B737-800
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Ground Incursion Taxiway
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Airport; Human Factors; Weather
We pushed and started engines [in EWR] and taxied out 'RC'. At 'RC' ground's clearance was; 'taxi 4L-Bravo-Delta'. I started taxiing forward to make a right turn on to 'Bravo.' If you look at the taxi sign at the intersection of 'RC' and 'B' and the 10-9 page can be confusing. The F/O and I discussed the turn on to 'B' (F/O was stating 'B' was second right (which was really Delta) but I turned southbound on to 'B' the first right turn. Then checking the 10-9 seeing that I now could not get to Delta [I] stopped A/C. Ground gave amended instruction to turn left 'N' then right on 'D'. The night environment of the taxiways and rain added to the confusion at this intersection. I strongly recommend making this intersection a 'hot-spot'. Recommend the clearance from GND be 'Taxi 4L via RC - Right on Delta' or 'RC to the outer; Right turn on D'. Also recommend large lettering with arrows on the taxiways to provide guidance. Also the new Jepp Pages do not expand like the old Jepp Pro. The confusion of the taxi route (with the F/O trying to trap the confusion) further impeded my cognitive process. Having flown 7 out of the last 8 days most likely added to the fatigue I was experiencing. I am upset that I recognized the 'fatigue onset' too late and should have called in fatigued [earlier].
B737-800 Captain reported having difficulty complying with the taxi clearance at EWR citing fatigue; weather conditions; and taxiway markings as contributing.