Subject: FiM Replay - Part 1 From: Scott Holmgren Here's the first part of my current game replay (shameless self-promotion)... Replay of FIRE IN MISSISSIPPI: The Battle of Corinth, Oct. 3-4, 1862 Using historical setup with Optional Heat & Fatigue rule 13.4. TURN 1 CSA Army Modifiers-10 USA Army Modifiers-10 CSA Leaders-All effective. USA Leaders-Only Davies effective. 1 Army Modifier (AM) expended to make McKean effective; Hamilton left non-effective with rating of 1. CSA Posture-Attack USA Posture-Ready Action Sequence-4 At 9:30 AM the Confederates of Lovell's and Maury's divisions stream out of the woods north of Corinth. Lovell keeps his brigades out of action as he tries to wheel his command south toward the Federal left flank. Maury's men charge headstrong toward McKean's forward units along the Chewalla Road. Before the last Rebel division (Hébert's) can advance though, a Federal division gets to move, but both Union commanders, McKean and Davies, are to the rear and unable to extract their units from the Southern onsl aught. So McKean leads a few regiments forward to reinforce the frontline brigades, which stubbornly yield only a hex to Maury's attack. Then Hébert attacks - the largest Rebel division rolls forward and slams into Davies' division occupying the old Reb fortifications. The left flank of the Union position gives way, with a brigade routing down the Memphis Road. As the turn ends, however, Van Dorn rides to Lovell to urge his brigadier onward. But on the way, the general's horse stumble s through the woods, an d Van Dorn comes crashing down along with a staff member who was following him. Knocked unconscious, the general is carried to the rear. Word is sent to Sterling Price that he now commands the Army . TURN 2 CSA Army Modifiers-10 USA Army Modifiers-9 CSA Leaders-Hébert and Maury effective; Lovell non-effective with rating of 1. USA Leaders-None effective. 1 AM expended to make Davies effective. CSA Posture-Ready USA Posture-Ready Action Sequence-1 By 11 AM Price pushes his troops forward, yet he must go and see Lovell in person to get the latter moving after the division leader gets word of Van Dorn's accident. Maury's troops collide with the Federals strung out along the Chewalla Road while Davies and Rosecrans try and solidify the Union center. But Hébert's troops are too strong. Oglesby's brigade is annihilated, Stone's artillery is captured, and Davies himself is shot dead during the melee. McArthur takes command of what's left of the Federal center. TURN 3 CSA Army Modifiers-10 USA Army Modifiers-8 CSA Leaders-Hébert and Maury effective; Lovell non-effective with rating of 1. USA Leaders-None effective. 2 AMs expended to make McKean and McArthur effective. CSA Posture-Attack USA Posture-Defend Action Sequence-2 At 12:30 the Union center is practically gone. Federal cavalry set up a screen that holds off the Rebs for but a moment. Maury and Hébert push on, but Price cannot locate Lovell (who went looking for the wagon that carted off Van Dorn)! And just as the Rebs regroup for the next push, Hébert retires to the rear ill, leaving command of the division to Brig. Gen. Green. Rosecrans rushes to Hamilton, who's division has been strangely idle on the Federal right. Command misfortunes for both sides early on. Can the Feds stand using up so many AMs so early on the first day? And Hébert's illness cancels out any surprise attack on day two! Much may depend on the effectiveness of Stanley's Union reinforcements. And the Confederate plan of leaving Hamilton untouched may backfire... Scott Subject: FiM Replay - Part 2 From: Scott Holmgren The Battle for Corinth continues... TURN 4 CSA Army Modifiers-10 USA Army Modifiers-6 CSA Leaders-Lovell and Maury effective; 1 AM expended to make Green effective. USA Leaders-McArthur effective. 1 AM expended to make McKean effective. CSA Posture-Attack (costing 1 AM) USA Posture-Defend Action Sequence-2 It's 2 PM and a lull settles over the battlefield as the armies regroup. McKean forms a defensive semi-circle anchored on Battery F; Union cavalry screens the center of the Federal line; and Stanley's regiments hurry north toward Corinth. Green has Hébert's division aligned for the next push either south on the town or east toward the stalled Hamilton; Maury and Lovell prepare to hammer McKean. Can Price and Rosecrans keep all their forces coordinated? TURN 5 CSA Army Modifiers-8 USA Army Modifiers-5 CSA Leaders-Maury effective; 1 AM expended to make Green effective. USA Leaders-McKean, McArthur, Stanley effective. CSA Posture-Ready USA Posture-Ready Action Sequence-1 Sterling Price checks his watch; it is 3:30 PM. But the advance he had planned is not materializing. He quickly dispatches his chief of staff, who prods Green into finally launching his attack. The Confederates move forward, but Maury's men falter before the withering fire emitting from Battery F, and Green's troops gain ground under heated skirmish fire from Federal cavalry. The day looks to draw to a close without a decisive move for either side. TURN 6 CSA Army Modifiers-7 USA Army Modifiers-5 CSA Leaders-only Maury effective. USA Leaders-McKean, McArthur effective, 1 AM expended to make Stanley effective. CSA Posture-Attack USA Posture-Ready Action Sequence-4 As the sun slides toward the horizon, the Confederate attack slows to a standstill. The heat and lack of water force Hébert's troops to stop and regroup. Lovell's men halt where they are and prepare for night. Only Maury keeps his boys advancing. They launch a furious attack on