The latest ACW game was a scenario pulled together by Paul and was based on the battle of Seven Pines.
Union forces are commanded by Alan, Dave A, and Nigel) while the Confederates are being played by “Broken Dice” David, Dave B, “Uncle Albert” Julian and me. The rules being used are “Pickett’s Charge”.
The Union were deployed with a forward line defending the fences and a second line defending fieldworks near the redoubt.
The Confederates advance as fast as possible and soon became embroiled in firefights along the line. Early attempts to dislodge the forward defenders failed as the Union forces deployed forward hung on with grim determination.
On the Confederate left and centre the advance stalled as they tried to dislodge the defenders. The fire could be described as desultory as both sides failed to inflict heavy casualties on the other.
On the right flank Confederate skirmishers had a chance to advance through a gap left as one of the Union units fell back to rejoin the rest of its brigade. This allowed the skirmishers to engage the Union gunners in the redoubt with musket fire.
On the left flank the Confederate infantry had managed to flank the forward defenders however even a charge on the flank failed to dislodge them and they continued to hold up the Confederate attack on the main Union defences.
Reforming the Confederates prepared to launch further charges on the left flank to try and clear the two regiments of infantry holding up three brigades of Confederates.
Back to the Confederate skirmishers engaging the Union artillery in the redoubt where they inflicted a “discipline”see the elephant” test on the gunners (a good dice throw from “Broken Dice”) and they retreated leaving the redoubt empty.
Seeing the opportunity, the skirmishers raced forward and occupied the redoubt much to the shock of the Union infantry surrounding it.
However as I was advancing to support the skirmishers one of my regiments came under heavy fire, failed the “see the elephant” test and routed from the field.
The rest of “Broken Dice” brigade managed to rout the Union infantry that was holding them up and was soon advancing to support the skirmishers but was it too little to late? It was at this stage that the skirmishers inflicted another “see the elephant” test on a unit of Union infantry, the infantry failed and also routed.
Union fire managed to destroy the skirmishers in the redoubt as by now a Union artillery battery had joined in and things were not looking good for the Confederates as time was running out. However the Union did have two “faltering brigade” tests to take due to routing and dispersed units.
The Union took the test and one brigade failed and withdrew falling back to the board edge. The other brigade also failed getting a withdraw result however they had a reroll that they took and instead rolled a 1 and got the “Catawamptiously Ghewed Up!” result with all units in the brigade taking casualties and falling back from their defences.
So from looking like a victory for the Union their centre had suddenly disappeared and victory went to the Confederates. The unit of the match award went to “Broken Dice’s” skirmishers who managed to cause the result before getting wiped out themselves.
Another cracking game and thanks to Alan and Nigel for their appalling dice throwing at the end.
The Uncivil Servant 
I thoroughly enjoyed this
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