Epic Black Powder ACW: Chance Encounter!

For this Sunday's Solo game I wanted to devise an exciting and randomised battle with an unpredictable flow of reserves building up the battle in ad-hoc fashion. So not at all a historical battle, although set in the eminently ancient and mysterious realm of the Lower Miskatonic Valley...

The objective for both armies was to occupy the small town of Harrison's Ford, which was split up into three discreet building blocks.

Adapted from Flames of War rules, the arrival of reinforcing brigades and artillery battalions would likely determine the course of the battle...

Each side started with a single infantry brigade on table. (Note to self - must paint up some Cav!)

Unsurprisingly, both Brigade Commanders made a beeline for the town. With both formations in march column on roads, the fact that the Union commander had a Staff Rating of seven, one less than his Confederate counterpart, didn't affect things at this stage.

Indeed, the Union were initially much more successful with their reserve rolls - by the end of Turn 2 the single Rebel Bde was outnumbered 3:1! It had however beaten the Bluebellies to the punch and occupied the northern third of the town.

But then the Confederate reserves started to turn up too.

The Union, braving devastating enveloping fire whilst remaining in march column, managed to occupy the centre portion of town.

But rebel reserves arrived at exactly the right place to occupy the southern portion of town.

This forced the Union troops in the open to adopt the unrewarding tactic of exchanging fire with the rebels ensconced in stone buildings!

The Union hurried up their artillery to Dunwich hill, hoping to bombard the northern side of town...

But couldn't get sufficient space for overhead fire.

The rifle firefight was general and heated, but it wasn't going to evict the Rebs from town!

Eventually the Union deployment shook out sufficiently for the guns to deploy and range in...

But by this time dusk was falling over the Lower Miskatonic Valley and the eerie whippoorwill cries were heard as the musketry fell off. Lines were shortened, sentries posted, the wounded brought in, and coffee brewed. The fate of Harrison's Ford would be decided another day!