Pretty busy week this week out and about gaming and a spot of painting. First up Saturday evening saw the Battle of Bemis Heights on the wargame table. Also known as the second battle of Saratoga. Burgoyne has pulled back to his defensive position and for once the Americans are on the attack. This wasn’t played against Jon as part of our series and for a change was played using V&F rather than Rebels and Patriots.
The scenario I used was pretty much straight out of the Black Powder Rebellion book a
Though I changed the map around a bit.
The British are already occupying the two redoubts, Breyman’s seen on the left and in the distance Balcarres’ Redoubt. The British have three brigades, Fraser’s light troops in the fields, beyond them Riedesel’s Hessians and in the distance Philips. Three American brigades arrive turn one with their reserves dependent on capturing one of the redoubts. All the ground is wooded except the fields and the hills cleared around the redoubts. We kept the woods as fairly open as we had slightly limited time to complete the battle.
The British in Balcarres Redoubt beyond them Philips Grenadiers.
The Americans arrive en mass
The British cannons open up
Poors brigade advances through the woods but starts to take casualties
The American close from three directions on the outnumbered British
Learned’s brigade drive form the SW
Form the west the British lights are driven back and Fraser throws forward his Native scouts in a desperate charge
The Natives are also driven off leaving the road open to the redoubt
But in the East the American advance through the woods is stalling, the British grenadiers bide their time then charge into the Americans driving them away at the point of the bayonet !
The Americans are now struggling on their right
But making good progress towards Breymans redoubt
The Hessian Grenadiers are ordered to charge out of the redoubt to break up the attack, this succeeds but they are now in the open and come under heavy fire
The leading Americans start taking canister fire from the redoubt ! Ouch
Not surprisingly they get heavily shaken, fail their test and flee the field
At this point we reached our time limit for the battle, broths sides might try to claim a victory but really it is with the British who have held both redoubts. That said with a bit more daylight I think the Americans might have taken the first redoubt. They just needed a bit more time.
A fun battle and hard fought, valour and fortitude worked well, although we are still using the older version. It is likely we’ll see this scenario again soon against Jon.
Also this week some painting first up I’ve completed another Spanish Napoleonic unit, nothing very spectacular but nice Perry figures and a nice range of poses, thats 4 units now so close to. Brigade and I have prepped up a command figure for the brigade.
Spanish infantry ๐
I also painted up a first regiment of Scottish Lancers for the ECW, these are not the best sculpts in the Epic range but you get them on the same Scottish sprue so I have enough for at least 2 or 3 units.
I also thought it was time for a Scottish parade…….i have several more pike blocks but I’m not sure how many I really need. I have another irregular unit which I do need to get painted up and then some commanded shot/musketeer units. I need to plan out a suitable battle as this will encourage me to complete the force.
rebel cavalry under Jeb Stewart
Union cavalry ‘hiding’ in the woods !
We have the numbers but just need to get to grips with the enemy
No point hanging about so as soon as we can we get stuck in charging in all over the place, the rule of averages mean our extra number mean we ultimately win out
A decisive win on the right helped by some Union cavalry running out of ammo !
A fine game although the cavalry battle wasn’t perhaps as open as expected ๐
That’s it for now, thanks for checking by more to come soon
Matt ❤️
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