Battle of the Two Cabins

Last weekend the rejects had a French Indian Wars skirmish game in the shed-o-war. Unfortunately some players had to drop out due to illness so in the end it was just myself, Mark and my daughter Emily. She has played several games at Reject HQ but this was her first independent command with an equal share of the French forces and operating as overall commander.

The Setup

The french have snuck up on a British supply column and threaten to cut them off. Dividing their forces into two the Indian Allies attack the head of the column while a combination of Marines, Woodsmen and Militia hit the rear in an attempt to split the British into two separate groups. As the lone British commander I had the advantage that I could handle all my forces together, moving men from one flank to another as appropriate. However that still left me fighting in essence two battles at the same time.  

Order of Battle

British (Commander - Lee)

   Colonel on Horseback (may dismount)

   55th Foot (20 Figures)

   Virginia Provincials (20 Figures)

   Rodgers Rangers (12 Figures)

   Gorhams Rangers (12 Figures)

   Friendly Indians (4 Figures)

   Indian Character (Rife/Sharpshooter)

   Wagon + 1 Crew

   3 Carts + 5 Crew

   Mountain Man (with rifle) & Mule

   Farmers 3 with Rifles, 2 with Muskets

French (Commanding Officer - Emily)

   Colonel on Horseback

   Campagnes Franche de la Marine (16 Figures)

   Quebec Militia (12 Figures)

   Coureur de Bois (12 Figures)

French (2nd in Command - Mark)

   Indian Warband (12 Figures)

   Indian Warband (12 Figures)

   Indian Warband (12 Figures)

   Indian Character (Rifle/Sharpshooter)

The Action

A British column passing through farmland surrounded by woods

The Padawan moving her forces. The Blue disc represent the rough location of units. The British player doesn't know what he is facing yet. 

Mark moves his warbands towards one end of the British line and the Padawan aims hers for the other end. 

I move some of my Indians into the woods to reveal the French units...only to run straight into a units of Marines. 

Meanwhile Mark sends his Indians forward to attack a cabin on my left flank. The Indians attempt to take the cabin by force,,,if they success the British will be cut off. Fortunately I am able to move one of my commanders int melee and kill the Indian commander. The result is a moral test sending the whole warband into retreat for three turns. 

With one third of his forces retreating Mark decides not to press his attack until he can do so with all his forces. 

Looking down the table. The Padawan now has an opportunity to press her attack on the other flank. 

My troops try to tempt the French into an early and ill prepared attack. 

The Padawan isn't fooled and cautiously advances and fires on any exposed British troops

Looking down the table from the opposite end. 

The French Marines cross the open ground relatively unmolested...using the tress to mask their advance. 

Meanwhile I move an assortment of troops and well armed civilians into a fenced field. This becomes something of a bastion for the British an resists repeated attempts to break into it. 

Meanwhile the French Marines finally engage my Rangers in hand to hand combat. My troops come off worse, but still pick off a few of the French. 

Meanwhile on the other flank Marks Indians have regrouped and begin a concerted attempt to sweep away my Rangers.

Another dangerous attack is repulsed with casualties on both sides. 

Meanwhile my Virginia Provincials fall back ahead of the French Marines, keeping a tight formation to hold the flank secure. 

Back on the other flank my rangers (along with several rifle wielding civilians in the cabin) have managed to hold off the first assault of the Indians. 

Mark presses his attack again...casualties mount on both sides but the Indians loose more men in the attack.

The Padawan tightens the noose again with the Marines creeping forwards, but their casualties are mounting and the Quebec Militia have been forced to retreat. 

The game is coming to an end as night draws in. The British will probably have to withdraw but they have given the French a tough fight.

The view from the other end. The British have held their position and its unclear if the combined French and Indians forces have the strength to continue their attack. 

Analysis

This was a tough game to play. The French players kept me fighting two separate battles at each end of the battlefield and I spent a lot of the game carefully moving troops to support the fights at one end or another. When the points were added up the British had scored 111 points while the French had reached just 82 points. So after a long and hard fought game this was declared a British victory, although by the end it did feel something of a Pyrrhic victory.