Conclusion To The Second Fight For Leroy's Farm

                                                                     Texan infantry advance

Missouri Militia skirmishers have pushed through scrub to begin shooting at the Yankees.

The Confederate superiority in artillery (atypical historically) and extra infantry won the war of attrition. The Yankees were on the run - this time. Next time they will be reinforced with another artillery and Custer's elite cavalry. Mat will have his originally force plus two additional cavalry and the cannon. (Decided by dice roll and Mat's choice - he rolled for two extra units and chose elite cavalry - me deciding he should have another cannon.) The Confederates will have the same force as this game just finished.

  A  NOTE ON CAVALRY

The best games with cavalry have been on the lawn where the fast movement has enabled great flanking options. Cavalry in the ACW often fought dismounted, notably in cover in delaying actions until the infantry arrived. The rules assume they have breech loaders and so greater rates of fire although shorter range for carbines. However, the necessity of horse holders reduces the numbers available. Also cavalry casualties are halved twice to allow for horses absorbing the odd bullet However, if there is a half on the casualties a cavalryman is replaced with ahorse to represent half a point. If the figures are dismounted the casualties are halved only once, as for infantry and casualties rounded down.

  The cavalry can fire from horseback at minus one, something we occasionally do, although usually not very effective. Interestingly, we tend to reserve cavalry for mounted actions, but a wise player waits until he gets flanking actions or the enemy being attacked is already weakened. Frontal charges often don't go very well, unless there are just so many cavalry coming that the second units get in relatively unscathed.