Patrick staged his first AWI game at the War Room last Sunday, with a refight of the main action at the Battle of Monmouth (1778) - following May's refight of the morning action. Brian, Greg and Rob were the Americans, while Alex, Doug and Mark were the British. The game, using Patrick's 28mm figures and British Grenadier rules, lasted 13 turns, and ended in an American victory.
The battle was the last of the Philadelphia campaign (1777-1778), and saw the British withdrawing north harassed by the Americans. Both sides had good troops, the British with many elite units, the Americans with first line and some second line units. Both sides had excellent higher commanders.
The battlefield was divided by two streams and populated with three major hills and scattered small woods. Both armies were initially deployed on the two flanks, the Americans defending a building on each flank.
Turns 1-2
As Brian (American right) deployed his forces behind the hedge and inside the building, Alex (British left) advanced slowly.
Alex sent his cavalry on a flank march. And unlimbered his artillery against Brian's skirmishers, who soon pulled back.
Mark (British right) started his advance against Rob's American line.
Doug's artillery brigade came on in the British centre. As did Greg's artillery in the American centre.
Richard took over Greg's artillery, as Greg brought on an infantry brigade in the American centre.
Brian's artillery was being pounded by Alex's artillery and skirmishers near the house.
Mark's cavalry was decimated and forced to retreat by Rob's artillery (American left).
Turn 3-4
The British continued to advance, with both sides' artillery moving up in the centre.
Brian's artillery fired canister on Alex's infantry inflicting 2 dps and 1 casualty.
Rob dealt some dps to Mark's infantry as it approached.
Alex continued to degrade Brian's artillery, even as his cavalry crossed the river onto a hill near the American line.
British Guards deployed in the centre. Richard deployed the American artillery near the hedge in support of Brian's line.
Rob was now starting to inflict dps on Mark's line as it got ever closer. However, Mark's skirmishers seemed to be very powerful as they gave Rob's line infantry several dps and casualties.
Turns 5-6
Rob now charged Mark's skirmishers but Mark's unit evaded and Rob failed to close after an unsuccessful morale test.
With his skirmishers picked off, Alex advanced on Brian with his grenadiers in open order, but took casualties from various American units.
Alex charged and routed Brian's artillery however.
Rob meanwhile kept up his firing against Mark's British infantry as it advanced, causing escalating damage.
Both Doug and Greg were now well deployed in the centre of their respective lines.
Alex's grenadiers won a melee against one of Brian's second line units, which retreated, followed by the grenadiers. The American right looked to be in peril.
To make matters worse, Alex's cavalry formed into line to begin a flanking move. But behind them, an American brigade deployed...
Richard's artillery were causing Alex's infantry some discomfort. However, Doug's artillery finally routed Brian's skirmishers in front of the hedge.
Turns 7-8
After lunch, the attritional fight between Mark and Rob on the British right flank continued. Mark's skirmishers were dealing death like a Wehrmacht heavy weapons squad (according to Rob)...
Richard took charge of the American brigade on the hill on the British left, advancing. He began to fire artillery on Alex's cavalry, now sandwiched between two American positions...
Rob managed a charge against Mark's skirmishers, but was forced to retreat...
...while Alex's cavalry charged into and routed one of Brian's units - which fled into/around the occupied house
Yet now Mark's skirmishers were forced to retreat after a failed morale test.
Turns 9-10
As more US reinforcements arrived in the centre, Richard's American infantry brigade descended the hill on the British left flank.
Brian's routed unit continued its flight beyond the house... But Alex's cavalry received fire from another infantry unit behind the house.
Rob's line kept firing and Mark's line infantry was now on 6 casualties...
Alex's cavalry was now being trapped between Richard's infantry, Brian's infantry and the unit in the house... It now routed after failing to charge, and was soon removed from play
Alex was forced to divert infantry to face Richard's brigade, even if his other British units continued to move up
Richard's artillery and Greg's foot began to cause damage to Doug's infantry on the British centre
On the right, Mark now rolled a double one, which meant that his entire brigade retreated 15"... The British had been repulsed. In spite of MG42s...
Turns 11-13
Alex now had five infantry units facing Richard's infantry at the hill on the flank. Richard's artillery continued to pummel Alex's grenadiers however, one unit of which soon had to retreat.
While Greg and Doug exchanged fire in the centre, Doug's artillery was continuing counter-battery fire with howitzers against Richard's artillery
Mark now declared his flank a stalemate, and the game soon ended, despite the arrival of Hessians in the British centre and more Americans.
The British had suffered more casualties, so the Americans had won!
Conclusion
The game was described as satisfyingly unpredictable by Alex, and fun by Rob. It's fair to say that both sides questioned the outcome of some of its aspects: Rob apparently enduring interpenetrating skirmishers armed with Maschinengewehr 42s, for example... but he still won on his flank. However, the rules (best described as intentionally micro-tactical rather than broad-brush operational), while a bit slow and somewhat opaquely written, have period flavour: being challenging for attackers in particular, and blending the need to think ahead with the caprices of dice rolling. They certainly seemed to give a good game with relatively few units. After four AWI games hosted by Patrick in the past year or so, more players are also now au fait with them. The game was thus involving and successful. With so many interesting actions and campaigns, Patrick's AWI is a welcome addition to our club repertoire. Thanks to Patrick for umpiring and to Rob for hospitality.
Comments