Skirmish at Lee's Turnpike - a Sharp Practice AWI game

A British force under Colonel Robert Moore has been sent to disrupt a Rebel supply line along Lee's Turnpike. Elements of the 4th Foot, Hessian Musketeers, Queen's Rangers (both foot and horse) plus a light gun also handled by the Queen's Rangers sets off.

However, Colonel Michael Lee, area commander for the Americans has been forewarned and he assembles forces to prevent the British plan.

This was our excuse for a game of the new Sharp Practice rules by Too Fat Lardies - and we used the poker chips instead of cards for a change.

Lieutenant Samuel Baker's State Line boys are first on the scene and they hurry into the village

Here's a birds eye view of the busy turnpike laden with supply wagons and the village beyond.

The junction marked by some figures is the American Deployment Point which they must hold at all costs

Queen's Rangers Hussars lead the British advance

American morale is very high 

Better than the British

American rifle armed skirmishers get into position behind some fencing

With the British Deployment Point evident at the end of the road, Hessian Foot deploy into the fields besides the Queen's Rangers Hussars

Indians skulk in the forest beyond the junction - but pose no threat to the Americans at this time

Here's Colonel Robert Moore with his dog "Bonzo"

Captain John Archer of the Continental Line leads his men up the road to secure the village

As Baker's State Line head for the high ground behind the village

Al Murray the village publican watches as the American Continentals march smartly by

The State Line are on the hill

So is nobody stopping to buy a beer then ?

The Continentals unleash a volley against the Hussars

Just a bit of shock was the result

The Hessians deploy into line and advance steadily

The light gun appears and the gunners prepare to set it up

as donkey borne supplies are moved into an adjacent field

The Rebel skirmishers take a shot at the approaching enemy

The violent response results in their leader, Harold Cobbler getting killed !

1-0 to the Queen's Rangers !

Two groups of them are advancing quickly on the British left, out gunning the American skirmish group

which retreats, having lost their leader

However, things look up for the Americans with the arrival of Captain William Cash and his three groups of Militia

Another disaster for the Americans - the Continentals commander, John Archer has been hit

and receives a final blessing from the local preacher 

The Queen's Rangers advance with confidence

The riflemen get another leader to replace Cobbler and go to assist the Continentals

At last the Americans have something to cheer - the Queen's Rangers Hussar leader, Lt. Mark Noble is shot by the State Line on the hill, which gives Captain William Bond and the newly arrived 4th Foot something to think about.

The State Line boys fire again

The 4th Foot take cover behind a thick hedge line

Over confident, one group of Queen's Rangers rush forwards unsupported

Here we see that the 4th Foot have crossed the hedge and head for the church yard

mainly because the State Line have run out of ammo and have to retire back to the turnpike to get more !

Here we see Kapitan Martin Petershof and his Sergeant, Heinz Benz, pushing the Hessians forwards

The American militia open fire on them

A furious exchange of fire takes place - everything seems to depend upon this

Cash sends one of his group of Militia to attack the Hessians whilst the rest of the force fire at them

but the Hessians hold firm and repel the Militia with casualties

Casualties mount up on both sides

Colonel Moore moves forward to encourage the Hessians

 Whilst Bond's 4th Line reach the church yard fence

I meant to show you this at the beginning - here's the new rule book !

The Continentals receive fire from a group of the 4th Foot and we can see the State Line making their way to receive more ammunition

Seeing the redcoats are unloaded, Lieutenant King of the Continentals charges his men forwards

beats the red coats

and kill all bar one of them

The Militia try to attack once more but fail

Now the second group of the 4th Foot attack the Continentals, pushing them back with casualties

But a second charge fails badly and the Americans defeat the 4th Foot again

So finally, the battle is won here as British morale has crumbled. The Hessians will have to retire covered by the Hussars which have managed to achieve nothing at all all day, just skulking at the back since their commander fell early on !

A tense battle which hung in the balance until the 4th Foot, which had split into two groups, managed to lose the day for Colonel Moore.

Colonel Lee's officers clapped him on the back for securing the turnpike for the revolution !

We are really enjoying the revamped Sharp Practice rules - much slicker now and somehow using the chips was more fun too !

Give them a go !