Battle Report 1/20/2013 - Muskets and Tomahawks

I decided to pack up my stuff and head down to the local game store (Game Kastle in Fremont, CA) for a day of gaming.  First on the agenda was a game of Muskets and Tomahawks.  I figured I would put out my Fort William Henry model.  Not knowing exactly how many people were going to show up I put together a 12'x4' table, with the main "game" being about 450pts and occurring around a town that resided near the fort.  For the main fort action I decided to have a "regular slug feast" out in front of it ... that is, several units of regulars lined up in the open against each other ... expecting a total bloodbath.  We were not disappointed on that front.

For the one side, with the regulars, each side fielded 3 x (12) regulars and 1 x (12) Grenadiers that started about 20" away from each other.  The dice favored the British slightly (even though the French got the first regulars card and did some serious damage), with the French failing two key reaction tests on turn three.

For the main event, we had a mixed force of French Compagnie Franches de la Marine and Indians split into two groups.

The French forces:

Group 1:
12 x Compagnie Franches de la Marine
1 x Indian Leader
6 x Indians
6 x Indians

Group 2:

12 x Compagnie Franches de la Marine
1 x Indian Leader
6 x Indians
6 x Indians
6 x Indians

The two groups deployed in opposite corners to each other.

The British forces:

1 x Regular Officer
2 x Civilian Ladies
12 x Regulars
12 x Grenadiers
8 x Rangers
8 x Rangers
8 x Light Infantry

The British deployed on the corner "in between" the two French corners.  The British objective was to escort two ladies to the fort by exiting the road on the far side of the table (across the 4' span).  They started 8" in from the corner edge with Highlanders deployed on the road (officer in the middle with his ladies), rangers flanking the regulars, and light infantry scouting ahead.  The French needed to cut the road and prevent the British officer and ladies from reaching the fort.

The British regulars got bogged down on the road with the lead unit attempting to deploy into the small field by the road.  The Rangers and Light Infantry had several rounds of vicious hand-to-hand fighting over the singe large building in the town.  The French Compagnie Franches de la Marine and Indians did a great job of keeping the British occupied.  Both sides suffered massive casualties in the several rounds of melee (lots of tomahawk throwing --- with a couple of rounds in which both sides start inside the house).  A spectacular affair indeed.

In the end the 2nd group of French forces managed to get an Indian unit positioned by the corner of the 2nd largest house.  They ran out and engaged the officer and ladies in the open.  They started by throwing tomahawks - but two brave Highlanders jumped in front of the throws and paid dearly.  Then the Indians moved into melee --- fighting a couple of rounds before taking down the Officer and one of the ladies ... all that was left was to kill the last lady.  Her scalp was taken with the roll of some dice and that was the game.


Pictures below of the setup and in game progress.

Getting underway.

British deployment.

French Group 1 who fought a vicious melee for the large
house against the British Rangers and Light Infantry.

Regulars slugging it out in the open (side event for fun).

Compagnie Franches de la Marine gain the house
and force the Light Infantry out.

Indians take the scalp of the last lady, ending the game.

 After this game we played a couple of rounds of a board game called "King of Tokyo" (and ton of fun) before I setup for a game of SAGA.