Latest Commission: Templar Knights

 I just finished my latest commission of 48 Templar Knights on foot. They were a little fiddly to assemble, but once that was done they painted up pretty easily.

Casualty stands for ACW Sharp Practice

 I picked up eight packs, four Union and four Confederate, of prone casualty figures from Old Glory 25s. My ACW collection is 28mm, but these figures fit in just fine. As a significant portion of my collection is made up of zouaves, I did several head transplants and modified the paint job to convert some of the new figures into zouaves. I will let you judge for yourself how they turned out. I have 16 figures per side. In Sharp Practice, that should be enough to replace at least most of the figures lost to fire and fisticuffs with a casualty figure. I will know better after the next game.

Confederate zouave casualty figures.

Regular rebel figures

Regular Union casualty figures.

Union zouave casualty figures.

More figures.

Overall, I am pleased with the addition. Old Glory processed the order and got them to me within a week..

Sharp Practice ACW Battle Conclusion

 Quite predictably, the Confederates brought the game to a successful conclusion on the eleventh turn. The chips were once again amazingly kind to them. It didn't help that the Union lost two flag tokens due to loss of morale points.

The first chip drawn was for the leader of the four groups of rebels on the left flank. He wanted to realign his formation to face the Union infantry that had taken up position on his flank. He'd need to get a high roll to be able to do so, due to the number of inches that would be subtracted due to shock. He rolled a "12!"

Two Confederate flags were drawn and then the chip for the other large rebel formation came up. His men fired at the handsome zouaves in front of them and added to their misery, though not enough to force any "bad thing that happened" rolls. 

The Confederate line explodes with yet another volley.

The scene from behind the zouaves' position.

At last, a Union chip was drawn. A weak volley was poured into the disorganized Louisian Tigers. A bit more shock was added, but not enough to make a difference.

The last gasp of the Union cause.

Too little, too late.

Two more Confederate flags were pulled, for a total of four. The Virginians on the left cashed them in to fire at the wavering units in blue confronting them. When the smoke cleared, Berdan's men were fleeing, and the other formation was broken with one group being forced back three inches due to more shock than men remaining. The Union morale fell to zero. The game was over. The Southern lads had won the day, though at a high cost.

I really like this church. It adds so much to the atmosphere of the game.

The barn and farmhouse do as well.

A final shot from behind the rebel line.

Sharp Practice ACW Battle Turn 10 Incredible

 It has been said, "I'd rather be lucky than good." This sums up the events of turn 10 in my solo game of Sharp Practice.

As the game progressed, it was my hope to be able to utilize the Rebel Yell attribute for the Confederates, but the chips just didn't fall the right way. Well, in turn 10 they did, and boy did they!

Right off the bat, the rebels drew two flags. Then, not too much later, the chip for the level four leader on the Confederate left had his chip drawn. Shock was low on all four groups, so I thought they had a good chance of making it across the open field and come to grips with the two groups of Union skirmishers that awaited them there. The men in gray and butternut fired their volley, adding shock to the skirmishers and then made their charge. They rolled high, but not quite high enough. Ugggh! But here is where it became incredible. The next three chips to be drawn were flags. A movement random event was called for. A "6" was rolled resulting in the rebels getting another die added to their movement. A "6" came up and the Confederates fell upon the hapless Yankees, destroying one group and breaking the other. The Union morale plummeted down to 3.

Triumphant Virginians.

All of a sudden, the Union force is in real trouble.

The Union side used four flags to add a second action to their last reserves of two groups of infantry. They made it to a fence line on the Union right and then used the four flags to fire a volley into the victorious rebels, adding some shock and a couple of casualties to them.

To add insult to injury, the rebs were able to pull off another "Rebel Yell" with their large force in the center. Accumulated shock limited their advance, but the volley they issued forced back a group of zouaves and broke the formation. They four groups were at least able to clear the fence and are in a position to tear into the splintered Union center.

The Union zouaves are on the verge of collapse, despite the best efforts of their officers to rally them.

The Confederate gun is now in position to fire down the road into the wavering Union left flank.

The Tigers have been battered, but this turn they were able to maneuver out of the way to clear a field of fire for the artillery.

If the Yankees can survive one more turn, it will be a miracle. 

Sharp Practice ACW Battle Turns 7-9

 Casualties and shock are mounting as the two sides have settled into exchanging volleys, mostly at effective range. The morale levels of both sides have dipped, and many units are on the verge of breaking. Here is how we got to this point.

Turn 7-

Once again, the chip for this large firing line of the rebs was drawn first.

Union fire is slackening due to mounting shock.

 

This volley by two groups did very little damage.

On the Confederate left, these Virginians tried to advance, but only managed to creep up a single inch.

The Union line.

Turn 8:

The Union zouaves finally get off a volley, but it is weakened due to large amounts of shock on each group.

The rebs return the fire, but to little effect.

This group of Tigers is dangerously close to having to pull pack.

The Union artillery gets off another round, but it is more noise than substance.

Turn 9:

Both lines are ablaze with musketry.

A group of Union zouaves is forced back, breaking the formation. The Union loses two point on the morale table. Both sides are rapidly losing steam.

The Louisiana Tigers haven't been able to do much for the Confederate side. Their ranks have been thinned dramatically.

The next few turns should prove decisive. The rebs' best chance is on their left where a large formation of four groups is advancing inexorably toward a thin line of skirmishers.

On they come. The crisis is at hand!