Battle of Goose Farm

The Rejects first game of the year took place over the weekend and what a game it was! Postie decided to play something a little 'lite' so he pulled out his French Indian War rules and we played a rather large skirmish battle. Surjit and I played the French and Indians, while Richard had to defend his position with the British. The game went on longer than expected but everyone - winners and losers - had a great day. 

The Setup

The French have approached the edge of a large clearing and across a wide area of open ground, there is a small British outpost consisting of a bridged river, a small farm and crucially a blockhouse. The French aim is to burn the two buildings down, but they have to get inside first! British reinforcements have been sent for but will they arrive in time to stop the French?


Orders of Battle
British
55th Howies Light Infantry (20)
Civilians (3 Rifles, 1 Musket, 1 Pistol)
1 Indian Character & 1 Messenger
   Reinforcements
   Mounted officer (Major)
   44th Grenadiers (16)
   60th Line (20)
   Gorhams Rangers (12)

French
Officer (Major)
  Quebec Militia (12)
  Indian Warband (12)
Officer (Captain)
  Coureur de Bois (12)
  Indian Warband (12)


The Action

The whole table was set up for this game, but in the end, we only used about a quarter of it, focused on the tower, farm and bridge. 

Surjit and I decided to set up on the forest edge and decided to cross the open ground as quickly as we possibly could. We knew this would mean taking fire without firing back (at least in the initial turns), eschewing firing back in favour of additional run moves.  

The British look very thin on the ground, but it didn't take a genius to know the Blockhouse must have been packed full of soldiers. 

Surj and I swarm towards the British positions. Richards shooting in this early stage was phenomenally accurate.  

Our main target. Victory would be defined as burning down the blockhouse and the farm beyond. 

As we close we finally get to fire back. Fortunately, our return fire was pretty good with my troops killing four of the defenders in the blockhouse. 

The British have quite a few rifles in their ranks and seem to be good at picking off our men at range. My Indians (closest in this picture) start to take casualties. 

Again the lack of British troops in the open suggests the Blockhouse and Farm are packed full of men with guns. 

 

My Indians get pushed back after losing three casualties, but my Militia gets right up to the walls and begin firing through the open window slots. Meanwhile, Surjit's troops get around the other side of the Blockhouse and push back the British defending their camp. 

Richard puts up a spirited defence of the camp but the men in the open are forced back by the weight of numbers. 

The French now swarm around the Blockhouse and are finally in a position to attack the door on the far side. We need to break down the door before attempting to set the building on fire. 

 

The first turn trying to break down the door with an Indian carrying a firebrand ready to toss inside. However, defeating the door is going to be tough. The defender rolls 2d6 while the attacker gets 1d6 +1 if supported by another figure and an additional +1 for each turn after the first that they continue to attack the door. Getting inside is going to take a while. 

Surjit has pretty much cleared the campsite and the few British troops that remain are trying to get inside the farmhouse. 

An aerial view shows the whole site is now under our control. 

Finally, probably 8 or nine turns into the game, the British reinforcements arrive. It will still take them at least three turns to reach the battle so the clock is ticking for the French to get inside the Blockhouse and complete our mission. 

Surjit battles the last British colonist defending the door to the Farmhouse while my Militia form up to defend the bridge against the British reinforcements. 

Back at the Blockhouse, the door is still stubbornly closed. We have by now been at the door five turns and Richard keeps rolling low for defending the door...and twice I roll a one and fail to break the door!! We are running out of time! 

The British reinforcements are moving into range with Gorhams Rangers (in white) taking the lead. 

My Militia poor fire into the Rangers then fall back and prepare to do the same again. I'm trying to buy time for the troops at the door to get inside the Blockhouse. 

The door is down! And inside there are two soldiers and a Character figure. Characters are very hard to kill by shooting so while we are able to dispatch the soldiers quickly the Character stands in the doorway blocking our path. 

The Rangers have taken severe casualties but still manage to cross the bridge. The French have decided that there is no longer time to try to destroy the farmhouse so we focus our efforts on holding back the British while we try to destroy the Blockhouse. 

The British Character inside the blockhouse is stopping us from getting in! Dammit, this building has been a pain in the bum! 

My Militia continues to fire back at the British Rangers but we are running out of time. Postie is hinting that night time is approaching. 

Most of the Rangers have now been killed but the Grenadiers are now crossing the Bridge. 

Eventually, one of my commanders gets stuck in and, with some lucky dice, manages to kill the character. At last, the way inside is clear...however our firebrand has been dropped when the Indian carrying it fled - his Warband had had enough casualties and failed a morale check. Can we not get a break! 

As the Grenadiers cross the Bridge, Postie calls the game to an end. Night has fallen and the French decide to fall back before they are overwhelmed. Without destroying any of their objectives this is called a British victory. 

Richards stalwart defence of the Farm and Blockhouse earned him a well
deserved Leadership Award. 

Analysis
This is the sort of loss I don't mind. Surjit and I played as well as we could have and by the end, we felt that we were beaten by bad dice and back luck as well as by Richards excellent defence.