Sharp Practice II ACW

Sharp's II ACW ... using 15mm Old Glory figures. Originally based for Fire and Fury at 3 to a base. Because I have lots of the little buggers, just use one base to represent one figure in Sharp's. And doesn't Sharp II reproduce the period well.

We played an Encounter battle (i think it is called encounter?) without support choices or minor characters. Used the 1861 basic lists but then added a light cannon (with a level 1 leader) and an additional level 2 leader with 2 groups of 8 with rifled musket to each side. I was just trying to be even rather than producing a necessarily accurate situation.

The Rebs were unlucky and their deployment point landed in an open space while the Union had a wonderful position behind snake rail fences. One of their commands was hampered by a forest as it tried to march out to the right flank. The Union had problems with Movement events all night - once a leader was trampled and on another occasion a leader lost their map.

The Rebs were hampered by a supposedly lightly wooded rocky hill which must have been covered with clinging vines as low movement rolls kept their main battle line out of the fight. This led to a piecemeal attack which the Union easily dealt with through a hail of shot and shell.

The Rebs did fight back but only managed to maul the Union skirmishers and place shock on the main battle line. It was not a fair trade as four Rebs groups were savaged and shock was liberally cast about by the Union fire.

One little sour note was that continuous low rolls for moral meant that the game did not end of its own accord but was called by the players. The poor Rebs stumbled on with little chance of victory but a little or non diminishing army morale.

A great game which we would play again and even feel that we could increase forces further. We usually play multi-player rather than 1 vs 1 so more troops give everyone a command or 3. It 'felt' and 'looked' right for an ACW game for all of use and really ... can any wargamer ask for more than that? (Oh yes, we did have a great time too ... esp when the Rebs shot their main commander in the arse dropping him a command level.)

All up it could have been worse for the Rebs ... the Union main line was hampered by the orchard in the centre of the table which severly reduced the fire of two groups (stopped it completely as all players very very eager to husband their first fire and controlled fire advantages.) Also shock placed on the main Union battle line manning the road reduced its ability to move up. The Reb skirmishers that placed the shock on these groups also needed to be cleared from the small hill and this the Union did not do. The commander (me) should have rallied shock and moved into short range of the skirmishers and given them a drubbing. But I didn't preventing the Union from pouring fire into the flank of the main Reb line as it struggled into position. It's tardiness was a major element in the Union victory.