I thought about dicing for the Rebel deployment but I find that rational random deployments and battle plans are too rare and making a battleplan is one of my favourite bits. I decided to prepare for a head on assault while lightly holding the left figuring that it would take a while for the Yanks to come around that way and they might get hit in the rear if they tried it.
The field didn't look quite as favourable to the Federal army and there was that nagging worry about the missing Reb Division hitting the right flank just as the attack got stuck in. In the end I (as Federal commander, there enough random bits already ) decided to deploy half the artillery for a brief preparatory bombard followed by long range support and use the rest for close support of the attacking divisions. I then put two divisions in the front line with two more in close support. I placed the cavalry on the right to keep an eye on the enemy and protect the flank, especially if Talieri's missing division should show up.
If the first Division could clear the Rebs out of the woods in the center of the battlefield, they could push through under cover while protecting the left wing's attack on the main Reb position astride the road.
The main assault was actually going to come up the left, hoping to drive the Confederate forces off the road before their reinforcements could arrive. This would leave me an infantry division in reserve to handle developments.
Everything went well until the first line hit the Reb force in the wood, stalled then started breaking under a heavy fire from the stubborn defenders. Several units routed, disordering the reserves who refused to be rallied. The attack was renewed and eventually took the Eastern edge of the wood but Gray's Division was too worn to do more than hold their side of the wood unless his 3rd Brigade could be got in hand and brought forward (How many 1's can a unit throw in a row for activation??)
The main assault hit the Reb line, much of it hunkered down behind stone walls, and stalled. A close range firefight raged for 2 hours before the boys in Blue couldn't take it anymore. The 4th Division deployed, ready to renew the assault but now Taleri's Red Division was on the field. They had marched around and were now deploying behind the main Confederate position.
The day was only a little more than half done but the Federal army had taken heavy losses and was out of place. Much of the afternoon would be spent getting the army reorganized and set up for a either a renewed assault on the stone wall or else a flanking attack around and through the woods supported by massed artillery fire. With luck the victory could be won by nightfall but luck had not been on the Federal side so far this day.
The General discussed it with his staff. (5,6 renew the attack, probably leading to either a victory ending the campaign or else a loss leading to a draw and another battle and the possibility of the campaign being deemed a failure if the 3rd battle was lost, 1,2,3,4 pull back and invite the Rebs to attack and almost certainly leading to a draw. If the Federal army could win or draw the last battle, they would win the campaign but if they lost it would end in a draw. The die came up 3. The Rebs didn't even bother rolling to risk a 2:3 dusk assault against all that artillery)
The next decision to be made was whether the armies would hold their ground and fight again in the morning (1,2,3) or manoeuvre in hopes of gaining an advantage in the next battle. (4,5,6). Manoeuvre it was and so the table will be cleared and a meeting engagement will be selected for a Yankee win or draw in the mini-campaign..
This scenario with part of a force arriving at a random location on the battlefield at a random time is very good and I must remember to try it.
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