Club Game Night: Sails of Glory

 

  Taking a little break from the War of 1812 Friday was our club game night.  There were three games set up, An Ancients battle, a WW2 action and Mike Bailey put in a naval action with his Sails of Glory ships.

  The scenario was a what if Nelson caught Napoleon's fleet on route to Egypt.  There were four ships for fact sure set-up.  The British ships had to sail into the wind (very slow going) and we're mostly 74guns.  The French thus had better speed and two big 100+ ships.  in the action that followed my ship passed by a French ship and we exchanged passing shots.  I then spent the game trying to turn about and return to the sction.  Obviously I did not get points for my ship sailing.

  Unfortunately Nelson sailed his ship between the two French 100+ men if war with very predictable results.  The two French ships later sailed into each other in what we landlubbers would call a collision.  Unfortunately in the basic rules the results were ignored.  At the end of the evening two British ships were gone and one French ship sunk.

  I enjoyed the game and Mike did a fantastic job.  It's only n the second sailing ships game I have played in and it was great fun.

BRITISH FORCES, BATTLE OF LUNDY’S LANE, JULY 25, 1814

 

  In setting up the game I found the British/Canadian order of Battle to be a bit of a head ache.    You find full sized regiments, detachments from regiments and individual companies on the field.  You have detachments from various militia regiments formed together into a brigade which is really just a full sized regiment.  All most confusing.  

  This is my best guess of the order of battle and how I will organized it.  Remember that I use six stands of four figures as the average unit, eight stands of four figures as large, four stands of four figures as small, and two stands of four as tiny. Any stands of skirmish troops were split front and back into two half-stands, each pair counting as one stand for unit size.  Please feel free to change based on your research or preferences.

Lieutenant General Drummond, commanding

RIGHT DIVISION (Major General Riall)  AT LUNDY’S LANE :

2nd (Light) Brigade (Lieutenant Colonel Pearson)

 Infantry Glengarry Light Infantry (Lieutenant Colonel Battersby): (376) Average unit

 Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada (Lieutenant Colonel Robinson): (356) Average unit

Cavalry 19th Light Dragoons (Major Lisle): 95 

Royal Artillery; medium

1st Militia Brigade (Lieutenant Colonel Parry) *

(300) Average unit

Native Allies (Captain Norton) (50) Tiny unit

Note:  cavalry played little role in thus battle and can be omitted.  But as wargamers love there cavalry charges and cannot help themselves here they are.

 Lieutenant Colonel Morrison's Brigade:

1st (Royal Scots) Regiment (Captain Brereton): detachment (171) Small unit

8th (King’s) Regiment (Captain Campbell): (company 65) Tiny unit

41st Regiment (Captain Glew): (light company 60) Tiny unit

89th Regiment (Lieutenant Colonel Morrison): (425) Large uniy

Royal Artillery (Lieutenant Thomkyns/Tomkyns) Heavy guns

Royal Marine Artillery, Congreve Rocket Section (Sergeant Austin) 

1st Brigade (Colonel Hercules Scott) 

 1st (Royal Scots) Regiment (Lieutenant Colonel Gordon):(400) large unit 

 8th (King’s) Regiment (Major Evans): detachment, (275) 

103rd Regiment (Major Smelt) (635) large unit

104th Regiment (Captain Leonard): detachment (120) small unit

Artillery (Captain Mackonochie): medium guns

2nd Militia Brigade (Lieutenant Colonel Hamilton)**  (250) average unit

*1st / 2nd / 4th / 5th Lincoln Militias: detachments 2nd York Militia (Major Simons)

**1st / 2nd Norfolk Militias: detachments 1st Essex Militia: detachment 1st Middlesex Militia: detachment Western (Caldwell’s) Rangers: 

AMERICAN FORCES, BATTLE OF LUNDY’S LANE, JULY 25, 1814

 

  In setting up a game based on The Battle of Lundy's Lane the first step was to see if I had the painted soldiers and how to organize the various regiments.  It is a time honoured tradition to have a ratio of men to figures.  So if you are using a 10:1 ratio a 240 man Regiment equals 24 figures.  Being an iconoclastic individual I like the way Black Powder rules has different sizes for various regiments.  Large, average, small and tiny. So for most of my games I use a standard size unit and for this game I   chose six stands of four figures as the average unit, eight stands of four figures as large, four stands of four figures as small, and two stands of four figures as tiny. Any stand of skirmish troops were split front and back into two half-stands. Artillery is organized into heavy, medium and light guns.  Cavalry played very little role in this battle.  Commanders used them ad mounted messengers and such.  But wargamers just love to send cavalry in useless and futile charges.  So if you must have your mounted heroes field then ad a Tiny unit.

