Steve Haller's AWI scenario played as SYW. Scenario & Battle

[DintheDin]

Before anything else, I would like to thank Mark.
In his fine blogspot I found this AWI scenario, written by Steve Haller
https://bravefusiliers.blogspot.com/2021/01/rev-war-battle-problem.html

Comments by Mark:

"This game comes from a back issue of The Courier. The battle problem creates a challenge for both commanders and sets up a situation familiar to players of this period. A larger British force must capture its objective in a limited number if moves. The American commander must hold the enemy off for a number of moves and withdraw his forces to safety. Both sides need to avoid high casualties".

This is a very interesting scenario, which works for every Horse and Musket period and can be easily incorporated in a campaign.

I was intrigued by this scenario to create a modification for Honours of War rules:

The Map

[DintheDin]

Orders of Battle for Honours of War

Blue Force (defenders)

C-in-C Dependable

1st Brigade Commander Dependable
3x Regular Infantry
1xLight Artillery

Militia Brigade Commander Dithering
2xMilitia (Inferior)

Independent:
1xLight Infantry (rifles)
(May lay an ambush in the Woods “C”)

Independent:
1xDragoons

Break Point: 3,5


Red Force (attackers)

C-in-C Dashing

1st Brigade Commander Dependable
3xInfantry
1xField Artillery

2nd Brigade Commander Dependable
3xInfantry

3d Brigade Commander Dashing
2xElite Infantry (Superior)

Independent:
1xLight Infantry

Independent:
1xDragoons

Break Point:5,5

All Allied infantry have superior fire. Militia are inferior in melee and fire.

Note:
Before the battle each side may split up to two infantry units in half-units (small).
They cannot join them during the battle.

[DintheDin]

Game Setup

Blue Forces (Defenders)

They may deploy anywhere up to the left bank of the smaller stream (the light infantry has the option of laying an ambush in the Woods “C”).
They must prevent the Red force from capturing the village for seven turns and escape over the bridge over the large stream.
The militia may also escape by the road at “D”.

Option for Blue to set more ambushes in woods, the Mill or the Farm

Red Forces (Attackers)

The Red Force must enter at point “B” and drive the Blue Force out of the village by the end of the 7th turn.

The Red Force commander may send up to ¼ of his total force by the road at “A”. After this force is chosen, he must roll a die secretly, to determine which turn they may enter. On a 5,6 they enter on Turn 2. On a 3,4 they enter on Turn 3. On a 1,2 they enter on Turn 4.

Terrain:

Big Stream: Can be crossed only by the Stone Bridge
Small Stream: Crossable with ½ move penalty. No move penalty at the Wooden Bridge and the fords or by the Light Troops.
Defending the stream: -1 shooting while in the stream, Advantage for the defenders if defending the river edge.
Forests: Soft cover. ½ move penalty. No move penalty by the Light Troops.
Village, Mill, Farm, Farm Fence: Soft cover.
The village can hold one or two half-units. The Mill and the Farm can hold up to half-unit.
Hills: Gentle, obstruct visibility

Game length: 12 turns

Initiative:
Red Forces: +1 Move and Fire initiative

Victory conditions:

Crushing Victory: Break the enemy. Each broken unit costs 1 BP, each half-unit or unit retreated to reform, ½ BP.
Decisive Victory:
Blue: Hold the village for 7 turns.
Red: Take the village before turn 7.
The Red Forces must put one unit or two half units in the village to take it. In other cases, the village is contested.
Marginal Victory: Count the BPs at the end of the game, the side which has 1,5 BP difference achieved a Marginal Victory.
Every Blue unit escaping by the road at “D” or having crossed the Stone Bridge, counts as ¼ BP subtracted from the Red total BP.
Of course two half-units will count as ¼ BP subtracted.
These ¼ BPs totaled in the end, are rounded down

All other outcomes: Draw

[DintheDin]

Steve Haller's AWI scenario played as SYW.
The Battle

Although I am very interested in the American War  of Independence, I don't happen to have AWI armies, so the following game was played as SYW.
But if you squint your eyes a bit, you may see Continentals, British and Hessians 

For weeks I was keeping this nice scenario as a candidate for battle.
The opportunity was given last August. Friend Greg, the well known "Austrian fox", chose to play with the Hanoverian-Hessian force and I would be defending with the French.

I tried to make a table setup similar to the map

DSC00101 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

The table from the other side

Greg's army is mostly in marching columns to cross the stream and he is planning to send a force from the road (middle up), which is near the farm.
My army is not entirely visible, as I decided to lay more ambushes: (the most obvious one being in the woods -down left- where Greg's jagers are about to probe)

DSC00102 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

Turn one. And here are my dismounted Dragoons in the woods before the stream, to confront the dreaded Hessian Jagers!

