Tuesday 21 January 2014

ACW Battle of Walkers Bridge, 27th August 1862....

........15mm batrep using the Fire and Fury Rules or also known as Fire and Furious Fecking Anger rules among some!

Three Rejects turned up for this game last Saturday, low numbers due to a game the previous Saturday and some Rejects not available or not allowed out (Lee).

"This is a fictitious battle fought between the North and South just  a few days before the battle of Second Bull Run (2nd Manassas) August 29th-30th 1862 using 15mm figures and Fire and Fury rules.

 A Confederate army under the capable command of General Jackson is speedily advancing through Virginia looking for any Union forces that could threaten Lee's main army that is only a few miles away. Heading on a collision course is an Union army under the command of General McDowell who is cautiously and steadily making his way through the Virginian Countryside.

The Game:
Both sides start the game with all units of infantry in march column and all artillery batteries are limbered as they march towards each other, who will win the first turn, watch and find out the pressure is on for the players."

Kind words supplied by Postie!

Confederate Forces
2nd Corps c/o *General Jackson* (John)
1st Division c/o Starke
1st Brigade: 2nd Tennessee (Crack) 65/43/2
2nd Brigade: 1st Tennessee (Veteran) 6/54/3
3rd Brigade: 3rd Tennessee (Veteran) 76/5/4
4th Brigade: 4th Tennessee (Veteran) 87/65/4
2 batteries of guns

2nd Division c/o Lawton
1st Brigade: *4th Kentucky* (Veteran) 87/65/4
2nd Brigade: 1st Kentucky (Veteran) 6/54/3
3rd Brigade: 2nd Kentucky (Green) 6/5/4
4th Brigade: *3rd Kentucky* (Crack) 1098/765/4
1 battery of guns

3rd Division c/o AP Hill*
1st Brigade: *1st Louisiana* (Crack) 987/65/432
2nd Brigade: 3rd Louisiana (Veteran) 98/76/54
3rd Brigade: *6th Louisiana* (Crack) 1098/765/4
4th Brigade: 4th Louisiana (Veteran) 109/876/54
5th Brigade: *5th Louisiana* (Veteran) 87/65/43
6th Brigade: 2nd Louisiana (Veteran) 76/5/43
1 battery of guns

The confederate forces have more stands of figures (18) and less green units compared to the union.

(The numbers beside the units if you don't know show the units size and what number the unit has to be be to show worn and finally spent! The stars beside units and commander denote exceptional leadership and a plus to their units and from command stands!)

Union Forces
3rd Corps c/o McDowell (Me)
1st Division c/o Hatch
1st Brigade: 1st Michigan (Veteran) 87/65/4
2nd Brigade: *2nd Michigan* (Veteran) 87/65/4
3rd Brigade: 4th Michigan (Green) 6/5/4
4th Brigade: *3rd Michigan* (Veteran) 11109/87/6
2 batteries of guns

2nd Division c/o Ricketts
1st Brigade: *3rd Illinois* (Veteran) 109/876/5
2nd Brigade: 1st Illinois (Crack) 1098/765/4
3rd Brigade: 4th Illinois (Veteran) 87/65/4
4th Brigade: 2nd Illinois (Green) 8/76/5
2 batteries of guns

3rd Division c/o *Reynolds*
1st Brigade: 1st Vermont (Veteran) 87/65/4
2nd Brigade: *4th Vermont* (Green) 7/65/4
3rd Brigade: 2nd Vermont (Veteran) 87/65/4
2 batteries of guns

(The union has less numbers, more green units but some more artillery of better quality and except for some moments of madness when I charged, most of the attacking would be done by the confederacy for which they get a bonus and the union does not.)


Initial set up, Union to the left and Confederates to the right.......

All those pretty march columns, full turn to go in to line.......

Confederate Nemesis John...........

Nemesis..............

The long road for the Union to the bridge.......

The confederates on the same road........

The union head straight for the hill in the middle, the game consisted of enough figures for 3 players a side, 2 flanks and a center..........

Walkers bridge, the game would hinge on keeping the confederates from a breakout here......

Kept my troops in march column to get the 2 foot movement........

On the left flank Union forces start to deploy to another hill to await confederate forces.......

The confederates charge across the bridge in column........

A closer view from the confederate side.......

Aerial shot...........

The initial clash went bad and the confederates steam over......

A bit of luck and the clash went well for the union......

Driven back across the bridge......

Don't roll a 10, these are out of ammo markers for artillery and infantry units.......

Disordered markers, these are used a lot........

The center standing before the confederate assault...... 

Another confederate unit tries to storm over the bridge........

A view from the confederate side of the attack on the right flank..........

The confederate view of the attack on the left flank.......

Pressure is building......

The right flank holds and kicks out the attackers but they will be back.....

....again and again.......

The left flank still holding......

I'm  taking an along the line shot while John and Postie move the figures?........

Things are getting tense at the bridge.........

The center is buckling a little.........

The confederates trying again and again......

They break through on the right flank, have taken out one battery but the attack falters (worn and disordered) and the other battery turns its guns, canister anyone........

The left flank buckles a little but not for long.......

The amount of stands lost (after 6 turns).......41 Confederate vs 5 Union and a battery of guns.........

End of the game.......

An excellent game but such extreme rules, the dice gods pulled Johns pants down today and he never got a chance to pull them back up, his luck was awful while mine was good, 21 victory points to 3 (unheard of in any previous Reject game), John did nothing wrong and a couple of good dice results in the right place and a different outcome maybe........

Good game, good day.......

