American Civil War - Gaming "The Battle of Brawner´s Farm"

Manufacturers:   RedoubtEnterprises, PerryMiniatures and more

Scale:   28mm

Ruleset:   Field of Battle, 3rd edition

Hi,

last sunday Sebastian, Franz and I enjoyed the hospitality of our friend Christopher. Maybe you know Christopher (aka "Axebreaker") and his blog. If you don´t - just visit his blog. There is a lot of stunning stuff to find on his pages. He is a brilliant painter and his wargaming tables are always eyecandy.

https://christopher-bunkerhill.blogspot.com/

He is a great fan of the AmericanCivilWar and of the AmericanWar of Independence. Every time we meet for gaming at his house I am fascinated by the brilliantly painted figures

Last sunday it was time  to be at his house again and he had chosen the scenario of "The Battle of Brawner´s Farm". You will find a description of the scenario within one of the first few photos.

The Rebels had to deploy by two activation cards. After that an additional event card was shuffled into the card deck. It would bring the sunset and shorten the ranges of firing. The Union troops had to stand their ground until the army morale of the Confederates had been broken or until night comes.

Great scenario, great game, great gaming table and great gamers. It had been a lot of fun though the heavy fighting went on for about six hours.

I hope that we are going to play very soon again.

Cheers

Mike

The Union force is already placed on the table.

The Rebels will enter the battlefield on two special cards. The reserve of the Union troops on the left will also appear when the second special card is dropped.

The Stonewall Brigade (bottom right) is the only Rebel force that is already placed on the table and it is almost face to face with an Union unit.

One of the fantastic markers of Christopher. It stands for the ambulance recover of Brigadier General Rufus King.

The Brigade of Brigadier General Gibbon

Brigadier General Hatch´s force

Another view on Hatch´s Brigade

Again a view on Gibbon´s Brigade

The scenario

The Order of Battle for the Union forces

The Order of Battle for the Confederates

The battle begins by firing at the Stonewall Brigade - with no effect.

The Rebels´ firing is much more effective and the Union unit is routing through the woods

The rest of Gibbon´s Brigade enters the woods...

...while the Stonewall Brigade gets in cover

First reinforcements of the Confederates appear on the table

The Union artillery immediately attacks the approaching units

But the Rebels are moving foreward

Even a unit of Rebels is troubling the Union´s right flank

Hatch´s Brigade manages to support the artillery...

...and is also able to stop the attack on the right flank

In the centre Gibbon´s regiments are getting closer to the Stonewall Brigade

Fortune of war is on the Union´s side. Their dice rolls are better than those of their opponents and also the cards for activation are just perfect

Gibbon´s regiments were able to initiate a rout move to one unit of Jackson´s Brigade

The Rebels had been unlucky so far...

...so the second wave of reinforcements came right on time

The Union´s reserve is also deployed on the battlefield

Bird´s eye view

Gibbon´s Brigade is fighting like tigers - with good effect

The Union´s centre is fighting tough

Doubleday´s Brigade gives support and gets in contact with the Stonewall Brigade

And wins the melee

The Union is doing fine in the centre...

...but the weakest troops on the right flank are getting under heavy pressure. The first regiment routs

Now the rebels will be able to charge Hatch´s troops within their flank

The fights in the centre are still won by the Union

Another Confederate unit is forced to retreat

And the next Rebel unit is under attack...

...also forced to retreat

Heavy firefights on the left flank followed by melee... 

...with heavy losses and retreats for the Union troops

Meanwhile in the centre Gibbon´s Brigade destroys another Confederate unit. The Rebels had already lost many units and the army morale points had completely gone. Dropping an army morale card could end the game. At this moment the Union´s army morale points had been good

Still the Union troops are in good state...

...and are able to attack another Rebel unit in its flank...

...causing another retreat

On the right flank things are getting worse. Another unit is retreating caused by heavy musket fire

Fate is moody

The Confederates are overrunning the right flank

Now fortune of war changes the game. The Union looses a lot of army morale points and is now also fighting at its limit

The Confederates just roll up the whole right flank

And the Union troops in the centre are too far away to support the flank

The Rebels are able to attack almost every Union unit in its flank

Another Union regiment is defeated

Eventually the Confederates had to test their Army Morale - and - passed the test

So the fierce fighting will be continued

Suddenly the artillery of the Rebels shoots at the flank of one of the regiements in the centre...

...and another Union unit disappears

Hatch´s Brigade also had lost another unit. Only the artillery is holding ground

Now the Union has to check its Army Morale...

...their roll is a "4"...

...while their opponents roll a "7"... - Victory for the Rebels !!!
For about 4 and a half hours it looked like to become a decisive victory for the Union. In the end it became a triumph for the Confederates.