AWI playtest Black Powder amendments

Hi all. So fairly short notice Dave invited me over for an AWI Black Powder game on Sunday. I could only make it for 2 hours and unfortunately the other player, Howard, had to pull out so Daves re-fight of Guildford Courthouse was going to be ambitious, but we wanted to try out some rule changes so pressed on regardless.


Apologies for the quality of pictures I only had my mobile with me.

The first British brigade press forward

There are three brigades of British all veterans with charge bonuses. The first line of Americans is 4 battalions of Militia with 2 rifles battalions in support. First thing we noticed is that we can start very close and march straight up to short range, as firing comes first the British are actually out of range when they go first so the defenders will always get a shot in.


The second is that the British can now use their favoured tactic, a devastating short range volley and a bayonet charge through the smoke at a disordered enemy. In two out of four cases this carried the militia away. The other two proved very stubborn indeed, mainly due to some remarkable morale throws from Dave.

The American second line, I never actually reached this.

 The melees with the other two units take a bit of time to resolve and the brigades of British begin to break up slightly as un-engaged units press on to just outside musket range of the American second line. Now the fire then move rule gives the Americans a headache. They can try and overwhelm my exposed battalions whilst the rest are mopping up the first line. However I am out of range so they wont get to fire at me before they attack so the advantage passes to me. Wisely they remain static.

The first guards battalion taking serious casualties from a line of riflemen.

Our two cavalry forces clashed on the right wing and the British Legion are driven off, the first British guns begin to bombard the American second line and the Militia of the first line are finally broken. I can now start to consider my attack on the second line. My forces are all still here but 4 of my battalions are badly mauled from the fire of rifles and militia.


The game ended here, which is a real shame. However I had seen that the amendments worked.  -1 to hit if you are moving after firing and a -1 command modifier on your orders all seemed to work well. I didn't like the lack of first fire for the regulars on both sides but other than that I think it worked very well indeed.


Next I think we will be back to Great Northern War.