John and I met for our final battle of the Longstreet campaign. John came in with a one point lead in Epic points while I had won 5 of 8 battles. It was as close as one could wish for a final game. I won the scouting roll and my men seized the fords John would have to take them and the objectives from me...
but with objectives at both sides of the table I had a lot of ground to defend and John had more troops.
The river it self is impassible thought streams going north and south are not they are simply difficult going
I've placed my artillery so I can hit John with 5 to 7 cannon when he emerges from the woods but he uses his own artillery to knock out the battery guarding the west most ford. I keep my best troops the Trans-Mississippi regiment, the Georgia regiment (the now combined 17th and 20th Georgia) and the Alabama troops back while the Virginians and the cavalry hold the fords directly.
John has a regiment racing for the ford while I send the Georgia regiment dashing for the ford. The bulk of the union forces sticks to the woods threatening two center fords directly but also in a good place to move on the western and eastern most fords.
John starts to emerge from the woods.. my men take aim but though I score many hits I can't confirm them..
The race is on! Using the Quick step card I am able to reach the ford!
Then I play Couldn't hit an elephant John loses 3 cards and can't execute his plans.. he hits me in turn with the same card... I have to choose between shooting and moving as I have but 2 cards left... I choose to shoot.
and the Georgina's prove they are as adept with the spade as the musket digging in on the river bank!
Artillery fire start to take its toll on the Yankees
The 54th Mass is moving in on the ford.
John is still slow to commit and until he does I cannot. I do sen the Alabama boys up... the 54th is to large and scary. My only reserves are the Trans-Mississippi troops.
John has reduced my Georgian troops but they throw him back when he charges as its the only charge I gain an Epic point for standing off all attack but now john is starting to bring his artillery to bare. Slowly men and guns are knocked out...
I do my own damage but now 6 of my original 9 guns are knocked out...
I send my cavalry over the river to give John a little something to worry about... they do nothing
John presses on three fords at once. The 54th is hit with canister and rifle fire shining it from 10 to 6 stands... other union units also suffer as my dice suddenly heat up. John has 18 loss now and the shatter point is 22 I role a 1... the game goes on! John is ready with a charge that will give him at least one epic point...
But I play the old rivals card stopping the 54th in its tracks and leaving John short of the 10 stand charge he needs. John decided to conceded at this point and I won the game and the campaign by 1 epic point! This was a great climatic battle my brigade held the line but John used a vary good strategy forcing me to defend at every point and using his superior artillery to advantage I lost 7 of 9 guns! The fords limited his ability to bring numbers to bare but he still used his more numerous forces to make me defend at every point. If John had been just a little luckier with his dice (which were pretty good most of the game especially in counter battery fire) of if Had not had the old rivals card (and the patients to hang on to it) the could have easily been John's victory. I have thoroughly enjoyed this campaign and would love to try it again with some more players. Of course history doesn't change... I may have bought the Army of Norther Virginia and Robert E Lee a few more hours of maneuver before they had to ask for terms but that is all... still I can retire to the life of southern gentleman and sell my memoirs in a few years when the political climate improves and I am sure they will be popular. John probably gets elected to the Senate... heck he might even give Grant a run for his money :)
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