Turns 4 and 5 Regimental Fire and Fury

Holidays are great even when you are under the weather. I was able to fit in another 2 turns of the Fire and Fury game today. Turn 4 saw the casualty count rise for both sides as the Confederates set themselves up to attack the Federal main defenses around the redoubt. Timely reinforcements on the Federal right suprised the Confederate flanking regiment and it withdrew with heavy casualties. General Palmer commanding the Federal left was shot from his saddle.

Turn 5 saw the Confederate left assault the rifle pits with "cold steel". The 24th and the 49th Virginia regiments forced the Wessell's regiments to fall back from their covered positions with the help of Confederate artillery fire. Attacks in the centre and right were turned back.

Confederates charge the redoubt but are pushed back with canister and musketry.

During the Federal turn, things went badly for the blue coats. The counter attack to retake the rifle pits failed and they had lost the battles key position causing their morale to falter. Naglee's battered regiments routed off the board. Two regiments from Palmer's brigade now leaderless decided to fall back from the rifle pit line and abandoned their position. General Casey had to stabilize the remainder of Palmer's brigade.

Federal losses = 31 stands (heavy casualties at 38 stands)
Confederate losses = 38 stands(heavy casualties at 52 stands)

Turn 6

The Rebels left flanking maneuver with Rains' brigade finally arrived enfilading and driving off the Union defenders in the rifle pit. A reinforcing brigade failed to take action to counter this threat. Palmer's replacement arrived and tried to encourage his out maneuvered brigade to hold it's position which it did. The Rebels n the right held onto the newly captured rifle pits, opting to line up and shoot rather than risk any more charges. Rebel charge in the centre was pushed back. Federals fell back and tried to form a new firing line but were hindered by disordered and routing brigades. The Union artillery was screened by falling back troops.

Turn 7

Rebel troops pressed their advantage routing two Union Regiments on the left flank with a charge. The Rebels had 3 units fall back or rout due to casualties and bad rolls but overall were able to maintin the advantage. When the Union turn came they failed their morale due to having taken heavy casualties, losing their defended position and being outflanked which ended the game.

This rule set worked very well. Without knowing the rules, the players were able to come up with a battle plan and attempt to execute it. I learned that charging is difficult as it is easy to be driven back by defensive fire. A significant advantage is needed to gain a telling result in a charge. Even then, with 10 sided dice, nothing can be taken for granted. The Rebels were forced to attack to achieve the victory objective of capturing the rifle pits. They had the greater numbers and better quality troops to pull this off. The only thing the Union might have done better was to withdraw the brigade that was posted ahead of the rifle pits sooner to form a reserve. This would have allowed the Confederated to close more quickly but the difficult ground would have slowed them down.

After 1 turn with other players and 7 turns over all, I started to have the many die roll modifiers memorized and had to refer to the QRF less frequently. I need more disorder and out of ammo markers. The game looked great and I was happy to get to try out 2 never before used armies and much never before used terrain. Now to clean up!