Today, we had a lot of players as Ian and his friends joined our usual band for an 18th century Colonial skirmish.
Ian had just finished painting his Naval Landing Party and wanted to give them a taste of battle, so Lawrence, Phil and I provided Terrain and figures for a battle in East Africa in about the Seven Years War period.
The Battlefield today, mostly Lawrences lovely leather battle mats!
The Well, our objective to protect it from an Arab attack.
Ian had some Jolly Jack Tars in a wood on our left.
His Marines, more Sailors and a couple of guns completed his forces.
Lawrence took the left Platoon, and I the right of a company of HM's 22nd foot.
Opposite the Regulars, 2 bands of Arab Musketeers...led by Paul and Roderick.
In their centre, some semi regular Askari types led by Phil.
On their right, a gun, with some Swordsmen as guard...run by Rod (yes, another one!)
Lawrence almost immediately took a couple of casualties...
The Arab gun pelted him with Cannister.
Lawrence advanced to get out of angle for the gun, I marched to flank in column.
Ian's men began laboriously dragging his guns onto a hillock.
My men set up in 3 ranks to await the Arabs, we had decided to let the Naval Brigade troops attack and we would simply contain the bulk of the Arab forces.
Safe from the gun, Lawrence advanced cautiously.
The Navy were still dragging their guns up the hillock.
I directed Lawrence's and my men to form loose order in 2 ranks, as the terrain looked too dense for regular combat formations.
Made it! - the Artillery was in position and the Powder and shot were brought up.
The Naval infantry advanced on a wood, aiming to capture the Arab's gun.
Phil had his men in position and began shooting at Lawrence.
They were surprisingly accurate!.
Back on the left, Ian's Tars were attacked by the Arab artillery guard, and they took the worst of the exchange.
The Arabs pushed them back out of the wood.
Ian's Sailors turned to outflank the victorious Arabs...would they be able to save their crewmates?
The Marines, meanwhile, had gone right to support Lawrence...and got a casualty.
Lawrences men had driven some Arabs out of the wood and now engaged them on the hill.
His fire was effective!
the Artillery guards had taken casualties pushing the Tars back, and retreated back into the woods (and presumed safety) but were ambushed by the Sailors.
The sudden volley shattered them and the survivors routed.
Ian's guns had a target...
Some of Phil's Musketeers fell to their cannister shot.
Lawrence had his column shake out into line, but the smoke got in the way and neither side injured each other for a while.
Roderick's men were out of command for a while and moved round my flank...which turned into a good move.
My men in loose order were in a wood now, engaged with Paul's Arab muskets on a nearby knoll.
Lawrence tried to attack the Arabs on the hillock, but suffered as their Lieutenant fell...my Captain was nearby and steadied them.
My men were glad of their cover as Roderick had got his men back into command and were attacking in support of the first unit, I was now outnumbered 2:1, and my men only managed a ragged volley, which didn't bother the Arabs a bit!
The Navy had, meanwhile assaulted and captured the Arab gun, The Arab commander exited, stage left!
Lawrence's men managed a good volley, but Phil's men held on bravely.
Ian's guns were still blasting the Arabs in the long grass who had lost their leader to the first shot, and now didn't want to move!
They were not doing so well!
Ian's victorious Naval contingent now joined the main battle...massacring the Arabs on the hill and taking the pressure off Lawrence's beleaguered men.
Roderick's men now bypassed my platoon, and renewed the Attack on Lawrence.
They were damaged, but held still.
My men, who had fallen back into the wood while they reloaded, now advanced, I got about half my men in position to fire a volley...
...My fire stopped Paul's men.
Lawrence's men fired a volley into Roderick's men and stopped them too!
This effectively ended the battle.
It was a close battle, had the Arab command and control been better, either Lawrence's or my Platoons could have been beaten!
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