The Last Die Roll at Brawner's Farm

After watching Jennifer and Ivan tangle at Brawner's Farm (see Battle for Brawner's Farm) and then losing to Peter in a match-up (see Brawner's Farm - An Australian Rebel), I thought I spotted opportunities for the Federals to take on the more numerous Confederates. Luckily for me, Ivan was willing to give remote gaming and Brawner's Farm a second try.  At first I suggested I play the Federals while Ivan command the Rebels.  Since Ivan commanded the Rebels in his first game, we thought it more interesting for Ivan to take command of elements of King's Federal Division.  So that is what we did.  I took on the role of Jackson and Ewell while Ivan took command of the brigades of Doubleday and Gibbon.  I was confident that Ivan would be plotting a cunning plan for the Federals and I was not disappointed.  As before, the Federal troops are strung out along the Warrenton Turnpike when their quiet march to Groveton is interrupted by Rebel artillery fire.  At the beginning of action, counter battery fire from Stony Ridge upon Dogan's House drives off two Federal gun sections.  This is an ominous start to battle.

Initial dispositions

Let's see how the battle unfolded.

Doubleday wheels left off the turnpike as an artillery battery
 passes through his brigade.

Federal troops scurry quickly up to the fence as a battery
 follows up on the Federal left.
Jackson and two Rebel regiments approach Brawner's Farm
from the railroad cut.

Federals stake out their ground without wasting any time.
Rebel batteries begin hurrying onto the field.

Doubleday forms up below Brawner's Farm
as Jackson garrisons the crucial real estate.

Positioned behind the fence, the Federals await
the expected attacks.
Baylor and elements of his brigade cross the rail cut
 and come up to support Jackson.
Rebel batteries deploy upon the heights.

Doubleday shifts to the right.

Federal guns bring Brawner's Farm under increasingly
 intense fire as Taliaferro and Lawton arrive
 to bolster the Rebel attackers.

View from the Federal left.

Lawton arrives through the copse of trees.

The Rebel's Brawner Farm garrison grows.

Federal artillery is beginning to take a toll
 on the farm defenders.

Ewell arrives from Stony ridge in the north on the
Federal right while Taliaferro makes progress against
 Union artillery on the left.

Pressure is too much for Federal artillery
and they limber up and fall back.

Battlefield overview

Rebels catch a Federal section before it can escape.

View from Stony ridge and behind Rebels lines.

Protecting the Federal left, Union batteries give their attackers
 a taste of canister as the Rebel assault approaches.
The left end of Doubleday's line is flanked.

Rebels attack the Federal lines as Trimble attempts to turn
the Federal right and threaten the guns at Dogan's House
 (seen in the background).

By 8:00pm with darkness falling, the Federal right is being
pushed back toward the turnpike.
Brawner's Farm is firmly in Rebel hands.

If Rebels take Dogan's House, they claim victory on this day.
  Only a single section of Federal guns stands in their way. 

On the last turn with one combat to resolve, Rebels attack!  
Unfortunately for the Confederates, Federal guns repulse the
 attacking Rebels and Dogan's House remains in Federal hands.

Battle Over!  With the two objectives split, the battle is judged a draw.  Whew!

On the last turn, on the last roll of the dice, Ivan and his Federals snatched a draw from the jaws of defeat.  Having held Brawner's Farm and beginning to drive the Federals back, I figured storming Dogan's House on that last turn could bring victory.  Alas, it was not to be.  Those stubborn Federal gunners held and saved the day for the Union.

Literally, this was the last die roll at Brawner’s Farm as the table will be cleared to make way for new battles.  This was a fun and challenging contest.  Early on, I feared Federal artillery and Doubleday would turn the Rebel right while Gibbon held firm.  Ivan nearly pulled this maneuver off but the evening-long firefights weakened both combatants.  Rarely were the long range firefights decisive so as darkness closed in, Rebels attacked across the open fields.  Their brashness paid off as two of Gibbon's regiments were driven back revealing a path to Dogan's House.  All suffered heavy casualties in these attacks.  Two of Gibbon’s Federal regiments were barely clinging on at 25% effective.

Unfortunately, the late arriving troops of Ewell and Trimble had only enough time to quick march from Stony Ridge to Dogan's House and launch one hasty assault.  Federal gunners kept their cool as the Rebels attacked uphill and narrowly repulsed their assailants.

Game over but by the slimmest of margins!

Thanks to Ivan for an entertaining session.  By my recollection, the game lasted a little under three hours.  The time flew by quickly.  Having umpired and played a handful of Fields of Honor games now, proper tactics are beginning to formulate in my mind.  A summary of these tactics, tips, and thoughts can wait for another day. 

Next up for Fields of Honor?  A return to the AWI in a week or two's time.

On the gaming table next? Thursday sees a return to Egyptians vs Hittites in continued playtesting of Rein-Bow Warriors.  Saturday sees a local away game where Fields of Glory takes to the field for an ancients match-up.