"It was a desperate business!"

Last Thursday Paul and I finally managed to meet up in GHQ for our monthly game, having been unable to find a mutually convenient date for a couple of months. We decided on an ACW game using Black Powder rules and some ideas from the Glory Hallelujah supplement. I set up a fairly sparse tabletop battlefield and sorted out two fairly balanced forces. We would dice off for who would be the attacker, then for the initiative in Turn 1. The game would last 12 Turns and the Broken Brigade rule was to be ignored. Paul became the attacker with the Rebs, while I won the initiative with the Union. I began to plan a defence with my four brigades ~

Leaving Paul to shape his attack with his five Brigades of Rebs. The Rebs had a CinC with a command rating of 9, the Union a command rating of 8. Paul's opening moves were hesitant while my efforts to organise a defence proved mixed to say the least, but eventually both armies got into the swing of things. As you've come to expect by now, a photomontage to carry you right into the action ~

The Union army moves out of camp to meet the as yet distant Reb threat.

On the Union right New York regiments supported by a battery of rifled Whitworths have already formed a defensive position along a fence line.

Union progress is slow but thankfully not as hesitant as that of the Rebs!

As you can see, the Rebs have made little progress by Turn 2's ending.

The Union regiments take full advantage of the hesitancy, here you see the Iron Brigade's lead regiment moving forward.

Somehow the boys on the Reb rear right seemed to lack the expected elan of a Rebel army...fence lines seem to offer comfort and prevoke a reluctance to march into the waiting storm of shot and shell.

In the centre, once Paul got to grips with his brief as the attacker, the Reb Brigades advanced with determination on the nervously waiting Union troops.

Encouraged by the bold advance on their flank the hesitant Rebs on their right flank cross the road in an attempt to turn the weaker Union right.

In the Union centre the Iron Brigade steels itself for the coming assault. Muskets loaded and resting along the fence railings.

The leading Reb regiment rushes forward on the Union right, the Rebel Yell rents the air while the boys in blue pour it on in an attempt to repel the assault.

More Rebs pour forward supporting the attack on the centre of the Union defensive line.

"Forward boys! Give 'em the cold steel!" Union troops respond with crashing volleys at close range in an attempt to stem the onrushing tide of butternut and gray. 

Despite losses the Rebs succeed in breaking the line on the Union left. One regiment flees and others are confused and Disordered by losses. 

The boys from South Carolina have broken through on the Union right. Not even the dose of cannister at point blank range can halt their onward trajectory. 

More Rebs burst through the Union disintegrating lines on their right sending other regimants streaming to the safety of the rear.

Two Reb Brigades converge on the weakened Union right. It's looking grim for the Union position with both flanks being threatened and the centre under ever strengthening pressure.

The Union right flank has collapsed and the victorious Rebs turn inward to flank the hard pressed Union centre.

Assaulted on their front and pressured from their flank the Union centre must surely buckle and break.

But the Iron Brigade show their steel once more. Despite being Shaken and Disordered by losses they are holding their line and keeping the Rebs at bay.

But even they are mere flesh and blood - alright, pewter and paint if you will - and they eventually break under relentless Reb pressure. It's all up for ol' Useless S Bykleigh once more.

An image captured by Mr Brady behind the Reb lines perhaps just at the onset of hostilities? 

A grand gaming going to ten of the planned twelve Turns before it became obvious that the Union position was untenable and ol' Useless ordered a general withdrawal leaving the Rebs victorious but too exhausted to exploit their victory. Ol' Useless lives to fight another day...