Neil and I gathered on Wednesday for a 10mm game of Live Free or Die to refight the Battle of Trenton. I was using my Americans on my old Black Powder bases, which is why you will see the appropriate 25mm bases behind my units to show unit size. Neil was using his British bases as Hessians (before anyone gets upset by the redcoats on table).
This
was a 'what if' scenario with several random factors. Mine were that
one brigade had got lost and would need a 6 on a d6 to arrive. Also, I
gained a second brigade on turn 5.
Neil's Hessians however gained two sets of entrenchments, were alerted to our presence, and were at full strength! Drat!!!
My objectives were to take the road to the left, to cause more casulties than the Hessians, and to capture the enemy HQ. Neil's were simply to stop me.
Neil's Hessians however gained two sets of entrenchments, were alerted to our presence, and were at full strength! Drat!!!
My objectives were to take the road to the left, to cause more casulties than the Hessians, and to capture the enemy HQ. Neil's were simply to stop me.
Turn 2 and reserves arrive! This would draw two of Neil's stonger units off. Hurrah!
My skirmishers break left to take and secure the left hand road. Four units are tasked with breaching the redoubt and drawing Neil's forces out on the right, while an 8 stand unit heads for Trenton itself, backed up by militia. I had an ace up my sleave, as I knew I had reinforcements coming in from behind Neil's right (my left) flank, and they MIGHT get into Trenton.
A second unit of skirmishers duel with Hessian Jagers, while my eight strong unit fends off two large Hessian units blocking its way into town. I would significantly outshoot the Hessians here, pushing back both units multiple times, but never enough to gie me a clear path into town.
Neil just had to hold. As the scenario went on, his troops took a firing line and laid on much volley fire. An unusual situation with this scenario versus presios games was neither of us could either afford a charge (movement points come with a base value, plus a randomised amount depending on quantity and quality of the commanders on table - I had an awful lot to command, Neil had duff commanders), charges are expensive, so there was no melees, which is where Neil usually causes the most damage to me!
My extra reserves come in from the left, but they had only very limited time to make an impact, plus they were all only 4 stand units, so a bit brittle. In the centre, the Hessians held the redoubt, but took a lot of whittling damage, as did the two units above, who were both forced to retire. The skirmishers continued dueling to the left. Neil's Hessians were considerable better morale than my Americans, so held their lines again and again, usually just when I needed a break. Meanwhile, my troops had a nasty habit of recoiling each time they lost a base, meaning I was spending points to rally and recover and then move the next unit into the meat grinder.
We called it with two turns left. I had destroyed more bases than Neil (including all his cavalry and skirmishers), and secured the left exit point, but had nowhere near reached the Hessian HQ. A minor victory to Washington (but it will get written up in teh history books as a tactical genius on an attack.
Another fab game with a great set of rules!
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