Mounted Militia

  Ohhhhhh, shinny!!!!

   About this time last year, just before the Seven Years War convention Jim Purky of Fife and Drum Miniatures mentioned he was going to put on the Battle of Cowpens as his convention game.  He needed mounted militia for his American order of battle.  So he converted a number of figures into mounted militia. You can do this if you are talented and you own the miniature company.    They looked outstanding, and I said if he ever put them into production I would buy them.  Well, be careful what you wish for.

   Just weeks ago Jim released these new figure.  All casted and new and shinny.  And Jim's siren like voice called to me. "Look Mark, what wonderful new figures I have.  You really need these Don't you.  You just have to have these and your armies will not be complete until you have them.  And look, I made special packs at a special price."   Yup, and like a fashion model at a buffett I couldn't help myself.  In record time they were in my mail box and on my painting table .

  These are wonderful outstanding miniatures.  Each figure is very different and conveys the image of militia.  For American Rev War armies in the southern campaign 1780-81 these figures are a must have.  Many militia regiments were mounted in the South.  This gave them extra mobility and a will o the wisp quality.  In addition there were a number of regiments which acted as mounted battle cavalry. See the mounted militia at Cowpens who served with Washington's Dragoons.  These units created all kinds of problems for the Crown forces.   There extra mobility ment they could turn up where you  least expected them. If the Battle was not going well they could retreat to their mounts and escape to fight another day.  British General Charles O'Hara mentioned this as one of the reasons why fighting a conventional campaign there was doomed.  One side was playing chess the other checkers.

  In my American army I have my militia organized into brigades.  These include two battalions of infantry, one rifle and a mounted militia cavalry regiment.  I have three such brigades.  Each provides a good size command for a player and is based on a historical order of battle for the commands of Pickens, Sumter and Davies.  In addition to provide uncertainty in one off games players roll once for moral the first time a unit comes under fire.  It can then be rated regulars,  second class, militia or poor levy.  remember that militia in the South of her contained many continental soldiers, ex continental and very long term militia.  This rule  reflects the quality of militia much better historically during the campaign.