I had set the game up using some of the forces from the 1st Battle of Bull Run, stating that these forces had met prior to this historic battle in 1861, the Union forces having invaded the Southern territory, the Rebs rushing troops to meet the aggressors, at the important crossroads area of the Pengilly Farm and road junction at Murchie wood, map board shown on previous post.
Board from the North East
Board from South West
Jason and Gus taking the Union forces, Paul and myself taking the Rebels...
This particular battle scenario, allowed the Union players to deploy the 2nd Division of the Army of North Eastern Virginia first two Brigades, (1st Brigade - Porter & 2nd Brigade - Burnside) of his force anywhere on the board up to 12" from the southern edge of the board, they would then have to dice for arrival of their remaining Brigades, one each turn, turn one a 1 on a D6, turn two 2 on a D6 and so on, but then random road arrival, 1 East, 2 West 3, 4, North West & 5,6 North East, so long as they controlled those areas still, if enemy held the road entry point they would have to reroll...
The Union Line of defence drawn along the road and fence line...
Union left anchored at the Pengilly Farm
The "Pengilly Crossroads" defended by .
With Gen. Hunter observing the oncoming Rebs...
Union Militia ready for the rebs at the fence line just in front of the stone walled Orchard "Murchie Wood"...
Union far right, the Berdan Sharpshooters at the "Grasshopper Church", with the 5th US Artillery D Coy and militia in support...
The Rebs could bring on their whole force, Johnston's Army of the Shenandoah, on turn one anywhere along the Southern edge, however they could allocate one Brigade to conduct a flank march on the enemy, again a random roll for arrival depending on the turn they were to test on arrival, and random roll of arrival, 1-2 East Road, 3 Southern Road - They got lost and arrived in the rear of your Army, 4-5 West road, 6 Hurrah!! Get the drop on the enemy and arrive in road area anywhere on the map, even in the rear of the enemy!!
Panjo in true Reb tradition allocated a Brigade to conduct a flanking march, this being job being given to the 3rd Brigade under Bee...
The remainder of the Army would attack the Union lines head on...
I took the option of having the commanders secretly roll for their command rating, this being done for each of their brigade commands and the Division/Army commands, Panjo rolled his command dice adding 4 to a D6 roll, we got a total of a 6 for Johnston!!! 8 for Jackson, not bad, 7 for Bartow, 9 for Bee getting better... then we got 5 yes a 5 for Smith and another 5 for Stuart, Disaster!!!! Panjo had my dice from the previous evening where I was rolling 2's 3's and 4's on 2D6!!!
The Union, unbeknown to us had 10 for Gen Hunter, 10 for porter, and a 6 for Burnside, another 10 for Gen Taylor 1st Division, 7 for Keyes, 6 for Schenck, 6 for Sherman, and 9 for Richardson, next time I think I will pre-set the command levels...
Turn 1 Panjo rolls for Jackson to advance he scores enough for the Brigade to have three turns of movement, this gives him enough to get into the Yanks with a Rebel Yell, getting stuck in to them on the Reb left flank at the church and the woods, the centre Stuart is able to advance for two turns with his cavalry, even with a 5 on his command!! The right however commanded by yours truly, is unable to get the Brigades of Bartow and Smith to advance onto the field!!! utter failure...
Jackson's & Stuart's Brigade advance to contact...
The Union Command looks on slightly concerned knowing the quality of the troops on their right...
Looking down the Union line, with the Reb charge at the point of contact prior to the Blue bellies firing their here they come shooting...
The fight for the church...
Jackson's boys close with the New York Militia's with rested weapons on the five foot fence...
1st Virginia cavalry charge the Union dismounted cavalry in the wheatfield at the cross roads...
After the gallant charge of the Reb Brigades of Jackson and Stuart, the Union ripped into the enemy with their initial volleys, all troops having the "Freshly Raised" special rule, where you have to test the troops reactions when first firing and/or fighting (1 = Terror, only hit on a 6 and disordered, 2-3 = Panic, only hit on a 6, 4-5 Sterling Job, carry on as normal, 6 = Hurrah! additional shoot or fight dice) most of the union had a mix of 1's 2's 3's and 4's, the rebs 2's 4's and a 6... however the fire from the gun and militia was too much for one regiment and it retired... the cavalry drew the fight and mounted bounced back, the other fight was a draw in the centre near the wood area, the regiment on the reb left fighting the sharp shooters took too much damage and lost the fight and quit the field...
Stuart's 1st Virginians fail to break the line and recoil back...
Jackson's 27th Virginians recoil from the charge and the artillery effects...
The union seeing the opportunity move their troops on their right, forward into the woods along the road behind the stone wall, to enfilade the 2nd Virginia cavalry, this would become a bloody wheatfield... the reminder of the union forces on the union left held their line with most of them either disordered from the reb charge or still fighting, the sharpshooters take up position in the church flanking the reb left...
Panjo's dice failed him to bring on the reserve Brigade of Bee...
Union 2nd New Hampshire advance to enfilade the 2nd Virginian cavalry, the 71st new York advance to cover them...
Bloody close quarters fighting in the centre the union militia volunteers acquitting themselves very well, they really should not have held!!!
Enfilade Fire!! really hurts...
Turn Two comes and goes with more melee and shooting however unbelievably the union militia line still holds, what do we have to do? Get decent dice would be a start, Panjo throws some decent hit dice, but Gus practically saves most of the hits!!! The Reb right flank arrives with Bartow's Brigade of two regiments candidly moves on the board for one move but this is halved for moving through the woods... Panjo fails to bring in Bee's Brigade again... damn these dice today...
Bartow moves up at last...
Jackson, brings in the support to lay more fire on the union line while the regiment in front fights for dear live in front across the fence line...
At last the rebs push back the militia but are so exhausted cannot capitalise on their success...
Turn three the rebs throw more troops into the fray, and the union, straighten the line rallying the militia unit that retired throwing them back into the line to block the gap... then disaster for us an additional Union Brigade arrives....
Yet again Panjo's dice fail him no sign of Bee's reserve Brigade, damn these roads damn these dice....
Union Reserve Brigade arrives...
Union line straighten up again...
Union reserve Brigade joins the line...
And with this arrival and the Rebs taking a bit of a battering from the union militia on the left Panjo the Reb command calls his units to retire from the field, discretion being the better part of valour...
Union command look to the rules for clarity on the rebs running from the field from union militia, is this supposed to happen??
Mr P... looks to the North with disgust at his and my poor dice rolling and Gus's jammy union militia
Having played these rules several time now, I like the various special rules, when we can remember them, the command structure side of the game and the possibility of multiple move rates within one turn, but I am not yet convinced on the shoot and melee side just yet, I don't think I will use them again for the Sudan games, but may try them again for the ACW...
Yet a fun game was played and gave the chance for the boys to come over... and get some of the figures out of their boxes...
We then went down stairs and played a couple of games of Z games "Pandemic" and we won both games, saving the planet from devastation, but it was damn close both times...
Hi Nathan,
ReplyDeleteVery nice looking game mate with plenty to look at.
Good stuff.
JJ