4th July : Battle for Pine Ridge AWI

 It felt an appropriate day to play an AWI game, this wasn’t a specific historical battle but a simple scenario from the R&P rule book so that we could mark the day. The two forces have been dispatched to capture Pine Ridge which has been cleared as a potential artillery location overlooking a strategic rod junction. There would be victory points each turn for the force holding the objective and then extra at the end.

The British would be hampered by having a newly painted and untested Hessian force ! As we all know it is likely they will run away in their first battle.

American forces include Minutemen from nearby Pine County they are classed as ‘green’ so fragile

They also have regular militia and some skirmish units who are better shots than the average

The British forces include the 9th Regiment of Foot two units of jägers who are armed with rifles with longer range and are more accurate

They also have two units of Hessian Grenadiers  to add some punch to their attack

The British officer with the 9th Foot

The American get moving first and their skirmishers dash for the objective, Pine Ridge just beyond the small woodsman Hut

Overview of the American lines, the objective is marked by the tree stumps

German jägers have advanced to the southern section of Pine ridge this isn’t the objective but gives them a good position to fire from

The American skirmishers have captured the ridge but the first Grenadier unit is ominously  fixing bayonets and marching towards them !

The American militia open fire down the road

This isn’t going to end well the Hessians charge up hill and crash into the skirmishes who attempt to evade but are caught unawares 

The jägers exchange fire with the Americans at long range

The American skirmishers are driven back but the hessians are exposed on the ridge

Fierce exchange of fire on the road

American milita open fire at troops on the ridge but a second Hessian unit has made it onto the ridge 😢

And then a series of very poor dice rolls sees the American officer who has foolishly joined a Minutemen unit fails a morale check and starts to flee !

Despite this the battle for the ridge continues

The hessians on the ridge are taking casualties but are passing any tests easily

At the moment the Militia on the road are holding their own

Adding insult to injury the second hessian unit decides to charge down the hill to clear the Militia away….OUCH !

Not surprisingly they are forced back

And then the militia on the road fail a test and flee as well…

The Americans now without their officer are being forced back

and the inevitable happens the rest turn and run. The Hessians stand and cheer their victory on the ridge

A resounding victory for the British forces. Perhaps independence will have to wait another year ? Well done to Phil for commanding the victorious forces, it would be fair to say the dice gods were with the British. The Americans rolled several double 1’s and failed numerous tests. The British at one point rolled six six’s with 12 dice.

Fun as always to play and we broke the rule that newly painted forces run away the Hessians and Jägers were magnificent !

Thanks for looking 🙂