This is a report of my second solo play of the Live Free or Die rules from Little Wars TV. The scenario for Eutaw Springs is in the excellent Victory or Death scenario pack produced for the rules which you can buy here. The figures are again the excellent 10mm range from Pendraken
Rule Options
In this game I have chosen to use a couple of the optional rules that are provided for the main rules, namely:
– Morale test to charge
– Evading for skirmishers
Also my own house rule for charges:
– Bayonet charges now just cost 2 command points and are also available to 1st/2nd Class Continental regiments
I have also been pulling together a list of clarifications and house rules for myself. I will make these a subject of a future post, but I will put some initial thoughts from this game at the end of the report.
Initial Setup
The American forces under Nathaniel Greene have surprised the British forces encamped near Charleston who must mount an impromptu defence commanded by Lt Col. Stewart.
To win, the Americans must capture the camp, including the Brick House and inflict more casualties. Achieving both will be a major victory. Just one condition is a minor victory. The American forces run the risk of getting distracted and looting the camp.
The British forces are of mixed quality but have strong elite combined flank companies deployed on their right. The only change I have made to the scenario order of battle is to group these in the same Brigade to allow their historical deployment.
Turn 1
The Americans advance, some units struggling through the woods. Lots of disruption picked up which they will now mostly redress at the end of this turn. Except for Picken’s militia who will need a commander to join them.
The British just hold steady except for their loyalist militia who hope to retreat to garrison the Brick House
Turn 2
The American advance continues. An initial artillery exchange causes some damage to the 64th Foot which they can’t rally off while under fire. This is a change of mine to the main rules (which allow redress in all situations over 12). I think I am going to change this again (see end section)
Turn 3
Still closing. The American line starting to get a bit muddled. Realised I need some rule amendments for visibility in woods, which for this game i will say is up to 2″.
Meanwhile the Loyalists arrive at the Brick House to garrison it.
Turn 4
Much as I would enjoy marching the militia forward while the British elite regiments shoot up their flank, I can’t really be so unfair to the Americans. So Greene slows them down with the plan for the Maryland Continentals to catch up in support and take on the British Light Infantry toe-to-toe
Turn 5
Just a bit of line organising by the Americans. Time is ticking away….
Turn 6
A bit of charging at last.
Williams decides to personally lead the 2nd Maryland in a bayonet charge vs the British Light Infantry. I think the charge LOS rules need clarifying. For the moment I’ll assume that you must be able to see the enemy unit from the centre of yours.
Because the 2nd MD are charging higher class troops they must pass a morale test. They succeed. The charge move is enough to get them in but their left flank companies must pass through the thicket and take 1DP as a result.
Now the British get closing fire. The rules say this happens immediately on contact. However it’s a bit vague on what happens if you pass through an arc of fire of a supporting unit on the way in. I’m assuming that must be possible. The British have Stewart directing fire as well and score 4 hits – which removes a base. The 2nd MD must take a morale test as a result and just pass, however Williams receives a light wound in the process.
It’s a tight fight. 2nd MD on 8 dice vs Light Infantry on 10. The Americans roll above average and beat the British 4:3. This means a recoil and a casualty for the Light Infantry through the heavy thicket, losing an extra DMZ too.
The 2nd MD take 1 DMZ and hold their position. If they’d rolled one less in combat they’d have been in trouble, so the bayonet charge option worked for them (something they aren’t allowed in the rules as written)
SItuation at end of turn and its likely to kick off in the centre. Some heavy British casualties from firing this turn that they can’t rally off either and they only have one general to help out with this next go…
Turn 7
The British Grenadiers declare a bayonet charge vs Kirkwood’s riflemen.
The riflemen evade and the Grenadiers crash into Picken’s militia. I amended the rules mid-battle here. It wouldn’t seem right that skirmishers could block a charge vs a unit behind them so I adopted the rules for charging through skirmish units from British Grenadier.
The militia fail to score a hit with closing fire. Meanwhile the 3rd foot unleash a devastating volley fire on Marion’s militia who fail to score a hit back – they fail a moral check and retreat back through the Continentals behind them. The riflemen beside them barely pass their morale – with only Greene stopping them from running (After the battle i realised I played this wrong – they should have taken an automatic 3 DMZ)
The melee doesn’t go well for the Grenadiers. 16 dice vs 5 and they only draw 2:2. Now the thing is with a bayonet charge – if you draw then the defender takes fewer casualties then they normally would because its assumed the charge stalled and there was little incoming fire from the charger. So the Grenadiers lose a base. Now it’s time for a morale test -easy for 1st Class troops – roll a single 5+ on 4 dice. Failed…… which means they retreat in disorder.
