AWI Bloody Big Battles Test Game

Rodge has put together a variant of BBB for the AWI which we tried out using his 15mm forces.

The variant has a few changes including a couple of new traits

Weapons

• All Infantry units are armed with Muskets unless indicated but use the ML stats
• Rifles will use the LB stats but with 1 Fire Point a base at all ranges
• Proximity firing will be played unless artillery who may fire through skirmishers.
• Arc of fire is 45 degrees
• Artillery has 6 FP at canister range, not 9 FP.
• Cavalry have no firearms and may not dismount.
• Cavalry may support infantry if Cavalry is deployed in line.
• Resting Muskets on Fence gives a 1 Shift Right

Manoeuver

• Militia Formation change takes a Full move 
• Militia move outside FCP -6” 
• Militia are treated as outflanked in melee

Terrain

• Fences: Linear Terrain, -0” Light Infantry, -3” Infantry, -6” Cav and Arty. 
• Units may not charge over a fence but may charge enemy at a fence.
• A Unit at a fence is assumed to be Resting Muskets
• Fences give no cover or melee bonus.

Light Infantry Trait

• Drop the shift right if ‘Firer has skirmishers’
• Light Infantry cannot charge
• Light Infantry are treated as outflanked in melee
• Light Infantry can evade as per Cavalry and Limbered Artillery

Skedaddle Trait

• Unit removed from table after the loss of 2 bases

The Armies

Each base represents 40-50 men

The American Force
Commander-in-Chief	MG Benedict Arnold
Poor’s Brigade
2nd New York	5 Vet ML	Continentals
4th New York	5 Trnd ML	Continentals
Dearborn's Light Infantry	5 Trnd ML	Light Infantry
1st Connecticut Militia	6 Raw ML	Militia, Passive, Fragile, Ragged Volley, Tactically Inept, Skedaddle
2nd Connecticut Militia	6 Raw ML	Militia, Passive, Fragile, Ragged Volley, Tactically Inept, Skedaddle
Morgan’s Brigade
1st New Hampshire	5 Vet ML	Continentals
2nd New Hampshire	5 Trnd ML	Continentals
3rd Connecticut Militia	6 Raw ML	Militia, Passive, Fragile, Ragged Volley, Tactically Inept, Skedaddle
4th Connecticut Militia	6 Raw ML	Militia, Passive, Fragile, Ragged Volley, Tactically Inept, Skedaddle
Morgan’s Riflemen	5 Raw LB	Light Infantry
Independent
Washington’s Dragoons	2 Raw
Artillery	1 SA	Light Field Gun
The British Force
Commander-in-Chief	MG John Burgoyne
Fraser’s Brigade
Grenadiers	5 Vet ML	Aggressive, Devastating Volley
Light Infantry	5 Vet ML	Light Infantry
24th Foot	5 Trnd ML	Aggressive, Devastating Volley
9th Foot	5 Trnd ML	Aggressive, Devastating Volley
Loyalists	5 Raw ML	Tactically Inept
16th Light Dragoons	2 Trnd	Cavalry
Artillery	1 SA	Light Field Gun
Hamilton's Brigade
9th Foot	5 Trnd ML	Devastating Volley
20th Foot	5 Trnd ML	Devastating Volley
21st Fusiliers	5 Trnd ML	Devastating Volley
62nd Foot	5 Trnd ML	Devastating Volley
Jaegers	5 Trnd LB	Light Infantry

Objectives

The British objectives were to take the Pence House Hill with at lest 1 Supported, unspent unit and have more unspent units on the Mill Creek Ridge than the Rebels at the end of Turn 12.

The Battle

As the British I deployed Fraser's Brigade to take Pence House Hill from Poor's Brigade and Hamilton's Brigade plus the Dragoons to roll up Morgan's Brigade on the Ridge from my right flank. 

The fight for Pence House Hill

An American view of Pence House Hill - Continentals and LI face off the Grendadiers

Washington’s Dragoons advance across the bridge to support their infantry

The Grenadiers begin their assault around the back of the hill

The Continentals on the hill fall back to face the Grenadiers' attack

The Grenadiers take the hill - only a Militia unit has a foothold but Skedaddles after losing a second base.

Mean at Mill Creek the British plan changes to a frontal assault

The 16th Dragoons ride up to exploit the gap in the Americans ' flank

The British advance continues leaving the artillery behind

The British Dragoons outflank Morgan's Rifles which is a mistake as the riflemen turn and shoot them down.

The British advance to Mill Creek ready for the assault on the ridge

With Pence House  Hill in British hands and the American forces on Mill Creek Ridge about to be flanked and rolled up the game ends

An excellent game that moved at a good pace and wasn't too one-sided. Rodge has come up with a great variant of BBB. 

Rodge made the American Militia as bad as one could possibly get - Passive, Fragile, Ragged Volley, Tactically Inept and Skedaddle but they still fought well. The Skedaddle Trait means that if they get a couple of bad results they disappear for good rather than hanging around until they get destroyed.

The flexible movement mechanisms in BBB work well for the AWI. I think the only change we are going to make is to split the 6 base Militia units into 2 4 base units to recreate poor command and control

I look forward to trying some historical battles from this period using BBB