Along Am Thiesenberg, with Battlegroup NorthAG

Continuing our gaming ramble through ‘larger’ games with armies and rules we just enjoy, but maybe don't use enough, this was a 1,000 point game of NorthAG (it’s been a while).

Here is the Russian force I selected for my 1,000 pts.

I found a spot on Google Earth that looked likely for a good game, and one that I knew I could recreate(ish) with my terrain collection. We used the standard scenario from the game. 

British end of the table, the Aue river and the woods which would become a very hot-spot.

Russian end, the small farm and open fields either side of Am Thiesenberg.

 It turned into a helluva scrap… the early turns saw the Russian smoke screen in effect, for 6 turns, which limit a lot of fire (but not the dug-in British Chieftains), but they only score a single kill at long range on one of the recce tanks. My battle plan was to stage my attack in two ‘phases’. The first would be a rush to get the second objective required by the ‘Advance and Hold’ special rule. The second would be press on from their with the Reinforcement Requests (more tanks and infantry), to take Objective 3. It didn’t work out much like that, but it still made for a close game. The British had spent heavily on their Forward Screen, with dug-in infantry and Chieftains, a Scimitar recce troop, a Gazelle (give him the Scout benefits and spotting for off-table Abbots). We both also had Combat Air Patrols up, and the jets were the first to engage. The Harrier’s sidewinders failed to drive off my ‘Flogger’, but returning air-to-air missiles also failed to chase away the Harrier… which (no doubt by some slick, low-speed VTOL manoeuvring), then did engage and drive away the Flogger (maybe he just ran out of missiles)… so the British had the air superiority for now. That would have an effect later in the game, as 2 Gunship counter for my Russians both failed to show because of the patrolling Harrier, and I had no AA (high) weapons to target it with (note for future games). Nice work from the RAF today…

Initial action. Blue (Brits) A - dug-in infantry and Chieftains. B - FV-432 platoon, Scimitars and Chieftains advance. C- HQ. Red (Russian) A Tank Platoon and BTR infantry attack. B Tank Platoon supporting fire. C Tank Platoon, BRDM-2 mortar spotter and guided weapon carriers in static positions.

 

CAP on station...

CAP on station...

Dogfight! 1983 style, but not at that range obviously...

Back on the ground, my first advance was cautious, trying to avoid execution by waiting Chieftain gunnery. My T-64Bs, moved up, got onto Ambush fire and awaited the smoke to clear, to return fire with a fusillade of ATGMs (all missed, in fact, not one ATGM from either side hit all game, the Brits fired 13 Milan and Swingfire shots, all missed. The Russians returned with at least various 15 ATGMs too, all missed! - very expensive shooting that!).

The arrival of my first Motor Rifle BTR-mounted platoon saw it rush Objective 2, through incoming, but ineffective, 105mm shelling called in by the Gazelle. My infantry dismounted and took the objective, but coming the other way his FV-432 platoon had also dismounted and a heavy infantry fire-fight started in the woods. The Brits got the upper hand, removing 3 Russian infantry stands (grr - 1s) and a BTR with a ’66’ hit… but fast behind my first platoon, my second arrived, again through 105 fire (this time its ground radar guided shots destroyed a BTR and all its passengers with a direct hit, 3 counters, that hurt!). But my infantry hung on, got the Brits pinned down too, used their Grail MANPAD against the lurking Gazelle (popping up behind the trees) and missed… as had my SA-13 several times… I cannot hit that damn helicopter! One Scimitar was KO’d by an RPG shot, but the game became a long range duel of ATGMs and mostly suppressing fire from the tank, with an close quarters infantry brawl in the woods, which was a stalemate, although the Brits were outnumbered. There attached sustained fire GPMG did excellent pinning work.

Overhead, the RAF turned up again with a Jaguar strike on the rearward farm, which ran the gauntlet of SA-13 missiles and Shilak fire, took a hit, rolled a 6 to jink through it, and got its bombs away. Pinning was all it caused, but the RAF were on-it today!

The Brits had a slim lead on counters, but not by much as we broke for lunch… so far the Russian had lost just two tanks, the Brits one (an engine fire from a Breakdown). 

