Today, at the request of our newest group members, we did French and Indian war skirmish (using my free rules!)
We tried a simple scenario, with a party of Militia and a few Indians, supported by some Rangers, defending a settlement against a raiding force of Hurons and Milice. Poor Phil had not been able to find his lovely Ranger figures, so had to make do with mine!
IPhil had my Indians and Militia, Lawrence his own Militia, and I had Hawkeye, Chingachgook and Uncas! Oddly, I diced to be in command of this motley crew!!!
The French and Indians deployed in the woods...
More were to their left attempting to seize a small bridge across the stream.
Phil had half his Rangers in a wood, covering the other half...
...who had been tasked with rescuing two women-folk from the house on the hill, which was close to the French advance.
Lawrence had his Militia in the centre of the British position, on parade, apparently!!!
My three 'Heroes' were covering the main road into town.
IPhil was moving his mixed force left.
Moving toward IPhil, a group of Milice were closing on his position.
The Hurons were mostly starting to move down the stream...
...though there was one group which assaulted the bridge.
Phil's Rangers beckoned to the lost ladies to follow them to safety.
On the French right, the Milice took a low hill.
More Huron were joining the move down stream.
The Indians crossed the bridge and could now see Phil's Rangers at long range.
The Rangers and Ladies were making their way back to the main part of the settlement.
IPhil's Indians crossed the stream to protect the left.
These moved into a wood, where they would not be seen.
IPhil moved his Militia along the other side of the stream.
Those Hurons at the bridge fired a few muskets...
...amazingly, one of the Rangers took a light wound!
His officer moved quickly to get his party safely behind the hill.
Here, they were covered by the rest of the Rangers.
Lawrence had finished his parade, and deployed behind a fence.
The Milice were spreading ou to attack, so the Militia's movement was just in time!
A party of Milice moved forward...
To their left, the Hurons were crossing the Stream.
The Hurons from the bridge also advanced.
Lawrence advanced his Militia into the road to be able to see the French.
Their volley surprised the Milice, who took a LOT of casualties!!!
Some of IPhil's Indians also fired...
...and killed another Milicier!
The survivors fled, no surprise!
One of IPhil's Indians had been wounded in the battle, but not badly.
Lawrence returned his Militiamen behind the fence again.
The French were still forcing their way towards the settlement to the left of the ambushed Milice.
IPhil's Militia were covering their redeployment.
They halted a party of Hurons moving down the stream towards them.
Phil moved his Rangers round the hill, attempting to outflank the attacking French.
The ladies, and wounded Ranger, moved across the stream to the other party of Rangers.
Hawkeye fired his rifle at extreme range...
...and wounded one of the Hurons.
The angered Hurons advanced and fired back!
One of the balls lightly wounded Hawkeye!
They were too many for even the three Heroes to face!
Meanwhile, IPhil's indians ambushed some Milice, but only wounded one!
After being stopped by fire briefly, the Milice returned to the attack...
IPhil had withdrawn across the stream, but one was wounded.
Lawrence's Militia spotted some French, and fired.
The Milice were again hit hard!
These Milice fled ignominiously!
The Hurons in the open were being cut down...
...by the Indians and Militia of IPhil.
Others were moving down the stream hoping to overwhelm the British defenders.
They were met by fire from Lawrence's Militia.
The second group of Phil's Rangers now moved forwards to a wood.
Both groups now ambushed the Hurons advancing on Hawkeye's position.
The Hurons attacked and engaged the Rangers in a desperate hand to hand battle!
The second group of ambushed Hurons fired back and killed one of the Rangers on the hill!
Phil's Rangers were beaten back by the Hurons, having lost their melee!
The Rangers on the hill moved round the hill, to avoid being charged in turn.
Phil charged back into the wood, but was again soundly beaten, losing two men!
Lawrence's Militiamen fired at another Huron group coming down the stream.
...these too were scattered by the Militia's accurate fire!
IPhil was still being chased by Milice.
His War Chief was wounded too!
Lawrence advanced his Militia, and fired a massed volley.
The Milice took some losses...
...but stayed!
A further attack into the wood by the Rangers again failed, with the loss of another Ranger, but the exhausted Huron heroes decided they had done enough, and retreated!!!
Back on IPhil's side, Hawkeye had arranged a welcome committee for the Milice!
The French bravely attempted to advance, but failed.
In the end, they retreated home.
Phil's Rangers on the hill were attacked by that group of Hurons...
But the Rangers blasted them!
Amazingly, the survivors fired back, but only wounded one Ranger...
...before returning home too!
The French had put up an amazing fight, but the settlement was saved.
Good game!