The Action at Springfield Church

Today saw another AWI Sharp Practice with Steve's collection and Chris's Iroquois. Chris hasn't been able to play for a bit after a painful knee operation so we wanted to ease him back into things with a fun game.

Steve provided the Umpiring,figures, terrain, biscuits, tea and hospitality and we shamelessly took advantage of them.

I had the Patriots:

24 Continentals level 3 commander
24 Militia level 1 commander
2 x 6 riflemen level 2 commanders
1 gun and crew level 2 commander
Extra level 3 commander in chief

64 figures

Chris was the Tories:

24 Militia level 1 commander
2 x 6 Jaegers level 2 commanders
8 Cavalry level 2 commander
2 x 12 Indians level 1 commanders
Extra Commander in chief level 3

68 figures

So the Tories has slightly more figures but the Patriots slightly better leaders.

This was to be a meeting encounter with victory to the side holding the Church and surrounding area. I had the advantage of starting ever so slightly nearer the church.

We would use a gun for the first time in these AWI games, newly painted by Steve. It was to be manhandled, so throw two D6 and discard the lower, it was going to be painfully slow to get in action.

Two moves saw all the troops on table and my continentals making good time to get into position around the church and the militia lagging behind quite a bit and the gun un-surprisingly crawling along behind. Chris had got most of his stuff forward too but his skirmish screen was blocking the Militia formation, or screening it from casualties depending on your point of view.

First blood went to the Patriot rifles, sniping off one Indian and adding a point of shock. The Natives return fire adding shock to the continentals.

Fortunate turns of cards and dice had got the continentals into a strong forward position with flanks protected by the church and the dubious cover of the wood. This did however leave them exposed to the fire of all of Chris's skirmishers and Indians and shock soon began to mount.

The riflemen pushed to the flank of the Continentals and ignoring the closing Iroquois started to inflict serious casualties on  the Jaegers.

The return fire was slowly wearing the Continentals down though.

Finally the Continentals got their first volley in, 24 dice with presented muskets and first fire and the Jaegers took a severe mauling. With his largest unit unable to fire and taking casualties on his best troops things were not looking great for Chris.

However using a card to "Step out" his Natives rushed my riflemen. My dice were poor and I only took out one of the Indians. Chris's were great and all six of my guys scalps were taken. The flank was suddenly wide open.

The militia now stepped forward and volleyed my Continentals, the two units of Jaegers and the second native unite were also concentrating all their fire on these guys. Despite the best efforts of both my commander and the Commander in chief casualties and shock were racking up. My militia and gun were still dawdling at the back and the tide was now looking set to turn.

The Indians advanced onto the flank of my Continentals and added their fire, now they were inflicting double shock too. It was suddenly quite grim and the continentals on the right of the line had more shock than survivors and the whole took a step back.

AT this point my Militia finally entered the fray stepping forward and volleying the Indians who had already taken fire from my Skirmishers, the concentrated volley was too much for them and the survivors legged it.

My gun now opened up on the flanking Indians, ten dice should have been great but I only got three hits, fortunately Chris's dice were worse than mine, he rolled three sixes to convert all three hits to kills and the Indians were suddenly not quite so triumphant on either flank.

I split the continentals with my level one Sergeant taking the remnants of one unit to face the Indians and the Captain loading the other two in a desperate last stand against the Jeagers and Militia. I should say that through all of the this the Cavalry after taking some casualties and been moving from one flank to the other ready to charge the Continentals when they were on the verge of breaking.

The Indians incensed by the gun decide to charge it, they make it in but being at less than half strength now we are on almost par dice. We roll and Chris kills two of my crew but I kill three of him pushing him back six inches but also leaving him now with double shock to figures and forcing him to run 14 inches to his rear and effectively putting the second unit of Indians out of the fight.

A shot into the flanking Continental unit from the Jaegers forces them to retire. But things are evening up slightly.

Chris has now got his 6 remaining cavalry lined up for a devastating charge but before he can my riflemen now in the church switch targets and empty a saddle adding enough shock onto them to stop them moving and giving the thoroughly shot up continentals a breathing space. My untouched militia step forward again and give rather lack lustre volley to the Torie militia but serve notice that they are welt and truly in the game now.

Its now past my bedtime and things have swung again so that both sides are at a stand off, another hour would see the game settled but I will be asleep by then so we agree on a hard fought draw and shake hands each having an barely touched formation of 24 militia and everything else on table thoroughly beaten up.

Another great game with what are fast becoming my favourite rule set.

I have the Stockton show at the weekend where I will take part in Colin Ashtons re-fight of the First Sikh War battle of Ferozeshah which I am really looking forward to. Chum Jerry also has an El Cid game at the show so that should another very colourful game. As long as I remember my tablet photos and report to follow!