The Revenge of the Masked Wargamer!

In our post-game chat after last Monday's return to action in GHQ, following the long hibernation through all this coronavirus malarkey, Phil and I decided we would play a follow up game over the same battlefield. Useless S Bykleigh, exhausted by the demands placed on his constitution by the previous battle, has ordered his equally exhausted troops to camp on the field.

Meanwhile, Robinson has rallied his men and is determined to show his worth by a surprise attack on the Union position. The game begins with most Union troops encamped, with the New York cavalry and the US Sharpshooters posted on piquet duty.

 Two Union regiments badly mauled in the previous engagement will factor in a -1 on any Command Roll made on them. They each begin with one casualty marker to reflect their loss.

The Rebs can enter at any point or points along their baseline. To aid his plans Robinson has divided his command into two smaller Brigades each with its own command rated at an 8 for Command rolls. He retains one ADC to enable him to exercise some control over the unfolding action without the risk of being caught up in the fire!

Having the initiative in Turn 1 the Rebels’ artillery deploys to support the infantry advance.

Alerted by sporadic firing on the right flank of the Union piquets the infantry are ordered to deploy.

The Georgians, supported by a Maryland regiment, make good time advancing to the attack. The first event card will put a spanner in the works next turn!

The Rebels have moved onto the Union’s right flank, threatening the artillery and US Sharpshooters. 

An overall battlefield view at the end of Turn 4. On the Rebel right the attack has stalled as Union regiments shake out into firing lines.

More event cards played on the Georgian infantry have forced the attack to falter then halt. It seems the outnumbered Union left may hold at this stage,

In the centre of the Union position the Union infantry is deploying for a firefight with the stalled Rebel assault.

An event card rather ties up one Union regiment at a crucial moment giving the Rebels a local superiority in weight of fire.

On the Union right one group of US Sharpshooters has fallen back on the battery while another is Shaken by mounting casualties.

Despite setbacks a second Union regiment deploys into firing line in the centre while on the left another lines the fence.

In Turn 6 despite mounting losses coupled with the generally poor firing of their infantry the Union look to be holding their ground.

Sadly though the turn saw very heavy losses all along the Union front. US hisself leads a desperate cavalry charge on the 10th Tennessee infantry threatening to roll up the Union line. "Follow me boys!"

While the ensuing melee was indecisive the 'dice gods' finally had the last word. The New York cavalry, along with ol' US, flee the field.

The last sight his troops have of their commander as he leads the rout! The army's will to fight evaporated and they withdrew from the field following their leader's example! It looks like Colonel PJ Robinson's star is in the ascendancy, promotion is in the offing. As for ol' US himself, well, time will tell...