1781 - The Hessian Comeback

Well I haven‘t posted for some time (I will put them in some time - 3 for one), but this Thursday we finally managed to play the second part of the 1st round of our AWI campaign. Remember Bart won vs Alisdair 3 to nil and gave the Rebels a 3VP advance. Today itwas Mike (as American) who fought vs Peter (as the Hessians). Previously we played shortly "Eve of Battle" and came to an interesting medium sized scenario. It seemed that the Americans were defending a large village against an approaching Hessian contingent. But that was a Guard one. Peter had a guard dragoon as well as two(!!) grenadier units, and 3 Line regiments. Mike fielded the obligatory 2 militia units and 4 Continentals and one gun!! The rebels had a flank attack (with one unit), but the Hessians trumped this with an surprise attack (1 unit as well) also.

To the chargrin of both players the first and deployment and the first turn ended in both armies in complete disarray, so the fighting and shooting had to wait, one would cautiously approach the village from each side. Then Mike with the rebels seem to get the advantage as he was first with his troops behind fences and stared to shoot. While Peter due to some blunders weren‘t in a particular charge friendly mood. Then Mike charged the Hessian unit and failed to break them, instead his unit of Continentals broke and lift off. That was his high water mark. From then on peter slowly tightened the noose around the American neck by moving and manouvering and shooting and waiting until the final deadly opportunity to strike would arrive. Mike had two chances to blow off 2 regiments but due to his insufficient dicing (or the regiments being better) he could not break them.

At the end the dragoons were in his flank and rode in to charge on an exhausted American Line. slaughtered them and rode through to another Militia and killed them off as well. That was at the end of the time and by then Peter had 4 units destroyed and was awarded 5 Victory points! The Crown forces are two points ahead! Next time the two winners will play against each other and the two loosers in the second round of the campaign!

Brigade-Gen. Mike Evans 

Brigadier Gen. Peter von Mearnsen

The Rebel Militia circumvent the town

The Hamlet at the beginning 2 forces approach

The Hessians get organised ... sort of

The rebels are stuck in the woods

and then stumble into the village centre

are the Hessians too near?

The outflanked Hessians retreat and enfilade the outflanker but traversing them in doing so

the first Continentals reach the building the village is in Congress hands now!

A perfect American defense line

slowly the Hessians advance

But the Rebels have a gun!

The dragoons are in position 

The hessians are beaten but not destroyed!

and they regroup!

and they can withstand fire

the Rebel gun in the centre of the web of houses ...

The outer Hessian Grenadiers are stuck

The American before the last charge of the dragoons

The Victory points after the first rounds ... Peter leads