Stones River - with Field of Battle

A great game with Sgt Steiner today - as we make the most of our respective periods of time off work.

Another experiment with Field of Battle - using brigades as base units, with normal (unchanged) musket range of 2"/4"/6" to reflect rifled muskets and larger units etc.

As with the previous AWI game, the rules were the same - though there was a definite different feel. So, what changed?

• We'd talked about the same rules potentially creating the 'same' game in a previous post - though the size of the battle came through here, and there were sweeping flank maneuvers, with a battlefield centre where the Rebs hunkered down behind prepared positions and couldn't be moved. It felt like the ACW, just as the AWI battle felt more open.
• Each side tried to turn the other's flank, with varying degrees of success. Brigade after brigade tried to get the edge with musketry and close range attacks - there was a greater sense of having to exploit every little chance when compared with the AWI game - which seemed to have more room to maneuvre - in turn also adding to the sense of a 'big' ACW smash here.
• The outnumbered Confederate deck was 'skilled' while the Union deck was 'poor' - adding to the theme: the Confederates had some potential leadership potential, while the Union could be hampered with more lulls and switch-overs in initiative, despite numbers. In the end, the Union played a blinder.
• The loss of the Union Army Commander - Rosecrans, threatened to stall the battle for them, though, they managed to stem the flow and take the battle to the Rebs' right flank, while holding their own. 

In the end - the Confederates' attempt to turn to Union Right came to a standstill, while the Union, trying the same on the Confederate right, had considerable success in routing units and forcing their way across the fords and bridges and into the prepared positions...until the Rebs simply ran out of morale and withdrew.

Another great game with these big battle rules; very different in feel to the AWI game - yet comfortably easy to play and remember.
There can be a sense of 'clog' with multiple units in tight confines with some rules. As there are few modifiers and most 'mods' are intuitive/memorable here in terms of dice size changes, it makes things easier, and the players aren't put off from 'wanting to make things happen' without grinding against the rules.

 The Confederate left - which would move back and forth all day.

 The centre - well entrenched.

Union troops ready to move on the flank.

Rebs attack the Union right - some early gains, but pushbacks are enough to make gaining a foothold and turning a flank too difficult.

Union troops make gains on the left however, allowing the reinforcements safe passage.
 

At a pivotal point in the battle, Rosecrans is shot by a sniper - and precious minutes are wasted as initiative swings to the Confederates.

The left becomes a quagmire - volleys and charges, with no clear gains.

...as Union cavalry (40 year old Airfix plastics no less) moves to reinforce.

The Reb right is under more pressure as the ford is taken - allowing Union reinforcements to stream toward the elevated works.

 As Confederate morale ebbs and dwindles away - until a morale roll ends the battle...

 Their left flank - unable to break the Union stranglehold.

 ...while both sides have taken reinforcements from the centre, which remains eerily quiet.

A great game again with FoB; and many new eras discussed. As well as the Aughrim game in preparation, there is a Prokhorovka scenario online for the WWII version. Hmm tempting.