Thought I'd try this one out FK style and update as I go. Trying out Sharp Practice 2 in the American War of Independence.
Coffee poured* and table set up, including the very important cattle:
(https://i.imgur.com/T4tbG75.jpeg)
The Americans are deploying from the road:
(https://i.imgur.com/3sOJXy2.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/AaI7JNN.jpeg)
And the British are sneaking about the woods:
(https://i.imgur.com/9VSAv3s.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/OW2Bhqn.jpeg)
*I had a pot of tea at lunch lest anyone accuse me of a revolutionary bias!
All forces are now on the table. The British continue to sneak through the woods:
(https://i.imgur.com/9BzycOo.jpeg)
While the Americans work their way along the road flanked by their wily frontiersmen:
(https://i.imgur.com/aFgNTXi.jpeg)
Fire erupts from the treeline as the British skirmishers open up on the buckskin clad frontiersmen. They dive for cover as musket balls whip harmlessly overhead. "Give 'em hell lads!" Sergeant Neville yells as the sharp crack of rifles ripple around him. The screams from the trees let them know they found a target:
(https://i.imgur.com/Bh6wyn8.jpeg)
Meanwhile the American advance spots a line of British crossing the stream ahead:
(https://i.imgur.com/O8rnTfj.jpeg)
Sergeant Skelly points ahead, calling out to the Rhode Island Regiment behind him. "There's the enemy in their pretty red coats, we'll show them what we think of them soon enough!"
(https://i.imgur.com/s0MOfPT.jpeg)
QuoteAnd the British are sneaking about the woods:
I say! That's not the done thing, old boy.
The British way is to advance slowly in a straight line, in the open. None of this hiding behind trees nonsense.
QuoteI say! That's not the done thing, old boy.
The British way is to advance slowly in a straight line, in the open. None of this hiding behind trees nonsense.
These are light infantry, a completely different breed to those stout British regulars!
"Keep at 'em boys" the American Colonel Hunsdale shouts at the riflemen while trying to usher his own line troops up to the fight.
(https://i.imgur.com/uIGXWBB.jpeg)
The riflemen reload their slow guns and let rip another round of shots, taking the British Corporal Renny through the shoulder and causing the British skirmishers a little consternation. Their compatriots under Corporal Banks fire a few musket balls towards the riflemen but do little more than annoy them.
Colonel Bradford of the King's Light Infantry tells his men to put a bit if vigor in their step and get up so they can lay into the rebellious rapscallions. He shouts over to Lieutenant Parson to get those Queen's Rangers on the march too.
(https://i.imgur.com/9pxpJBH.jpeg)
Sergeant Skelly of Rhode Island is having none of it however and fires a volley at the advancing green coated rangers, killing one and causing a considerable amount of shock!
Meanwhile Colonel Hunsdale's pleas get his troops moving while the rest of his skirmishers hop into the pasture to get a closer look at the cows.
(https://i.imgur.com/hBAXHIk.jpeg)
"Move up men, form a line!" Commands Colonel Bradford in best British fashion. Just as he bears his sights at the white coats of the rebel state troops the crack of rifles rattles out from the hedges to their flank. His men cry out in alarm as they hear the whip of rifles shot skip through their ranks, though none are injured.
(https://i.imgur.com/0tQOpg5.jpeg)
Meanwhile the beleaguered British skirmishers fall back into the trees.
End of Chapter drawn. This is bad news for the British as all those Americans who had shot their loads and not had time to reload yet get the opportunity to do so before the British can return fire. Though at least the British Corporal Renny, having been dragged to safety by his men, recovers from his wounds. Thankfully the ball had only grazed him and he had only been stunned by a tree branch after the hit. He recovers his senses and prepares to rejoin the flight.
Sounds like a good time to make some dinner to me.
On checking the rules I got deployment a little wrong. Should have had an action after deployment of each group, which would have got people moving much more. As I missed this for all deployment it didn't give one side too much of an advantage, but would have let the Americans get further up the road and the British deeper into the woods before things kicked off. Awh well.
Also realised I forgot that the British line get a free movement being light infantry, so actually they had one action left, meaning they're going to get to return fire after all once I get the dinner on.
(https://i.imgur.com/3sOJXy2.jpeg)
Those fiendish Rebels have put a pond in the middle of the road!
The Dastards!
Sufficiently reconstituted after the victuals the engagement recommences.
"Fire!" Screams Colonel Bradford just before the riflemen loose into their midst. A wall of lead roars across the field of battle into the white coated Rhode Islanders. One of their number falls while the rest find themselves shaken.
The white coated Rhode Islanders pull back to catch their wind while Colonel Hunsdale orders the Continentals into line to prepare to advance on the enemy.
(https://i.imgur.com/r8chPGF.jpeg)
Lieutenant Parsons steadies the British line by pointing out the skirmishers ahead, were Corporal Banks and his men are laying fire into the American riflemen and taking out one of their number.