  If you are thinking of fighting out this battle on your own and would rather use a man to figure ratio never fear!  I have provided the rank and file numbers for each regiment so you can organize your armies as you see fit.  Please feel free to use what works best for you.  

  And for those who like such things I have added the regimental commanders name for each unit.  Doesn't effect the game but I like things of this nature. Obviously I have no life or too much time on my hands.

US LEFT DIVISION:  

Major General Brown, commanding

 First Brigade (Brigadier General Winfield Scott) 

Ninth Regiment (Major Leavenworth): (200) average unit

Eleventh Regiment (Major McNeil): (200) average unit

Twenty-Second Regiment (Colonel Brady): (300) average unit

Twenty-Fifth Regiment (Major Jesup): (380). Large unit

Attached light company (Ketchum) tiny

Captain Towson’s Battery  medium unit

Second Brigade (Brigadier General Ripley) 

First Regiment (Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas): (150) (detachment)  small unit

Twenty-First Regiment (Lieutenant Colonel Miller): (432)  large unit

Twenty-Third Regiment (Major McFarland): (300) average unit

Captain Biddle’s Battery  medium unit

Captain Ritchie’s Battery  medium unit

 Third Brigade (Brigadier General Porter) 

New York State Militia (Lieutenant Colonel Dobbin): (250)  average unit

Fifth Pennsylvania Militia (Major Wood): (246). Average unit

Canadian Volunteers (Lieutenant Colonel Willcocks): (50). Tiny unit (skirmish)

 Cavalry (Captain Harris) 

U.S. Light Dragoons (Captain Harris): 1 Troop 

New York State Militia Dragoons (Captain Broughton): volunteers 

Combined Total: 70 All Ranks. Tiny unit

 

Next project is the Battle of Lundy's Lane 25 July 1814

  Aly Morrison wrote in the comments on my last post, "Are you going to play Lundy's Lane next...?"  To quote Lt. Colonel Miller, " I'll try sir."

  This is a battle that has fascinated me for a very late by time.  It was the largest and bloodiest battle fought in Canada during the war.  I have walked what is left of the actual field. My library had numerous papers , articles and books about it.   But I have not as yet fought it on my table top. 

   Probably because it was a such a confusing affair.  Confusing from its order of battle, and because the major fighting occurred in the dark.   And how does one portray Winfield Scott standing his brigade under artillery fire for an hour wasting his ammunition during at artillery over four hundred yards away?  This is going to take some work on my part and advice from you.  What I am trying here for is not a simulation of the fight down to every little detail.  But a game based on the battle that will give you the flavor of the action. 

  Reading material and more:

If your interested in reading about the battle I highly recommend these two books,:

Donald E. Graves.  The Battle of Lundy's Lane: On the Niagara in 1814. (reprinted in paperback under a new title :  Where Right and Glory Lead! The Battle of Lundy's Lane, 1814)

And

Richard Feltoe.  A Crucible of Fire: The Battle of Lundy's Lane, July 25, 1814 (Upper Canada Preserved ― War of 1812)

  There are two very good book on the battle which I highly recommended.  Both are outstanding and go a long way to unravel the mysteries of the controversial battle. 

  Donald E. Graves is the dean of scholars on battles in Canada during the War of 1812.  His scholarship is first class and his books all must have.  Unfortunately his book is out of print and sometimes difficult to obtain.  

  Richard Feltoe's book is less well known then Graves' book but is equally well done.  In addition it has a large number of maps which makes following the battle much more easier.   I used thus book on my battlefield walk for Lundy's lane and it was if great help.  In addition there is a Kindle version of the book available for those who must have it right away.

Terrain and topography:

  The battlefield included a very large steep hill, woods, a small grave yard and fence lined roads.  There were a couple very small buildings but they played no part in the fight.  Here are two detailed maps of the battle for those who wish to get every little detail correct.

 On the other hand here is a very nice wargame table set up of the battle.  This comes from Forrest Harris of Knuckleduster miniatures and is the setup for his version of the battle.  I personally like it a lot and will be striving for something like this.  Almost all of my miniatures by the way are by knuckleduster miniatures.  They are excellent and Forrest is a true gentleman to work with.

