Monday, 22 October 2012
Sunday, 21 October 2012
AWI British Commanders
The figures are all from the personality packs by Frei Korps 15. The new addition is actually General Gates I think, but I liked him as he is reading a map (useful when you're an invader) so he has switched sides.
The British command group seen reconnoitring here, represent Brigadier Grey and his staff. They are the advance guard of General Howe's force and have been ordered to seize the bridge over the Hawk River at Chesterfield.
Sunday, 7 October 2012
AWI play test (part 3)
We finished the play test this week, although once again we only managed to play a single three-phase turn. This was mainly because we spent a fair bit of time discussing and agreeing various rule amendments, which was after all the point of the exercise.
If you remember, my left flank was coming under pressure from Dave’s Hessian’s who soon forced back my French and Militia units. The French only had one morale point at the start of the game and the sight of the advancing Musketeer Regiment Prinz Carl precipitated an undignified retreat. The Massachusetts Militia on the other hand at least managed to exchange a volley with the Hessian Grenadiers before withdrawing.
In the middle of the field and on my right flank things were a bit more interesting and we ended up fighting two separate melees. Seeing that the Kings Royal Regiment of New York was flanking them, my 1st Philadelphia Associators chose to advance towards the British Grenadiers to their front. This proved to be a mistake as a series of poor morale throws (and the loss of their Major) prevented them from making a charge move. The loyalists then charged home and the outcome of the resulting melee was never in any doubt.
Meanwhile my Carolina Regiment was ordered to fix bayonets and charge the 23rd Foot, a bold move I thought and one that I felt the British didn’t take very seriously as a threat. Although outnumbered, they actually won the first phase of melee mainly because Dave had not ordered his men to fix bayonets. However, the second phase saw the British take the upper hand and had we played on I’m sure the Carolina boys would have soon broken.
And that’s where the fighting ended, a convincing win for King George and his lackeys with three of my six infantry units in full retreat. As a play test it was very valuable and we think that the amended set of rules is now ready for use in a proper scenario.
The British artillery did some deadly execution with their 6 pdrs.
If you remember, my left flank was coming under pressure from Dave’s Hessian’s who soon forced back my French and Militia units. The French only had one morale point at the start of the game and the sight of the advancing Musketeer Regiment Prinz Carl precipitated an undignified retreat. The Massachusetts Militia on the other hand at least managed to exchange a volley with the Hessian Grenadiers before withdrawing.
The Musketeer Regiment Prinz Carl did well on their first ever outing.
In the middle of the field and on my right flank things were a bit more interesting and we ended up fighting two separate melees. Seeing that the Kings Royal Regiment of New York was flanking them, my 1st Philadelphia Associators chose to advance towards the British Grenadiers to their front. This proved to be a mistake as a series of poor morale throws (and the loss of their Major) prevented them from making a charge move. The loyalists then charged home and the outcome of the resulting melee was never in any doubt.
Some talk of Alexander, and some of Hercules
Of Hector and Lysander, and such great names as these...
But of all the worlds great heroes, there's none that can compare
With a tow, row, row, row, row, row, to the British Grenadiers!
The Philadelphia Associators are well and truly flanked.
The American artillery is armed with less effective 3 pdrs.
Meanwhile my Carolina Regiment was ordered to fix bayonets and charge the 23rd Foot, a bold move I thought and one that I felt the British didn’t take very seriously as a threat. Although outnumbered, they actually won the first phase of melee mainly because Dave had not ordered his men to fix bayonets. However, the second phase saw the British take the upper hand and had we played on I’m sure the Carolina boys would have soon broken.
The Carolina boys go in with the bayonet!
The Delaware Regiment take advantage of a rail fence to rest their weapons but don't get a chance to fire with the +1 bonus this gives.
And that’s where the fighting ended, a convincing win for King George and his lackeys with three of my six infantry units in full retreat. As a play test it was very valuable and we think that the amended set of rules is now ready for use in a proper scenario.
Friday, 28 September 2012
AWI play test (part 2)
Ian remembered this rule set as being great fun, but on reading it after more than 15 years I was bit underwhelmed and didn't really 'get' it. However, as soon as we started playing I realised it was a little work of art, capturing as it did the spirit of our very first wargames back in the er,....sixties ! And the figures look great - check out these Hessian Grenadiers outflanking the American left . . . . .
The essence of these rules is fine tactical detail. Reloading takes two game phases, first volleys are worth witholding because they are the most deadly, Redcoats simply fixing bayonets will cause a morale test for nervous Continentals and so on . . . . .
'Command Options' (secretly diced for and allocated before the game) allow players to gain small advantages at critical moments - like extra movement, additional morale points and faster loading rates. To represent their better training, the European units are allowed slightly more control over the initial acquisition of these options.
Loss of officers during combat gradually reduces a regiments available Command Options. Colonels, Majors and Captains are thus very likely to be targeted by eager light infantry and skirmishers - I lost Colonel Warwick of the 3rd Foot almost as soon as the shooting started !
The core concept of this rule set is excellent - tactical minutiae representing the absolutely opposite experience to our army level 6mm ACW rules. When some of the peripheral ideas are tidied up, I think it's a winner !
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| Notice the 'scorched earth' policy in the background ! |
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| As always, the best painting jobs have been done by Ian ! |
The essence of these rules is fine tactical detail. Reloading takes two game phases, first volleys are worth witholding because they are the most deadly, Redcoats simply fixing bayonets will cause a morale test for nervous Continentals and so on . . . . .