Battery F, but McArthur's old command, the best brigade in the Union army, holds fast. October 3rd draws to a close with Stanley's division plugging the gap in the Federal center. TURN 7 is NIGHT. TURNS 8 and 9 are for the OPTIONAL DAYBREAK ATTACK that cannot be used since Hébert is out of the game. TURN 10 CSA Army Modifiers-7 USA Army Modifiers-4 CSA Leaders-Lovell and Maury effective, 1 AM expended to make Green effective. USA Leaders-only Stanley effective. CSA Posture-Attack (costing 1 AM) USA Posture-Defend Action Sequence-2 During the night Rosecrans has pulled his forces back. The Federal line is anchored on the left by McKean holding Battery E, Stanley's troops are drawn up just in front of Battery Robinette, McArthur and Hackleman's brigade guard Battery Powell, and Hamilton's division holds the right parallel to Mobile & Ohio tracks. The Union brigades were futher bolstered by stragglers returning to their commands. After a day of blunders and confusion, Sterling Price has his army ready to fight with orders clearly given to all three division commanders. At 9:30 AM his troops step off. Green's men charge, but his right brigade is forced to pull back under withering fire from Fuller's Union brigade. On the left, however, Green's men pierce the Federal line. A few of Fuller's regiments try and fill the gap. Further west, Maury's boys crush Crocker's brigade, making Battery E difficult to hold for McKean. As McKean contemplates his situation, Lovell's men appear from the woods and charge up the slope toward the Battery. McArthur's old brigade again prevents the guns from being captured, but the position has become indefensible. TURN 11 CSA Army Modifiers-5 USA Army Modifiers-4 CSA Leaders-none effective, 2 AMs expended to make Green and Maury effective. USA Leaders-McKean and Stanley effective. CSA Posture-Ready USA Posture-Ready Action Sequence-1 By 11 AM the battle is in full force. Green and Maury plow into Stanley's line while McKean withdraws to Batteries Phillips and Williams. Price himself leads forward several of Lovell's regiments leaving that sluggard of a commander in the rear. Stanley's division is pushed back toward Corinth. Will the Confederates be strong enough to carry the town? TURN 12 CSA Army Modifiers-3 USA Army Modifiers-4 CSA Leaders-Green and Maury effective. USA Leaders-Stanley and McArthur effective, 1 AM expended to make McKean effective. CSA Posture-Ready USA Posture-Defend Action Sequence-3 Rosecrans' position is becoming tenuous. The Rebs are charging Batteries Robinette, Williams, and Phillips. Stanley's boys are fighting practically alone, with McKean trying to shore up the left flank, McArthur simply keeping Hackleman's brigade from routing, and Hamilton sending dispatches saying that he will hold the right flank. Rosecrans is too busy patching the main line to go and see Hamilton. With Price, Maury, and Green personally leading the assault, Confederate morale is at a high... To be completed. Scott Subject: FiM Replay - Part 3 From: Scott Holmgren Nearing the end at Corinth... TURN 13 CSA Army Modifiers-3 USA Army Modifiers-3 CSA Leaders-Green and Maury effective. USA Leaders-Stanley, McKean, and McArthur effective. CSA Posture-Defend USA Posture-Defend Action Sequence-1 It's 2 PM. The Rebel assault earnestly continues. Green's brigades blast apart Stanley's right flank, capturing Battery Powell and Hamilton's artillery. Fuller's regiments are forced to retire into Corinth. But on the Confederate right, disaster befalls the southern attack. Batteries Phillips and Williams are swarmed by Moore's and Cabell's brigades. Price personally leads half of Rust's brigade into the fray. At 3:15, as the fighting becomes desparate, the remnants of Oliver's Federal brigade make a sudden counterattack to clear the ground around Battery Williams. Moore's line wavers at the Yank's fury and slowly gives ground. Seeing his attack wane, General Maury yells to Price, "We will stop those people, General!" As he turns in the saddle, two bullets simultaneously pierce Maury's temple, and his body splays to the ground. Seeing their brigadier slain, Moore's men break for the rear. Price tries in vain to keep the men from running as the rest of the fighting on his right falters against Mc Arthur's disci plined old brigade. The Union left holds. TURN 14 CSA Army Modifiers-3 USA Army Modifiers-3 CSA Leaders-Green effective. USA Leaders-Stanley, McKean, and McArthur effective. CSA Posture-Attack (costing 1 AM) USA Posture-Attack (costing 1 AM) Action Sequence-1 At 3:30 the battle reaches its apex. Green's veteran regiments fight into the streets of Corinth with a fierce intensity. Martin's brigade is forced back on the far left flank, but Green's own brigade holds its own, and finally Colbert's boys break the brittle remains of Fuller's battleworn brigade. Rosecrans tries to shift Hackleman's brigade from the far Union left to the shattered right, but the town is already in Confederate hands. Rosey, muttering curses on the incompetant (and soon to be court-martialed) Hamilton, orders a general withdrawal down the Danville Road with McArthur's staunch brigade acting as rearguard. An exhausted Sterling Price meets up with the glowing General Green and praises the Brigadier, "The Hero of Corinth", and his troops. Despite Van Dorn's incapacitation, Hébert's fatigue-induced illness, and Maury's untimely death, the sons of the South are left conquerors of the field. Huzzah! All on the last turn. The closest game of FiM I've yet seen! Down to the wire. Scott