Recce tanks watch over the fields towards the British lines.

They push on... and first loss of the game, a Chieftain scores a direct hit...

The lead company start to deploy, 3 platoons of three (left, right and centre) and the bosses tank just back, centre rear. Warned by the loss of the recce tank, they move up slowly and load ATGMs...

British dug-in positions, white smoke marks unit on Ambush Fire (so, yeah, all of them).

Move up! A T-64B is pinned by a glancing hit... platoon is accompanied by a BRDM-2 mortar spotter.

Scimitar reaches the road junction (objective marked by a KO'd FV-432).

First British HQ track rolls up to Aue... to aid the battle from the west bank with all that signals-stuff...

First MRP's BTRs race across the fields for the woods, ball of smoke is to remind us - there is smoke!

Left flank tank platoon stand off at long-range and wait for the smoke to clear to engage with ATGMs... they fired them all, and missed with them all... this was always just a base of fire, not an advance. Missiles gone, they reverted to HE harassment. 

Chieftains support the FV-432s on their way to the woods... the lead one broke down and had to be abandoned - a troubled day for the RTR...

Rapier battery and the Red Caps deploy at the rear... but the AA wasn't ready to engage the incoming SU-25 (so, yeah, when you have one job to do!).

One brave fly-boy, the Jaguar makes its dash through incoming, get its bombs away and then hits the afterburners...

Back to it after a tea break, with the Russians calling up more infantry reinforcements to get through that wood… but the electronic warfare unit of the Brit’s tactical command meant the order wasn’t received, so no extra motor rifle infantry to help out. Meanwhile, the Brits had called-up some engineers, to try and recover another broken down Chieftain (damn that Leyland engine), then more infantry for the same job, to reinforce in the woods. His second platoon was a reserve unit, in Saxon APCs (we quickly made up the stats, so 0 armour all-round!). They arrived under heavy fire from ATGMs (missing) and 120mm mortars but made it through unscathed, speeding along the road behind the wood.

That wasn’t a healthy place to be either, as my timed SU-25 air strike arrived, fast and low, to bomb the road junction. The Harrier CAP failed to get it, and the Rapier team wasn’t on Ambush Fire (lacking of orders, it had been forgotten), so they were caught with their pants down! Bombs away, and 2 parked FV-432s were left wrecked as the Frogfoot screamed away. Following that, I had already requested Airborne Support and an air-mobile infantry platoon choppered in… landing behind the woods and instantly dismounting and attacking. 2 Saxons were left wrecked by RPG fire and the British infantry were caught in the open and heavily pinned. Then, the Mi-8 helo had a ‘Breakdown’ counter played on it and, obviously having taken too much fire inbound, it was now stuck on the ground, immobilised and a very sitting duck (time for the pilots to abandon ship I think).

Our reinforcements had pushed up both our Break Ratings, and the game would have been over, but no, it went on. Into turns 11 and 12, and my second wave of T-64 armour arrived, using Company Orders to advance and lay down a barrage of HE, which again had the Brits heavily pinned, especially their tanks, which were struggling to get off shots and outnumbered. The recovery vehicle had arrived but failed to fix anything. It was now in the line of Russian tank fire (unhappy REME!).

Both side’s stacks of BR counters were large, both players counting furiously. The loss of a couple of Russian tanks as they pushed forwards cost me more counters and by turn 13 my total was on 75 from a BR 75… oh dear, next counter would end it. That next counter came as the airborne infantry lost a stand to small arms fire in their bold attack, but the counter was a 1, which saw another Chieftain (the 3rd) breakdown and the crew abandon it. His 2 counters (NATO force preservation in effect) just might break him… I hoped, but no, one was a gunship counter, finally a Lynx was inbound (it was desperately needed with 15 Russian tanks on the table)… the Brits had reach 82 from their 85 BR total… so, so close. But they had hung on to win a very close encounter, even if taking more BR damage.