(https://i.imgur.com/AgFi2UZ.jpeg)
Quote(https://i.imgur.com/3sOJXy2.jpeg)
Those fiendish Rebels have put a pond in the middle of the road!
The Dastards!
Devils the lot of them!
Using the red and blue rounds as deployment markers, though might go with something a bit more subtle and modelled in the future...
Looking cool 8)
"Right!" declares Colonel Bradford, "I've had just about enough of these upstart colonials! ADVANCE!"
The British move forward while the stalwart Lieutenant Parsons continues to bolster the men's spirits. Corporal Banks takes it into his head to forgoe all this shooting nonsense and orders his men to give the enemy a taste of cold steel. They splash across the stream and close in.
(https://i.imgur.com/AxkArZe.jpeg)
Looks very good indeed MMCV :-bd
Quote(https://i.imgur.com/3sOJXy2.jpeg)
Those fiendish Rebels have put a pond in the middle of the road!
The Dastards!
But how can the rebels hope to maintain their roads without large potholes if they don't pay their taxes? :-\ ;)
QuoteLooks very good indeed MMCV :-bd
But how can the rebels hope to maintain their roads without large potholes if they don't pay their taxes? :-\ ;)
"Read my lips, no new taxes"
"So now we've won, how do we pay for all this?"
"Eh...new taxes?'
;D ;D ;D
Good to see you enjoying the game mmcv :-bd =D> :-bd
Quote;D ;D ;D
Good to see you enjoying the game mmcv :-bd =D> :-bd
Thanks, it is good fun, I'm making a few mistakes but having watched a few let's play videos recently I have a reasonable grasp on things. Quite enjoying the rules so far!
"These bloody rifles take forever to reloaAAGH! RUN AWAY!" Corporal Banks descends on the frontiers men who gave his mates so much grief screaming and brandishing a gleaming tomahawk. The usually stout riflemen are caught off guard by the British charge and run for the hills.
(https://i.imgur.com/HHXFdwc.jpeg)
With the riflemen out of the way the light infantry skirmishers are suddenly very exposed and the Continentals unleash a leaden fury against them and the advancing redcoats. The redcoats take losses across the line but advance and unleash their own barrage against the Americans.
(https://i.imgur.com/F4goxcJ.jpeg)
"Come back you cowards!" Sarge shouts as half his soldiers run away. Shrugging he moves those remaining up into the line.
"Keep firing men, we'll soon have them on the run!" Colonel Bradford bellows as his redcoats keep firing madly.
"Sir, what about those rifles in the hedges?" Asks Lieutenant Parsons.
"We'll deal with them in due course, YOU THERE KEEP FIRING!" The ground between the two sides quickly fills with dense smoke as the two forces line up and blast away at each other seeing both the casualties and the shock mount. The sharp crack of rifles see more redcoats fall and while the British skirmishers work to rally and flank the event forces, a double volley from the Americans send the British line into disarray.
(https://i.imgur.com/eqJypZS.jpeg)
"We have them lads, keep up the firing" calls Colonel Hunsdale as the Lieutenants on both sides do their best to rally the troops and keep them firing.
"Look sir, the redcoats are running!" And right enough the British had had enough of the withering fire from the colonials and were breaking away from their formations.
(https://i.imgur.com/X8AbRpz.jpeg)
With the British in retreat and my wife ready for bed I called it quits here and gave the battle to the plucky colonial rebels.
:-bd =D> :-bd
A final version of this report can be found here, without all the interspersed (though amusing) comments:
https://mmcvhistory.home.blog/2022/03/31/trouble-in-the-colonies-awi-with-sharp-practice/
Bit of free time this afternoon and with the table still set up thought I'd have another crack at this scenario. Turns out I was correct on the rules first time round and units can't deploy and move but can deploy and perform other actions which is where the confusion came from. It was also pointed out to me that typically it was Lt. Colonels in the field so Bradford and Hunsdale have been sufficiently demoted (though will likely refer to them as Colonels still for ease throughout).
The tough American Sgt Chambers advances into the table as a scouting party and finds the fields clear of the hated redcoats.
(https://i.imgur.com/E3V41H7.jpeg)
He advances his men towards the hedges as Lt. Shanks moves up the vanguard.
(https://i.imgur.com/gFZiSIT.jpeg)
However, unseen by the Americans a unit of Queen's Rangers, inconspicuous in their green coats, have been creeping through the woods with some redcoated light infantry deeper in behind them.
The Americans continue to advance with Sgt. Skelly bringing out his Rhode Islanders when the British appear at the edge of the woods. Everyone presents their muskets, ready to fire.
(https://i.imgur.com/xuqeTDG.jpeg)
Further along the road, Lt. Colonel Bradford and his light infantry in line emerge and Cpl. Banks creeps through the woods with his skirmishers.
(https://i.imgur.com/kNllICo.jpeg)
"Fire!" Yells Lt. Parsons to his Rangers. Their musket balls fly from the trees tearing holes in the white coats across from them.
