An American Interlude

On Monday Phil and I met up as usual in GHQ for our weekly game. We had decided on a detour into my North American collections, starting with the AWI. I set out quite an open battlefield as I hoped to give most of my figures an airing! Phil, as George Washington Robinson, took on the command of the Rebellious Colonials while I was left for probably the first time to command the forces of the Crown. Enough blathering on, down to the tabletop action with the expected annotated photo montage ~

The Rebel's left wing made up of the Continental infantry and a light gun.

Contrast that with the Rebel's right wing held by the Militia supported by a 9lb gun, no doubt 'borrowed' from some Crown battery along the way.

The Rebel's strong centre comprising their State infantry regiments and their cavalry component, supported by two batteries of guns emplaced to defend the camp. I quite expected that Phil would see the possibility of fighting a defensive action while we waited on the arrival of our Reserve so I was taken by surprise when winning the initiative he advanced his left and centre. Plan A scuppered almost before I'd rolled a dice in anger!

On the Crown's left flank a small Brigade of Provincial infantry and a war party of Paddoquoi native Americans. This Brigade was tasked with occupying the Rebel Militias who might otherwise enfilade the Crown's planned assault on the Rebel centre.

Lord Howe himself in the centre of the Crown's forces sees his Brigade of Provincial infantry champing at the bit to step off in the assault on the American centre.

Their attack will be supported by a Hessian Brigade, the two combining in the Grand Plan to smash the Rebel centre decisively!

While on the Crown's right flank a Brigade of British regular infantry, supported by two Light Dragoon squadrons, will make short work of the Rebel Continental infantry! Well, at least that was Plan A.

The Rebel Militias are holding their defensive position as expected in Turn 1, allowing the Provincial regiments and the Paddoquoi war party to advance to the assault as planned. Butler's Rangers are screening the front, the war party the left of the main assault.

The Rebel centre has most surprisingly advanced boldly to occupy the low rise to their front. The Hessian and Provincial Brigades have unexpectedly to enter a firefight to dislodge them! Numbers and the cold steel should carry the day though, or at least Lord Howe thought so!

The Continental infantry Brigade on the Rebel left has also thrown off its defensive posture around the farm and advanced to confront the British regulars.

Plan A is stillborn it seems! The Philadelphia Light Horse and Continental Dragoons supporting the Rebel centre have charged the small Provincial cavalry Brigade lead by Tarleton's Legion under the command of man himself!

Outnumbered and outclassed both Provincial cavalry squadrons are driven back Shaken, exposing the flank of the Provincial infantry attacking the Rebel centre!

The South Carolina Loyalists reach the Militia's fence line in the face of a storm of shot & shell. The Paddoquoi war party make off through the woods on their left hoping to take the defending Militia infantry and gun crew by surprise. The Rebel cavalry meanwhile is regrouping from their successful melee with their Loyalist foe.

In the centre both sides shake out into Firing Lines ready to contest possession of the low rise shielding the Rebel centre. Lord Howe remains confident that his canon fodder, sorry, Provincial Loyalists and Hessians, will carry the position comfortably!

Although some Light Infantry have worked their way around the Rebel left the main lines of both protagonists have settled into a merciless firefight. Casualties and ensuing Disorder begin to mount on both sides.

Looking along the battlefront it seems almost inconceivable that the Crown's forces will not prevail against the upstart Colonials. In the rear the Light Dragoons are champing at the bit in anticipation of the coming pursuit of the broken enemy.

The South Carolina Loyalists have failed to smash through the Militia fence line and suddenly their supports are threatened by a charge from the Continental Dragoons under a 'Follow Me!' order!

The Paddoquoi War Party has failed to break the Militia and are driven back Disordered and Shaken. They fail their Morale Save having numerous excess casualties. Plan A on the Crown's left has definitely come unstitched!

The Provincial Loyalists fire an ineffective volley and fail to stop the Continental Dragoons charging home. The ensuing melee is short and bloody...

The Provincial Loyalists Break and with them the whole Brigade shares the same fate. The Crown's attack on the Militia has failed, leaving the centre open to both enfilade fire and hostile cavalry.

Looking along the centre towards the Crown's failed left wing attack on the Militia you will also note the stalled Hessian attack due to the superior fire of the Rebel's State Infantry ~ aka Phil's Saving Throws!

In a last desperate throw of the dice the commander of the Light Dragoons orders his men to 'Follow Me!' They successfully charged home against the Rebel's 2nd Maryland Continental infantry but fail to break them, being Disordered by Passing Fire! It's all up for Lord Howe in Turn 7 as the Crown's army reaches Break Point...

Lord Howe can only stand and stare as the Crown's forces crumble and melt away, beaten by a bunch of farmers! Oh, the shame...

A great game to play in despite the thumping Phil handed out and good to see most of the collection on the table. The Crown's Reserve turned up too late to take any part in the fighting while the Rebel's Reserve would have made it on the tabletop battlefield in Turn 8, but for...

Next scheduled game in GHQ at the end of the month will be another Americana extravaganza with the War of 1812-15 getting an overdue airing. Meanwhile it's back to painting French Zouaves for the Crimean War project!