Great game, all elements of the game were fully in play, with specialist units, air strikes, AA-missiles, helos, electronic warfare (I loved the turn that halved his Orders, that was very unpleasant for the Brits). Timed arty strikes (mine were slightly disappointing, but did cause some pinning and one was blocked by an counter-battery air strike - the RAF at it again!). There was a surprise helo infantry assault and ambush of his Saxons, turn after turn of a close range infantry firefight in the woods, with RPGs and 66s flying (he got 2 BTRs with his 66s, but missed 4 times as well, more training on 66s required). All in all, very happy with our 4.5 hours of gaming, a battle just as I envisioned it when writing the game. 

A very marginal British win, 1 or 2 more counters was all it would have taken (maybe just 1 ATGM hit - somewhere, anywhere). In the the end, the reinforcements were vital… getting the third infantry platoon would have kept me in the fight another turn, which is all I needed. Still, a memorable game…

Blue. A - Dug-in defence at objective 4, under ATGM and mortar fire. B - HQ. C - Chieftains, mostly broken down or pinned under HE fire. D - Infantry platoon in woods, heavily engaged. Red. A - MRP attacks into woods. B Tank supporting fire and second tank company advance. C - static position, firing a lot, hitting not much! D- Mi-8 landing and infantry attack towards the road.

What is Russian for 'Out! Out! Out!'? Urrah!, the motor infantry platoon charge into the woods.

 

They attack into the woods and take the objective (marked by 105 gun), but at a cost. 2 BTRs KO'd by 66s... the Grail team lurks at the rear, trying to hit the damn Gazelle...

REME on the job... but no joy... 'you just can't get the parts these days!'

Russian HQ at the farm, Shilka on Ambush fire... but the Gazelle wisely stayed out of range. Fresh tanks moving up, HE loaded...

Second tank company arrives and lay down a hail of HE... keep those deadly Chieftains suppressed!

Mi-8 inbound... full of Russian airborne troops, but where to go?.

SU-25's bombs impact behind the wood, FV-432s are KO'd or pinned.

SU-25, fast and low, avoiding the Harrier's patrol, and the expected Rapier missiles. It's a real mess down there...

Second MRP in BTRs follows the first, one is catastrophically hit by a radar guided 105mm Abbot shell. Another takes a Chieftain's 120mm hit and turns into instant scrap-metal... 

Reinforcing platoon in Saxons speed up the road, to behind the woods, ready to join that fight, they think!

120mm mortar shelling brackets the dug-in infantry and their MILAN post (oh, and three Chieftain tanks).

Russian airborne troops set-down and attack the woods from behind, catching the Saxon column in a hail of RPG shots. Behind them, their ride has just broken down! No more thwoppa-thwhoppa!

 

 

SCI-FI SKIRMISH, ZENTAURI-ALPHA with STAR BREACH

I have an weakness for the occasional sci-fi skirmish game, usually set on my sci-fi gaming desert world of Zentauri-Alpha. This time, continuing the long (and not very urgent) quest to find a set of sci-fi skirmish rules I really like, we turned our hand to Star Breach. Available in basic form as a free PDF download, the rules got a plug on a gaming video-blog I sometimes watch, so I thought I'd give them a try - why not. The rules aren’t long or complex and are obviously slanted towards gaming with 40K or Star Wars stuff, but they are 'miniatures agnostic' and I figured I’d just make a couple of the game's army lists work for my miniatures. This was first trial anyway, so just get some stuff on the tabletop and play…

So, a small skirmish over a desert mining outpost, the attacking aliens had 13 models including 10 basic troops, a leader, a scout and a mech. The humans had 10 miniatures, 6 basic troops, a leader, a medic, a scout and an assault mech (robot). I didn’t include the rules for psychic powers, it doesn’t relay fit with my world.

The game is one-to-one, with individual models being activated and given 1 of 6 orders (using the D6s), to move, shoot, move and shoot (with negative modifier to to-hit), run, heal and err… oh yes, covering fire, which is area effect rapid shooting to hit multiple targets close together (again, with negative modifier to-hit).

