So post August 21 lockdown here in Wellington I decided would try to run a game every week, other factors allowing it of course!

Now an old Wargames Illustrated Magazine has a bunch of scenarios from the 7 Days Campaign in June 1862 and one of them is ‘Boatswains Swamp’ so we gave it a whirl. Both sides had reinforcements that were triggered by a Rebel brigade crossing the stream. The Rebel objective was to take the hill in the Union right rear and hold it, or hold the western side of the Union side of the table, simple! Otherwise it is a Union Victory.

Nick(Gregg) and Russ(Branch) commanded the rebels, Steve(Griffin) and Rob(Lovell/Warren) the Union. Rebels have first move.

So below we have Nick advancing on Steve. He needs to cross the stream to trigger the reserves. Russ at far end is rushing forward.

Union troops await Nicks advance.

Nick crosses the stream and triggers the reserves for both sides.

The elite Confederate Brigade of Pender advances onto the battlefield and the Union get Buchanan arriving on the hill in their right rear… one of the Rebel objectives…which just got much harder.

On the Rebel left Russ heads for the stream.

Steve’s Union brigade is taking a lot of casualties but is holding on.

Close up.

On the left a few turns on where Russ has got a regt on tot he flank…they refused to charge! The rest of Russ’s brigade has gotten whupped and is retiring. Pender had been very slow at advancing and Russ got overwhelmed by the newly arriving Union reserves before Pender could crush the Union centre and assist.

On the Union left Nick is pouring the firepower in……Steve is hanging on…off to the right of the photo Union skirmishers are firing into the Rebel flanks.

And the end game, the Rebels have failed to make their objectives so a clear Union Victory!

So onto the Whisky of the week and it it is a wee beauty…literally…..

Edradour Straight from the Cask….500ml bottle…comes in a wee wooden box…and kicks in at 58%…this is my favourite whisky…I even got friend Weakley a bottle for his 50th birthday….so I could help him enjoy it..with me of course!

Tasting notes:

• NOSE: Plums, red fruit and syrupy sherry sweetness. There’s leather and a wallop of sherry spice but its complex and delicious.
• TASTE: Huge sherry. Lots of dark fruit, raisins, grapes and plumbs. Sweet and thick with an oily mouth feel.
• FINISH: Long, surprisingly hot, but well blended. Lots of spice here.

Now that says it all….HUGE SHERRY. I do seem to be having a love affair with Whisky aged in Sherry casks….and am more than happy to carry on doing so!

If you can…enjoy a bottle of this one……

Til next time…Terry out….