March to Victory - Game One

 

I planned to run two games; both set in the French & Indian War, based on scenarios provided in Wiley Games' Fistful of Lead: Horse & Musket rules and adapted to use the same terrain set-up so there was no need to change the layout between games.

Game One was titled "New France 1757: Defending the Ford." Scouts are trying to find a suitable river crossing to make a sweeping flank move. Unfortunately for them, the only forde is guarded by determined troops. 

Rules: Muskets and Mohawks by Two Hour Wargames / Rebel Minis. 6 units of French troops - 2 Rep 4 Regulars with Leader, 2 Rep 3 Militia with Leader and 1 Rep 5 Grenadier and 1 Rep 4 Marines - were up against 4 British units - 2 Rep 4 Regulars with Leader and 2 Rep 4 Provincials with Leader. The French had the advantage of numbers, the British the defending position. The side with the greatest number of troops closest to the ford and the road exiting the board edge at the end of the session time would win.

The defenders could set up hidden and the attackers could use hidden movement until actually spotted - which generally meant leaving the cover of the woods.

Terrain from the British side:

 And from the French:

The British deployed one Militia unit at the woods' edge on their right flank; a perfect shooting position providing cover, and held the second in reserve. They brought the Regulars into the open on the road.

The French came forward in 3 columns - the Grenadiers and Marines in the open up the road, the Regulars in the woods on their left flank (facing the Brirtish Provincials) and the Militia using hidden movement through the woods on their right flank.

The French troops made it to the edge of the river and the firefight began, both sides loosing a Volley and then settling into Firing at Will, the Provincials in the cover of the Woods getting additional protection.

The French right flank Militia that had been moving "silently" through the woods suddenly burst into the open and made for the river's edge. It would take two turns to cross the river outside the ford, and the two lines of troops blazed away at each other in the meantime, the British getting the worst of the exchange.

As soon as the French Militia made the far bank of the river they charged the left flank British Regulars, passing an unlikely Charge test! A round of Melee was fought and both sides passed their Morale rolls, meaning the Melee would continue when either side next Activated. Next turn the second unit of French Militia appropriately enough failed their Charge test. The Melee was then joined by the British Great Man himself and then the French Marines that crossed the river at the ford!

 

 

The French Grenadiers, arguably the best troops on the field, were repelled twice as they tried to cross the river at the ford by the valiant fire of the other weakened unit of British Regulars.

 

Finally, after losing 2/3 of the unit, the British Regulars in Melee failed their Morale test and recoiled. The French units, also considerably reduced in the hand-to-hand contest, decided not to Follow Up.

It was at this late point in the battle that the British committed their last unit of Provincials, moving them into the open (leaving the cover of the Woods) in front of the advancing French Regulars. It would prove too little too late as the French outnumbered the British by 2 to 1 in position re the Victory Conditions when time was called, and so claimed the field.

General note: I think the game would have been closer run had the British not held their Provincial unit in reserve, and instead had it in firing position at the Woods' edge from the beginning of the game. On either flank would have been useful, potentially causing more French casualties, and they would still have had the cover of the trees for several fires.

Note to the players, if you happen to read this. During the Melee, the British should have taken an automatic casualty each Activation for EACH unit they were fighting, instead of the single casualty I assigned. The Melee should have been a more lop-sided victory for the French. It was the only ruling anyone questioned, and I didn't want a fine set of commercial rules taking the blame! Again, if the reserved Provincials had been stationed on the left flank, the Melee may never have happened. . .

Game Two in the next post. See ya!