The scenario VPs was to have more men in one of the boards' 9 equal sectors (divided 3 x 3). Mechs would count as 2 men in the final tallying, after 6 turns of the game. This I have an issue with, I'm not a fan of games that have a set turn limit everybody knows, because weird things start to happen on turn 6 as the players rushes to grab objectives in the full knowledge the battle is now over. It happen here, so I’d defo change that, randomised ending, or some other system to end a game that players can’t predict and ‘game’ around, is required.

So off we went with a meeting engagement, both forces moving on and rushing forces to cover to get shooting. The initial exchanges of fire saw a couple of aliens gunned down and killed by terrible dice rolls, as well as the human scout vapourised… the game uses a system of 2D6 rolls (nice) modified for accuracy, shooting skill etc, against an opposed 2D6 modified for dodging, cover, etc. The difference in scores is the basic damage, modified by the weapon’s damage and then reduced by the target’s armour. Pretty simple, but with a wide range of results, mostly pushed towards the middle range by the 2D6 roll. But you can get freak results and take a lot of damage in 1 hit, but rarely, I liked this a lot.

After the first 2 turns, the humans had a lead and had spread out across the table to advance into the middle 3 sectors. The two mechs had squared up and opened fire on each other, with the alien mech getting the upper hand and inflicting some damage, but not enough to threaten the human mech with destruction. Still, the larger 'mechs' seems about right in firepower (they can fire twice) and vulnerability, tough (ish), but you can hurt them with heavy weapons and even lighter weapons on a really good roll (and a bad one by them).

As the aliens also moved up, through the cover, pulse-fire blazing, we got to grenade throwing range, and both sides launched a few. The aliens used a plasma grenade to little effect then a EMP grenade which resulted in the human officerand one trooper being unable to shoot next turn (weapons jinxed). Useful. The humans threw back frags and scored minor damage, I like that they can be used with no LoS, but again, not very accurately. With the grenade throwing done, the game was approaching its end. The human Mech had used a smoke grenades cover to escape the incoming fire and take cover behind the mine-transporter, saving itself from probable destruction.  

So far we hadn’t had any close combat, until the alien leader rushed over the central rocks to jump the human medic, and wound him in the following melee, which has a neat mechanic for resolving and I like that the winner can chose to have a second go, or disengage, so melee can become furious and deadly. It did now become very obvious that with all their advantages, better in all stats, and capable of using the 'heroic-actions' game-phase as well as normal orders phase, (so they go twice as often), that leaders, specialists and mechs were very, very hard to kill. This I’m not sold on… its a bit 'one-man-army syndrome', he can take on many times his own number. Hmmm…

With turn 6, the usual funny-games went on as both players tried to get the advantage in numbers in various sectors… which I don’t like. On adding up the final victory points, the actual points value of the troops killed and a bonus for where the 9 sectors they hold are (more for those further across the table). It was, err.. a draw, the aliens had just edged it, but not by enough to claim the win. Oh, a draw… not a massive fan of that after 4 hours of play.

Timing would be another thumbs down, game length was too long… even if ‘first game’ is taken into account, we had the rules down after a few turns, but with shooting and melee modifier lists to run through, a small skirmish just stretched out for too long… I’d expected more like 2 hours for this size of game with around a dozen models aside.

Still, it was OK, 3-stars from me and I’ll try the rules again, to see if we can speed it up a bit. Not terrible and some rules-issues to fix for me, but Star Breach is worth a second play.

Shock Troopers arrive (Order 6 is run).

Alien troopers deploying from the opposite corner

Aliens move up on their right, order 5 is move and shoot.

The fire-fight at its height

Mech (robot) moves up beside the abandoned mine transporter to trade heavy weapons fire with the alien mech.

A sneaky Loor scout skirts round the flank with his 'fusion blaster'... and vapourises the human scout with the first shot.

The alien mech faces down the robot and, unleashing both its weapons, gives it a good kicking...

Alien troops occupy the central mine-workings

Smoke out! The human officer saves his robot with a handy smoke grenade to block incoming fire and allow it to stagger out of LoS.

The battlefield from the human's table edge, 6 turns, 4 hours, and a stalemate. Needs tweaking.

