Braddock Down 1643

Ruthvin unwilling to await the arrival of the Earl of Stamford's reinforcements has marched out to meet Hopton's Royalists at Braddock Down. He hopes to defeat Hopton and claim the victory for himself and sets up his force across the road to Liskeard with a high hedgerow concealing part of his force.

Hopton outnumbers the Parliamentarians in terms of infantry, however his horse are few in numbers. He hopes their elan as Gallopers will carry the day and secure the Westcountry for the King.

Ruthvin's Parliamentarians
Centre -  3 trained and 1 Raw unit of foot. 1 Unit of Horse
Left Wing - 2 units of Horse
Right Wing - 3 units of Horse
A unit of medium artillery is on route from Liskeard as reinforcements.

Hoptons Royalists
Centre - 1 veteran and four units of foot. 1 unit of Gallopers
Left Wing - two units of gallopers
Right Wing - one unit of gallopers and 1 unit of dragoons

Parliamentarians eye up the Westcountrymen across the Downs

Ruthvin's Centre line up behind the hedgerow with their flanks
protected by the cavalry

Hopton sends his Dragoons through the woods to threaten Parliaments
left flank, as the main body (skirted by Cavalry) advance across the down

Hopton detaches a Forlorn Hope hoping to draw the Roundheads
from behind the hedgerow

The Royalist Dragoons and Forlorn Hope open fire

The Dragoons open fire on Roundhead Horse

Royalist foot add their firepower to the flank attack and although
Roundhead Cavalrymen are unseated, the Roundhead cavalry
commander retains control of his men.

And sends his men crashing down the hill hoping to drive off
the Royalist flank attack. The Dragoons fail to evade and a swirling
melee develops which results in both sides grinding each other down.

The Royalist Cavalry wing pays the price of failing to
Countercharge and in the ensuing melee their commander
is killed forcing further disorder on the Royalists

The Cavalry skirmish continues and whilst the Dragoons drive off
half of the Roundhead horse, their supporting cavalry is pushed by
the remaining Roundheads.

The Royalist Centre and Left Flank approach the foot
of the downs leading to Liskeard

The Royalist left flank clashes with Roundhead Cavalry with mixed results.
Maybe they miscalculated the grade of the down losing their impetus?

Roundhead Cavalry on the right flank rout the Royalist Cavalry whilst
re-engaging the dragoons. A Royalist foot unit turns to protect the exposed flank.

The Royalist centre engages their enemy, but devestating volleys and
a cavalry charge by the Parliamentarians soon has the Westcountrymen
in a pickle.

The battle in the centre hots up and the Westcountrymen
come off much, much worse......

The Royalist assault begins to unfold as their right flank collapses
and the centre begins to crumble under intense fire from the hedges

The Royalist centre breaks and Roundhead Cavalry routs a unit of foot

Hopton withdraws his centre, but it is all a little late.
Even a unit of Royalist foot chasing off an exhausted Roundhead
Cavalry unit does little to lift the Westcountrymen's spirit.

Roundhead Cavalry rout the Dragoons

And on the other flank Royalist horse flee under the watchful
eye of the Roundhead Commander on the right flank.

Hopton's withdrawal, pursued by the remaining Roundhead Cavalry.

The game resulted in an emphatic win for Parliament helped by the gradient of the hill and an awful lot of extreme dice roll differences.

The extreme dice roll differences aside, on reflection the downs should have been graded as gentle and not conferring any uphill bonuses which negates impetus.

I would also make the playing area smaller depth wise - or at least start the Royalist much closer to the Parliamentarian line as a lot of the game was wasted trying to move across the table to get within musketry range.

All of that said it was still an enjoyable game (at least it was for the Parliamentarians!)

Munger Shaw 1779 - Sharp Practice 2

The peaceful farmstead of Munger is about to be plunged headlong into the maelstrom of unrest that is creeping through the state. For weeks the Continentals have skirmished with the advancing British and Hessian forces and Munger Shaw now lies within reach of the Kings forces.

The local forces of the British King are predominantly Hessian's and an aging Lt Frank Enfurter has received orders to move on the farmstead to sweep the area of enemy forces. Enfurter is a reliable officer, a veteran of the conflict in the America's, but finds himself increasingly concerned at the way in which this most recent campaign has been conducted. Whilst he has largely kept control of his men, many of the attached British troops, particularly those of the Light Dragoons have conducted a new style of warfare where terror tactics have been used against the local populace.

Enfurter fears for the small community of Munger Shaw as his small force has been joined by a most vile British Dragoon Captain whose reputation for savagery precedes him.

Born of illegitimate stock, Captain David Cameron has ties to the nobility. A Rake with a failed moral compass. Cameron browbeats those below him and is not beyond dishing out his own unique style of justice on the civilian populace who he sees as legitimate targets. Cameron is intent to lay waste to Munger Shaw simply because he has taken offence to being in the field for a fortnight without any time to participate in debauchery in the city.

Enfurter has other problems too. Sgt Weiner-Schnitzel, one of his own NCO's, has fallen in alongside Cameron's Troop and is more than happy to share the fruits of any loot and livestock that can be found during today's sweep.

On the outskirts of Munger Shaw a sizeable Continental Force has been gathered to oppose the Hessian advance. All local men, the Continentals will surely put up a stiff resistance and drive the enemy out of the area.

