Perhaps seen as an old school ruleset (which to me brings a charm of its own), Rapid Fire has just been one of those systems that has been solid enough to remain popular for more than 25 years.

It stays with a predominantly IGOUGO sequence of play, while it could be argued that these days, the modern gamer is drawn to something a bit more inter-active or unpredictable, such as variable unit activation systems. 

It has recently had a shot in the arm through its newest version of the rules …. ‘Reloaded’, which is a more streamlined version of the original, making player a little slicker.  

The Reloaded basic rules are just a fiver and come in a lovely little A5 16 page booklet and there are now a growing number of supplements, containing mainly scenarios, that are just a pleasure to own. 

The picture above shows the booklet art that gives us four Canadian action, each on a 6x4 table in the 20mm scale.

I had an enjoyable few hours setting up an ACW table and giving my ACW rules a run out.

This highlighted two small amendments. There are a list of responses to a charge that the target unit may be able to choose from if they pass their Capability Test, one being to fire. I had a case of cavalry charging cavalry and it became obvious that this option should not be available to mounted cavalry who are defending against a charge.

Secondly, when a supported unit charges into close combat, if it fails and is thrown back, the rules hadn’t captured the fact that the rear support should also fall back with the charging unit.

In the game there were two infantry brigades and a cavalry brigade per side, plus artillery support. I set victory to be declared once an infantry brigade secured the enemy side of the creek.

The game time was set for two hours and thirty minutes, but by that time, each side had simply fought the other to a standstill, so using losses to gauge a winner instead, the Union suffered 31 Heavy Casualty points and the Confederates just 24. Both sides had regiments teetering on collapse, but the game was heading in the Confederate favour.  

The game gave a cavalry Vs cavalry encounter, which saw the Confederate cavalry forced back to the creek. They dismounted and before the Union could make a second charge at them, they saw them off with some sharp carbine fire.

For much of the game, the infantry brigades of either side used their rifled muskets to moderate effect, while the artillery entered a duel that ultimately favoured the Confederates.

And then …… Splash, Splash, Splash! The 40th Mississippi ran through the shallow water of the creek to attack the Union 7th Indiana, who had lined a stone wall, bounding Jacob’s Field. 

The position had been holding up Porter’s Brigade for almost an hour.

The 40th took their Capability Test and passed it, so their charge took full effect. Likewise the defending 7th passed their test and so they could choose a response action. They fired, but their nerves, no doubt troubled by the Rebel Yell, must have got the best of them as their fire was poorly made.

With the fight being taken right to the wall, the attackers start with 5D6. But suffering -1 because they are disordered and -1 for charging across a waterway, they actually attacked with 3D6 …. all of which caused hits. However units defending in cover (the wall) can only suffer a maximum of two hits in close combat, though unfortunately for them, they had by now accumulated a total of 5 hits and they lost the melee.

They fell back through the ranks of 14th Indiana, who stood firm as the 7th filtered through them. The 40th Mississippi Regiment now had the wall and their brigade was ready to take the advantage and push forwards, but the 14th Indiana open fire at close range with deadly effect and the 40th were sent reeling back across the creek.

Colonel Porter tried his hardest to get the 40th back to the wall, but it was uselss, they had seen enough and refused to expose themselves to further fire.