THE BATTLE OF PORT REPUBLIC, 9th JUNE, 1862, with LONGSTREET

Continuing a series of larger one-off games, time for some ACW with our preferred rules, Longstreet. The actual battle took place outside the town of Port Republic during ‘Stonewall’ Jackson’s Shenandoah Valley campaign, as his larger force launched a rapid attack on the Union division of General Tyler, to score a quick win and break the Union force in front of him, although Jackson didn’t have long, because General Fremont’s division marching after him.

Each side’s historical forces were worked out, as shown below for my Union defenders. We gave the Confederates the ‘Pressed for Time’ scenario special rule, forcing them to get on with it and agreed that, given their strong numerical advantage, they must launch an attack from Turn 1 and not just wait until all the reinforcements arrived to mass for one big attack… that wasn’t the way it went down on the day and, General Jackson just didn’t have the time to waste. The first weak Confederate attack by thr Stonewall Brigade was pretty doomed, but hopefully enforcing this would even the playing field for a closer battle (it did).

The Union got the ‘Desperate’ scenario special rule, which would mean they hung around a bit longer, hoping for the aid to come from Fremont’s Division (on the day it didn’t, as the river was between the two force and Jackson destroyed the only bridge once his entire force was across, so, on arrival, Fremont’s men played no part in the battle and could only watch-on).

We set-up the battlefield, the northern edge was the banks of the Shenandoah’s South Fork. The flat flood plain was farmland, classic ACW terrain, all crops and snake-rail fencing. The southern third of the battlefield was the rugged woods and first foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with the main feature as a hill, ‘the Coaling’, which was heavily defended by Union guns on their left. The scenario rule for this hill was that guns on it could see out cross the farmlands and from their vantage point, crops did not block line of sight, so Union guns had a killing-field to the north, out to their maximum range. The thickly wooded, heavy undergrowth, rocks, ravines and marshy streams of the southern third of the field would all be difficult ground. It was through this hard-going that the main Confederate attacks came, with heavy fighting for the Coaling, which changed hands several times on the day. Lots of the Action cards would need to be spend to move in all the difficult ground (it takes 2 cards to move instead of 1).

With the battlefield set-up, we sorted our Action Card decks and deployed in historical(ish) manner. The game’s Shatter Point (when it ends) was set at 28 (half the Union’s lesser 56 stands). The Rebs, as attackers, would take first turn…

Early Turns
The Rebs set-out on their advance, moving regiments and batteries (they were well out-gunned, as ever), forwards, into the large crop field and through the rugged woods. Using marching columns, they came-on quickly, with no time to waste. This was the first wave of the day’s attack, behind, extra Reb units would arrive in 2 waves, the first after a D3 turns (2 was rolled), the second after a D3+3 turns (a 6 was rolled). There were no off-table reserves for the boys in blue, although I had 2 regiments held back on my rear table edge as a last mobile reserve, although one was the small 1st West Virginia Cavalry, who were attached but we could find no reference to what they did in the battle. I suspect they had other duties on the day and did not fight, but we included them, trying to even-up the odds a bit. 4 stands of Reluctant-Recruit cavalry would hardly be a game-changer. The Rebs had no cavalry on the day, it was off, doing important cavalry stuff…

The early turns saw the Union guns on the Coaling shelling into the cornfield and inflicting some damage, including to the just deploying Reb guns, which tried to return fire without much joy. Their attack columns shook-out into lines, and using a ‘Quick Step’ movement card, my line advanced to the cornfield’s fence-line and leveled their rifles (or muskets). In the woods, the Rebs instantly had trouble, with a ‘Trackless’ special card (we house ruled again here, as the card makes woods difficult ground, but it already was, so it became that a unit just cannot move for 1 turn in the woods instead - I think we’ll keep this, it's better). That card delayed them a bit, but also, the 66th Ohio, my flank guard, found the going too tough and were also delayed getting to the Coaling, by a ‘Trackless’ card, that would matter!

