| |
|
|
MONONGAHELA BLUES
|
 |
| (Fought: 13 April 2007) | ||
|
I have to admit that I was very nervous about Chicago. No, it had nothing to do with the city or its people, both of which I think are great! It had to do with the first major convention release of "Stand Your Ground". You always want to have a great convention, but that goes doubly so when you are looking to sell yourself and some rules. So we went up there with two objectives, the first was to put on a game that met the convention's goals of the Seven Years War. The second was to put on a game that gave both sides an opportunity to win. In both regards, we felt we could do best if we used the "The Retreat" scenario we had just posted online. That seemed perfect! We had our game and it was a theme event. Onward to Chicago! Now I won't go into a full blown explanation of the scenario as it is readily available online from us for free, but to get an idea of the forces involved, the scenario has its basis on the battle along the Monongahela. From that point, the scenario goes in its own direction and has played much more differently than the real event. The gist is the same - for the British to escape, but they are in a much better position to get away as unlike the real Braddock, our players will go into the game knowing they need to escape. Let's go see how it went! |
No Map Today
| Image | What happened?! |
 |
Because our games were Friday morning and Friday afternoon, we were actually worried that we would not have enough players to game. On the way north, Coop, Kevin and I all decided who would play what should it come to that. Boy, talk about underestimating the Chicago gamers. Not only did we have a great crowd all day, we ended up having to divide commands to get more players involved! Here we see the start of game 1 with the French advancing to meet the English forces. |
 |
In game 1, the British set up mostly in front of their wagon train which had to start just off of the bottom of the picture. Interestingly enough, they used the Militia to hold the rear secure even though there were three British Foot regiments. |
 |
Conquest Delaware Indians lead the way on the French right flank. Behind them are a mixture of natives from Old Glory, Conquest, Dixon, Perry and RAFM. Yep, I am not particular. If it looks good and fits, it ends up on my table. |
 |
At first the English seemed to keep up a good, yet disturbing advance along the edge of the table. In our games where the English won, they had aggressively pushed into the center woods to deny the cover to the French. The French, in turn, instantly recognized the woods as pivotal to victory and ruthlessly pushed their troops double time forward, picking up stragglers all the way. When they got there, the Rangers were there waiting. Two rifle shots cracked out and down went the French brigade commander! Unfortunately for the British, the CO that was promoted turned out to be better than the first commander! That statement right there seems to sum up the English experience in game one. |
 |
Still, the English vanguard looked to make a game of it. The French gunners impetuously set up looking to fire down the English column. The Virginia Light Horse would have none of that and promptly charged them! In spite of the fact that the English horsemen were no real threat, the French gunners broke and ran! The next turn, the French grenadiers chased them off, but the artillery was never as effective as it was in other games. |
 |
As the English never challenged the French for the woods, the French players grew even more bold and rushed out to cap the 'T' on the English line. For a very brief moment, the Rangers held them up, but were blown away by the combined firepower from the French line troops. This was too much for the English and the column fell apart from hammer blows from the front and the rear. Game over, French win! |
 |
The next game occurred literally 30 minutes later and we had an even larger crowd than the morning! This time, the English set up with a purpose, the lines were well arranged and the men all had their orders. They planned to march hard and peel off formations to hold sections of woods While the regulars blazed a path forward. This was very similar to what the English did in play test to win their games! |
 |
As the march kicked off, the English Indians and Rangers immediately peeled off and raced for the woods. I remember vividly thinking that this looked very promising and aggressive. The English could not wait for the hammer to fall if they wanted to win. |
 |
This brought on the massive amount of French Indians and Marines to counter the English threat. In stark contrast to game one, the English were looking to hit the French on their side of the table. |
 |
Both sides fought a swirling action in the woods, but the larger French Indian war parties began to flank the English line. Looking to get an edge with the fighting, the English troops Volley Fire at the French Marines. |
 |
Meanwhile, the French and English were racing madly to the table edge. Unlike the first game, the English horse was not around to harass the French gunners, who got to set up on the other side of a pond. From there, they began to punish the head of the English regulars screening the column! |
 |
The first French shots were aiming rounds that didn't do a lot of damage, but some English did fall. In retaliation, the English unloaded their Howitzers and began to shell the French troops. One round got close and caused the French gunners to retire away from one gun, but the other began to do deadly work into the massed English troops. |
 |
