tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135416429133257747.post7155693234846053901..comments2024-03-11T06:58:25.287-07:00Comments on Wargame Hermit: Solo Wargaming: The Antietam Battlefield and a Sad Farewelljhnptrqnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11011208263053721255noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135416429133257747.post-18191481393105796292017-06-15T02:59:24.195-07:002017-06-15T02:59:24.195-07:00Unfortunately, besides maybe the picture from the ...Unfortunately, besides maybe the picture from the Burnside Bridge looking towards the Confederates line, the pictures don't capture the difficulty of the terrain facing the two armies.jhnptrqnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11011208263053721255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135416429133257747.post-68683694549785425552017-06-15T02:57:13.084-07:002017-06-15T02:57:13.084-07:00The tour center at the battlefield has a large pan...The tour center at the battlefield has a large panoramic window at the top of it. A park ranger gives a lecture of the battle, pointing out the different key parts of the battle.The lecture hall is on the second floor of the building. Of course, you only can see about half the battlefield.As he explained how different units blundered into each other, it was easy to see why it happened. Once the battle began, at least on the Union side, this battle was fought by the brigade, division and corps commanders. With McClellans HQ behind the lines, I believe he lost direct command of the army once the battle was joined. There is an observation tower on the field. I went to the top, and there, in the middle of the day, was a deer feeding, perhaps 200 yards from the tower. When I got to the bottom of the tower, I tried to find the deer. The folds in the ground hid the deer from sight on the ground. This trip does have me thinking of how to recreate such conditions playing solo games.jhnptrqnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11011208263053721255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135416429133257747.post-50959716263873286102017-06-14T15:40:14.023-07:002017-06-14T15:40:14.023-07:00Thank you John. This was really interesting. I tot...Thank you John. This was really interesting. I totally agree with your point about walking a battle field to truly appreciate the difficulties. As wargamers we are so used to fighting across flat terrain and having a birds eye view of the battlefield that we totally forget that normal real life terrain can hide an army.Jon Meechhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13382622116023780186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135416429133257747.post-52750118909600805472017-06-13T15:43:00.621-07:002017-06-13T15:43:00.621-07:00I've been watching the movie "Tombstone&...I've been watching the movie "Tombstone" quite a bid recently. The best line to me is when Doc Holliday tells Wyatt "There is no normal life, Wyatt: there's just life." The last couple of years we have lost too many close friends.<br /><br />I've been to Gettysburg,too. Looking at the ground Picketts Charge took place on, it is incredible that the Confederates actually reached the Union line.jhnptrqnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11011208263053721255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6135416429133257747.post-22224571337269997562017-06-13T03:30:40.562-07:002017-06-13T03:30:40.562-07:00Life does move on, both good and bad, with us or w...Life does move on, both good and bad, with us or without us.<br /><br />There is nothing like walking an old battlefield that you have read about to get a better feel for it. <br /><br />I've been to Gettysburg as a side trip to Cold Wars and driven past Brandywine when it was closed but never made the effort to go the extra miles to Antietam. Always short on time!Ross Mac rmacfa@gmail.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04053555991679802013noreply@blogger.com