Battle at Dyckman's Mill part 1

 

  The game starts with the British entering the table in the southeast corner.  American rifle armed troops are in the fields to their flank.   The main American army is in position on the other side of the stream.  The all important wagon train is slowly moving up the road to make their escape.  It moves at a speed of four inches per turn;  so its slow!  The Americans must buy time for the wagons to escape, and then withdraw off the table.  The British must capture the bridge and the town and the wagons if possible .

Turns 1 & 2:

   The British enter the table from around the road.  The light infantry are pushed toward the stream while the Jagers move to their  right towards the American Rifle men. The Grenadiers boldly push forward to cross the bridge. 

The American rifles fire and fall back.  At long range neither side is scoring any hits.

  The Hessian Brigade moves up to support the Jagers and to look for a crossing upstream. Grenadier Regiment Rall in front followed by Fusilier regiment Knyphausen.  In addition the Royal Artillery moves up to support the British advance.  The 7th and 63rd Regiments of foot are just entering the table.

The Americans take positions behind fences and walls. Still at very long range a few militia men fire at the close pack column of British.  The Continental line holds their fire waiting for the enemy to close into close range.

Meanwhile the wagons slowly move up the road.

Turn 3 & 4:

  The Grenadiers charge across the bridge and quickly form into line.  Although the Militia battalion gets a shot at them they pass morale and next turn close into close combat.  The light infantry moves to cover the Grenadier flank and exchanges musket fire with the 9th Continentals.  

  The next turn the Grenadiers charge the militia.  Its an uneven fight and the militia are defeated  and lose their colors.  They rout back and the Grenadier battalion takes the stone wall.  The lights continue to screen their flank and the 7th and 63rd move up to cross the stream. 

 The 9th Continental falls back and the 11th Continental and New York (Hamilton's) Artillery move up in support.

 The American rifles continue to exchange fire with the jagers as they fall back from cover to cover.  They two units leapfrog each other to give a continuous fire.  Remember that rifles have superior range but take longer to reload (they fire every other turn.

  The American rifles are running out of terrain to fall back on.  All the rifle armed units are suffering heavy casualties by this time.  One American unit crossed the stream and took up position to cover their brothers.  The Hessian battalions move forward.  The jagers fall back after suffering over 50% casualties.  

And still the wagons make their way up the road trying to escape!

Turns 5 & 6:

   With the jager company shot up and in retreat, the Grenadier Regiment Rall took up the pursuit of the retreating rifle units.  As the Pennsylvania rifle unit arrived at the ford the regiment Rall fired a tremendous volley which decimated the retreating rifles.

 Both the British, now across the stream and the Americans firmed up to prepare for the next attacks.

End of part 1

 

Dyckman's Mill: An American Revolution battle problem.

 

  Setting up a small American Revolution battle problem.  Each side has very different victory conditions from each other.  I have set the battle in 1776 around the New York city area to give me the opportunity to play with my early war Continental line regiments for a change.  

The battlefield of Dyckman's Mill.  The top of the photo is north, the bottom south, left side is west and right side is east.  

   The Americans have a number of supply wagons (3) which need to get off the table.  They have a small force of two Continental line regiments, a local militia battalion and two large companies of Rifle armed light troops.  They must hold the British off long enough for the supply wagons to escape, and then get his forces off the table on the road to the Northern edge if the table.  The militia may exit on the road to the west if they wish.  

  The Americans Continental line and Militia may set up anywhere west of the river.  The rifle units may set up east of the river in ambush positions if they wish.  There is a ford way the river in the woods that only the Americans know about.  It is after all their country! 

American Command:

9th(Rhode Island) Continental Regiment (30 figures)

11th (Rhode Island) Continental Regiment. (30 figures)

New York Militia battalion (30 figures)

Pennsylvania Rifle battalion (12 figures)

Virginia Rifle battalion (12 figures)

Hamilton's NY Artillery (1 gun and crew)

  The British must capture the small village in the northwest corner of the table as well as the bridge over the river.   They enter on the road on the southeast side of the table.   Local guides have been less then helpful about the local topography and are unaware if the river can be crossed.  

