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Tonight we had a second playtest of Steve's AWI rules.
Not a good day at the office for my Continentals.
Similar numbers of troops with the British having the advantage of quality.
A portion of my troops were off table and I wasnt exactly sure when they would be joining me so I needed to consider holding ground whilst they arrived. My objective was to stop the Hessians securing the ford and the British driving in my left.
My right hand brigade, whilst on table was in march order near the edge so need to try beat the Hessians to the ford.
The Jaegers started already deployed across the ford and in cover. As skirmishers in cover need a 6 to score a hit but have an advantage to hit themselves, coupled with rifles, these were extremely difficult customers.
The British advanced quickly from the centre and their right with the field gun deploying to the front.
I had a light gun and started forming my own line to counter the British, unfortunately with one brigade of my best troops off table I was spread very thin especially on my left facing the British regulars (Getting my excuses in early here).
My right brigade formed a line with rifle skirmishers on the extreme right and advanced on the ford.
Chris pushed his light infantry forward early, they have a movement bonus being less restricted by terrain and quickly began an unequal duel with my riflemen.
The British regulars in the centre advanced quickly and whilst the gun got an early shot in the crew took 3 turns to re-load it which would be a recuring theme.
Perhaps worth mentioning for those who have not read a previous game report on these rules. Each unit once activated has between 3 and 5 actions. A quick dice roll decides if the units in a brigade have more or less than their standard 4 actions. Moving, firing and re-loading are all actions and whilst firing does not need to be rolled for every other action needs to, a 3 required for most actions but the harder the action the higher the roll required. Hence 3 attempts to re-load a cannon, Chris kept rollign a 2.
My third brigade now enters the fray and deploys on table but will be pushed to arrive in time to stop the advancing British over running the Continentals on my left.
Meanwhile the Jaegers begin to score casualties on my right hand brigade.
Chris rolls well for his Hessians and they have 5 actions marching with 4 and deploying into line the first two battalions are immediatley over the ford and in position to hold it whilst the rest of the Germans deploy into line over the river in support.
My two battalions deploy to fire upon the Jaegers and the fight is on for the ford.
My Lees Legion infantry charge and scatter the Jaegers but are held by the Hessian Musketeers.
Getting lucky my centre brigade moves forward 5 times to occupy the centre of the line and face point where the Hessians and British meet.
Finally I am in position to hold back the British charge up the centre.
Unfortunately for me, hit by the gun and the British my unit loses two full bases and goes dis-ordered. Not a great start
Anpther volley and another basee removed, this time I fail morale and retreat in dis-order.
The British advance to take advantage of the gap in my lines whilst I scramble about to plug it with other troops needed elsewhere.
Wheeling my right hand unit I must pull back my whole line or be rolled up, the Hessians, already having the better of the firefight at their end are releived of pressure.
The last vestiges of my centre fold under another volley, however the British are at least now open to flanking fire from my continentals.
I wheel another unit in leaving my left under strength and the Light infantry battalion is already inflicting casualties on it.
Meanwhile on the left the British flank both of my units and decimate them with volley fire before charging the left hand unit and breaking it. My left now consists of one mauled battalion, a few riflemen and a light gun facing an almost untouched brigade of British regulars.
I am down to 4 weak battalions facing 9 battalions of Kings troops mostly untouched. Its been a bit of a wash out for the Americans who must retreat and fight another day.
Charged from the flank another unit of Continentals breaks. With both flanks gone and British objectives achieved its a washout for the Rebels. (Sorry this image was out of order and I couldnt change it back)
Again the rules worked really well. skirmishers are very powerful, so large units of skirmishing infantry need to be treated with caution, other than that really enjoyable game.
More to come I am sure, thanks for popping in.
