New Terrain Matt

I purchased a second terrain matt from Killing Fields. I can now cover my entire table which adds a few more feet. With 28mm figures, it makes a difference. I really like how I can add various elevations by placing my Geohex pieces underneath. It looks very natural.

Spanish Guerillas and Portuguese Line

This is my latest addition to my Peninsular War collection, a battalion of Warlord Games Portuguese and 24 Front Rank Spanish guerillas.

Regimental Fire and Fury Battle Repot

Today I hosted a RFF game for four former students of mine. All four are headed off to elite universities in the fall, and it was a pleasure to spend the afternoon with such terrific young people.

Our battle was a fictional one, though the units came from the order  of battle of Antietam. In this case, French's and Richardson's divisions of Sumner's II Corp were tasked with breaking a line held by McLaws' and Walker's divisions of Longstreet's corp.

One of Walker's regiments concealed in a wood on the extreme right flank

The rest of Walker's division in position behind fence lines

McLaws' division. Cobb's brigade is in the foreground, his only reserves. Posted in front brigades from South Carolina and Mississippi

McLaws' artillery on the high ground behind the line

French's division on the Union left, primarily made up of large untested units.

Another of French's brigades.

Meagher's crack Irish brigade.

The Union strategy was to use their superior numbers to tie down the rebels and then try to get around their left flank. Richardson's brigades moved swiftly. French's not so much so. Being "green" units and having to cross broken ground delayed their advance.

Richardson's two brigades that attempted to turn the flank met with stiff resistance. What little headway they achieved was quickly thwarted by the swift deployment of Cobb's brigade in reserve.

French's large regiments proved to be difficult to maneuver and very fragile. Walker's men were able to turn them back with very little loss to themselves.

The game became very interesting when Meagher's Irish brigade charged the center of the Confederate line held by Simms' Georgians and Braksdale's Mississippians. The crack regiments managed to pierce the rebel line and even move beyond it. However, they were unsupported and their position in the advance became untenable by the end of the game.

Union losses were extremely heavy, though their artillery managed to pound four of the five Confederate batteries into silence. The one battery that was not a viable target for the Union guns, however, proved to be a thorn in French's side, tearing apart two rookie regiments that went up against it.

French's division begins its assault.

Richardson's division's attack off in the distance.

Richardson's flank attack is stymied.

French's attack is hampered by one of Walker's regiments that was able to fire on its flank.

Cobb's counter attack was highly successful.

Meagher's brigade charges home.

The Union high water mark which was short lived.

Walker's counter-attack pushes back French's inexperienced soldiers.

The heavy casualties inflicted on French's men is evident in this picture.

It was a very fun game, and it moved quickly toward a decisive outcome.

YouTube video

GdB Battle Report

Our battle went off without a hitch this morning. Our gathering was really all that a wargame should be; friendly competition played out amidst conversations about history and current events. This is why we game!

I am still learning how to set up games featuring 28mm figures. I love the visual aspect, but the logistics are quite confining on a 6 foot by 4 foot table. Be that as it may, the scenario played out fairly well and could have gone either way.  In the contest post mortem, it was agreed that the turning point of the battle was a cavalry charge that the British won by three points. This set in motion a series of events that resulted in the entire right French flank literally melting away. Brigade morale tests can be game changers in these rules.

Here are some pictures and a brief narrative.

The high school seniors start things off.

The seasoned veterans await.

The first of the cavalry charges.

The French attack the Guards brigade.

A French column tries to capture the farm. This attempt failed along with a second one. The third time, however, proved to be successful.

The action from behind the Allied left flank.

This hill was quite strategic. A French horse battery has worked its way

through the woods in an effort to get around the flank. This proved to be

unsuccessful.

French reinforcements arrive.

The British line is unbreakable.

The French failed two brigade morale checks. This accounts for all the

wide open space on this side of the table.

The Coldstream Guards try to retake the farmstead.

The British cavalry has driven off the French.

An overview of the table at game's end.

Neither side was able to gain control of the road junction.

I declared this a British victory. The lads, however, were not willing to yield to this decision. They pointed out that the road junction was still very much up for grabs, and that many units on both sides had yet to fire a shot. You have to love young people.