Fall-In 2018: An AAR of Race Across Carolina - The Final Fury

Lard America gamers were out in force at this year's HMGS Fall In Wargaming Convention, held in Lancaster PA., 9-11 November.  Located in the Vista Windows room at the venerable(?) Lancaster Host, 15 TOOFATLardies games were on the schedule.  Among the offerings of TFL goodness was Chain of Command, I Ain't Been Shot Mum, Sharp Practice and What A Tanker!. 

Race Across Carolina - The Final Fury

The fourth and final scenario for my AWI mini-campaign, "Race Across Carolina," was played on Saturday morning starting at 0900.

Table Sign for RAC

In the third installment, played at Historicon this past summer, the British had pushed the Americans out of the small town of Freemantle, N.C. and, to add insult to injury, a group of Hessian Jaegers commandeered an abandoned beer wagon and ensured it was safely spirited away to the main British camp.

However, in this scenario the British still had to deal with elements of the Maryland Continental Line, the remnants of the 3rd Continental Light Dragoons, and other supporting elements of the colonial forces.

Morning Breaks over a peaceful North Carolina farm

Out for a morning stroll, but danger approaches.....

The British force, consisting of elements of the 42nd Regiment of Foot, the 23rd Regiment of Foot, the British Legion dragoons and the now sober Hessian Jaegers, broke camp early that morning - the peace was about to be shattered.  The horseman of the British Legion immediately began a search for extra mounts as they needed additional horseflesh after the last encounter with the Continental Light Dragoons.

Where could those extra horses be?

Pictured below are some of the early positions of the two forces.  The 23rd Regiment of Foot, led by COL Timothy Urquart, is in line heading up the road, about to clash with the Maryland Continental Line, ably commanded by COL William Bond.  LTC Hugh McFerrin leads the 42nd foot in column around the mansion house (which they will eventually occupy).  The Virginia State Line is just crossing the bridge over Little Hog Wallow Creek.   The dashing LTC Barry St. Leger and the British Legion is crossing a cow pasture and not in the photo.

The Black Watch Approaches

Wait, we found the Legion!

Deployment from the American Perspective

MD Continental Line crosses Little Hog Wallow Creek

For the first time in this mini-campaign the American riflemen and Hessian Jaegers did not factor significantly into  the outcome of the game.  They deployed into the forests, but never really engaged.  The heavy fighting fell to the infantry and dragoons of both sides.

Not much happening here...

The Marylanders and the 23rd Foot engaged in a firefight with the British taking casualties as the shock began to climb.  Both sides held their ground.  Meanwhile the Virginia State Line crossed the bridge and moved to the right rear of the Continentals - they would soon play an important role.  While the British and Americans continued to slug it out, the British Legion scurried around the action and galloped into the stable, where fresh mounts were waiting.

A horse, a horse!  My kingdom for a horse!  Whoops, wrong war.

 The Legion deployed in line and prepared to charge the Continentals.  In his haste, LTC St. Leger failed to see the Virginia State Line which had come up to support the Continentals.  Nevertheless, the Legion charged the Marylanders in the flank and sent them running toward Little Hog Wallow Creek, the bridge, and possibly, safety.

Later that same day, as evening shadows fall, a charge seems appropriate

Before St. Leger could utter "Bollocks!",  Capt. Edward Rhodes hurled the Virginia State Line into the milling Legion horsemen.  Mayhem ensued, but the vaunted British Legion turned tail and ran.  On the other side of the battlefield, the 3rd Continental Light Dragoons, employing local farmer Zebulon Freemantle as their guide, followed an old Indian trail through the woods and charged pell mell into the 23rd Foot, who having driven the Continentals from the field, were nursing their wounds and beginning to fall back.  This charge finally broke the morale of the British Force and the Colonials stood triumphant in the Race Across Carolina!

A solitary Colonial Officer crosses the bridge.

Race Across Carolina was brought to you by Lard America

Historicon 2018 - AWI Race Across Carolina Recap

This is a brief AAR of my AWI game, Race Across Carolina - The Fight for Freemantle, that my son and I ran at the recent Historicon convention in Lancaster PA.  I want to mention that my game was just one of 20 miniature wargames put on by Lard America, a group of gamers with a particular affinity for games developed by the TooFatLardies (TFL).  We have run games at Fall-In (2017), Cold Wars (2018), Historicon and plan to be back at Fall-In this November.  Race Across Carolina utilizes the excellent TFL rule set Sharp Practice.

Table Sign

Anyway, on to the game.  This was the 3rd in a fictional mini-campaign I am running that takes place in the south during the American War of Independence (AWI).  In this game, the Americans are holding the the small town of Freemantle in North Carolina while advance elements of the British army are approaching in search of a rumored supply dump and an abandoned beer wagon.
The players were provided with a colonial 'newspaper', the Carolina Gazette that summed up the situation:

Now, on with the game.

Basic Table Layout - set-up in progress

The above photo shows the town of Freemantle.  The Americans deployed at two locations - the camp (middle left) and the bottom of the road (not shown), while the British deployed on the road (top) and had to either cross at the bridge, a ford in the river, or take their chances crossing the river.

Here are the rosters for the combatants:

The American riflemen and the VA State Line deployed at the camp while the Dragoons & the MD Continentals came on board at the bottom of the road.

