Pickett's Charge - American Civil War

As a change of pace from mythical Greece Scrivs invited me over for a game of Pickett's Charge using his lovely ACW collection.

I took command of the "thin blue line" of Union troops defending a fence line while Scrivs was the grey confederate hordes. We each had three brigades but I only started with one on table and two in reserve whereas the Confederacy had the reverse. 

The Union boys line the fences

The Rebels form up

"Give 'em lead boys!"

Whoopin' and a hollerin' the Rebs come on at pace.

As the lines closed my fire discipline began to desert my men!

If you roll poorly your troops suffer penalties in future rounds unless you sort things out - we marked this with "smoke".

I had some success on my left, "whipping" a unit of Confederates and sending them scuttling back 

In response the Rebs limbered up their canon and pressed forward on my right. I was getting quite desperate for my reserves as the pressure grew.

One of my units was also "whipped" and fled to the rear

But reserves arrived and began to plug the gap

The rebels held off and a stiff exchange of fire began.

Some unlucky dice rolling by Cleetus Scrivens the Rebel commander saw his troops go "hesitant" which meant he couldn't charge home.

But the rebel cannon was now deployed on my right and began raining destruction.

More fire discipline problems for the Union!

But still the Rebels held back

The Union guns were taking a "battery-ing" but continued to blast the Rebels.

Finally on my left a charge was launched and the boys in blue retired!

More reserves were thrown in to shore things up

Fire discipline problems were not solely a Union problem.

The Union guns were finally rendered ineffective but by now the last of my reserves had arrived to plug the gap.

Still the rebel line could not force their way home

With time pressing on and the rebels on my left now broken we called the game. The Union forces had held - despite severe Rebel pressure.

Pickett's Charge gave a good game - it's a simple system (it helps when Scrivs knows *all* the rules) that seem, to my untutored eye, to give a passable impression of ACW action. March into position. Stiff exchange of fire. Occasional bloody but reluctant charging.

Scrivs was very lucky with some of his shooting rolls and I was under lots of pressure early on, however his dice discipline deserted him at crucial times meaning his Rebels wouldn't charge home. It was always a tough task for them to charge a defended fence line but delays meant I was always *just* able to shore up my defences.

Hallelujah!