Time and Darkness:

  The battle lasted for six hours.  It started about 6:00 PM and ended a little after midnight.   During that time Scott held his Brigade under artillery fire for an hour,  reinforcements arrived, and darkness obscured the action.  Regiments got lost and other regiments blundered into each others.  Sadly there were numerous examples of friendly fire.  Oh!  And Winfield Scott returned to the battle and marched what was left of his Brigade between both sides in the dark.  And yes, both sides fired on them.  Scott was badly wounded ( IMHO it was one of his own men who did it) and left the field while his brigade was destroyed.

  So, how to portray on the table gradual darkness?    How many inches away in the dark should you be able to see?  If short range for muskets is say 4" what is visibility? I was thinking for muskets in the dark no matter how close you are use long range to simulate the effect of darkness.  Regiments missed their way and got lost or blundered into each other. How to portray that!  And if course friendly fire because it did happen.  I am looking for advice here and how others have tackled these problems in their games.

Conclusion:

These are my thoughts and I am looking forward to hearing your advice.  I will be posting my order of battles soon to give you an idea of the armies involved.

"Those are regulars, by God!"

 

  Today is the anniversary of the Battle of  Chippewa on 5 July 1814.  This was the battle which sparked my interest in the War of 1812 when we visited the battlefield in 1985 (and again in 2018).   Although minor in terms of numbers the battle is important in the rebuilding of the American army during the War of 1812.  General Winfield Scott's trained brigade is able to stand toe to toe with British regulars.  The brigades gray jackets becomes the stuff of legend in the history of the American regular army.

  To me its one of the perfect battles to fight on the table top.   It has simple terrain, balanced and equal units and colorful uniforms.  British regulars in red coats, gray jacketed Americans regulars, volunteers in mixed dress and native Indians.  You would have a most difficult time finding a more perfect battle to fight in miniature.

  For this battle I used the maps out of Richard Feltoe's book, "Tides of War."  I concentrate the area in the center between the two fence lines for my table.  To fit the battlefield on a six foot by five foot table I divided the field in half to represent the plain and the woods.  Fences outlined the woods and defined the roads.  This way I could place trees in the wooded area but players could move the trees to not interfere with troop movement.   I did not include either river.  Instead both sides had to enter the table on the road in road column. The British/Canadian forces enter at top if map while Americans enter from bottom of map.  

  Light troops for both sides were already deployed in the woods.  Historically I should have had the players in the woods fight for three or more turns before the regulars entered the table.  But I did not  want players just hanging around doing nothing       ( no fun there).  So for the first couple turns players commanding the regulars entered the table and deployed while the light troops fought it out in the woods.  Rules used for the game were Steve Haller's "Whites of their Eyes."

American Order of Battle:

Brig.General W. Scott

9/21st Regiment (24 figures)

11th  regiment. (24 figures)

25th regiment  (24 figures) (elite)

Towson's battery (1 gun)

Brig.General Porter

Pennsylvania Volunteers (24 figures)

Red Jackets  Six Nation Warriors ( 2 x 10 figures each)

British/Canadian forces:

General P. Riall

1st Regiment of Foot. (24 figures)

8th Regiment of Foot. (24 figures)

100th Regiment of Foot. (24 figures)

Royal Artillery. (1 gun)

Lt.Col. Thomas Pearson

Light companies  (12 figures)

Lincoln Militia. (12 figures)

Norton's warriors. (8 figures)

Western Lakes warriors (10 figures)

The Battle:

 

 The regulars from both sides marched onto the cleared area (called "the plain" by both sides).  The Infantry in column and deployed into line while the artillery quickly set up and got the range.

  The light troops approached each other in the woods with the native warriors leading both columns.  Red Jacket's Six Nations warriors pushed back their counter parts while the Pennsylvania volunteers made short work of the Lincoln militia.

  Captain John Norton rallied his native warriors and returned to the fight.  More importantly the combined British light infantry companies (1st, 8th and 100th) under Lt.Col. Pearson entered the fight.  Attacking the Pennsylvania volunteers they routed them and killed General Porter.

  On the plain while this was going on General Scott deployed his Brigade with Captain Towson's Artillery on his right flank.  General Riall with slightly less room deployed the 1st and 100th in line with the 8th in reserve.  The Royal Artillery  under Captain Armstrong also deployed along the road.  But as his infantry advanced they blocked his field of fire.

  Once there was enough room the 8th Regiment moved into line with the other regiments.  Scott moved the 25th US Infantry up to face them with the 9th/11th US Infantry opposite the 1st Regiment and the 22nd US Infantry opposite the 100th Regiment.  During this time both sides artillery continued a long range fire in the advancing infantry causing very few casualties.

