A Glint of Bayonets

ACW Rules for 1862
Brigade/Regimental Infantry Actions

by Dick Bryant

Larry Brom, the author of A Glint Of Bayonets, also wrote The Sword And The Flame, Chassepot And Needlegun, Eight Hundred Fighting Englishmen and many other rule sets all known for their elegant concept and simplicity of play. These rules are no exception from what we have come to expect from Larry.

Larry prefaces the rules with his "Radical Views On Rules": "No Skirmishers, No Cavalry, All Regiments 20 Figures, (no historic) Rating (of) Commanders and Units, Variable Move Distance, Simplified Artillery Management" and many other simplifying concepts that reduce the argument and enhance the play of Larry's Rules.

A deck of cards is used to randomize movement, each Bde. of however many Rgts., having its own card. There is also a Bonus Card and a Staff card. The Bonus Card allows the side commander to assign an extra move to any one of his Bdes., while the Staff Card allows movement of Staff. The latter is quite important as movement is predicated on the unit's proximity to a commander (12"). The higher the level of commander, the easier it is to move. Thus movement of officers and co-location of commands is very important.

After all movement of all units is completed, firing takes place in a fixed order: Standing Artillery, Standing Infantry, Moving Artillery, then Moving Infantry. Morale is checked if a stand (4 figures) is removed. An interesting thing about morale is that you never know the morale of a unit until it is forced to its first check, though you can assign one of three categories - Elite Veteran, Veteran, or Green to your Rgts. Morale is checked as a result of each stand removal, close combat, seeing officers killed, falling below 50% strength. The basic morale can be altered permanently or temporarily for various reasons during the game. Finally there is Major Army Morale which causes the battle to come to a swift (and sometimes merciful) end when one side or the other becomes ineffective. No fight to the last man here.

Those of you who have played Chassepot And Needlegun will find a lot that is familiar here, but BE CAREFUL there are subtle differences in casualties, firing sequence, morale, etc which are required by the difference in period. Don't blindly follow the C&N rules or you will be playing Franco-Prussian war in Blue and Grey Uniforms (Oops - they DID have Blue and Grey uniforms too - ok! Blue and Butternut).

Available from And That's The Way It Was, 213 3rd Street NE, Hickory NC 28601-5124 or go to www.thewayitwas.com for $14 + $2 U.S./Canada and $4.International. Recommended-But what am I going to do with all these Confederate Cavalry.

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