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| Minutemen defy Hessian Musketeers - they'll be gone in a minute ! |
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| French Line vs Hessian Line - what country are we in again ? |
'Command Options' (secretly diced for and allocated before the game) allow players to gain small advantages at critical moments - like extra movement, additional morale points and faster loading rates. To represent their better training, the European units are allowed slightly more control over the initial acquisition of these options.
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| The view from Washington's left flank |
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| Fully deployed British regiments, seven companies each |
Loss of officers during combat gradually reduces a regiments available Command Options. Colonels, Majors and Captains are thus very likely to be targeted by eager light infantry and skirmishers - I lost Colonel Warwick of the 3rd Foot almost as soon as the shooting started !
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| Note casualty figure - passing through these has a morale effect |
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| The 4th New York regiment exchange volleys with the British |
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| Major Parkes dragoons retreat before advancing Loyalists |
Friday, 21 September 2012
AWI play test (part 1)
Our first session of the game saw us put out every piece of 15mm scenery we could find in an attempt to cover the full 8’ x 4’ table. We were actually quite surprised at how much stuff we had; some of it (including Dave’s matchstick snake fences and Merit trees) is nearly 30 years old!
Next we took the troops out of their boxes and set them all up in column of march along the opposing table edges. It’s been quite a few years since these armies faced each other and it was great to see them all deployed for battle once again. In preparation for the game we had both carried out a bit of refitting and I had painted a regiment of Hessian Musketeers for Dave, giving us two balanced forces.
After admiring the troops we turned our attention to filling in order sheets and getting to grips with the rules. As I’ve already mentioned, we hadn’t played this set for 15 years and (even though we had written them ourselves) it took us a while to pick up the gist again.
Our rules, called The King’s Shilling (no relation to the commercial rules of the same name) are for small-scale regimental level actions where the emphasis is on deploying and handling units on a figure scale of 1:10. Each turn is broken down into 3 phases and orders are written in advance for each phase. We also have a “Command Option” system (which is just like a card based system) which gives each unit unique characteristics for the battle. Examples of the Command Options are “Quick march” (take one extra move), “Load with haste” (take one phase less to reload) and “Charge” (if you don’t have one you can’t do it!). There is also a “The Kings Shilling” option that plays as a joker.
Anyway after setting up the table, writing orders, discussing the rules, making tea etc we managed to play precisely one whole 3 phase turn! Not much action except for Dave’s sneaky Indian party led by Chief Little Bear making a very unsporting “rush to contact” against one on of my Minutemen companies and all but wiping them out. Elsewhere we have both started the fairly long procedure of deploying our regiments from column into line.
The next playing session should see things hot up a bit…
The terrain - British on the left, Americans on the right
Next we took the troops out of their boxes and set them all up in column of march along the opposing table edges. It’s been quite a few years since these armies faced each other and it was great to see them all deployed for battle once again. In preparation for the game we had both carried out a bit of refitting and I had painted a regiment of Hessian Musketeers for Dave, giving us two balanced forces.
Loyalist foot advance supported by Tarleton's troopers
The Kings Royal Regiment of New York - simply known as The Traitors to us Continentals!
After admiring the troops we turned our attention to filling in order sheets and getting to grips with the rules. As I’ve already mentioned, we hadn’t played this set for 15 years and (even though we had written them ourselves) it took us a while to pick up the gist again.
The 23rd Regiment of Foot begin their deployment
The Grenadier companies of the 15th, 17th and 44th Foot under the watchful eye of Colonel Spencer
The French Soissonois Regiment of Foot advances
Our rules, called The King’s Shilling (no relation to the commercial rules of the same name) are for small-scale regimental level actions where the emphasis is on deploying and handling units on a figure scale of 1:10. Each turn is broken down into 3 phases and orders are written in advance for each phase. We also have a “Command Option” system (which is just like a card based system) which gives each unit unique characteristics for the battle. Examples of the Command Options are “Quick march” (take one extra move), “Load with haste” (take one phase less to reload) and “Charge” (if you don’t have one you can’t do it!). There is also a “The Kings Shilling” option that plays as a joker.
American Continentals from Delaware deploy into line
General Washington looks on as his forces deploy
Anyway after setting up the table, writing orders, discussing the rules, making tea etc we managed to play precisely one whole 3 phase turn! Not much action except for Dave’s sneaky Indian party led by Chief Little Bear making a very unsporting “rush to contact” against one on of my Minutemen companies and all but wiping them out. Elsewhere we have both started the fairly long procedure of deploying our regiments from column into line.
Injun's lads, loads of em' - err lads?
The next playing session should see things hot up a bit…
Monday, 10 September 2012
The British assemble . . . .
As the 3rd Foot Regiment stirs in it's dust-filled storage tray, there is mutinous talk . . .
Sunday, 9 September 2012
Rebellion in the Colonies
General Washington has received reports that the British are moving on his position and he has ordered a concentration of the Continental Army in response.
The reports suggest that Cornwallis has received substantial reinforcements by way of a Regiment of Hessian Musketeers and a squadron of Loyalist cavalry led by Banastre "Bloody" Tarleton.
Our next game will feature our old 15mm American War of Independence armies and our own rules "The Kings Shilling". Neither the figures nor the rules have seen action for fifteen years, should be interesting!
The reports suggest that Cornwallis has received substantial reinforcements by way of a Regiment of Hessian Musketeers and a squadron of Loyalist cavalry led by Banastre "Bloody" Tarleton.
Tarleton's Legion - the figures are converted Frei Korps ones painted specially for the coming game.
Our next game will feature our old 15mm American War of Independence armies and our own rules "The Kings Shilling". Neither the figures nor the rules have seen action for fifteen years, should be interesting!
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