Return to the attack

 Today we returned to an old favourite, the American Revolution.

I as usual commanded the Rebels/Patriots, while Lawrence ran the Hessians and Phil the Lobsterbacks/British.

To everyone's surprise, I won the initiative roll big time so could deploy in both flank sectors of the table. However, the choice of table edge to deploy in went to the Red coats, which, as you will see benefitted them greatly...

This shows the table, with the British on the right.

The British right had a mass of good troops emerging from the wood to stand by their Hat men!

Their centre was a mixed group of British Light Infantry and Hessian Feldjägers

The rest of the Hessians were massed on their left.

My right had my 2nd Continental Dragoons alongside the Marylanders.

In the centre I had two regiments of State regulars backing up all my Light Infantry.

On the left were my Virginians and New Jersey's.

I decided to let the British, who were stronger than I expected, advance on me on my left.

My Light Infantry seized the wood, but they would have to hold them against the superior British Light -Bobs.

My right had a command failure! - Only my Light Dragoons advanced to hopefully outflank the Hessians.

Phil responded to my inaction by moving the 17th Light Dragoons with the Grenadiers plus others to extend his line.

As expected, the British Lights advanced toward the wood. 

To my surprise, Lawrence had left two of his Hessian Musketeer regiments acting independently which allowed them to manoeuver against my unsupported cavalry.

The overall situation at this point showed my quandary, I was closer to the wood, but I would be facing better enemy, and the hill was closer to the Hessians, so they could seize it before I got there!

My Heavy artillery, supporting the Virginians were soon in range, sadly not of the British in column, who were very vulnerable!

However, my Heavy gun disordered a regiment and a Howitzer shot one of the second line. 

My Light Dragoons fell back rather than face Musketeers head on!

My Marylanders advanced on the hill, this was going to be tough!

My Virginians, unsure of their right, stayed back watching the British Maneuver.

At the hill, the Feldjägers were peppering one of my Light Infantry units.

In the wood, my Light Infantry retreated in disorder as the British charged, this would not end well.

The Hessian Grenadiers and Fusiliers got over the hill crest but failed to do much damage, was this my chance?

As can be seen on the left, the second unit of Light-Bobs also made one of my units retreat, but they escaped behind the second line.

In the wood, the first British attack butchered my disordered men, no surprise.

They, of course Routed!

The British Light Infantry pursued into my surprised second line!

My men were again badly beaten but at least caused some casualties on the British!

Finally, on my right, I managed to get my Militia moving to try and bluff the Hessian Muskets.

In the centre, my brave Marylanders and Delawares held their fire and closed to short range...

Next to them, the wood had been pretty well cleared by the British.

The Virginians stayed put.

My fire on the Hessians should have been devastating, but wasn't!

The Hessian return volley was not as bad as I expected, but the Hessians were still very much in the ascendant.

I sent my last reserve Light Infantry into the wood to take out the British Lights.

The British routed!, but my men were badly beaten up and fell back from the wood.

The Hessians were now blasting my Marylanders, who were bravely standing.

The Marylanders had a good volley which seriously damaged the Hessian Grenadiers, but, being Grenadiers on a hill, they too stood.

The Grenadiers sent back a terrible volley which even the Marylanders couldn't take...

They retreated though, no routing for them!

Finally the main lines clashed, but the Scots (42nd) took heavy losses.

My guns suffered from Grenadier fire.

Here, the British had equal numbers of regiments and many were better than mine!

In the centre, my troops were hanging on, but had lost the wood.

On my right I was losing (The Militia were holding though- Kudos to them)

I decided that the Americans would probably retreat and conserve their army, they had damaged and destroyed the British Light Infantry and the Hessian Grenadiers, but I didn't have the troops or position to win.

A creditable performance by the Americans, but the British are still a very hard nut to crack!  Fun game though!