Hessian and British Forces
Lt Frank Enfurter (Status III Leader)
Musician and Physic - Dr Fritz Hackundslash
Two groups of Hessian Regulars with muskets

Sgt Frederick Frikadellan (Status II Leader)
Musician
Two groups of Hessian Regulars with muskets

Cpl Gunther Bockwurst (Status I leader)
One group of Hessian Grenadiers with muskets

Sgt Willy Weiner-Schnitzel (status I Leader)
One group of Hessian Jaegers with rifles

Captain Davidson Cameron (Status III Leader)
One group of British Dragoon Impact Cavalry with rifles and sabres

American Forces
Captain John Waine (Status III Leader)
Three groups of Continental Line with muskets

Sgt Humphrey Bogcart (Status II Leader)
Two groups of 8 state line with muskets

The Right Honourable Ronald Raegun (Status II Leader)
Two groups of Rebel Militia Line with muskets

Cpl Marlon Brandy (Status II Leader)
One group of Continental line skirmishers with muskets

Cpl James Cagknee (Status I leader)
One light artillery piece with 5 crew

Weiner-Schnitzels' Jaegers advance supported by Cameron's
Dragoons. Nothing is safe with these two rogues on the loose.

Lt Enfurter's Hessians approach the farmsteads flock. 

Enfurter's pleasant approach and efficient bartering secures a
flock of sheep for the King's forces.

With the flock of sheep secure, Enfurter's Hessian's approach the
cattlefield in search of beef to roast.

Cameron's men approach the church to find the Very Reverend Lawrence
Longpole and his congregation about to leave church. Longpole falls for
Cameron's spin, shocked to hear that a wanted felon is loose within his flock.

Weiner-Schnitzels Jaegers make for the haybarn supported by
Bockwurst's Grenadiers and Frikadellan's Hessians.

Bockwurst's Grenadiers can be heard singing as they step out making
the haybarn almost at the same time as Weiner-Schnitzel's Jaegers.

Enfurter's Hessians enter the cattle field and secure tonights meal.

Cameron's Dragoons dismount and under the cover story of hoping
to locate a ne'r do well, are busted by the Reverend Longpole's son
who catches a Dragoon attempting to pick the vestry door lock. The boy manages
to evade the Dragoon's and sets off up the road to alert the local American Forces.

The Right Honourable Ronald Raegun arrives with his Militia Line 

Weiner-Schnitzels men search the barn for loot as the more conscientious
Grenadiers form a hasty firing line having been startled by the approach of
the local militia. The farmstead workers make a break for the safety of the militia ranks.

Having looted the church, Cameron's Dragoons remount
and set off to find more booty

Marlon Brandy's Continental Skirmishers arrive and step out for the farmhouse.
In his haste to make progress, Brandy tweaks his hamstring forcing him to hobble.

Cagknee's artillery arrive to bolster the Militia Line

Disgusted at having found nothing of value in the haybarn,
Weiner-Schnitzel's Jaeger's torch the building which within minutes
is well and truly ablaze

With the fleeing civilians safely behind his lines, Raegun's Militia open up at
long range and immediately put the Hessian Grenadiers under pressure.

The Reverend Longpole looks on in horror as the haybarn collapses
under the ferocity of the fire. Willie Weiner-Schnitzel takes the Rev'd and his flock
hostage as insurance against the advancing Militia.

Raegun's Militia and Cagknee's artillery work in tandem to
supress the Hessian's near the now destroyed haybarn.
To their left, Captain John Waine's Continentals snake
along the front of the orchard in column.

The American's attempt to shake out their line to confront the Hessians.

Frikadellan's Hessians open up at long range and deliver a telling volley
which rattles the Continentals who are still in column.

Although rattled by the initial Hessian volley, Waine's Continentals
shake out into line. Cagknee's artillery firing canister wound Weiner-Schnitzel
leaving the Hessian left flank vulnerable. Raegun's Militia continue to fire
at long range but their poor training combined with the cover
the Grenadiers are occupying render most of the fire ineffective.

Brandy's Continental Skirmishers attempt to flank the Hessian Line

Disgusted by Cameron's looting of the Church and Weiner-Schnitzel's
blatant disregard for orders, Lt Enfurter feels compelled to confront Cameron.
"Damn you man! The American's are closing in on our positions. You
can fill your foul pockets once we have beaten the enemy!"

Frikadellan's Line let loose a volley that sends the Continental
Skirmishers running for the safety of better cover.

Waine's Continentals exchange fire with Frikadellan's Hessian Line
as Cameron's men use Frikadellan's line to mask their flanking manouvre.

Humphrey Bogcart's State Line march around the rear to support
Waine's Line and Brandy's Skirmishers.

All along the front musket smoke builds. Enfurter's Hessians move
up in support of Frikadellan.

The combined volleys of two Hessian Line units batters
Waine's Continentals.....

Forcing them to retreat into the orchard....

before routing from the field taking their commander with them!
Rebel morale creaks as five points of morale loss occur in a single phase.

Cameron's Dragoons (still with designs on looting) move up
into the woods but bite off more than they can chew taking on a
fresh unit of State Line. Their only saving grace is that the Rebel's
powder is damp and their firepower is much reduced forthwith.

As Raegun's Militia crash forward to threaten the Hessian's
defending the haybarn, Enfurter's command lunges for their exposed flank.
Rebel artillery eyes up this juicy new target but fails to take advantage
of the situation having run out of cannister rounds.

Bogcart's State Line attempt to swing the balance, but damp powder
and a weak first volley let them down spectacularly although they
do force to make Cameron's men withdraw from the woods giving the
farm civilians time to make their escape with their valued possessions.

In desperation, Raegun's Militia engage the Grenadiers and Jaegers
in Fisticuffs only to be repelled by some stiff resistance.

With rebel morale collapsing rapidly, Enfurter's Hessian Line
deliver the coup de grace charging Raegun's bold Militia in the flank
and ensuring victory for the King's forces.