts 102- Runyon General 0/1 5pts 103- Blenker General 0/1 5pts 104- Heitzelman General 1/0 5pts 114- Porter General 1/2 15pts 115- Sherman General 2/1 15pts 116- Richardson General 2/1 15pts 117- 1st US, Co G 2 Art F2/F2 10pts 118- 1st US, Co I 3 Art F1/F2 9pts 119- 2nd US, Co A 2 Art F1/F2 6pts 120- 2nd US, Co D 2 Art F1/F3 8pts 121- 2nd US, Co E 3 Art F1/F2 9pts 122- 2nd US, Co G 2 Art F1/F2 6pts 123- 2nd US, Co M 2 Art F1/F2 6pts 124- 3rd US, Co E 3 Art F1/F2 9pts 125- 5th US, Co D 3 Art F1/F2 9pts 127- New York Art 3 Art F1/F2 9pts 128- Rhode Island Art 3 Art F1/F2 9pts 131- 2th US Cavalry 2 Cav F1 4pts 136- 82nd New York 2 Inf F2 6pts 137- 1st Ohio 2 Inf F2 6pts 140- 69th New York 3 Inf F2 9pts 141- 79th New York 3 Inf F2 9pts 142- 2nd Wisconsin 3 Inf F2 9pts 143- 1st Massachusetts 2 Inf F2 6pts 144- 2nd Michigan 3 Inf F2 9pts 145- 3rd Michigan 2 Inf F2 6pts 148- 84th New York 3 Inf F2 9pts 150- US Reg Battalion 4 Inf F2 12pts 163- 3rd Maine 2 Inf F2 6pts 173- 3rd New York 2 Inf F2 6pts 174- 41st New York 3 Inf F2 9pts 177- 39th New York 3 Inf F2 9pts 178- 27th Pennsylvania 2 Inf F2 6pts 183- 21st New York 2 Inf F2 6pts 187- Bull Run Terrain (M/L 1) 5pts 186- Holden Hill Terrain (+1 CV) 10pts 193- Color Guard Special X 2 20pts 196- Sharpshooter Special 5pts 197- Rally Special X 2 10pts 198- Double Canister Special X 2 10pts 199- Uniform Confusion Special X 2 10pts Total 46 cards 349pts. Union Game Plan: I planed to hold against the initial Reb onslought and then whittle him down with long range cannon fire, the Terrain card I would pick in the muster would be Holden Hill, which I normaly place in the centre. My Confederate Battle Deck. 207- Johnston General 1/2 15pts 208- Smith General 1/2 15pts 212- Early General 2/1 15pts 214- Jackson General 2/2 20pts 216- Richmond Howitzers 2 Art F1/F3 8pts 217- Washington, 1st Co. 3 Art F1/F3 12pts 222- Washington, 4th Co. 3 Art F1/F2 9pts 223- Purcell Artillery 2 Art F1/F3 8pts 224- Rockbridge Artillery 2 Art F1/F2 6pts 227- Culpepper Artillery 1 Art F1/F3 4pts 229- 30th Virginia 3 Cav F1 6pts 230- Harrisons' Battalion 1 Cav F1 2pts 231- Independant Cavalry 3 Cav F1 6pts 232- 1st Viginia 2 Cav F1 4pts 233- 2nd South Carolina 3 Inf F2 9pts 234- 3rd South Carolina 2 Inf F2 6pts 238- 5th Alabama 2 Inf F2 6pts 241- 17th Mississippi 3 Inf F2 9pts 243- 5th South Carolina 2 Inf F2 6pts 245- 1st Viginia 3 Inf F2 9pts 249- 8th Virgina 3 Inf F2 9pts 254- 7th Louisiana 3 Inf F2 9pts 255- 13th Mississippi 2 Inf F2 6pts 257- 1st Louisiana 3 Inf F2 9pts 258- 4th South Carolina 3 Inf F2 9pts 261- Hamptons' Legion 4 Inf F2 12pts 262- 2nd Viginia 4 Inf F2 12pts 263- 4th Viginia 3 Inf F2 9pts 264- 5th Viginia 3 Inf F2 9pts 266- 33rd Viginia 2 Inf F2 6pts 269- 4th Alabama 3 Inf F2 9pts 276- 13th Viginia 2 Inf F2 6pts 278- Henry Hill Terrain (+1 CV) 10pts 288- Rally Special X 2 10pts 289- Color Guard Special X 2 20pts 290- Outflank Special 5pts 294- Uniform Confusion Special X 2 10pts 295- Manassas Gap R.R. Special 15pts. Total 41 cards 350pts. Reb Plan: I planned to place all the Artillery on Henry Hill in a flank position. Jackson whould lead an outflank move with all the best infantry on the same flank after the Artilery had softened them up. Once one enemy flank was secured the cavalry whould charge down the guts, helped by the enfilaiding fire. The tournament had 18 players, played in a round-robin, with the top four point scorers playing a Quarter final and then a best of three final. Game Re-play Quarter Final. My opponent out scored me on the die roll and picked the Union, as had happened all day, I was yet to play with my Union battle deck but had not yet lost a game with my Rebels'. Set-Up. The Union guy places a hill in the centre and a forrest on his left and a stream on his right. I place Henry Hill on my right facing his forrest. Turn 1 Union: He wins inititive and go's first he opens up with two 3CV artillery from the centre hill, scoreing no hits and 1 2CV F2 Artillery from the forrest on the left scoring one hit on a 2CV Inf which routes. I fire back with a 3CV and 2CV Art into the forrest scoreing no hits and a 2CV artillery in the centre also scoreing no hits. I play Manassas gap RR and pick up four reinforcments, which include Stonewall Jackson. Turn 2 Union turn: He counter batteries in the centre and kills my 2CV Richmond Howitzers. Reb: I fire into the forrest with my 3CV & 2CV Art scoreing 3 hits! Now seems like a good time for Jackson to lead an outflank manouver, he takes two 3CV inf while another 3CV Inf and a Color Guard cross the middle ground. Both Inf arrive and fire immediately scoreing 2 hits, killing Andrew Porter and