AWI Action - Brother Against Brother

Had a great "president's day" wargame this past Monday.  Matt, Tibor, Roy and I all got together and played an American War of Independence (AWI) game using the Brother Against Brother rules.  It was interesting to see how these rules compared against the Muskets & Tomahawks rules.  I had purchased the Brother Against Brother rules many long years ago and just had never played them - by the time I had my French and Indian War stuff all done I was already playing Muskets & Tomahawks.

Since I don't own any AWI miniatures, Matt was kind enough to bring his collection along - so I provided the terrain and Matt provided the armies for our engagement.  Matt is well known around the area for running spectacular looking AWI and ACW games at the various conventions using the Brother Against Brother rules - I had always managed to just miss his games --- so for me this was a game a long time in the coming (oh, the waiting!).

Tibor and I ran the British forces, that consisted of a healthy contingent of Hessian's (and even a native American unit).  Matt and Roy ran the "colonials" --- or rather the American forces.  Here is the breakdown of the forces:

British Order Of Battle

1st Group (1 x Mounted Officer)

• 12 x Light Infantry, "Elite", "Skilled Shots"
• 12 x Grenadiers, "Elite"
• 3 x Light Artillery (1 gun being a howitzer)

2nd Group (1 x Mounted Officer)

• 11 x Native Americans

3rd Group (1 x Mounted Officer)

• 12 x Regulars
• 12 x Regulars

4th Group (1 x Mounted Officer)

• 12 x Hessian Regulars
• 12 x Hessian Regulars

I ran groups one and two while Tibor ran groups three and four.

American Order Of Battle

1st Group (1 x Mounted Officer)

• 12 x Regulars
• 12 x Regulars
• 12 x Provincials/Militia
• 12 x Provincials/Militia

2nd Group (1 x Mounted Officer)

• 12 x Regulars
• 12 x Regulars
• 12 x Provincials/Militia
• 12 x Rangers, "Rangers", "Skilled Shots"
• 3 x Heavy Artillery (1 gun being a howitzer)

Matt ran group one while Roy ran group two.

The objectives for both armies was to take a hold the "Terrytown Road" (the central round running down the majority of the table).  It was a bloody engagement that went back and forth at least three times ... but at the end of the day the British eventually secured the road and drove off the Americans.  Lots of pictures below ...

Looking down the deployment of the British forces.

Matt's Americans advance.

The British artillery battery.  It would engage the
American artillery in counter battery fire most of the
game - knocking out one of their guns and a few crew.

The "other" end of the American deployment.  The rangers
are the closest unit - they would destroy the native
American unit before being driven off.

Picture time - the overall table after initial deployment.

British deployment overall.

Que beer drinking and movement of lead ... dice to be
rolled in anger momentarily ...

The Grenadiers would loose half their number before gaining
the stone wall, but came back with a vengeance at the end
winning a melee against some provincials, then turning
to destroy a second unit before retiring for the day.

Overall American deployment.

A closer look at the advance through the fields.

The American artillery would kill several British regulars
and Hessian regulars throughout the engagement.

The American's fire the first shots ...

A daunting line to behold!

The British and Hessian's make to hold the road
and gain the stone wall for cover - unfortunately
the American artillery can see directly down the road.

The howitzer would support the British/Hessian
advance while the two guns to the right focused
on counter battery fire.

The British light infantry would decimate
this particular unit - but the remaining troops
eventually moved into the corn fields to
fire into the flanks of the British.

Smoke everywhere - the engagement is well at hand!

The British Grenadiers gain the road in a bloody melee!

What is that off in that corn field?

The game progressed at a nice pace ... overall I had
a very fun time with the rules.

The British desperately attempt to hold off the
American advance on the left of the picture.

A little later on - the British Grenadier finally had enough,
but not before taking two American units out of action,
with the British light infantry taking out another, the
situation looked much better.

The British volley fire takes it's toll on the American units.
A bloody melee would occur at the stone wall, but to no
avail for the Americans.

The British artillery did well this day ... running low
on ammunition it is time for tea!

The American left flank has collapsed - the British light
infantry stand to hold the road among
he piles of dead bodies.

British victory on both flanks!

Matt provided his *awesome* home made corn
field (much better than mine).  All the "leaves" are
rubber bands that have been cut up, painted, and
glued to the wire core stalks.  A spectacular effect
and they are very durable.

Well - that's it for now folks.  I hope you enjoyed the report.  Now back to my west front town project for Bolt Action --- and now that my table is back out and setup, I can finally film the Muskets & Tomahawks episode for GameTime.