Camp Raid

Rules: Brother Against Brother
Miniatures: 25mm Old Glory, Conquest, and Dixon
Scenario: Modified ACW scenario from the rule book

The Scenario:
The British continue to strengthen their position along the lakes, and the French are having a hard time driving them out. After several attacks against these outposts fail, the French commander decides to go after the enemy supply system.

French Commander:
You have at your disposal one company of 60 French Regulars, 20 Troupes de la Marines, and 40 Native Warriors. Your mission is to move with all haste in destroying the British supply camp before American reinforcements can arrive.

British Commander:
Your Pickets have alerted you that the enemy is approaching. Your tiny garrison consists of only 20 British Regulars and 20 Light Infantry. However, a runner has been sent to an American Provincial camp down the road with a message to come to your aid.

Looking from South to North (the French would be entering from the West and North):
The French objective would be to destroy the artillery park, the munitions tent, as well as the powder kegs to the rear of the tent. They would then have to exit via the road to the North. The British players also had to select two buildings to house their arms cache. The two buildings to right of the road were chosen by the players.

The Brits were allowed to set up three of their squads on the board, and have one squad hidden. The players elected to post the hidden squad in the center along a stone wall. The Redcoats also threw up some hastily built breastworks to block the roads.


French Regulars and Natives quickly move toward what they think is the unprotected center, when suddenly a line of British Lights springs up from behind a wall and open fire.
Marines move quietly through the fields to the North of the camp.
Light Infantry open fire at an advancing line of French Regulars and completely annihilate them.
The French weight in numbers proves too much for the British defenders and the outer perimeter is overrun. As they reach the buildings, the French search them and find everything from armed civilians, prisoners of war, and stockpiles of weapons. After clearing the buildings, they are put to the torch.

With everything seemingly going well for the French, they turn to see that a platoon of American Provincials is marching onto the field and blocking their escape route.
The Marines approach the powder kegs when they are suddenly stopped by fire from their rear.

The Marines find themselves surrounded by the enemy. However, the Provincials, in an attempt to outflank the Marines, expose their flank to some French troops to their right.

On the left flank, the British finally break and retreat off the field. As the Regulars and civilians flee down the road, a small group of Grenadiers covers the retreat.
Natives rush in to destroy the artillery park.
Natives push back the remaining Provincials to clear the escape route.
After destroying the guns, the warriors prepare to destroy the munitions tent.
While the exit road is momentarily cleared, it is once again blocked with the arrival of some American Militia.
The final objective is destroyed: Ka-Boom!!!

End Game:
While we ran out of time to finish the game, we decided in the end to give the French a minor victory. While they had destroyed the entire camp, they had already taken heavy casualties and still had to exit off the board via the Northern road, which was now blocked by the American Militia. Who knows if they would have made it. Perhaps we can revisit this game at a convention in the future.

Ambush!

The Scenario
After a failed attempt at capturing Fort Blackwood (see previous post), the French send forward another column to capture the lone British outpost. This time the attack force consists mainly of steady French Regulars. Hopefully these "Professional" troops can do the job that their Native allies could not.

French Commander:
You have at your disposal one company of Sixty French Regulars, Ten Light Infantry, and Two pieces of Artillery, as well as an auxiliary force consisting of Twenty Troupes de la Marine and Ten Courier de Bois. Your mission is to march on Fort Blackwood and capture it!

British Commander:
You must try to prevent the French attack column from reaching Fort Blackwood. You have set up an ambush in a wooded area along their approach. Your force consists of Twenty British Light Infantry, Ten Rangers, Ten American Militia, and Sixty Native Warriors.



The French Column marches forward on a hot summer day. The Captain in front checks his map to make sure they are going in the right direction!

British and American troops, along with their Native allies, watch silently from the dark woods as the French march past.


Suddenly, a couple of Warriors move into the clearing and let out a 'War Whoop!'

The French column halts. Officers bellow out orders and have their men front towards the woods.
French platoons hold the ranks and move off the road as groups of Natives rush towards them.