Through fire and maneuver, the French Marines and Indians pushed the English Indians and Rangers from the woods and now they were threatening the rear of the column. Shades of game one where the French hammered both ends and won began to rear up again! The crisis point came when the New York militia were shot at by the French Indians and straggled down to just two men left. But that was it, and in the south, the tide was about to turn, yet neither group knew it then. |
 |
Using the time bought by the New Yorkers and the friendly Indians, the Wagon train struggled forward, screened by the hard fighting militia and natives. Yes, that is the gap left by the British regulars as they raced forward, leaving the wagons dangerously exposed. It was a risk, but so far it was working in the English favor. |
 |
Suddenly, the French charged to pin the wagons and rear guard in place. The Rangers broke and ran. The British Indians broke and ran! All that was left were two militia units of weak morale and the HMS Norwich's landing party. But no! They roll their morale and hold firm! Vicious combat rages up and down the line, but the militia miraculously hold! I mentioned to the rear guard players at this point that no matter how the scenario goes for the English, you have won your spurs today! Die hard, New Yorkers, die hard! |
 |
After what seemed like forever, the English moved out of assault column into line, but they remained rooted in place. Normally this is a good trait as you want your troops to stand up to adversity, but in this case, it wasn't quite so good. All of the French gunners were back in the fight and they took turns firing. As the picture shows, one cannon literally was pointing down the entire length of the 48th Foot. Just a few steps forward would have stopped the carnage, but the French saw to that by putting two regiments in front to pin the English in place. It was a master class putting on a demonstration but that didn't make it any easier to watch. |
 |
Not surprisingly, the 48th went into disorder from the pounding. The 44th then approached and shook out into line to support their sister regiment, but that too brought them under the guns of the French. The situation in the north was beginning to turn against the English. |
 |
What the French cannons started, the French infantry finished up. Yes, Virginia, that is the remains of the 44th and 45th Foot regiments. How they are standing is a testament to the great morale roles the English players were making. |
 |
The 44th wasn't done yet! As the French debouched from the woods, they lashed out with a massive volley, knocking down several French soldiers. |
 |
Like ducks in a shooting gallery, the wagon train struggled forward only to be stymied by the stalled regulars getting shot up by the French cannons and infantry. To help clear a path, the Indians rushed the French militia in the woods, but would it be soon enough to stave off disaster? |
 |
Unfortunately and yet another set back, the Indians were caught in a massive volley by the French militia and when their Sachem took two rounds, they broke and ran away, leaving the Virginians as the only thing separating the column from the French. |
 |
Then a double disaster rocked the English cause. A stray bullet struck down the commander of the English Foot regiments. Then the 48th Foot was reduced then destroyed by a combined charge from French regulars and Indians. One plus did emerge when a Howitzer shell landed in a packed French regiment, literally wiping well over half of them in one burst. That radically made up for all the previous duds fired! |
 |
Not content to let the French regulars have all the fun, the remaining French Marines and Indians charged the resurgent New York militia and Rangers. But this fight belonged to the Crown as they both easily checked the French, giving the rear of the column a much needed break. |
 |
Then, just as it looked like the English might ride that success forward, the French charged the La Sarre Regiment into the weakened 45th Foot. It was too much for the weary regulars and they broke. that caused the wagon train to take a morale check and - not unexpected - they broke and ran too. With the loss of two regiments and the wagon train, it was game over, French win! |
|
We had a great time putting on these games in Chicago and we met a lot of
great gamers. I always used to go up to Chicago to shop and game because I
am normally the person putting on the games and it was a nice break to be
able to play rather than watch, but I was more than pleasantly surprised
by the reception we got and the great participation of the Chicago gamers.
We will be back again next year and ready with yet another game. So, for those of you looking for a critique of the battle as I normally do when we game will have to wait as it isn't fair to players when they were just introduced to the rules to be held accountable. Each rule set has its own particularities and key passages and it was bound to see that some gamers would understand that sooner than others. Oddly enough, the two French wins brings the scenario total up to 3 French and 3 English victories. During play test, we saw the veteran English players win time and time again and we were actually a little scared that the game favored the English too much! The keys to victory in this scenario for the French is to close off the escape rout and hold it closed until time is up. For the English, it is time management and position. It is not necessary for you to hold the door open, just to be in good enough shape to kick it down when you get there! English wins saw them occupy the center of the table with the regulars, then work the wood line down to victory. Lights and militia were in the woods, more for protection and to keep prying French eyes off the wagons. Speed is not as important as dealing with each French threat as it approaches. Now go download the scenario and try it out for yourself! |
|
 |
|
||
| Content Owner: | Larry Freeman | ||
| Technical Design: | Larry Freeman | ||
| Never forget! | |||
