Our annual July game (which folds neatly in with the Christmas / Easter and 'any excuse for a piss up' games), are now back with a vengeance.
John and Stephen set up Salem Church, for 4 players + ref, with the excellent Fire & Fury (Regimental) - which definitely has some advantages:
There is clear and unarguable attrition, as in the ACW accounts, so it feels like the ACW - though there is a 'cold steel' charge rule, which inevitably means that there are distinct advantages in charging home without shooting . We debated this for hours...well, minutes anyway (many minutes)...at least in terms of how 'ACW' it was, and whether it was a game balance thing.
(Yes, those are curtain tassels attached to the hat...)
The setup used the excellent 15mm collections of John & Steve.
The Union was forced to attack Reb positions - inevitably perhaps coming unstuck on one flank. A Reb drive on their left threatened to make good on the scenario conditions, after the Union had captured / and lost the church, but neither side was going to win in the end - neither the Union capturing the Church, nor the Rebs the toll house. In the end, it became a hard fought grinding draw - but a great day - followed by wine, beers, Indian food and John's (not) gay beer.
NOT a gay beer
Reb positions at the church, with skirmishers along the walls. It's not a big position, and thereby only holds skirmishers at this scale.
Union attacks straight at the centre, with cold steel charges for the most part, with some smoothbore/RM discipline from the Rebs
Billy Yank was determined to say the least
Union attacks in the centre initially - but they can expect reinforcements
Federals hold the church...for a time
Building attacks on the Reb left
A mass battle in itself on the Reb right - was turning into a bloody stalemate - though the Union were still concerned enough to send multiple reinforcing regiments in that direction...
'Here they come again boys!' Union attacks are hard and fast, but, the Rebs can still counter-attack as the turns wear on, on their left...
Terrible melee on the left flank (my dice rolls were terrible anyway)
The bloody centre
Reb pressure tells terribly on their left flank...but it's too late
Great game. Scenario pretty tough for both sides. Had your attack with 2 Regts vs one succeeded Reb progress would have been better. Also that single successful Union Regt tied up several Reb Regts Think the dynamic of the game would change if Cold Steel was dropped/amended certainly no fix without consequence.
Fine looking battle, Darren. RFF has a few oddities in my book but nothing that keeps me from playing a game. Cold Steel v No Cold Steel is a tough decision and it depends upon the situation. Does firing going into melee offer the chance of either disordering the enemy or reducing the enemy's Morale Grade before melee? With opposed D10 rolls, the +1DRM for Cold Steel may not offset the cost of bypassing Offensive Fire.
Thanks Jon. We had this debate last game too - and we ended up with the same decision: i.e. that 'cold steel' is the only way to go. Our subsequent debate centred upon whether this was very 'American Civil War' '-esque' or not, bearing in mind that firefights seemed to be the order of the day. We still haven't found an answer really...
Great game. Scenario pretty tough for both sides. Had your attack with 2 Regts vs one succeeded Reb progress would have been better. Also that single successful Union Regt tied up several Reb Regts Think the dynamic of the game would change if Cold Steel was dropped/amended certainly no fix without consequence.
ReplyDeleteYeah - good game though. Cold steel still seems like a game fixer to make scenarios work...shooting still seems ACW...but won't win a game
DeleteCrackin looking bash Duc. I used to buy beer from Farmageddon a few years back.
ReplyDeleteCheers Ray. Aye - my guts can only normally stomach Guinness for some reason - IPAs make me throw - but a great label on this one.
DeleteGreat looking game, a fine hat and an interesting brew - all good.
ReplyDeleteThe hat took me at least 10 minutes to fabricate. The brew..hmmm...still seems a bit gay to me ;)
DeleteThe figures and table look great. I really like the shot of the long winding Confederate line.
ReplyDeleteChris/Nundanket
Thanks Chris. We spent a long time trying to get the rebs to advance. They wuh havin' nun of it suh.
DeleteFine looking battle, Darren. RFF has a few oddities in my book but nothing that keeps me from playing a game. Cold Steel v No Cold Steel is a tough decision and it depends upon the situation. Does firing going into melee offer the chance of either disordering the enemy or reducing the enemy's Morale Grade before melee? With opposed D10 rolls, the +1DRM for Cold Steel may not offset the cost of bypassing Offensive Fire.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jon. We had this debate last game too - and we ended up with the same decision: i.e. that 'cold steel' is the only way to go.
DeleteOur subsequent debate centred upon whether this was very 'American Civil War' '-esque' or not, bearing in mind that firefights seemed to be the order of the day.
We still haven't found an answer really...