The objective was to control the majority of the road running the table length, and at the end of the game the Confederates manage to hold one inch more road than the Union... So we called it a draw as it was getting late. We will have to replay it as it was a wonderful game. The scenario really gave you a feel for trying to move formed troops in close terrain and was a real thought provoking game perfectly suited to Black Powder.
My initial advance went well and I looked to be about to administer the killing blow to the Union Army when my reinforcements arrived. The Union army was bogged down negotiating the terrain and it looked like I was going to get my full army into action and hit them piecemeal before they could form a defence.
Sadly my command let me down and as my reinforcements slowed and at one point halted, the Union Army they got through a rough couple of turns and formed a damn fine defence.
As I had lost my chance to strike I now had to fight a defensive action with only one brigade while the other tried to get into the action. The Union Army now managed to launch several attacks and after some hard fighting had pushed my line back to where the second Confederate Brigade had formed up. We called a halt there, which was a shame as it was getting to be a real nailbiter and the Union had their blood up for revenge! Had we managed a few more turns I could see the Union troops pressing my defence and possibly repeating history. Sadly time ran out and that may have snatched away the chance of a first Union victory at the club.
My cavalry got their first outing and thanks to the dire situation at one point they found themselves thrown in a headlong charge at the Union gun battery! Somehow they survived the canister at close range to get in amongst the gunners. Not their intended role, but they saved the flank of my brigade from a severe pasting!
Really nice to play a historical scenario and Im glad to say I did better than the real Confederates, but my cautious actions when one brigade failed to advance cost me the chance of a complete victory.
We called it an honourable draw, but we will replay this in the near future... I think the Union commanders are beginning to learn from their defeats and I think the Confederacy is in for some hard fighting.
