Germanstown - a Thomas-esque interpretation

I am really into the 'Neil Thomas-esque' at the moment: scenarios reduced to some quite bare essentials, played on a small board, but retaining the key features of those scenarios and remaining full of tactical interest despite the small size, optimized for easy set-up and quick play. Recently, I had a go at translating Germanstown into this format.

I used a couple of existing scenarios as the basis for this one: one by Arthur Harman in Miniature Wargames #29, and one by Steve Jones in Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy #89 - some serious scenario writing capability there!

That is a very very nice cover image!

Not that this one is bad!

In contrast to my usual practice, I think it is worth posting a picture of the initial laydown up-front, to aid discussion.

So, a very simplified battlefield and some of the area that the American left came down (i.e. off-table to the right) is omitted; that portion of troops will instead arrive in any unoccupied part of the right-hand table above Germantown at a random point in the game. The objective for the Americans is the camp behind Germantown (bottom). Germantown itself is considered as Woodland for tactical purposes, rather than Buildings. In the scenarios given, this seems to reflect the tactical reality somewhat better. The farm by contrast is counted as hard cover. I could perhaps have added more marshes to the stream, but the woods used would probably suffice I thought.

To reflect the British getting their act together over time, they were limited to a number of force activations equal to the number of the turn, so it will take them some time to get into proper battle array.

The Forces:

The British:9 bases of Infantry (2 Well-Trained), 2 bases of Cavalry, 2 bases of Artillery

 The Franco-Jacobites (for the Americans): 9 bases of Infantry (4 Poor), 1 base of Cavalry, 1 base of Artillery

 

All troops on both sides Trained except where specified.

3 bases of the Franco-Jacobite infantry, the cavalry and an artillery unit would arrive on the right-hand road, 4 bases of infantry and an artillery unit on the right-edge, and the balance by the left-hand road (as seen from the British side)

 

The Franco-Jacobites would arrive periodically by the right-hand road, left-hand road, or on the right edge. In essence a die was rolled each turn, with 3,4 indicating 1 base could be brought on, 5,6 indicating 2 bases.

2 bases of British infantry would arrive by the right-hand road (bottom edge) on Turn 8. This must include at least one of the Well-Trained units.

I used Polemos: Ruse de Guerre as the ruleset for the battle, with my WSS-themed forces for a generic horse and musket action, rather than trying too hard to bring out the specific tactical qualities of the AWI.

The Set-Up:

The British force just coming out of its encampments at the approach of the Franco-Jacobites. There is a detachment in the farm (top-right)

A closer look at Germantown (foreground) and Chew House (background).

The Battle:

The Franco-Jacobite infantry aadvance; Chew House is now supported by the first British brigade - Leven's and Fergusson's Regiments.

More Franco-Jacobites arrive - the Scots regiments deploy to face them

As the battle continues, the Irish units push their Scots' opponents backwards; Chew House still seems fairly secure though, as the regiment opposing it and the artillery don't seem able to get forward.

The two Scottish regiments launch a bayonet charge after the musket volley - Berwick's Regiment is looking shaky...

Berwick's Regiment is routed but Clare's Regiment is holding on, if a bit battered - French Horse comes forward to fill the gap

More British troops being to reach the battle line

Fire forces back the Franco-Jacobite Horse, with loss; Clare's Regiment is still just about hanging on though

Until the pressure becomes too much and it breaks! At least the fire is starting to tell against the lead Scottish battalion (right)

Royal Eccossais now holding the line for the Franco-Jacobites, even if they were disordered by the rout of Clare's men.

Two French regiments arrive on the British flank! That wakes everyone up...

More French units arrive on the opposite flank too

With some very quick thinking, the British manage to get in some kind of order and defeat the French flank attack, after losing one of the Scottish battalions

The Franco-Jacobite attack has petered out, and Lord Berwick calls off the attack

Game Notes:

The scenario worked pretty well, I was pleased and a good vindication of the Thomas-esque approach. The Franco-Jacobites had some struggles but I think a lot of that was more due to bad luck in both the rolling for arrivals and in the combat rolls, rather than a fundamental scenario imbalance past a certain level of advantage to the British. It should be 'difficult' not 'impossible', is what I am going for. Anyhow, it played quickly, looked quite nice, and was easy to set-up. Not much not to like! Ruse de Guerre continues to be very good fun, although with a sneaky suspicion that the firepower effectiveness is just a notch too high and the action point system calibrated a tiny bit too permissively. However, all that is both marginal and highly arguable - they work really well, I guess is the main point.

Figures by Baccus 6mm, buildings a mixture of Leven and Battlescale.