28MM BLACK POWDER: BENDY CREEK 1777

This week I finally managed to clear my wargames table so that I could stage a game for some members of the Gothenburg Gamers.  It was the first time in at least 6 months that I had put on a table top game.

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

It was a fun game fought on a 8ft by 6ft table.  Both sides decided to commit their second brigade on the other side of their table edge.  After an initial Continental shock success breaking a Brunswick battalion things went steadily downhill with the Patriots losing 4 battalions and both their guns and failing to break another British unit.  The brave Patriot survivors decided to retire towards Albany.  I am sure Tim will pen a fuller account of the action to justify his headlong advance towards the bridge which led to this Patriot setback and here it is:
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

Troop Ratings

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+