This game was a few weeks ago now at the club, between Brian, commanding the Union side and my force of Confederates. Both sets of troops were my Peter Pig 15mm ACW ones. The buildings and fences were also mine. The rest of the terrain was the club's.
We used forces for 1864 from the Sharp Practice rulebook, plus a couple of basic supports (medics, extra Status I leaders);
CONFEDERATES, 1862‐1865
Leader, Status III
Three Groups of 8 Infantry, Rifled Muskets
Leader, Status II
Two Group of 8 Infantry, Rifled Muskets
Leader, Status I
One Group of 6 Skirmishers, Rifled Muskets
Leader, Status I
One Group of 6 Skirmishers, Rifled Muskets
UNION FORCE, 1863‐1865
Leader, Status III
Leader, Status I
Three Groups of 8 Infantry, Rifled Muskets
Leader, Status II
Two Group of 8 Infantry, Rifled Muskets
Leader, Status I
One Group of 6 Skirmishers, Rifled Muskets
The mission selected was Scenario Two; Sweep The Table, and the table was laid out as seen below. The Confederate deployment was from the bottom left in the first photo;
The Union force would deploy from the road at the bottom right;
We modified the objective so that the sweeping force's objective would be capturing the opposition's deployment zone. The Confederates were the sweeping force due to their higher Force Morale. I began by deploying skirmishers. I had a plan, and that involved tying the Union troops down as early as possible.
The Union troops began to arrive; skirmishers to the fore and a column marching behind.
My sharpshooters were soon in action, sniping away from the edge of the cornfield and causing casualties on their opposite numbers.
I quickly brought on my second group of skirmishers who moved up to add their fire.
Meanwhile the Union main force slowly began to deploy behind the skirmish screen.
My main force began to arrive, two groups advancing in line to take up a position on my right flank, while the rest moved to my left.
The main Union firing line advanced towards the central farmstead.
My left-hand skirmishing group moved up to threaten them.
My main force began its march along my left flank. So far, things were working pretty smoothly.
My right-hard skirmishers came under sustained fire, taking shock and a casualty. Their leader was able to rally off some shock and they advanced to fire again.
Hiding in the long corn, they began to pepper the Union troops with accurate musketry, causing casualties on the two groups advancing along the road.
My troops advanced slowly.
Eventually ending up as a three group formation behind a line of snake fencing.
However, this was a feint, and the formation moved off on a flanking march, behind the dense forest on the Union right.
Back in the centre, my advanced group of skirmishers, much reduced, were skulking in a patch of green corn.
I needed to keep the Union force engaged along the road.
The fighting was keeping the main Union body in a defensive line on a hill and the other two infantry groups were holding the chapel and the road junction.
My marching column on the left carried on moving through the woods.
I began to advance in the centre through the cornfields.
My flanking force finally deployed into line formation, ready to threaten the deployment point.
My left-hand skirmishers kept up their fire on the main Union body. So far, so good.
Finally, the Union realised the threat on their right. Groups of infantry began to move across to counter my advance.
This led them to a strong position in the corn and trees, where they were able to engage the Confederates.
This developed into a firefight, with both sides suffering casualties and shock.
Time was running out, but Union Force Morale was plummeting and casualties and shock were mounting. Having all but surrendering their left and centre, the Union was struggling to defend its deployment point.
At this point, we called a halt, agreeing that the outcome was a victory for Johnny Reb.
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