giving one 3CV Inf another hit, he now has a 2CV Art with 1 hit, a 3CV Inf with 1 hit and a 3CV Inf with 2 hits holding his Left flank! Turn 3 Union: One 3CV Inf and the 2CV F2/F2 Art Route, the other CV inf holds, he fires the 3CV inf (I have a uniform confusion in my reserve but it's of no use because he only has one card in this possition) and scores 2 hits. He also fires his two 3CV Art in the centre hitting a 2CV Reb Inf. Two 3CV Union Inf along with a 1/1 general move into the forrest to help out the lone survivor 3CV Inf against Jacksons outflank. Rebs: Both of my 3CV Inf Rally but the 2CV 33rd Virginia Infantry in the centre routes. I choose to Melee in his forrest, (to negate the terrain bonus) and fire a 2CV cannon in the centre hitting one of his 3CV arts. one 3CV Inf moves onto Henry hill, replaceing the Artillery which go's back into my reserve. Last of all is the melee, in the first round I score 5 hits and he scores 4, the Union losses the General and one 3CV inf while I lose my color guard. He opts for a second round, hoping to get Jackson, and scores only two hits while I score 4 hits. Unfortunatly (for me) he uses two rally cards to recover both Inf after they route and I am forced to retreat! My Hill is now over stacked and one 3CV 4th Alabmama Infantry fails morale and routes :( Turn 4: The Union 3CV Art in the centre routes, he fires the other 3CV Art hitting nothing but fresh air. He moves more troops into the forrest and strips one card from his right leaving only three cards behind the creek. Rebs: Once more unto the breach says Jackson and repeats the earlier manouver with and outflank by two 3CV Inf Supported by another 3CV Inf across the middle ground. both arrive and fire with one hit on a 2CV Inf he moved in to support the two 3CV Inf. My 2CV Artillery in the centre hit nothing. Turn 5 Union: The 2CV Inf routes from the forrest, he fires with the two 3CV inf and scores 2 hits. His artillery fires in the centre scoreing 1 hit on my 2CV art there. He moves a 3CV Art and a Sherman into the forrest and strips another card from behind the creek leaving only two cards in that position. Rebs: I look at his reserve and see he is holding only four cards so I decide to up the ante. My 2CV art in the Centre passes morale with the help of Joe Johnston, then fire along with a 3CV Art who arrived last turn hitting 2 times, all the Reb Cavalry (two 3CV, one 2CV & one 1CV), well led by Jubal Early, charge across the middle ground and up Holden Hill. Into the mouth of two 3CV Art and one 2CV (F3) Art, My three 3CV Inf in forrest blast away and score 2 hits, one on a 3CV inf and one on a 3CV Art, I did not melee in the forrest because it would have forced the issue were-as I wanted to keep up the pressure. Turn 6 Union: The 3CV Art in the forrest runs but the 3CV Inf stays. The two 3CV. Inf in the forrest fire hitting 3 times. In the centre he is very careful and fire first his 2CV (F3) art, hitting twice, then his 3CV (F2) art missing then his 3CV (F2) art with Double Canister, on a hill thats 8 die, on which I play a Uniform Confusion, he scores 2 hits on his own 2CV art, which routes and 1 hit on the 3CV which passes morale. During movement the US Regulars 4CV Inf move into the centre to back up the Artillery, while another 2CV Inf moves into the forrest. Rebs: I see that he now has only two cards left in his reserve and is looking a bit worried. My 1CV Cav in the centre Routes but the remaining two 3CV cav and one 2CV cav press home the charge and enter melee. Jackson and the three 3CV inf in the forrest fire and score 2 hits, my 3CV & 2CV Artillery who were on the hill moved over to behind the creek and open up scoreing 1 Hit on a 2CV inf. Hamptons Legion now moves across the creek and finds the other side held by only two 2CV Inf one of whom already has a hit, The 1st Viginia, a 4CV Inf outflank the creek with an outflank card and fire scoreing 2 hits. In the centre the Cavalry melee scoreing 5 hits while the Union score 4 hit (2 by the Art with 6s') wounding Jubal and routing all but one of my Cavalry, but I rally them with two rally cards. Both the Union Artillery run and leave the 4CV Inf to cover the possition alone. After the second round all thats left is one of my 3CV Cav, I now hold his centre position, Turn 7 Union: Both of his 2CV Inf behind the creek route leaving the Rebs to hold the position and lossing the game for the Union. Post Game Sumary: I was lucky. The dice gods where on my side ;-) More latter. Jim Paterson: <<<"Any plan, even a bad one, is better than no plan at all">>> <<< General Sir John Monash. CIC Australian Army, Western Front 1918>>>