The Rebs moved up in the corn, to brave the first Union volleys, and I forget to skirmish fire, so they caught a break! Rules rusty… I can fire into the corn if its just skirmish fire, but not volley until the range closes - oops! (fog of war). Still, thankfully, the Rebs could only do the same in return and there were no losses yet (phew!). In the woods, the first reinforcements were moving up and the two lead Virginian regiments were preparing to assault up the hill.

My main firing line finally got going and good dice saw the Reb's punished… they lost 6 bases (it’s a lot) in a turn to Union musketry and cannon fire… I had the early advantage. 

Union right and centre deployed, the main line facing the cornfield. Reserves behind.

The wooded hill, the Coaling, bristling with Union guns.

66th Ohio, behind the hill, ready to move to hold the summit objective.

Confederate line, first wave of the Stonewall Brigade.

Whilst the the others navigate the difficult ground of the southern woods.

Blue line from the Coaling.

Reserve, 1st West Virginian Cavalry, soon to dismount and play a far larger role than thought, I wasn't going to commit them at all.

Virginians approach the Coaling, in a hard slog. Union sharpshooters have been taking their toll.

The Rebs advance into range and skirmish firing begins. Union soon get the upper hand.

 Middle Turns
The shooting duel soon became one-sided as the Union inflicted the pain and took just a little in return. The Reb first wave was being cut to tatters and soon withdrew rather than face more punishment for little gain. Just as on the day, Confederate first wave was rebelled. Now, could I hold the Coaling? The 66th Ohio had now moved up and their sharpshooters were doing good business with the Rebs in the woods, picking off some stands and in all, I had inflicted 11 stands of losses and taken just 3 back. If this continued we’d hold easily. The Rebs were being mauled. It didn’t continue - of course!

Now, having husbanded the cards, the Rebs unleashed an assault up the hill, at my guns, with the (I hate it!) ‘Rebel Yell’ special card to aid them. Screaming and whooping the Rebs charged with bayonets fixed, into the cannon fire and the first attack overran a gun battery, but at heavy cost to incoming canister fire! I still had guns and the 66th Ohio holding the hilltop objective. The 66th Ohio didn’t counter-charge, instead volleying into the Rebs and cutting them down, they fell-back, serious damage done, but also taken.

It wasn’t over though, another Reb charge, another ‘Rebel Yell’ card, another assault overrunning an artillery battery, with 1 6 pdr gun escaping on its limber to flee down the hills far side and escape. Only 1 gun was left in action on the hill top, and it canistered the assault, but to little effect. Worse, more Louisiana regiments were behind the lead Rebs to press if needed. At the foot of the hill, more troops had emerged from the woods and charged the 1st West Virginia Infantry, putting them to flight! Oh no, the left flank was collapsing, fast. I directed both my reserves units over there and they marched at the quick, the cavalry now dismounting to fight as extra infantry. They needed to hold or my entire line to the river would be doomed. The score in losses at had become very even, something like 12 -14 to the me, but close now. Those Rebel Yell charges had hurt a lot.

Instead of waiting, I now ordered my main line forwards, the best form of defence is attack, so I would try to win the day where I could, quicker than the left lost it. The musket firing in the cornfield resumed, my line with its big advantage in numbers, but then, on Turn 6, Stuart’s Brigade arrived, and streamed in fast columns onto the tabletop at speed to take-over the Reb attack in the cornfield, suddenly, the enemy had the numbers and the edge. Momentum was now with the Rebs. Steady boys, steady!
 

The Rebs approaching the Coaling, with their deck full of Rebel Yell cards...

Reserves, soon to be called away to the left, at the quick!

Reb's in the woods, they are coming, and soon broke the first Union boys here... first sign momentum was changing. 

Drive them off boys! The cavalry, and 1 light rifle, do just enough to see off the Louisiana's first charge and hold the line. Mere Reluctant-Recruits indeed!

66th Ohio, last chance to hold the hill, as the final 6 pdr limbers-up and escapes.

I've lost 5 guns on this hill, only 1 remains, and not for long. 66th Ohio in the woods behind, a brief counter-attack, only resulting in disaster.  

The cavalry have to hold out, against the odds, they do!

The Rebs take the Coaling and an objective.  66th Ohio broken and running.

