The Battle of Yellow Field - A 25mm AWI Batrep

The Rejects got together for another bash of Posties lovely AWI figures last weekend, you may have already seen BigLee's lies over on his blog?? But hear within lies the truth!!

The initial set up

The Battle of Yellow Field 7th September 1777

General Howe is advancing rapidly towards Philadelphia brushing aside all resistance and capturing many towns as he makes his way to the American seat of power. Washington has been very busy gathering various units of Regulars and Militia to try and halt Howe's advance. Thus the scene is set as the Americans block the road to Philadelphia with high hopes of defeating Howe's smaller army

The Game

Both sides have started to deploy ready for action, the American army is bigger and has more artillery thus the British players might want a quick advance  unless their artillery can take out some of the American guns. Will the dice gods be on both sides or will one of them be abandoned by the dice gods???

The Battle of Yellow Field

British oob

C/0 Maj-Gen Howe

1^st Division Maj-Gen Clinton

1^st Brigade - Maj-Gen Agnew

8^th Foot, Veteran

55^th Foot, Veteran

9^th Foot, Veteran

64^th Foot, Veteran

Medium Gun + 4 crew

2^nd Brigade - Maj-Gen Pigot

43^rd Foot, Veteran

27^th Foot, Veteran

71^st Highlanders, Veteran

7^th Fusilers, Veteran

Heavy Gun + 4 crew, Veteran

2^nd Division Lt-Gen Knyphausen

3^rd Brigade - Maj-Gen Stirn

Knyphausen Fusilier regt, Trained

Von Ditfirth Fusilier regt, Trained

Prinz Carl Musketeer regt, Trained

Jagers, Elite

Light Gun + 4 crew, Trained

4^th Brigade - Maj-Gen von Mirbach

Combined  Hessian Grenediers, Elite

5^th Brigade B-Gen Lislie

16^th Light Dragoons, Veteran

American oob

C/O General George Washington

1^st Division Maj-Gen Putnam

1^st Brigade Maj-Gen Stephens

1^st Maryland CLR, Trained

2^nd Maryland CLR, Trained

3^rd Maryland ,CLR Trained

Haslet’s Delaware CLR, Veteran

Heavy Gun + 4 Crew, Trained

2^nd Brigade Maj-Gen Learned

2^nd Light Dragoons

3^rd Light Dragoons

2^nd Division Maj-Gen Lee

3^rd  Brigade Maj-Gen Ward

2^nd Connecticut CLR, Trained

3^rd Connecticut CLR, Trained

Lee’s Additional CLR, Trained

Riflemen, Elite

Medium Gun + 4 crew , Trained

4^th Brigade B-Gen Weeden

Pennsylvania Militia, Militia

Pennsylvania Militia, Militia

Connecticut Militia, Militia

3^rd Division  Maj-Gen Sullivan

5^th Brigade B-Gen Wayne

2^nd Pennsylvania CLR, Trained

5^th Pennsylvania CLR, Trained

7^th Pennsylvania CLR, Trained

10^th Pennsylvania CLR, Trained

Medium Gun + 4 crew, Trained

6^th Brigade Maj-Gen Spencer

Maryland Militia, Militia

Massachusetts Militia, Militia

Massachusetts Militia, Militia

Light Gun + 4 crew, Militia

Me and Fran picked out the British, Fran was our CnC, he gave me the British line

and kept the Hessians and Cavalry

Facing us were Ian in the centre, BigLee on their left facing me and John their CnC on their right

with what looked like most of their best troops.

Ian's troops in the centre guarding The Yellow Field.....

John's 4 Continental Line regts sitting pretty on the hill.

The Maryland Militia

Lee's 2nd Pennsylvania hide behind the wall

Fran's Hessians

& Cavalry the 16th Light Dragoons

My Troops!!!

Onwards

After a brief chat me and Fran came up with the following plan...

As we were attacking with less troops, we had 12 infantry to their 18 including skirmishers.

we thought it best for my troops to attack on our right as Lee's front line troops were Militia. Fran could in no way advance towards John on the hill, so he'd sit with most of his infantry but hassle Ian in the centre, stopping him from assisting Lee.......Simple!