Turn 08
It’s been a volley fire bloodbath with fine shooting by both sides (You can choose to remain stationary and volley fire for double the number of dice).
Picken’s militia get punished for being plucky and get totally pezzled. But their subsequent retreat leaves a nice gap for the Continentals to push through.
Next turn could be crucial for the Americans. Greene needs to break the British line somewhere. He needs to get some decent command points and only his Continentals on the left have the training to bayonet charge….
Turn 09
Command Points are rolled. Greene has 2 bayonet charges and a normal charge. The British are countercharging the 2 bayonet attacks. It all depends on initiative to see who get in first – and it’s the Americans who win.
British closing fire is generally poor but a couple of hits might make a difference…
The Grenadiers vs Hardman’s Marylanders is a draw , so Hardman loses a base but passes the morale test. Melee will continue next turn.
Disaster for Edmund vs the 3rd Foot as he is repelled with ease (scored zero hits )
But a breakthrough for Snead’s Virginians who wallop the New Hampshire Loyalists 4:0 and push them back into the camp. The scenario specific rules might have caused the Continentals to go plundering the camp but Greene’s presence is enough to control them. They’ve stayed in contact so there’ll be more fighting next go ….
End of turn. Only 3 turns left for Greene to win this
Turn 10
Bit of a tactical conundrum here. Greene has pushed through into the camp but it’s just one unit and the Americans dont really have any units to support him. But from the British perspective they can’t manoeuvre the 3rd back effectively to defend the camp….
The house is garrisoned. Admittedly with low quality troops but it needs to be taken to win the scenario
Sumner’s Brigade on the American right have a very effective firing phase. They concentrate against the 63rd Foot who are already in trouble. The 63rd lose a base and fail their morale test. Their retreat causes 3 disruption points on the 6th who then also lose a base and retreat. Suddenly its looking wide open
Becoming outflanked by skirmishers and pushed too far forward, the 2nd Foot decide to retire. But moving backwards and crossing the fence disrupts them causing a loss of a base. Its a risk worth taking – they would probably have lost the base from firing next go
Meanwhile, Stewart intervenes personally to inspire the Grenadiers who throw off Hardman’s pursuing Continentals
Greene makes short work of the NH Loyalists who are scattered never to be seen again. Greene once again stops his troops from looting and he is now in striking distance of the house with it’s militia garrison. In the distance the South Carolina Tory cavalry look a bit nervous
Meanwhile on the left flank, Washington’s Dragoons crash into the South Carolina Tory skirmishers and sweep them away.
Turn 11
It’s getting late in the afternoon. Both commanders realise that they need to snatch a result soon. Stewart is going to charge Hardman again and hope to destroy him and cause Greene unnacceptable casualties. Greene meanwhile is going all-out to assault the farm.
Greene’s charge goes in, but Stewart’s Grenadiers get stuck in the boggy ground and can’t reach Hardman’s unit this turn.
Battle for the farmhouse. Greene remembers (too late) that his troops are 3rd class so don’t count as bayonet charging. So its 6 dice attacking vs 6 British defending. This is going to be close. The Loyalists narrowly win and repel Greene.
Meanwhile, the 2nd Foot have got themselves into a right mess on the rail fence and ended up retreating.
Turn 12
The South Carolina cavalry are ordered to charge Greene as he retreats through the camp but they aren’t too keen and interpet the charge order as ‘amble forward in a perfunctory manner’
On the whole firing is inconclusive. In the middle, Washington’s Dragoons take care of the exposed British Gun.
And that’s it – the day is drawing to a close and the game is over
Result
American objectives were to occupy the camp (including farm) and cause more casualties for a major victory. Only achieving one is a minor victory.
Definitely there were more British casualties but the camp wasn’t taken. So it’s a minor victory but quite a strong one !
Greene retreats to reorganise but the British are so mauled they can’t stay in position and will need to retreat to Charleston. Not massively different to the historical result
Casualties were much higher though. In real life British lost about 400 killed/wounded vs 500 Americans . I managed to lose 900 British & some guns vs about 700 Americans. Pretty bloody
Rules Thoughts
The game felt like it played really well and I do like these rules a lot. I am going to be refining my house rules to clarify and resolve some issues arising in play:
- Skirmishers should not prevent charges through them and must evade. (Basically the same as the British Grenadier rules)
- Redressing ranks – this will now be possible if the unit has remained stationary and was not involved in melee (Going back to the method used in Loose Files and American Scramble)
- Line of Sight for charge declarations needs clarifying, as does manouvre during a charge
- I need to list possible impacts of terrain more clearly on movement, LOS, firing and melee
- Clarify how and when closing fire works – especially from supporting units
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