O’Neill’s Orchard: 15mm ACW
Phil’s Minifigs got another run out yesterday, as he hosted an ACW encounter at the community centre. We were joined by our old comrade Noel ‘Over the Water’ O’Neill, visiting us from Ireland.
Phil was continuing to test his modified Black Powder rules, with movement and firing alternating between sides.
Both Union forces (Noel, Tim, me) and Confederates (Mal, Patrick, Jonathan) had three infantry brigades and a cavalry brigade, but the latter had better quality infantry and a strong defensive position around the farm known as ‘O’Neill’s Orchard’. We deployed behind the screen.
The game proved to be pretty eventful.
Noel lost two units in early attacks on Mal’s position. However, he then outflanked the Confederate left with his cavalry, forcing Mal to divert troops from, and thus disorganise, his front line.
This momentarily created an opening for me to attack Mal’s infantry, exacerbated by a blunder roll which caused a Confederate unit to shift right – making a hole in the line. Unfortunately I failed a roll to issue a brigade order in time to take advantage…
Tim, meanwhile was attacking on the Union left, but was subsequently halted by Patrick’s infantry firing at close range.
When I did manage to get moving, three of my infantry regiments were forced to pull back in the face of Patrick’s Confederate firing line at the farm. I had been aiming to avoid the farm altogether and attack in support of Noel on the centre-right, where there was less artillery, but… meh!
Eventually my two remaining units attacked Mal’s infantry from the front. One lost a melee, and the entire brigade was now out of action!
Noel had made the most progress, dismounting his cavalry on the Union right/Confederate left rear, and encroaching with infantry, thus establishing local superiority.
Due to the casualties and withdrawals incurred by my brigade, and Mal holding the line, the game was judged a Confederate victory. Though, to be fair, I was merely winning in a different direction…
Thanks to Phil for a good game, with friendly banter, and nice to see Noel at the club again. The rules are much quicker than Fire & Fury or Pickett’s Charge, making club night games more intuitive and decisive.