"Return volley!" Yell Lt. Shanks and Sgt. Skelly as the shots crash out along the American line. The light cover of the woods proves of little consequence as the American volley obliterates the Queen's Rangers and wounds Lt. Parsons. The wound is light, but he's alone and his authority diminished.
The British skirmishers advance through the trees behind him while Colonel Bradford orders his men to advance on the enemy. Once again the arrogant British are underestimating their colonial adversary and his advance is met by the whizz crack of rifle fire from the bushes.
The rest of the Americans deploy behind their main line and prepare to join the fight.
(https://i.imgur.com/yDIZcyV.jpeg)
Quote"Return volley!" Yell Lt. Shanks and Sgt. Skelly as the shots crash out along the American line. The light cover of the woods proves of little consequence as the American volley obliterates the Queen's Rangers and wounds Lt. Parsons. The wound is light, but he's alone and his authority diminished.
"We fired our guns and the British kept a-comin'
There wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago
We fired once more and they begin to runnin'
On down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico"
Good looking game there.
Pretty much sums things up!
Bradford doesn't like the taste of American lead nor the look of that long blue and white line so leads his men into the woods for a bit more cover.
(https://i.imgur.com/Scyipj9.jpeg)
Meanwhile Cpl. Banks leads his skirmishers through the woods and charges the American frontiersmen with cold steel. The hard Americans are caught off guard and shocked but once their blood is up they fight back hard, giving the British a hell of a fight and only withdrawing, a little bloodied, when they sent Banks and his last man left standing running for the hills.
Cpl. Renny brings his own skirmishers through to the edge of the woods and starts firing at the Americans who are attempting to maneuver, killing one.
(https://i.imgur.com/stYi4Q7.jpeg)
Hunsdale orders the Continentals to form up in a solid line while getting Sgt. Skelly to move his men out of the firing line to recover their wits a bit after the recent exchange. Sgt. Chambers takes some pot shots at the retreating British line then has his men reload.
(https://i.imgur.com/jMasMg0.jpeg)
The British continue on into the woods, picking up the wounded Lt. Parsons as they go.
(https://i.imgur.com/m4Vdgf6.jpeg)
"Sir, the rebels look to be getting in the way of each other" Lt. Parsons calls up to Bradford.
"Jolly good! Let's give them a taste of our powder then, shall we? Form up men!" Lt. Colonel Bradford orders and directs the light infantry to form up at the edge of the woods.
"Present...Fire!" He commands as a volley tears across the clearing. The Rhode Islanders scream as the shots rip through their ranks. Their formation breaks as a few remaining men run through the Continental troops disrupting the line. Sgt. Skelly does all be can to keep the remaining men together but cries out in agony as a ball pierces his raised hand.
Crying out in victory the redcoats splash across the stream towards the rebels in disarray.
"You there, see to those dirty rifle men hopping about over yonder will you?" Cries Bradford to the nearby skirmishers as he splashes past.
"Right you are sir!" Cpl. Renny salutes and orders his men to move forward and direct their fire at the shaken frontiersmen. As their shots crack out and thunk into the trees around them, the already battered American riflemen flee from the field.
"Steady in the line, steady!" Screams the American Colonel Hunsdale. "Present arms and prepare to receive the enemy!" He orders his continental infantry who comply and raise their muskets.
(https://i.imgur.com/KfI9Z78.jpeg)
"Hold, load and fire!" Screams Colonel Bradford to his British light infantry who seeing the Americans raising their muskets rush to comply. Having no time to prepare a careful volley the redcoats just fire as soon as they're loaded, firing through the smoke as fast as they're able.
Their shots tear into the remaining Rhode Islanders, killing one and sending the rest streaming through the American line with the rippling shot of the well trained British infantry causing further disruption.
(https://i.imgur.com/1PVu46h.jpeg)
With the red line of the British advancing and firing on them and their compatriots running through them bleeding and in disarray the continental line disintegrates and joins the rout.
"Son of a.. fine! Retreat! RETREAT!" Lt. Colonel Hunsdale screams, turning his horse and charging off with the running infantry.
A cheer raises from the British lines at seeing their hated adversary run screaming from them.
(https://i.imgur.com/B8pez3R.jpeg)
That was a fun game. It seemed the British might be on the ropes early on but once they got out of the open and operated from the woods like proper light infantry they were able to bring their professional firepower to bear and show the rebels what the British army can do.
I also realised I was unfair to the British in the first game as I got confused between involuntary retreat (more shock than men) and broken group (double the shock of men) which had then break much sooner than they should have otherwise. They got their vengeance here though.
I think I have the rules down pretty well now so I may try a slightly different scenario next time.
Compiled write up https://mmcvhistory.home.blog/2022/04/02/more-trouble-in-the-colonies-awi-with-sharp-practice/
:-bd =D> :-bd