91 comments:

  1. Must've been distracting to play while John stood there with his pants down.
    Looks intense with everyone after that bridge!

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    1. It was a big bloody bridge and we both wanted it!

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  2. Was John afflicted with The Curse Of Big Lee? that might explain his poor dice.

    Nice AAR and pics Fran :)

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    1. Thanks Tamsin, we think he messed with the dice!

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  3. Excellent report, and like you said F&F can be quite a sod if you start throwing low dice scores

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    1. Exactly Neil, like the profile change....such a handsome bugger!

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  4. John...on the loosing side! He's had more than enough luck in previous games, about time the tables were turned. Mind you he made a valient effort trying to cross that bridge. Great photo's mate, it looked like a good game and its a pity I missed it (I like F&F).

    Sorry I couldn't make it on Saturday but I couldn't wriggle out from the thumb I was under.

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    1. I kept pounding away all along the line - just couldn't break through though. Couldn't get clear of the bridge and when I rolled a 9 and was about to break through near the farmhouse Fran rolled a 10!! After that the attack faltered and the retreat started. Exactly what I needed to remove a stand remains a mystery - as you can see Fran was knocking them off for fun!
      Enjoyable game though all the same.

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  5. Pesky dice gods! Looks like a great game Fran

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  6. Great looking game. Love the table setup!!! Johnny Reb should have broken through.

    Have you guys ever played Piquet: Field Of Battle?

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  7. love that little bridge! And all the settings

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  8. Enjoyed the BatRep, Fran!

    What a lopsided game. We experience the same disproportionate losses in almost every game of Regimental Fire and Fury but rarely in the brigade level game. Repeated, extreme opposed die rolls with a D10 make a mess out of any scenario.

    Your game looked terrific.

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    1. Thanks for that mate but a D10 is a killer at times.

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  9. A cracking report for a lovely looking game - love the photo of Postie with all the 'fuel' in the background!

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    1. Very necessary fuel for the long games, thanks Michael.

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  10. Really fun seeing a battle report about a bunch of "yanks" from our good blokes in the isles! Fantastic minis! Loved the tokens for "out of ammo" and such, but looked like Johnny-boy got diced this campaign... argh!!!

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  11. Looks like a realy good game.

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  12. Great bridge story, these bridges are really good for making interesting (but blooky, I know) scenarios...well done, very nice work. Btw, great dosordered markers too, I like them!
    Best,
    Phil.

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    Replies
    1. There are so many rivers and so many bridges that have been fought over through the centuries.

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  13. Great looking game and write up. The terrain is really nice - particularly the bridge and river. Best, Dean

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  14. Great look and great pics francis .
    Cheers .

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  15. A fine victory, shame I wasn't there to muck it up for you!!!!! But there will be a next time!!!

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  16. Having looked trhough the intial forces I thought the yanks would be wupped, but that wasn't to be the case. Great write up and as time passes the rumours of superior generalship over lucky dice should emerge enough to pee someone off.

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  17. Great looking battle, thansk for sharing the illustrated AAR!

    Kind regards
    http://wargameterrain.blogspot.be/

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  18. Nicely done. As always at Posies a good looking set up with much to commend the game. I wish another Reject was available then I might have been called to even up the sides. Drat!

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  19. That bridge seemed to be where the action was

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  20. Great AAR, Fran. And a great battle. Thanks for sharing!

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  21. Very nice batrep Fran. THough without Ray's foul stench, I notice that you're less angry and exhuberant ;)

    Cheers

    Seb

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  22. Super looking game as ever Really envy that big table of Posties

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  23. Another victory for the Supreme General on the field of battle!

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  24. Great game and batrep there Fran and a great looking table too. Nice to able to play on such a large space.

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  25. Yeah, really hard for me to follow the technical side of things, but pictures help a lot and when I piece it together the way I do it sounds like a lot of fun for.. you.

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  26. I love to see an ACW game done in the grand manner. Great looking table. Never played F&F - I do wonder if those lopsided results reflect a flaw in the rules - your thoughts on that?

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    1. A flaw in the D10 more so as it can cause quite large defeats or wins out of no hope causes!

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  27. Great report Fran and nice looking game! F&F rules are great, but if the dice really start to go against you things can go pear shape in hurry.

    Christopher

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  28. Great report Fran! Wonderful photos!

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  29. Congratulations General! Great report!

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  30. A gaming table my hubby would die for! Glad the dice were your friend this time around.

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  31. Great game report, Well done mate :)

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  32. You had me worried for a minute there that you had no photo documentation. I don't think my sick brain would have been able to understand otherwise...stupid sick...

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  33. How long does it generally take to set everything up?

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  34. Great looking ACW game. The F&F rules are fun and fast!

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  35. This makes me want to do Civil War reenactments....

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    Replies
    1. My friend used to dress up and go to America for re-enactments!

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  36. Perhaps you had some Algonquin in the 2nd Michigan, we're tougher than Johnny Reb! ;)
    Beautiful minis, the markers are a very nice touch. Burnsides Bridge in reverse, did anybody send scouts to check the depth of the river? ;)

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    1. Postie was quick to state that it was unfordable due to torrential rain.

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  37. Nice AAR and great looking game!

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  38. Congrats on the win. Sounds like a great game.

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  39. I hope did get the chance to pull his pants up! Great battle report, pictures and painted figures! Thanks for sharing!

    Greetings
    Peter

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  40. I've missed this post (and some others) :
    You had fun and you win : yes, good game, good day !

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  41. I always enjoy looking at your great "Battle-Field" lay-outs....

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