DSC00103 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

A Hessian Grenadier Brigade in marching columns (right) starts crossing the stream at the ford. The Jagers exchange shots with the French dismounted Dragoons.
The main body of the other Hessians and the British cavalry has stopped at the bridge, as a French battalion is barring their way.
Greg sent one battalion of Hessians in the woods to try to envelop my skirmishers.
The rest of my (visible) troops are gathered around the village (background)

DSC00104 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

A bottleneck at the bridge! One more ambush is sprung, I hid half a unit of militia in the Mill, near my Regular battalion guarding the bridge.

DSC00105 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

Round Two: The Hessian fire is superior, the Regular battalion receives three hits and I am compelled to order them fall back before it is too late
Greg unlimbered his artillery and the danger to lose my battalion by canister was imminent.
One Hessian battalion has already crossed the bridge and deployed in line. The Militia holding the Mill send a volley without result to the marching column of Hessian fusiliers.

DSC00106 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

...however, Greg managed to put two more hits with his cannon fire to my battalion falling back and I had to send it to the box 
The situation seen from above. The dismounted Dragoons were forced to leave the woods before being squashed by Greg's pincer.
The Militia still holding the Mill.

DSC00107 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

I have unlimbered a battery on the main road going to the village. The village is guarded by half battalion of Regulars.

DSC00108 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

Round Three: Two Hanoverian battalions entering from the road next to the farm, one more to follow.
They are received by another ambush of half Battalion of Regulars

DSC00109 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

Many Hessian units converging against my poor Militia barricaded in the Mill! Also Greg's battery is turned on them!

DSC00110 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

My meagre infantry line at the left of the village, waiting for the Hessians to come.
The skirmishing dismounted Dragoons are in the woods (right, in front of the Regular Baattalion)

DSC00111 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

My Militia could not stand the pressure, abandon the Mill and try to hide in the woods...

DSC00112 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

...too late! Charged by the Hessian Fusiliers, they are eliminated...

DSC00113 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

The Hanoverians assaulting the Farmhouses!
One Hanoverian Battalion falls back to reform, but my small detachment guarding the Farm is done for.

DSC00114 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

The farm is cleared. The Hanoverians are ready to march against the village. I turn my cavalry regiment to threaten their right flank.

DSC00115 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

Hessian Grenadiers forward!

DSC00116 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

...as they are passing by the woods, one more ambush is sprung! But my Militia enfilading fire is totally ineffective! And I was counting a lot on this move...

DSC00118 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

Militia and Regulars exchanging shots with the Hessian Grenadiers

DSC00119 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

Two more Hessian battalions aided by a British Cavalry Regiment have crossed the river, heading to the village

DSC00120 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

The audacious British cavalry, charging frontally my artillery battery!

DSC00122 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

They have already got three hits...

DSC00121 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

As a Hessian battalion was approaching the village, I turn my cavalry to face the new threat.
With a double move, Greg moves two battalions of Hanoverians to the rear of my Cavalry Regiment!
Now three battalions are pointing their muskets against them!

DSC00123 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

...it was an execution. My cavalry was decimated, before being able to charge.

DSC00124 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

A small success. Melee between the British Cavalry and my artillery. My brave artillerymen got three hits and stayed near their cannons.
The British Cavalry with four hits had to retreat to reform.

DSC00125 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

While the British Cavalry is reforming, the Hessian Fusiliers are marching against the village.
Greg unlimbered his gun

DSC00126 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

Hanoverians and Hessians in charge distance from the village!
Greg used his troops as an unstoppable steamroller!

DSC00127 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

As the flanking fire by the Militia made them no harm, the Hessian Grenadiers, undaunted, attack my Militia in the woods!

DSC00128 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

Also the odds against my dismounted Dragoons are overwhelming!

DSC00129 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

My artillery, trying to defend the village, destroyed by enemy fire

DSC00130 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

[DintheDin]

With this loss, I exceeded my army Breakdown.
The situation from above.
Greg played an excellent game.
A crushing victory for the Allied forces.

DSC00131 by Konstantinos Antoniadis, on Flickr

[DeafNala]

OUTSTANDING! An engaging narrative AND a visual treat. I do enjoy you battle reports.

[DintheDin]

OUTSTANDING! An engaging narrative AND a visual treat. I do enjoy you battle reports.

It is a great morale boost to know that you like my narrative! Thanks!