The game was the fictional battle of Bendy Creek set during Burgoyne’s Albany campaign. The British army is advancing on Albany and a vanguard has been sent forward to seize the vital bridge over the Bendy Creek. Capturing the bridge intact will allow the artillery and wagons with the main army to proceed towards Albany. This objective is met if the British hold both ends of the bridge at the end of the game. The Patriot objective is to destroy the bridge or to prevent the British achieving theirs.
Tim Watson commanded the Patriot Continentals and I had the Militia whilst Donald Adamson commanded the British and Colin Jack the Brunswickers/Hessians. I provided all the figures and terrain. The British had the higher quality troops with the Brunswick Grenadiers being the outstanding unit on the table. The veritable ‘Old Guard’ of Bendy Creek.
The first brigade of each army was deployed on the edge of the table on their road side of the creek. To explain the creek ran across the centre of the table between the 2 long table edges with the bridge at the mid-point of the table. The second brigade of the armies could attempt to march onto that area on their first turn or delay their arrival until turn 2 on their non road edge of the table i.e. assuming they had crossed the creek upstream/downstream of the bridge. The creek could be forded by infantry 6” away from the bridge. Artillery could only cross the on-table creek via the bridge.
Bendy Creek flowing peacefully - British will be to the right Patriots to the left |
British brigade closes up to east end of the vital bridge |
https://moth107.blogspot.com/2019/09/how-to-lose-battle-in-one-chargehaynes.html?spref=fb&fbclid=IwAR3Pzn6zENpaioJUB5Aut199t6t3ytgrRL0_3WCN7D0ZeRhFPp74ARk-x_0
The game proves you don’t need to cover a table with figures to have an enjoyable exciting game. Here is a link to all 11 of my photos at https://flic.kr/s/aHsmH9pAsc
Brunswickers engage the flank of the New Hampshires |
New Hampshires are driven back and followed up by the Germans |
Here is the OB, game specific rules and troop ratings. Infantry units of 20 figures are standard sized and 12 figure units are small. All commanders are rated as 8.
British Forces
C-in-C Simon Fraser
British Brigade
3 Line Battalions 20 figures ea
Light Infantry Detachment 12 figures
Royal Artillery Detachment 2 guns
German Brigade
Grenadier Battalion 20 figures
2 Fusilier Battalions 20 figures ea
Jaeger detachment 12 figures
Amusette team 2 figures
Patriot Forces
C-in-C Benedict Arnold
Continental Brigade
3 Line Battalions 20 figures ea
Cont Skirmishers 12figures
Artillery Detachment light gun
Militia Brigade
3 Militia Battalions 20 figures ea
New York Skirmishers 12 figures
Artillery Detachment light gun
Game Rule Modifications
Used alternative sequence of Initiative Moves, Firing, Commanded moves.
Used 100% movement rates and ranges
Troops lining fences get advantage of a +1 Morale save to shooting.
Woods
Skirmishers move at full speed through woods. Formed troops move at half speed.
Artillery cannot move through woods.
Infantry in woods get +1 morale save to shooting except when charging.
Formed troops in woods are a clear target.
Action on the east side of the Creek - British charge met by a feeble militia volley!!! |
Remnants of Patriot force disengaging |
These are my latest basic troop ratings for the AWI. I have cut back the number of Useful rules used. I might make British formed infantry either Terrifying or Ferocious when engaging some militia.
UNIT | ARMAMENT | H TO H | SHOOTING | MORALE | STAMINA | SPECIAL |
Continental Line | Musket | 6 | 3 | 4+ | 3 | -- |
Cont Lights small | Rifle/Musket | 4 | 2 | 4+ | 2 | Skirmish, marauders |
Militia | Musket | 5 | 3 | 5+ | 3 | Unreliable |
Militia Lights small | Rifle/Musket | 3 | 2 | 5+ | 2 | Unreliable |
Skirmish, marauders | ||||||
Cavalry small | -- | 4 | -- | 4+ | 2 | Marauder |
Artillery | smoothbore | 1 | 3-2-1 | 4+ | 2 | -- |
Light Artillery | smoothbore | 1 | 2-1-1 | 4+ | 2 | -- |
Skirmish | Can adopt skirmish formation | |||||
Marauders | Ignore distance penalty when given orders | |||||
Unreliable | No move on equal command roll | |||||
UNIT | ARMAMENT | H TO H | SHOOTING | MORALE | STAMINA | SPECIAL |
Grenadiers | Musket | 7 | 3 | 4+ | 4 | Stoic, Elite 4+ |
British Line Infantry | Musket | 6 | 3 | 4+ | 3 | Stoic |
Hessian Infantry | Musket | 6 | 3 | 4+ | 3 | -- |
Loyalist Infantry | Musket | 6 | 3 | 5+ | 3 | -- |
Jaegers small | Rifle | 4 | 2 | 4+ | 2 | Skirmish, Marauders |
Skirmishers small | Musket | 4 | 2 | 4+ | 2 | Skirmish, Marauders |
Cavalry small | -- | 4 | -- | 4+ | 2 | Marauder |
Artillery | smoothbore | 1 | 3-2-1 | 4+ | 2 | -- |
Amussette | smoothbore | 1 | 1-1-1 | 4+ | 2 | Range as Light Art but no Artillery advantages |
Skirmish | Can adopt skirmish formation | |||||
Marauders | Ignore distance penalty when given orders | |||||
Stoic | May reroll first break test | |||||
Elite | Can rally of disorder at start of turn on roll of 4+ |