Pub Battles Brandywine

 

  Next in my reviews of the Pub Battles games by Command Post is the Battle of Brandywine 1777.  This was one of the larger battles fought during the war.  Washington was attempting to stop Sir William Howe's advance on Philadelphia.  He deployed the Continental army along the Brandywine river in a very good defensive position.  But Howe out flanked that position and defeated Washington.  

  In setting up the game General Knyphausen's command sets up first south of the Brandywine river.  Next, the three American commands under Washington, Greene and Sullivan set up north of the Brandywine river.  In setting up a defense position the American command has to take into account the second British command under Howe and Cornwallis can enter the game on the south, East or West side of the game map!  Victory conditions are for the British to destroy the American forces and open a line to Philadelphia.  While the Americans would like to break the British they must protect their army and keep it intact.  Now onto our game!

The American Army in three divisions.

  Washington's army is divided into three commands.  One under himself, and two other under Sullivan and Greene.  They get one elite command (Maxwell's light unfantry) and a militia unit.  The militia takes double the first hit so they are brittle.  

The British Army in two wings.

  The British under Sir William Howe have two commands under Knyphausen and Cornwallis.  Most are regulars, but there are a good number of elite commands.  These have the advantage of ignoring the first hit.  A big advantage.  In addition the British have two artillery stands to the American one stand.

My set up and first turn.

  In setting up the commands for the game I referred to the historical set up.  Knyphausen deployed to threaten the various fords over the Brandywine river.  I put detachments by some fords to stretch out the American commands.  My artillery i.placed on a hill overlooking Chad's ford for future bombardment.  The Americans deployed Washington's command around Chad's ford and Sullivan's command further west.  Greene deployed along  the main road to be able to reinforce anywhere on the board the British might come in.  Howe and Cornwallis marched onto the table as they did historically to turn the American flank.    Now onto the game!

Cornwallis pushes through the center of Sullivan's lines.  Greene tries to firm a defense in the north.  Knyphausen starts his breakthrough.

The Americans pulling back to fight another day.

So, how did the game play out?  It ended as a big British victory.  The Howe/Cornwallis wing was able to sweep all before it. Sullivan and Greene were nit able to scramble back and form a defensive line quick enough.   The Knyphausen wing had a much more difficult time.  Attacking across a river ford gives the other side a plus two on their die rolls the first round and plus one the second.  To get across you gave to pound the enemy with your artillery to disorder them then charge across.  In other words use historical tactics.

  The entire battle, after set up took a little under an hour to play.  It was fast, and very entertaining.  The advantage of a game like this is to explore "what ifs." One that has long interested me is if Washington attacked Knyphausen with his main army before Cornwallis finished his flank march.  Or fight out Knyphausen's march towards the Brandywine and the American delaying action.  How about if Washington was warned about the flank march and redeployed his army better.  All are possible with a game such as this.  Its also possible to use the game to generate a table top battle with your miniatures.

So, another fun and enjoyable game.  Simple to pkay.  Easy to set up and not time consuming.  Endless possibilities for play and each game very different.  Highly recommended, and looking forward to playing Germantown next.