Bloody Morning Scout: Game Two

As promised, the AAR for Game Two of Bloody Morning Scout at Recruits. As you can see from the map above, the game got off to a very different start. You can see the description of the scenario here, and the AAR of the first game here.

Jamie reprised his role of overall French commander, Baron Dieskau, in Game Two, in hopes of applying lessons learned from Game One. This game went a little "pear-shaped" on the first turn! The British won Initiative for Turn One and Activated first, sending their allied Indians into the cover of the woods. This interrupted the setting of the French Militia's ambush, and the Indians survived the initial skirmish fire from the Militia and Coureurs De Bois to join the Provincials in their delaying action. Another surprise for both sides - the French- and British-allied Indians refused to fight each other!

The delay was costly, but otherwise Game Two resembled Game One from this point. . . the French irregulars "running" through the woods harassed by the Provincials' delaying actions, while the Regulars march down the road screened by both Militia and Indians into the teeth of the British Artillery. Dieskau took advantage of the Activation system in This Very Ground by "activating" the British Artillery when he had his skirmisher screen in place in front of his Regulars. The British had to choose whether to take their shot at the skirmishers - a less effective shot - and then spend a turn reloading, or "pass" and wait and hope for a better opportunity the following turn. Well played, Jamie!

We were working toward a similar ending to Game One. . . but the end went a little "pear-shaped," too. Despite good pressure from the French irregulars, the Regulars marched directly into a devastating round of canister that more than cut the unit in half. The brave Regulars passed their Courage test for the Fire Received, but failed their test to Charge, stranding them outside the works.

This is where we had to call time and end the game; Tactical Victory going to the British. It looked unlikely that the French would be able to storm the fieldworks with the Regulars so depleted. Another game very well played.

Thank you, Jamie, for playing in both games and for your help in the tear down and loading afterwards.

See ya next year!

Bloody Morning Scout: Game One

Here is the AAR of the first F&IW game we played at Recruits last weekend, based on the "Bloody Morning Scout" and the Battle of Lake George. See my earlier post for the scenario. The French would win a Strategic Victory if they put a unit on the north side of the British fieldworks, un-Disrupted, for a full turn. The British had to avoid the French victory condition. The map above shows the starting positions of all the units. 
The terrain, from the Northeast:

The Northwest (look at the those marshes!):

The Southeast:

And the Southwest:

The game began with a single shot fired somewhere within the woods (some said as a warning from the French-allied Indians to their British-allied Indian "brothers" about to be on the receiving end of the impending ambush). Here are the starting positions of the British units:

The French won initiative on the first turn and literally vaporized the Brirish-allied Indians with two volleys from the well-positioned Militia.

The American Provincials then retreated with the hope of providing a delaying action. The French Militia, Indians and Coureurs De Bois all hastened toward the British fieldworks while Baron Dieskau brought the Regulars onto the south end of the road in march column.

 
The Provincials moved to the edges of the woods on both flanks in order to harass the French irregulars and open a firing lane down the road for the 6-Pdr artillery. . .

 . . . which promptly eliminated one of the Regular units, with some supporting musket fire from the soldiers behind the fieldworks.

The French irregulars continue their advance through the woods toward the fieldworks, pressuring the Provincials on both flanks.

The wily Dieskau uses his Indian allies to screen the remaining French Regulars from British artillery fire as more of the Indians apply pressure to the Provincials on the flanks.

The French Regulars positioned for their assault on the artillery behind the fieldworks.

 

The Baron's regulars marched up to the fieldworks under British Opportunity Fire, fired into the works, then charged the Artillerymen, both units passing their Courage checks for the charge. The ensuing melee killed the entire crew of the artillery piece. The French were in the works! Here's a shot of the climactic assault, generously provided by ArkieGamer, the British Commander.

And this where we had to call time and end the battle. We awarded the French a tactical Victory for routing more units than the British and breaching the fieldworks, and we agreed that with the general pressure being applied by the French all across the front, a Strategic Victory would be a real possibility if the game were to continue. Well played by all!

Next up, Game Two. I'll leave this post with a gratuitous shot of the new marshes.