Saturday, 16 March 2024

1775, 19th April - Lexington & Concord - AWI

It was 28mm again and the old AWI collection PLUS some newly arrived Militias had to be dispersed on the table. I just wanted to replay some of the more interesting battles of the initial Northern Campaign, so what better way to start than the actual search and destroy mission, that started the whole thing ...

After Bart went to the bar ... everybody else decided to be American and to give him the British, what would certainly an easy win, hey, (later Tim defected as well). So Campbell, Alisdair and David were fighting for the Rebellion, while Bart and Tim tried to find the gun and the powder in some hay stacks. We all used Black Powder 2.

Far from being nice, I didn't told them all victory conditions and changed even later some even against some protests on both sides - war is never fair...

The British arrived outside Concord ...and ... drumroll .. the American definitively shot first this time and started the whole disaster - boys, it is on you! I gave them minus 1 VP for that.

Then the skirmishing game and hunt started. Bart had actually a wonderful plan, to amuse "the rustics" with the Light infantry (under the able command of col Tim), while his Grenadiers did a southern-east swing directly bypassing everybody through cross country and attack Lexington directly.

The Americans, a bit rusty with the rules and amateurs of warfare, had severe initial problems of command and coordination. That showed and Barts Grenadiers were able to set two of 3 BUAs of our Lexington alight! (2 Victory points).

Then I changed the incoming time of the Earl Percy by the difference of the VP, and thus counted the grenadier as 1 VP instead of 2.  The two grenadier units perished in the following massacre and two further Militias were broken - thus tolling up the bill to 5 vs 3 (2 dead grenadiers and one saved BUA).

That was when Percy actually arrived. Tims LI was saved and the Militia wasn't in the position to really do much more damage and thus I declared the Battle a British victory. We will all wait of course for the Patriot propaganda following suite - see campbell report on SESWC.

Next time, in this line of fire, it will be the infamous slaughter at Bunker Hill ... get ready to make some more recoats even more red!


Campbells Thoms Gardener awaits a little too eagerly the British...

The initial deployment, Concord in the front ..

The LI and the Militia started to skirmish ...

Concord seemed to be safe ...

Tim concentrated fire ...

While everybody else was running for Lexington ...

Alisdairs Militia arrived first ...

Davids Militia got stuck in the woods ...

Tims LI blocked a whole brigade ...

The Grenadiers arrive ...

Just small units, BUT ...

The first Grenadier storm a house ...

... and start setting it afire ...

Then the other unit charges in ...

While Tim fought a gallantly defensive ...

Barts Grenadiers in a blood rush ...

But even them must give way some day ...

The first BUA burns ...

Tim retreats to save VPs ...

The second BUA is burning ...

Then the last grenadier unit got destroyed together with the Royal Photographer ...

The initial set up before I changed it ...

The British stats

The American stats



Somewhere in France between some grapes - 1870 - Franco-Prussian War

Let the 10mm out! Time for a fictional battle and Valour & Fortitude FPW testing! And I also slaughtered my bathing mat.

Bart, Campbell and Gordon were defending the ailing Emperor and some good wine villages, while me, Mike, Peter and Time were fighting for the soon to be Emperor with the shitty wine villages. Scenario principles were easy V&F rules plus every BUA 1 VP. some Infantry brigades/ Divisions were on table, some Infantry and cavalry would come later in as reserves.

Tim was our CinC and IF we had a plan it was so cunning I totally forgot about it. we marched forward until we reached the usual range of the chassepot and stayed clear of them. Then our flanks advanced and tried a pincer movement. Our Artillery wasn't that good and concentrated as we wished it would be, but due to some real Napoleonic Grognards in the leadership style of our enemy, their actual plan TOTALLY FAILED. We put pressure on them, or shot their efforts to pieces. Campbells flank attack was a desaster and Peter blocked them successfully. Gordone Cavalry attack was successfully bottlenecked by Mike and me.

In the end we won by minimal margin, 1 VP, IF we would had more time it would have been a French disaster, but the Prussians were wise and hesitant this time. ;)

The Rules seem to be a wonderful quick and easy/dirty solution for a multiple gamer club night - BUT the army sheets needed a bit of amending (prone; gun ranges accurate but not all that were effective etc...)

But we had a lot of fun,


Initial deployment

Gordons Garde cavalry get stuck between les bois ...

Campbells French advance as well ...

Quite frank in the open - the French line ...

Peter comes to block the French ...

Bart relative unusual defensive centre ...

Amassing chassepots and mitrailleuse as defense ...

Battle of the Bois de chateux de pleurre ...

The Prussians advance ...


Peter was able to block the advance ...

Mikes Cavalry was able to even bypass Gordons guards ...

We would have free range gun shooting before Mikes charge BUT that was the last turn ...