Smoke and Death

Well,

Robert and I finally after about 5 years of painting and planning, got a small game of ACW Black Powder on the table. Now we have played larger games, but we had this idea that BP could be played on a smaller table (8'x4') with about two brigades each. Now some of our game friends had said that BP couldn't play on a smaller table due to the orders and how far movement can take place. But we were not convinced that would be the case, so we put it to the test. Now to be honest, Robert was waiting for me to get my two brigades completed, hence why it took so long.

The Battlefield

We each took two brigades worth of stuff, which each brigade having a Brigade commander and four regiments along with a gun. Model count for my Rebs, put me in the 220 figures or so. Roberts Union had a few more, with these model counts, it reminded us of the WAB armies we used to play with at 2000 points.

The Brigade General in the center.

With the armies chosen, we rolled off to alternate deployment, which the Union arrived first and began to deploy. I choose to deploy with a strong middle and a heavy right flank. keeping only one Regiment to hold the left flank. My plan was to push the center faster than the Union could out flank me. But this is BP and I am notorious for not passing command checks. But it was a plan and I tried to stick to it.

Right Flank

Well as the game began, the Union pushed across the table pretty quickly in the center, while the left flank stalled and his right flank pushed to the edge of the fields. My left pushed up to the edge of the fields and a stand off ensued

Left Flank holding off the Union

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My Left Flank was getting hammered but they held their ground and the poor Union troops could not pass through their own lines, apparently the volley fire was too much for them. This allowed me to get one of my guns up to start laying down fire to support the left flank.

Mean while the fighting in the center intensified and the Rebs started to make headways on the Union troops in the woods. The Rebs must have had to Grace of God on their side because they hardly suffered any casualties during the fight. One Regiment was able to take the bridge and pour Volley after volley into the Union troops.

About this time, the Union center started to fall apart and the Rebs started pushing them back. One Regiment was able to get across the river and enfilade fire into the Union troops. After two vollies, the Union troops retreated back across the river to leave the battle.

The Union feeling the pressure of the Rebs Advance

Needless to say the Union troops started to suffer more casualties and soon the battle was over with the Union having a broken Brigade. The Rebs had pushed the Yankees back across the River!

The Union Center collapses!

So, how did the game play, it played great! The movement orders that a few thought would be too much, never happened and the game felt very much like a WAB game of old. It was great to see that BP can be played in a smaller setting (if you say 200 models a side is small!). And I am sure that Robert and I will be doing this again in the very near future.

Union Surgeon doing his best.

Now really this game was more for us to re-learn the rules besides try out smaller armies. We will be doing the Battle of Salem Church in about a month or so which we will have well over 1600 models on the table and Oh, this is all in 28mm people!

Stay tuned for that coverage in about a month or so...

This is the end...

TK