This Thursday at Taffs Well we met to play another game set in the ACW. Nick had devised a scenario for the evening, two small Confederate brigades faced two larger attacking Union brigades. Ross and myself were to be the defenders. Alistair and Nick seemed to be confident that they could evict the Rebs from the road junction. Ross and I used our time arguing over whether to refuse the left or the right wing, whether to deploy our artillery in the centre or in penny packets, whether to…….you get the picture. After much deliberation, I took the Divisional commanders role and orderered the bobble hatted loon to advance to the worm fencing to his front. Ross stole the command group back and refused to budge unless and until the blue- bellies came towards us on a broad front.

The three Union batteries unlimber in their centre. The first shells did not find their range but a few turns later, they would make the Confederate position a hot one! Fields of Valor ( colonial spelling😆) places a lot of emphasis on the weapon type and here we held the advantage. Ross had won the race to the worm fencing on the right. Accurate Enfield fire stopped two regiments dead. Nick rolled on the brigade response table and a double one meant that the Union brigadier had fallen.

Our divisional commander had once again migrated to Ross’ side of the table to bring his supports forward. However, our artillery , centrally placed, tore great gaps in the Union centre. You guessed it, Alistair’s dice meant routing Federals! But Alistair was not to be deterred by mounting causaulties. He wasn’t to be deterred by the fallen all over the Central portion of the battlefield. What did he care of two Confederate batteries and three regiments of South Carolina’s finest ? The man mountain ordered his force forward.

It wasn’t hopeless by any means. The superior Union artillery tore great gaps in the defending Rebs. First one regiment and then another was suppressed and forced to retire. The isolated Confederate brigadier just managed to replace the losses with his final untied regiment.

The fresh reb unit, combined with the withered firing line and mowed down the attacking blue regiments. The dice gods were once again on the side of States’ rites (Southern spelling). Ross pointed out that the Union had graciously only given themselves a few regiments superiority. I demoted him on the spot! Thanks to all the boys for another gripping game. Fire and Fury demo next Thursday in Cardiff!