 

Late Turns
It was my turn to fallback, through the cornfield, back to the ‘safety’ of the fence line. Here my main line would again hold, my brief counter-attack over. But the Rebs had to shake-out of their columns into lines and deploy some guns, so their attack was slow. The battle would not be decided here, but in the woods and on the Coaling.

Time for the boys of the 66th Ohio to show their mettle. They advanced up the hill’s slope and retook the lost objective on it summit. The last gun had been lost, but the 'Eager-Veteran' farm-boys were a very tough unit. They hammered the Reb line with a volley, but they found two Reb regiments in place to charge them. With another damn ‘Rebel Yell’ card… disaster struck! The 66th Ohio was overrun and wiped out, the panicked survivors fleeing back down the hill. 6 stands gone in one melee! (awful dice rolls by me). The left was gone.

Meanwhile, my dismounted cavalry had their moment, volleying to good effect and then resisting and driving back the Louisiana charge (no Rebel Yell card this time!). That bought time for the main reinforcements, the 84th and 110th Pennsylvania combined, to open a galling fire into the Louisiana-boys on the wood’s edge. I might just hold.

By now, I could start rolling to win the game. With 22 Reb stands lost, I need a 6 to win (Shatter Point 28)… I rolled and nope, we fought on…

As Stuart's Brigade waited, holding their attack to see if the flanking force could win it, the Rebs moved up and secured the Coaling objective, he could also now start rolling to win it, and had an objective too. He rolled, nope, we’d go on…

Next turn, I volleyed as I could, then needed a 5 to win it… nope! He volley back, no damage, rolled to win it - nope! You can see where this is going...

Neither of us was willing to take any risk in the cornfield, it came down to the scrap by the woods and at the foot of the Coaling. My volleys scored 1 more stand of loses and so I needed a 4+ to win it… nope! We go on. Argh!

The Rebs moved down the Coaling, swing around my flank. I positioned the poor dismounted cavalry in their path, could these recruits hold, again? They had already gone above and beyond to be fair. Volleying, 1 more casualty inflicted, so a 3+ to win it…surely! - nope! I cannot roll to save my life (or win a game).

The Reb charged again, and again they had husbanded a ‘Rebel Yell’ card to aid the melee. His Virginians overran my meagre dismounted cavalry and drove them back with 2 stands of losses. He rolled to win it and …. well, it had to come… passed, and the game was over. Confederate win.

So close, so close… but a great fight, a desperate, tense, scrap at the end and with 4 chances fluffed to end the thing, I feel it 'should' maybe have gone to the Union, but in the end, my left flank collapsed, the reserves sent to hold it were now running, my tactical position looked hopeless. Tyler had to retreat now or be surrounded and pinned against the river… so away the Union fled. Top game, Longstreet shining as ever, what a fab set of rules it is… no better way to spend 4 hours. Pleasingly, very much as the actual day… although it was closer than the real battle, it was the decisive loss of the Coaling that saw Tyler’s division concede the field.

I took loads of pics, first use of a new phone camera.

Forward boys... a counter-attack into the cornfield to finish off the first wave.

The reserve regiment (actual 2 combined), rush left to help the poor cavalry hold here, and arrived in time to hold the line and stop the first attack from the woods.

The Blue-tide is coming, so the Rebs fall back again through the cornfield.

Overview of the battlefield, from the Rebs table edge, during my brief counter-attack.

More Rebs arrive through the southern woods, it was an overwhelming attack on the Coaling, but I thought I done enough damage, obviously not.

Stuart's Brigade arrive in force.

and deploy into lines, but they did not press the attack.

My reserves are in place and holding the Rebs back, phew! But the danger is further left, from the Coaling, as the Rebs swing back to get behind me.

The Uniosn lines await the finale... but no frontal assault came...

As it stood in the final turns... 6pdr got away! Dismounted cavalry have the end of the end now it has folded back.

Last action, another Rebel charge, another defeat, as my dismounted cavalry are forced back by the Virginians storm down from the Coaling. They are behind us! Time to go... sound the retreat!