British Command:

1st Grenadier battalion (30)

Light Infantry wing (16)

Jager  company (12)

7th Regiment (30)

63rd Regiment (30)

Grenadier Regiment Rall. (30)

Fusilier Regiment Knyphausen (30)

Royal Artillery (2 guns and crew)

A little more painting

 

  I should be working on my Luzaun Hussars but in took a little break from them.  Going through my box of unpainted figures I discovered a Edward Suren Willie figure of a young lady in riding habit.  Since I am not driving yet and could not get out to get a present for Janine in mother's day u painted the figure up for her.  She got a big kick out if it and it now has a place on her curio cabinet.

Wake up! FIghting Stoney Creek

 

Set up:   The American encampment was behind a long ridge line.   In addition a shallow creek was in front of the ridge. A rail fence was along the ridge that gave cover to troops behind it.   One regiment was placed in front of the ridge as an advanced guard.  Unfortunately they were asleep.  The rest if the American army was asleep in their encampment areas (marked by rough ground) behind the ridge or in the case of the artillery off to the side of their guns.  Woods covered both flanks.  Once alarmed the Americans will roll to wake the regiments and respond to the attack.  There are six American regiments and two guns.

  The attacking British and Natives enter the board and advance towards the American lines.  There are two line regiments, a combined flank battalion and a small warband of native warriors.

Turns 1 & 2:  The Americans roll a "5" so they continue to sleep soundly.  The British advance forward.  On turn 2 they roll a "4" so they continue their rest.

Turns 3 & 4:  the Alarm is sounded!  Americans roll to activate.  Indivual stands more forward towards the danger.  One of the American guns is manned, the other not.  Stands in range fire!  No hits (really poor die rolling here!).  Infantry rolls one dice per stand (or one dice per 2 indians)  with a six a hit.  Artillery roll one dice and half the number rolled rounded down are hits.

The British 8th regiment charges the advanced American Regiment.  The Native warband also attacks.  Since all American stands are not activeated they first test morale with a negative 2 per die roll. The American regiment is soundly defeated and retreats.  (note:  In close combat you roll one dice.  A 1,2 the British withdraw, 5,6 American withdraw otherwise continue.  I then fight another round until one side is beaten).

The combined flank battalion races up the road to engage the American guns.  They take three hits on two stands which withdraw due to poor morale ( if a stand takes a hit through fire it tests morale).

Turns 5 & 6:

More American stands activate and head towards the battle.    They attempt to form a line to drive off the attackers.  There is lots of fire back and firth but very few hits.  (Stands when they are withdrawing check morale.  If they pass they return to the fight.  If not they continue withdrawing but subtract from roll.  This is bad and causes them to rout off board).

Flank battalion captures the two guns!

Turn 7:

The 8th regiment is locked in close combat with an equal number of Americans.  It's a back and forth action with stands withdrawing  and finally the American line breaks. In the center the Flank battalion also drives back the stands in front if it.  

And in the woods the Native warriors chase the enemy from the woods.

Turn 8:   American numbers are starting to tell.  Fresh stands are forming into lines.  The 8th regiment is driven back.  More re American stands move up to engage the 49th and Frank battalion.    At this point the British side decided to start a withdrawal taking the captured cannon with them.  They have blooded the invader and captured their artillery and with few casualties.  The American army has seen the attackers off but now must decide if they should continue the advance through the country.

Conclusion:

I have played this now about four times.  It is always a fast game.  If the Americans can get an early warning it speeds up their activation and gives them more time to bring up stands.  Eventually, as in the historical battle numbers tell and the British withdraw.  But until then its a series of individual actions and you see how much damage they can do. There are a lot of Americans and only half as many British.  But the game dies give a goid feeling for the actual battle and the results are also similar.

   All in all it's a fast fun game and can be changed to almost any time period depending on what figures you have.  Give it a go, you may enjoy it!