Sharp Practice 2 – ACW, Combahee River Raid 2

 Union Forces: Dave & Mal

• Level 3 Leader + 3x8 Regular Infantry (Level 1 Leader) {Chit added in Turn 3}
• Level 2 Leader + 2x8 Regular Infantry {Chit added in Turn 2}
• Level 1 Leader + 6 Sharp Shooters
• Level 1 Leader + 6 Sharp Shooters

Confederate Forces: Rob & Steve

• Level 3 Leader + 3x8 Regular Infantry (Chit added in Turn 3}
• Level 2 Leader + 2x8 Regular Infantry {Chit added in Turn 2}
• Level 1 Leader + 6 Sharp Shooters
• Level 1 Leader + 6 Sharp Shooters

The 2^nd South Carolina volunteers were landing from the boats. It looked like the Union forces had stolen a march on the Confederates, and they were able to push their skirmish screen well forward and land the first two groups of line infantry, before the rebels started to appear in force.

The Rebel skirmishers dashed into the field of the plantation nearest their entry road and hotly engaged the Union skirmishers. The Rebel shooting was good and soon three of the Union sharpshooters were down and one of the sergeants knocked-out!

More Rebel skirmishers poured into the field, moving up to the snake rail fence, overlooking the Union forces, while first two groups of Rebel infantry skirted around the side of the field.

This caused the Union sharpshooters to split, with the group with the wounded leader, falling back to another snake rail fence, in the field behind them. The other Union sharp shooter group bravely pressed on, toward the bridge, engaging the head of the Rebel infantry column as they went.

This fire caused the first Rebel column to falter and the rapidly moving second Rebel column quickly become entangled with their rear.

As the Rebel commander attempted to unravel the mess and sort out the dressing, the main Union column marched up from the boats, quickly deploying into line.

There then commenced an odd firefight, with the Union line pouring fire into the confused Rebel columns, while the Rebel skirmishers plucked chunks out of the Union ranks. Suddenly a rebel ball felled the Union Captain. Disaster! However, the junior ensign stepped up (knew there was a reason to bring him?!) and encouraged the Union troops to keep firing!

The first Rebel column fell back, to try to make room for the main Confederate line to deploy, but smoke and confusion prevented the Rebel Captain from restoring proper order. Soon the main Rebel line were falling back and the Rebel Captain ordered the formation to break-up, to try to be able to return fire. The Union skirmishers, by this time on the bridge, then delivered the killing blow, felling two of the Rebel Captain’s group and causing the rest, with the Captain to flee in panic!

This was my first experiment with ACW Sharp Practice 2. I was worried that the extra range of the Minie Rifled Musket, would turn the game into one long range firefight, but some objectives (The Union could either burn the plantation houses or the bridge and the Rebels needed to seize the Union boats), plus some restriction on the deployment space, resulted in a reasonably fluid game. Now to finish the cavalry!