Hurry Up And Wait

That's the old army saying, but it's all over now. 

Its been 8 months since my last game set in Acadia but the world turns and things are slowly returning to normal. Its also been a wee bit over a week since the table was set, but now the game has been played. Mostly it was the outside world interfering but when I was free, I found that the rules I had spent so much time fashioning and tweaking over the last few years, worked ok, but.....weren't satisfying.  

The games tended to be too fast or too slow, dice had too much effect and the General (ok, player) had too little influence on what his troops were going to do. So, I spent some of my time reviewing a number of old wargame rules, mostly by early wargamers who had fought in real life as well as studying history, and a few newer sets of rules. However, I also revisited bits of various 18th and 19thC memoirs and also a few recent, relevant, history books. Then I tried again.   When they have been tested in a couple of games and consist of more than a one page quick reference, I'll post them. 

Here's how the test game went: 

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Somewhere in Acadia in the 1740's  where the Duc d'Anville's force was still under orders to secure Acadia and evict the British.  Spring has arrived, the snows are gone and the roads are sort of dry most days, but word comes from  Mi'kmaq and Acadian scouts that an army of Redcoats have landed at Pisiquid, and are marching Nor'east. The Brigadier Sieur de St. Lambert was ordered to stop them!   

A Raven took this shot as he flew away from the first "BANG". Honest!

The 'armies' meet at the little village of Nullepart.

 

In short order, the British seized the Church and graveyard as well as a wealthy merchant's  Stonehouse but the French and their allies soon seized 3 buildings, some on each side of the river.
The British had no real option but to push on.

The 27th Foot pushed forward and unleashed a crashing volley! The Mi'kmaq warriors ducked and then began shooting British officers. 

The order to "Hurry up with the Damned Gun!" was acknowledged but the ground was soft and it was hard going, even with a battalion gun. In the village, the Mi'kmaq were picking off redcoats while making good use of their cover. Behind them, the beating drums of Lally's Irish gave all a warning that they were coming. Soon it would be Redcoat vs Redcoat. The British Colonel sent off an officer to request support from the Massachusetts Bluecoats.

Eventually, the British battalions were forced to fallback into cover to avoid destruction, and a lengthy but ineffective firefight ensued. As the sun sank, a firm order came to "Drive those savages out of that town!" The Colonel suspected he was talking about the enemy Irish and ordered the 27th forward to the stonewall, and the Rangers to support them on their right.

The firefight between Irish and Irish was indecisive but the Rangers, judging that the remaining Mi'kmaq were wavering, decided not to stop and stormed the building then turned their accurate fire on the enemy Irish.  

 
The French general surveyed the field and eyed the sun. His force was split across the river and was down to 1/2 strength plus stragglers and the wounded who could no more attacks today. The British had nearly as many casualties but their battalions were still capable of defending and had artillery and the village, stocked with full cellars. 

It was time to withdraw, regroup and send for reinforcements,