What good were the found depeches when the British moved that fast?
What do you mean they reached our fortifications first? –
The General was lost for words, even though he had given the whole army a what he thought to be a morale rousing speech minutes before the fighting started. Now the next messenger coming in with news from the left flank ... but the General could see this for himself: his Dragoons were leaving the Battle field ... his left flank was open.
We started the Campaign with me playing the Brits and Paul the American, as been set up in the previous post.
We developed the battle after the results of an Eve of Battle game:
We both went for extra troops (me Hessians and Paul French auxiliary troops) we both had Scouts and Fortified positions, extra guns and upgrades in units and Commanders, Paul had the upper hand as he has a ‘Strategic hill' a 'Village' and the 'Lost Depeches‘ which allow him to redeploy.
In the middle of the field was a little wood cut through by a little road – hence the name of the battle.
The game started with my move as I had 'Sentries asleep'. And I had luck with the whole army movement – the British were on the half of the table in turn one. Paul tried to save the centre with his rangers against my British Elite Light Infantry but failed. And the French in his centre just didn‘t moved at all.
The I swayed almost all to his left flank, shot his gun there and mauled his Militia. After that his Dragoons came in, delayed by my off table screen troops (‘Eve of Battle‘), and failed to charge my Dragons.
The next turn (it was the third), I charged with the Line as skirmishers in the woods his rangers, then attacked his left flank elite guard and attacked his dragoons with mine. I didn‘t break the rangers. I broke his Dragoons after the 3rd counter charge after a sweeping advance, and broke his elite unit of the left flank.
We decided not to pursue the battle further in to another week, as the out come would be clear, the American would be ‘rolled-up' from the left flank. Tactical victory due to extraordinary fit and disciplined movement rolls from the British (something I hadn‘t seen for half a year).
That was the fastest battle we ever played with ‘Black Powder'. Even though Paul‘s preparation were flawless, my troops out manoeuvred his slow American by far – even without any Bayonet Charge!!
My troops were so fast, I could‘t even take pictures of them ...
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| the American right flank behind the farm |
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| The Hessians defending the barricades next to the woods |
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| The British LI entering the 'Sleepy Hollow woods' |
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| The Rangers in their initial defensive position |
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| The French on the 'strategic hill' which never played a role |
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| The American left flank with the Militia and the elite Guards |
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| The British centre arrive at the woods |
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| The American centre too far away |
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| The american gun position |
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| The Rangers trying to save the woods – too late |
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| The final cavalry clash that decided the battle |
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