Steady!
The British Lights advance as the Courier de Bois at the rear open fire.
The first melee: the Natives wipe out a squad of French Regulars and collect their scalps!
British Lights open fire.
A French Captain directs the fire of his platoon.
The heat of battle! The French artillery crews load their guns with canister.
The Brits and Natives close in.
Volley Fire!
French Lights move forward.
The guns unload canister into the on-coming Americans, mowing them down before they can close.
The French troops in the rear of the column continue to hold the line.
British Lights Forward!
They capture the guns and take cover behind them.
While the front of the French column was decimated, the units in the rear were able to stand fast. The British Lights, realizing that they were the only remaining force on the field, make a slow withdrawal.
With the hot Sun beaming down on them, the French rally and let out a cheer as the remaining enemy dissolve into the woods.

Vive La France!

Attack on Fort Blackwood

A couple of weeks ago, four of us got together to play a French and Indian War game at my place. The miniatures are all 25 mm, mostly from Old Glory's F&I range, with some Conquest and Dixon miniatures mixed in. The rules are Brother Against Brother, modified for F&I.

The Scenario:
During the Winter months, the British army began construction of several outposts reaching far into French territory with the plan of obstructing trade routes along the lakes. Fort Blackwood is one of these posts. As the Spring campaigning season begins, the French launch attacks against several of the outposts in an effort to drive out the British.

French Commander:
You are tasked with the capture of Fort Blackwood. You have at your disposal Sixty Native Warriors, Twenty Troupes de la Marine, and Ten Courier De Bois. You may position your troops anywhere in the woods across from the fort. There are reinforcements consisting of Forty French Regulars marching to aid in the assault, but they have not yet reached the field. You must attack the fort before the British can reinforce their position with additional troops.

British Commander:
You are in command of a small outpost that is under construction. Because the fort is still incomplete, you have thrown up breastworks to cover the opening. Your garrison consists of Fifty American Militia, Twenty British Regulars, and Two 3 pd. Artillery pieces. Across the lake is a small encampment of Twenty British Light Infantrymen and Ten Rangers. They are ready to come to your aid if your guns fire a distress shot.

Fort Blackwood (under construction):
Warned by native scouts that the French are in the area, the British commander sends out pickets to alert the garrison as the enemy approach. After a quiet morning has passed, the sound of musket fire is soon heard in the distance. Minutes later, the pickets break from the woodline heading towards the protection of the fort. The enemy has arrived!
The British commander wastes no time and fires a signal shot in the direction of the lake. The British encampment on the other side is alerted that Fort Blackwood is under attack.
French Marines and Native Warriors assemble along the edge of the woods, ready to begin their assault.
The American Militia mans the defenses. The British Regulars are held back in reserve, ready to plug any gaps in the line.
As the battle begins, one of the Native leaders draws a Charge! card and dashes out of the woods with his warriors, but a bad movement roll leaves them sitting out in the open. However, a Militia unit manning the breastworks also pulls a Charge! card and runs out to meet the enemy. The two units clash and surprisingly the Militia win the melee.
Then another group of warriors pull the Charge! card and move out to help their comrades. As they run across the clearing, the Militia open fire.

From the woods, the Courier De Bois open fire with their rifles. They start picking off the Militiamen on top of the palisade.
Realizing he may be loosing control of his Natives, the French commander orders the entire assault force to advance. Natives and Marines spring from the woods.

The British Regulars move forward to protect the flank.
Native Warriors charge across the breastworks.
Rangers arrive by canoe and move into a wooded area on the side of the fort. From this position, their rifles will be able to play havoc on the attacking French.
A squad of British Light Infantry disembarks from their boat and quickly moves up toward the opening where the enemy are about to pour through.
The artillery is brought down off the parapet and loaded with canister.
The enemy is in the fort! The Militia turn and prepare to fire.
The British Lights push back the Natives coming in on the flank, and the Rangers fire into the fleeing enemy. The lone British color guard stands defiant in the center.
As the natives and Marines fall back to the safety of the woods, the French regulars finally arrive, and form up for an attack.
The British commander scrambles to prepare his tired men for another attack.

Avance!

The French Regulars rush through a hail of lead toward the breastworks.
As a melee ensues in the center, the garrison keeps up a steady fire and beats back the French attack. And to make matters worse, British Lights had moved into the woods on the far side of the field and now came up behind them. The French are under fire from all sides.
Realizing all hope for victory is lost, the French commander surrenders to the British commander. For now, Fort Blackwood is safe.

God Save the King!