AWI Black Powder : Our Christmas game at Writtle

Everyone turned up laden with lots of naughty nibbles for this our last game of the year.

Rafael is trying to say how big something is !

This game was loosely based upon part of the Battle of Long Island where British troops have been landed by ship to try and beat the American army once and for all. In the real action, the British had a 2:1 superiority but as its Christmas we wanted it to be a more even handed affair than that !

I won the toss and elected to be Howe's British and Steve ran the Americans (assisted by Rafael for part of the game, Ian provided some support for the British - well he sat there and ate pork pies at least !

This is a view from the river end with Steve electing to hold the ridge line with nearly all of his troops.

This the view from the other end with 17th Light Dragoons on the flank of a Scots brigade.

and they swiftly got into action, charging some Continentals

The British centre was taken up with a Hessian brigade backed up by Hessian and British artillery.

Left of them, a British brigade advances on some American militia

Who disperse leaving a gaping hole in the American ridge line.

Others from the same brigade have retreated off the ridge facing the British Light Infantry.

The Scots have driven off the Continentals, although their stamina level means they are now shaken 

Rafael tries to organise some resistance on the American left flank as the Scots brigade readies itself for another attack.

The Guards right of the Light Infantry seem less keen to get stuck in.

Steve's artillery have managed to disrupt any Hessian attack for now as disorder occurs in the ranks although the Jaegers keep up a niggling fire against the American ridge line.

Here, the Americans have decided to charge whilst the Hessians are disordered

But worryingly for the Americans, the Scots are now rolling up their open left flank

and one American militia unit finds itself attacked from front and flank

The Hessians have lost one unit but are obstinately battling it out with the Americans in the centre.

The inevitable happens and the isolated American militia unit is defeated

Valiantly, another small American brigade tries a charge

But they fall short and end up in the face of the guns which punish them for their temerity

Despite a "blunder" which sees the Guards shift to the left instead of charging to their front, eventually the Guards brigadier gets them moving around the American right flank.

As the Light Infantry gain the heights which had anchored the American right of the line.

With the Hessians at last getting the upper hand, the American lines are crumbling

The final straw being an attack by the Scots into the flank of the remaining beleaguered American brigade.

Game over !

May I take this opportunity to wish all of you who follow NORSEYGAMER a Happy & healthy Christmas.

Roll on 2018 and yet more games !!!