5th August 1758 more or less next to Mehr

Less can be "Mehr", as Angus decided to unearth the old Grant‘s scenario of the Seven Years  combat/skirmish/little battle. We chose 28mm and my new rules "Seven Years", and Angus brought his Frenchies and some Hanoverians and me my (AWI) Hessians. Bart and Alisdair sided with the French intruder and me and the old/new Mike defended North-Rhine Westphalia (of course that is what it would be called today, charming land and lovely people, I remember passing the "creativity test" at their University (Krefeld) 30 years ago, just almost barely, after on of their commitee members "analysed" my stlye as "morbid" ... aach bless them).

The French were outnumbering us and had (light) guns and were sticking behind a wall of hedges in an otherwise very swampy, muddy, wild flat farmland in the Northern Rhineland. In the historic battle the Allied Hanoverians made a short work of the oncoming disease plagued French. They made the mistake to try to top up their ranks with probably Colognians, Ardenner farmers or other conflict avoiding alcoholics ... dysentery? ...  more likely a hangover ...

To our demise me and Mike weren‘t able to repeat the success. I tried and advanced with my centre, trying to loosening up what was in effect Militia. One or two status reductions to the "rally" state would have been a "lift-off" for these!!! In the meantime Bart tried a Frederizian move with his Cavalry (and some Infantry) and moved from one flank to the other. He also engaged in a fierce Cavalry fight with Mike‘s Dragoons.

I guess I remember it was a kind of a draw, but the French pressure was surely mounting. We were not be able to "sent" off their softer troops to hell, while Barts Horse seemed to slightly win the struggle at our flank ...

It was good to see how the rules worked and the fire fights of the lines were softening up lines and forced them to withdraw ... you can see a lot of smoke on the images ... thats units that need to re-load ... maybe next time ... but all in all I very much enjoyed the game. Also the Cavalry cannot be a sledge hammer "all the time", they need to withdraw and re-group – sorry Bart! ;)

Initial set up

The Allied thin line  ... all a bit mis deployed ...

The French over crowded in the mud

no wonder they were getting sick

Both Cavalries are moving to the south 

The French are coming!

Hold the Line!

The Fire fighting starts ... soon with casualties

and the fire fight goes on ...

... but the Militias hold today 

and the French Line draws nearer!

The Horses clash in the South

while first charges were made

but closing /opportunity fire can be a bitch

But our Cavalry ... where is our line?

Massacre at Savannah Hill around 1779

Of course it was a brutal set up for the British, more like a mix between Bunker Hill and Savannah upgraded. And as for the French, coming up on the 8th turn as a reserve, we didn't even bother to deploy them.  28mm, So it was the first game in 2019, Black Powder 1st edition (home rules), American War of Independence on the menue!

Without the full help of their Hessians friends the Red Coats seemed a bit lost ... but that is me being unfair. 

Peter chose the Americans, who defended a hill packed with a lot of guns and then some walls, me , and later Angus, just had to "storm" the parameter ... no room for subtlety here. It was marvelous to see how NOT so easy it is to march 3 brigades in line to a pre-determined spot under fire and then charge. And yes, it was my scenario idea to begin with, in the AWI the balance seems more often elusive – but never the less we carried on the attack in good old fashion - Charge!

Later Angus joined the British side and promptly blundered with a complete brigade! But in the end he redeemed his honour by taking the first step on the hill. My brigades just took the brunt of the fire and only the Dragoons crashed in a bit ... IF we just had a bit more time ... we would have being mowed down like on the Ghoulish Hill on 1776 ... so a well earned victory for the Rebels - Congratulations ...

Peter said he liked the scenario ... we could do a refight ... then ... next time I will bring my Hessians as well and we will have two waves coming at them ... haha!

... below some images of the fight and then some new re-inforcements for the Seven Years War ... upcoming ...

Initial Deployment

The British Align 

The whole line is formed and ready to march 

The Rebel bastion is blistering with guns

The red lines march forward

.. with a little help of the Jägers 

... and some Dragoons

slowly reaching the killing zone

Now the rabble starts shooting 

and firing their guns 

all approach in line towards the road.. 

where we took the fire ... 

... on the chin 

... and then to leap and charge at the enemy 

for Glory! 

and taken the hill (alas just a wee bit)

 and something else is going on and stirring ...

some new guns ...

and the first regiment ... to be continued...