Monmouth Courthouse 1778 - Washington Saves the Day

[armchairgeneral]

Fought the Monmouth Courthouse - Washington Saves the Day scenario from Book 1 of the British Grenadier scenario books last weekend.

We actually used Rebels and Patriots for rules although, that said, we found initially the firing and morale a bit strong, presumably because they cover ACW as well. Anyway after some modifications we restarted the game and the rules were fine.

As the US player I expected an assault from the grenadiers and highlanders but my opponent chose to engage in a fire fire gradually flanking me on my right as my additional troops took a while to arrive.

He managed to mass his artillery on high ground so I fell back with the intention of forming a new defensive position but we were running out of time at this point and as I had lost more men than my opponent (contrary to the US victory conditions) the game was declared a British victory 

[armchairgeneral]

More pictures

[armchairgeneral]

Nice looking game 

[Count Belisarius]

Excellent looking game.

[Bellerophon]

Did you guys make any modifications to make the game mass-battle suited, since the core rules kind of assume a skirmish? I actually played R&P last night and players were a little nonplussed at the lack of flanking, formations, etc

[armchairgeneral]

We assumed all formed infantry were in close order which have flanking rules applying?

[juergen c. olk]

WOW...great spectacle.

[CapnJim]

Looks like it was quite the affair.  The terrain and figures look great.  Well done!

As an aside, I have an ancestor who fought at Monmouth, in Malcolm's Additional Continental Regiment.  As an AWI reenactor, we fought at the 225th anniversary battle reenactment.  It was historically correct weather - hot and humid...and as it turns out, mu reenactment unit fought over the same ground my ancestor actually fought on - that was way cool!

[Norm]

Lovely table and very interested that that you used R&P for a bigger battle - nice.

[Baron von Wreckedoften]

Fought the Monmouth Courthouse - Washington Saves the Day scenario from Book 1 of the British Grenadier scenario books last weekend.

Hi, followed this action with some interest.  My Osprey Campaign on the battle was published slightly after the original scenario and I had a (friendly) argument with the scenario writer - Eclaireur himself - about the order-of-battle and the positioning of many of the units, many of which are misleading.  I particularly disagreed with his choice of title - Washington most certainly did NOT save the day, in fact, he made several blunders that almost got Lee surrounded and cut off.  One of these was leaving far too late with his main force - he hadn't reached the Spotswood South Brook when Lee started his retreat, or rather when Scott and Maxwell insubordinately started it for him, and the line he set up atop Perrine Ridge was very much forced on him, rather than a chosen defensive position.

Incidentally, far and away THE best book on the battle is the recently-published Fateful Sunday by Garry Stone and Mark Lender - if you haven't yet, do get a copy of it.  Stone was the battlefield park curator when I toured it for my research, and he told me that they were actually trying to copy all of the buildings exactly AND make sure that the correct crops were growing in each of the fields!

[armchairgeneral]

Incidentally, far and away THE best book on the battle is the recently-published Fateful Sunday by Garry Stone and Mark Lender - if you haven't yet, do get a copy of it.  Stone was the battlefield park curator when I toured it for my research, and he told me that they were actually trying to copy all of the buildings exactly AND make sure that the correct crops were growing in each of the fields!

Recently finished reading Fatal Sunday which inspired me to do this scenario The book does point out that once Washington had met with Lee and taken stock of the situation be performed well in establishing his defensive line and inspiring the troops. Interesting that after the battle, which can best be summed up as a draw, it was spun as a victory to restore Washington's reputation to some extent at the expense of General Lee's.

[Bellerophon]

Hi, followed this action with some interest.  My Osprey Campaign on the battle was published slightly after the original scenario and I had a (friendly) argument with the scenario writer - Eclaireur himself - about the order-of-battle and the positioning of many of the units, many of which are misleading.  I particularly disagreed with his choice of title - Washington most certainly did NOT save the day, in fact, he made several blunders that almost got Lee surrounded and cut off.  One of these was leaving far too late with his main force - he hadn't reached the Spotswood South Brook when Lee started his retreat, or rather when Scott and Maxwell insubordinately started it for him, and the line he set up atop Perrine Ridge was very much forced on him, rather than a chosen defensive position.

Incidentally, far and away THE best book on the battle is the recently-published Fateful Sunday by Garry Stone and Mark Lender - if you haven't yet, do get a copy of it.  Stone was the battlefield park curator when I toured it for my research, and he told me that they were actually trying to copy all of the buildings exactly AND make sure that the correct crops were growing in each of the fields!

If Eclaireur wrote the Hubbardton scenario that includes Cannon, his work is all pretty suspect IMO.

[armchairgeneral]

Anyone know who Eclaireur is?

[FifteensAway]

Beautiful looking game but not very unsporting of the British player to not engage in reckless charging - how un-Hollywood of him. 

[Bloggard]

proper looking game