  For the next two moves the both sides exchanged musket and artillery fire.  All regiments stood firm in spite of casualties.

  Hoping to break the deadlock, Scott ordered the 25th US Infantry to charge the 8th Regiment.  In the melee that followed the 8th (having suffered heavy casualties already) fell back and then failed its morale test.

  With his line out flanked Riall quickly ordered his artillery to limber up and retire while his infantry grimly fell back.  Although Pearson in the woods had finally driven off the enemy warriors he was too late to help the regulars.  

 Conclusion:

 A fun little game which  mirrored the historical battle.   I think if the British/Canadian lights in the woods could have returned sooner they might have effected the main battle.  As it was I was surprised how easily the British light infantry drove off their enemies;  especially the militia.  For the British/Canadian commander it takes some time to bring his regulars into line which lets the American get a few extra hits on him.

 All in all the rules worked very well.  I usually use these for my Rev War games but with some slight modification worked well here.  With rules in think its important to have a set you play regularly so you know and understand  them.  Changing rule sets at the drop of a hat is not my thing and effects the game negatively.

  Thank you for staying with me on this.  If any of you try this game out I would like to hear about it.  I will be putting g thus game on again at the end of the month for my club. Lets see if history gets changed then.

  

  

Independence Day

 

  Spending a quiet day today.  Weather is rainy but starting to clear up finally after A week of this.  Later this evening going out to a minor league baseball game followed by a fireworks display.  Certainly cannot get more American then that!

  As 5 July is the anniversary of the Battle of Chippewa I got my War of 1812 figures out for a game.  This is the battle that got me interested in the period and most of my figures are painted for this battle and Lundy's Lane.  

Here is some some eye candy from the game and much more about it tomorrow.  Stay tuned please.

Battle of Chippewa July 5, 1814

   July 5  is the 209th anniversary of the Battle of Chippewa.  Although minor in terms of numbers the Battle is important in the rebuilding of the American army during the War of 1812.  General Winfield Scott 's highly trained brigade is able to stand toe to toe with British regulars.  The brigades gray jackets becomes the stuff of legend in the history of the American regular army.  

  Back in 1985 as part of our honeymoon Janine and I traveled around the Niagara Falls area.  Our visiting the battlefields of Chippewa, Lundy's Lane, Forts George and Niagara was the start of a life long fascination with not only the War of 1812 but especially with the Niagara campaign of 1814. It was also the start of my interest in wargaming this campaign.

  The battle today is remembered by a number of units of the US Army.   The old  25th Infantry was later combined with the 27th, 29th and 37th Infantry Regiments to form the present day 6th Infantry Regiment. The 6th Infantry's motto is "Regulars, by God" from General Riall's remark about the American regulars during the battle.  A number of present day units of the United States Army trace their lineage to this battle and Scott's brigade.  The 25th US Infantry was later combined with the 27th, 29th and 37th Infantry Regiments to form the 6th Infantry Regiment. The 6th Infantry's motto is "Regulars, by God" from General Riall's remark about the American regulars during the battle.  Ten active regular infantry battalions of the United States Army (1-2 Inf, 2-2 Inf, 1-3 Inf, 2-3 Inf, 4-3 Inf, 1-5 Inf, 2-5 Inf, 1-6 Inf, 2-6 Inf and 4-6 Inf) perpetuate the lineages of American infantry regiments (the old 9th, 11th, 19th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd Infantry Regiments) that fought at the Battle of Chippawa.

  The Corps of Cadets of the United States Military Academy at West Point wear gray parade uniforms, but the assertion that they were adopted in commemoration of Scott's troops at Chippawa appears to be a legend, possibly started by General Scott himself.  There were a number of reasons given in 1815 for its selection. Gray wool jackets simply wore well and were considerably cheaper than the regulation blue coat.  Also, the Secretary of War disliked Scott and sent gray jackets (usually associated with militia) for his Brigade as an insult.

  The actual battlefield is preserved as the Chippawa Battlefield Park, a unit of the Niagara Parks Commission.  For a tour of the battlefield check this post from my blog: "A Visit to the Chippewa Battlefield";   https://bravefusiliers.blogspot.com/2018/07/visit-to-chippawa-battlefield-chippawa.htm

Lastly, if you are interested in reading about the battle I highly recommend "Red Coats and Grey Jackets" by Donald E. Graves.  Outstanding!

 If you are thinking of building a War of 1812 army this is a perfect place to start.  You can, for a very reasonable amount of money build both sides.  Because of the colorful and varied collection of troops its a great way to start your new army.  It is how I started mine.