Lee's Militia holding the fence line.

As Lee said in his report Ian in the centre made a right mess of his first moves

infact he down right cheated!!! moving all three units to the fenceline.....

then changing his mind and retreating all of his troops back?????

How Postie let him get away with it beggers belief??

You'll be glad to hear me and Fran didn't let him forget his unusual movements for the rest 

of the game and won't for a VERY long time!!

Ian bows his head in shame......

The only real bonus of his shameful move is that it would have disastrous consequences 

later in the game.

There they go....

Me trying to get my troops in order

All our troops were set up far too close to each other, re ordering them was a 

bloody nightmare!

Cheers Postie!

Postie could take no more, so out came the nails and Ian made it onto the 

Wall of Shame............

AGAIN!

Now here's were things went a little tits up!

I'll now explain why me and Fran looked depressed in Lee's pics

Each turn in the game you throw for initiative, this gives you the choice of going 1st or 2nd?

But if you go first it means you fire first and any casualties caused come straight off

meaning THEY don't get to fire back??

Get it?

The American's won the initiative and fired first, his artillery took 7 casualties from 

my centre unit the 9th Foot, while the 64th on the right took 5 casualties

Hence the worried faces.

I've gotta say Lee's dice rolling was for him most excellent!!!!

The next turn we won the initiative back and did so for the rest of the game.

I charged forward with my depleted units to try and force the Militia back.

Meanwhile I took advantage of Ian's move back, just wish they weren't all in line like taht. 

Charge!!

Ouch!

3 more figures and the 64th will be no more....

My Heavy gun...........didn;t hit a bloody thing all day!

BigLee's Militia all gave way to the superior British infantry.

oh yeah....over on the left flank, we had a bit of luck, because we won the initiative like I already said Fran was able to get a charge in first with his Dragoons and stop the American's from charging both of theirs. To be honest it did seem a little unfair at the time, I think Postie will amend the rules for the next game.

But  in this instance Fran won and captured the 3rd Dragoons colours.

Lunch

The usual Spam and Pickle sarnies

Fran said that's one thing he'll not miss, although it didn't stop him from stuffing his face

like Lee did!!

Lee reset his lines and we both gave fire.

Only now did Ian realise that cheats don't prosper, so he started to move his troops back

into the Yellow field, while I was still trying to get my lines into a good position.

The Dragoons set up in position for next turn.

Ian's Militia move forward or is it backwards I forget now???

Ian decides to make a fight of it, but I'm holding my own.

At this point we decide to start to give ground and move back on the right.

Fran comes out on top again, defeating John for the second time.

Fran's Jagers give fire.

John finally decided to move off the hill, he should have done it ages ago.

The 71st Highlanders, didn't fire a shot the whole game!!

That's a nice big hole you've got there Fran??

The tactical withdrawal starts, and the Americans move forward, as we had hoped.

I left the 9th in place as it was facing the Militia, hoping I could inflict a few more casualties

and maybe force a brigade check.

Fran's Combined Grenadiers led by Major -General Mirsach, another regt that 

didn't get to fire all game.

Evil GamesMaster Postie

Ian's now back where he started at the beginning of the game?

Washington trying to order the chaos in the Yellow Field. 

It worked, the Militia took 2 casualties and ran off into the woods

Which triggered a Brigade check, Lee's dice finally abandoned him and his side, the whole brigade disperses, this now triggers a Divisional check???

John moves forward again, but its all too late.......

Lee fails the Divisional check, his brigade moves back one full move, the American's

 throw in the towel!!

I don't need to say anything about this pic do I???

Analysis 

Lee played a blinder, his dice rolling for 95% of the game was a wargamers dream, BUT that all important last 5% let him down, of course if Ian hadn't have been playing silly buggers in the centre and supported his left flank it could have been a different story and John should have pressed the attack a little earlier. The Americans had 6 more units than us although they were all Militia, they performed very well and are no easy pushover if behind defensive position.

I'm not sure if me and Fran would or could have done anything different, but it was bloody hard being the attacking side with less troops!

Cheers

Ray