AWI AAR, the promotion of Loudmouth Bill

We started our 2014 gaming year very well with an AWI skirmish battle hosted by RobP. Now let's  follow the new year's and try to get some sort of AAR on the blog. We used Musket & Tomahawks for the game, which is fast becoming one of our favorite rulesets. Fast, simple, fun. And don't ask me why but we never have any discussion on the rules whatsoever.

Anyway, the day before the game we all received an email with some background of the battle, troop  details,  commander and objectives. All presented in a nice storyline.

I got to play a local commander named Bill. He was leading an impressive looking set of men with big muskets and apparently even bigger talk. Despite their many shortcomings they were willing to fight for the freedom of their country. As their homes were very dear to them their objective was to defend all the houses in area. That big mouth local commander Bill had his own agenda though. Yes, he wanted to save the village, but this could also be his opportunity to gain fame and glory. No this must be his moment of glory, Bill decided.  If he could show the Army commander his bravery and skills he might be in for a promotion! So he was not planning for any defensive moves. No, he planned for an attack in the open for everyone to see. That should get the proper attention and win the promotion for him.
Also, a few days earlier some professional riflemen had arrived in the small village. They had been ordered to cut off the supplies to the British Ford and to clear the area from Redcoats.

The four other players received their orders as well with the Indians to take the Fort. Since you never know what their next move is I placed a unit of Riflemen behind a wall just outside the village n. With their rifles they covered a large portion of the area. The Continental Regular army had their eye on the Fort as well but as soon as they noticed the Redcoats entering the area they went straight on in to the nearest enemy. The British had to hold the Fort and bring home the supply wagon while securing the area from any danger.

Setup for the game

The first British arrive at the scene

Opposed by an impressive first line of defense.

This is getting scary

Meanwhile, the garrison at the Fort is organizing the defense

and Continental regulars are approaching to save the day for the local defenders

The Indians appear from the woods to storm the Fort

while the British try to secure the bridge

Supply wagon starts to move towards the Fort with the Lights clearing the area

Riflemen protecting the houses from the advancing grenadiers

With the British Lights taking position at the fence and in clear view from the overall Commander at the end of the road, Bill decided this had to be his moment. He would be the hero of the day and get his promotion. He ordered his remaining troops to move in the open to prepare for a frontal assault on the surprised British Lights. It was all or nothing. And while the other commanders later stated it looked like a suicide assault Bill knew better than that. If he could hold the initiative and inflict some casualties to the Lights from shooting with the units on the left and near the house he would have a good chance for a successful assault.

And so it happened (count your cards guys:). Initiative remained with the local defenders and they immediately opened fire from the left killing a few Redcoats. This was the sign for the charge and five brave men and a brave woman launched forward.
The Lights, still confused by this sudden attack, tried to hold their line at the fence but it was too much for them. They tried to fight back but they panicked and tried to get away. In the end, not a singe men of the Light survived. Even the three fleeing on the picture lost their lives a minute after the picture was taken. The locals lost one men and the only woman in the charge.
On top of all this they are now in a great position to take on the next group of intruders.
Now that should settle Bill's promotion I would think.

Continental regulars making sure the village is protected from advancing grenadiers

Bill is enjoying control over his village

At the Fort fierce fighting as well, with the British reduced from this

to this by the Indians and Riflemen. But they have hold their objective, the Fort was safe

After a few hours it was time to head off to the restaurant but not before the final conclusion. Rob decided it was a draw based on victory points for the houses, Fort and a couple of other things.  Draw or not, it felt like a major victory to Bill and both Bill and I had a great day.

I've uploaded all pictures of the day here

AWI Skirmishers

Ouch, It's been way too long since I've been here. I won't bore you with the reasons but I was pretty much disconnected to the blogosphere over the last weeks. Fortunately I did manage to get some painting done in my absence on the net and manage to achieve my personal points target place in Curt's famous painting challenge.I

So over the next two weeks I will post my entries from the competition here and get some newly painted stuff uploaded as well as some game reports.

Since we have our first game of Muskets & Tomahawks tomorrow I'll start with some skirmishers I painted in the beginning of this year. Next week I will do the AAR and while I'm sure we have good fun tomorrow I hope the rules will live up to our expectations. Not that it will make a huge difference but I better go now and reread the rules

Our first AWI skirmish battle

Last saturday my good friend Rob and I set up a little AWI game. Something small just to see how the rule mechanics work out and to see if it would match our expectations for a larger awi skirmish.

Since I  only painted one group of riflemen and Rob only had 2 groups of continentals we limited the British to three groups as well. Rob was in charge of the British and his objective was to break out from the house and move the wagon off the table somewhere. My task was simple, stop him and take the house.

We used Sharp Practice with the awi supplements This land divided and Fire and Sword.



set-up, a guaranteed Continental win

  


The game was fun as the British tried to break out with two groups while another tried something of a flank move? Or what was it Rob? Anyway they outpositioned themselves and got shot to pieces quickly. My dicing also helped  a bit. So the group can be reassured, no more 6's for me anymore the next three years.

 

target practice 



The real fighting was done around the house with some brave charges from both sides. It was close but when the rebel militia finished their target practice exercise the British found themselves surrounded.

All was lost for them although they tried to sneak the wagon out behind my back. No luck though, the treasure was for the rebels and the house taken.



Of course, at that stage you forget to take pictures so I include a couple of images from the day.

For us these rules with it's supplements work out just fine for our larger skirmishes. We feel it does justice to the period. Maybe even more than Napoleonic where it originates from. While we like playing the Nap version we sometimes have difficulties with the skirmish aspect when we use traditional formations and think we command battalions in a skirmish game.



Rob's mounted riflemen..not used today



Finally some close-ups from the two perry riflemen packs I painted.. All the pictures of the game are in this album.