My Metal Meneken: 1780 - AWI - Bring home the bacon!

Saturday, 4 September 2021

1780 - AWI - Bring home the bacon!

It was time for a bit AWI, fictional scenario, 28mm, Black Powder plus house rules, two brigades of British/Hessians vs 3 American brigades.

At the end of the war a British brigadier (Bart) gets the mission to do a show off sortie to get more supplies for the subjects of the crown in dear New York. As getting out and getting the supplies, would be the easiest part, the most crucial would be the way back. The British player would win if at least 7 of his 13 units (5 of them were just plain wagons) would make it to the other short edge of an 8x6 table. The Brits would start the 1st turn at dusk, visibility was just 18", the other 2 rebel brigades far away and the two Continental regiments deep asleep in their tents at the road blockade with just some rifemen and indians on the watch - what could possibly go wrong?

Alisdair, after a break of over 18 month, joined the fray as a commander of the rebels. The Brits were able to move all of their units on the table on the 1st turn and the fog still was heavy and no sound alarmed the colonists or native American sentinels. Then Bart rolled a blunder. The fog lifted. The alarm was raised. and the Militia was near the board be able to roll for entry.

Then the Brits charged into the manned camp, despite heavy first and closing fire the rebels lost quickly the grip ... too early for a fight. Then the Hessians blundered. And the militia came on the table. Then the fighting became very intense. Native skirmishers vs Jägers and British pickets ... and then the old siege gun fired ... and exploded and hurt the riflemen and "Smallwoods" continental regiment ... both were understandably shaken. The American defense line faltered, everybody was in retreat, it looked grim.

Then the last Brigade with the Continentals and a gun arrived and swung fortunas scales around again and the Brits now had two ways to go to New York, both blocked by a brigade. So Bart charged. Line after line regiment broke, but the Rebels payed back in bullets. The Redcoats slowly but steadily lost their elan (special rules like crack and steady and hitpoits waned away). He decides to get the Hessians and the cats and wagons through were the faltering Militia was retreating and sacrifice his British grenadiers. It looked again like a victory for the Brits/bart.

Well, then fortuna did volte again, and the last line of "waivering" Militia stood its ground. How many time did I heard the silent curse of a British player "Damn, they just won‘t die!" - I lost count. And no they didn‘t. At the end of the club time the Brits had retreated from the advancing Continentals and weren‘t sacrificed, but many Hessian soldiers were littering the battlefield with lots of militia men ...

... and the other way was still blocked by one Militia regiment - the Brits lost.

It was a fantastic game with lots fun and surprises and yes, many times it looked as if it could have gone the other way. Le petit guerre made an entertaining evening on our tabletop!