"One Hour Wargames" - Scenario 18 - "Counter Attack" - Game

A portent of things to come...! My first throw... there's
a 0.08% chance of getting that result ..apparently... 😏

...so a little delayed (I blame Salute, and getting Sparrow ready for the water), but herewith the results of the game DG and I played on Salute-eve, the setup of which was described in this post [clicky]..

So by way of a quick recap - American War of Independence - 12 units a side (1 cavalry, 2 guns, 8 line infantry, 1 light infantry) - objective for the winner is to control the town and the bridge..

DG opted to be the "defender" with the Anglo Hessian force, I was the 'damned Colonials'..

As nominal "attacker" I have three advantages - one I start the game with all my forces on the table (the defender only has two units on the table at start),  two, I am aware of the existence of, and can use, the two fords, and three, I can occupy one of the two objectives - the town - immediately (on the plus side for the defender, they hold the other objective).. my plan of attack was 'divide and rule' since DG's starting force blockades the bridge, and he can't be in three paces at the same time, the fords are key..

We decided on the evening to dice for DG's main force arriving from turn 3 with a reducing throw required of 5 on turn 3, 4 on turn 4 etc. so theoretically ( 😀) I had 4 moves to play with..

Dividing my line infantry into two brigades the plan was to use one of them to demonstrate against the bridge and keep/hold DG's forces there, while the other column used the ford on my right to (hopefully) outflank..   I sent the lights and the cavalry to the ford on my left..

I would say about move two or three..  DG is about to start dicing for the arrival of his main force..

Same move, other flank - cavalry hoping to make a nuisance of themselves..

Damn sightseer's...

My centre brigade coming on nicely - bridge and defenders in the background..

At which point - tea consumed - and the Americans in a relaxed frame of mind, it being turn 3, DG threw for the arrival of his main force, and they turned up that move...  the dice gods had turned, and my first throw was not a portent for me, but DG..  😏

First he moved his cavalry to the ford where mine were, effectively blocking mine from crossing - with finite resources its an even throw, and I didn't want to waste my cavalry, so there they stayed..

Focus switched to the other flank..

Four battalions crossed the ford on my right, swung wide, and then lined up to roll up the British flank...  to give DG something to think about I launched my central brigade across the bridge in column - always a risky manoeuvre, but I was hoping to suck in some of his infantry so that they weren't facing the flank attack...

Bridge assault!

On the other flank - DG had reinforced the cavalry with a couple of battalions of foot...   my cavalry and lights were holding up two line and his cavalry - I considered that a fair deal..!  😀  Both sides artillery, throughout all of this pounded away on targets of opportunity..

A Proper Job indeed... high water mark of the American effort..

...and then it all started to unravel for the American's..  in the centre despite limited success, poor morale throws led to all three battalions being thrown back in disarray and rout..  I managed to dislodge one of DG's battalions, but the other hung on grimly...

One down (routing - top left), one to go - but he was a sticker and my battalions are about to melt away like snow on a sunny day...

I had high hopes on the right flank - four against two - fair odds and I thought a good demonstration of how my multiple attacks had caused DG to spread his units thinly....

Four against two..  what could possibly go wrong..?  😀

Left flank (next picture) - still a stand off - but DG has sent one of the two foot battalions to where it is needed more...

...and so (next picture) I do the same with my lights and throw them into the bridge assault - last throw of the dice as the first two battalions stream past in rout....

...and on the right flank (next picture)? First charge goes in and is held, as are all the others, and then poor morale throws, and my assault is no more.. I think one of the charges actually went home but was thrown back..  superior musketry on DG's part and poor morale throws on mine did for it in the end..

End of game - it was late so we ended (we had an early start to get to Salute) - both sides battered but on balance I think DG could win this game fairly easily in half a dozen moves by just standing off and pounding my remaining units with his artillery, so in my mind he has the victory..

....and meanwhile, faithful to the end..   

Post Match Analysis

• a toast was drunk - RIP, John...
• the fords are an interesting and tactically important part of the scenario - inevitably the town player becomes attacker, purely because of them and the fact all his units start on the table at the beginning... 
• the fact that the fords are only available to the attacker is something DG struggled with throughout the game - he couldn't understand why he couldn't use them after 'I'd showed him where they were'..
• my plan was good - I still think that - it was however one of those evenings where Lady Luck was dining out in my case (over at DG's place!) and my assaults fell apart mostly through poor morale checks  more than anything else..
• beer on the evening was the excellent "Proper Job" - a citra based American IPA style ale - snacks were Salt and Vinegar Hoola Hoops (other starch based snacks are available)