Gentlemen Pensioners post-Phalanx ACW game

I was lucky enough to be invited to join the Gentlemen Pensioners ACW wargame the day after the St Helens Phalanx show.  Rules used were Fire and Fury, which seems a good set of rules, easy to pick up the basics (I'd never played them before).  The table was laid out as shown - the Yankees coming on from the right hand table edge and the nearest table edge to the right of the road.  The Rebels were allowed to deploy their main force as far as the road, although cavalry units could deploy further forwards.

The Yankee objective was the river port town in the far left hand corner of the photo, particularly the Rebel artillery battery and redoubt, which was proving particularly troubling to Yankee riverine units attempting to pass by.

The length of the table looking towards the Union deployment zones at the far end and right hand table edge as far as the first road.

Most of the days actions would take place around the first lateral road.

Rebel cavalry forming a speedbump around the farm and adjoining woodland.

The main Rebel lines, a forward screen lines the lateral road, supported by artillery batteries in redoubts on the two hill.  Behind these are the main trench lines.  Confederate reserves will deploy from the town to the right.

Confederate defence in depth - a forward line of skirmishing cavalry, a line of Confederate infantry supported by artillery redoubts, and a final defence line of entrenched infantry and artillery.

My own personal command, an infantry brigade and two artillery batteries.

The Union advanced rapidly, attempting to sweep aside the Reb cavalry screen, with varying success.  Some truly abysmal Rebel artillery fire causes them not a problem.

On the Rebel right at the top of the photo, Union troops are pushing back the thinly held Rebel line through the trees and the Rebs are starting to give ground.  On the Rebel left and centre, the Union are struggling to cope with Reb cavalry charges - real death or glory stuff as one might expect, and their own command and control, which sees the Union right advancing in a very ponderous manner.

My brigade are beginning to get a bit jittery - at least the sound of the guns is having a soothing effect as they imagine the devastation being caused - if only they knew!

The Union right get within musket range of the Rebs first line and one brave unit attempts to push the large Reb unit back onto the hill.

They are thrown back in disarray, thanks largely to enfilade fire from a unit which swung around from the other side of the road.  However, the Union centre have pushed the Rebs back from the hill in the distance.  Time for the Rebs to pull back to their main line, or have they left it too late?

While the guns cover the retreat, Reb infantry start to pull back towards the trenches, but not before the small unit on the Reb left flank is wiped out in hand to hand combat.

Even the guns pull back as the infantry continue to give ground, but they should be able to add some extra muscle to the main trench line.

Sadly, that's where Will and I had to leave the game and head home.  I'm not sure whether there were any more turns played after we left, if I can find anymore reports, I'll add some links to those.  Thanks to Steve for hosting and Dave for coming up with the scenario, most of the troops and terrain, as well as the players for such a fun days gaming.

Dave's report of the game from the opposite flank and Union perspective https://wargameamateur.blogspot.com/2019/07/gentleman-pensioners-agm-game.html



Thanks for looking.