The British were led by the Jaegers and the 23rd Foot, who forded the river, followed by elements of the Black Watch (42nd) and the fearsome British Legion.

The 42nd Foot getting ready to cross the bridge

The colonial riflemen and Hessian Jaegers quickly engaged in the woods behind the brick townhouse with the riflemen getting the worst of it, being forced to withdraw.  The Jaegers commander, Capt Friedrich von Jungkenn was wounded in the exchange.  BUT, the Jaegers controlled the woods and the abandoned beer wagon as seen below.

The beer wagon is captured as a fox sits idly by.
The 23rd and Va. State Line are coming up quickly

23rd Foot turns to meet the Virginians

The 23rd Foot quickly rallied to support the Jaegers and counter the advance of the Virginia State Line troops; meanwhile the Maryland Continentals were progressing up the road toward town.  They were unfortunately slowed by a Sharp Practice random event - "Damned Dog!"  The leader, COL. Bond trod in something unpleasant!

Maryland Continental Line

As time for the game was quickly expiring, MAJ Robert Stack and the 3rd Continental Light Dragoons charged into the British Legion, ably commanded by LTC Barry (Bloody Barry) St. Reynolds, and were quickly routed by the green-jacketed horsemen.  The MD Continentals did not make it to the action and on the British side, the 42nd Foot, after being held up by the water cart at the bridge crossing, were just entering as support for the 23rd when the game ended.  At the end, the Americans maintained a tenuous hold on the town, but the tavern (seen in the photo above), had no beer to serve the thirsty soldiers.

So I awarded a tactical victory to the Americans, but a moral victory to the British.

Below are couple random shots of the rest of the game board.

Overhead shot of the 23rd Foot

The Orchard

Barn, chickens and geese

We'll return at Fall-In this November.

Some Odds and Ends for Sharp Practice AWI Gaming

I figured it was about time for another infrequent post to my blog.  Recently I have been working on what could be called odds and ends.  One of the things I really like about the Sharp Practice wargaming rules is the opportunity to tell stories within the overall scenario.  I like to include civilians (farmers, towns people, etc), animals (farm animals and wild creatures) and miniatures that used together create vignettes.  These could be objectives for the game or could just be there to enhance the scenery.

An Abandoned Beer Wagon

Although the title of the blog indicates that it includes the American Civil War and World War II, I am focusing entirely on the American War of Independence for the time being.  Here is a collection of photos of some of the figures/scenes I have completed:

Cemetary

Soldiers Camp Scene

Blacksmith Scene

Assorted Animals - foxes/geese/hound dog

And of course I'm still paining soldiers:  

Maryland Continental Line (flag by Flag Dude)

In preparation for a game at Historicon, some additional Continentals and the 23rd Regiment of Foot are in the painting stage.  Also my son and I have been working on the Charlie Foxtrot Tidewater Home and hope to have this as the centerpiece of our Historicon game.  Photos to come...

Cold Wars 2018, Part 1

I had a great time at Cold Wars this year.  Thanks to the convention staff for running an excellent convention, including major improvements to registration!

My son and I ran two Sharp Practice AWI games - a sort of mini-campaign entitled Race Across Carolina.  I was pleased with how the games turned out and the folks playing seemed to enjoy the scenarios.  Of course it's always a learning experience for me and I picked up some good points for improving future games (starting with Historicon this summer).

Here is a first shot at posting some photos from the games; I hope to publish a more detailed AAR in the near future.

Handout - Newspaper layout for game description

Handout - Map of fictional site of scenario

Jaegers move through the woods

View from the British side of the table - Day 1

Maryland Line Fires

Continental's camp on Day 2

Town of "Freemantle" on Day 2

Maryland State Line moves through town

Remnants of Continental Light Dragoons

British and Americans engage on Day 1

American riflemen fire

Here come the British!

Getting Ready for Cold Wars

My son and I are running an American War of Independence mini-campaign at Cold Wars this year (15-18 March at the Lancaster Host).  It's titled Race Across Carolina and is a fictional campaign set in 1781 as the British and American forces fight across the colonies of North and South Carolina.  As usual I'll be painting up to the last minute, but I think everything will get done.

Here's a look at the table sign for the game:

The first day's game will be a meeting engagement between advance elements of Cornwallis' army and Greene's Southern Continental Army.  Depending on how things go, the second part of the campaign, fought in and around the fictional town of Freemantle, North Carolina, will include dragoons, a graveyard, Continental supply point (including a beer wagon) and other surprises.

This will be a Sharp Practice game and will be part of the Lard Days at Cold Wars.  As at Fall-In, fans of TFL games will have a lot to choose from with our gamesters running games covering a wide variety of periods.

Newest Addition to AWI Stuff

I recently finished building, painting and basing the Charlie Foxtrot New World Kitchen.  I am pleased with how it turned out and want to give a shout out to Charlie Foxtrot models.  They are easy to build and perfect for the AWI period.  One addition I'm trying is adding furniture and some other bits to the interior.  The photo below shows a table (4 Ground) and a small stack of wood for the fireplace.  I also want to add a pot for the fireplace and I'm going to add some food bits too.

Kitchen from the front

Chimney side of Kitchen

Interior of Kitchen

I decided to base my buildings that don't come with a built-in base.  I think this adds some atmosphere to the model and hopefully will make for a better looking table.  The buildings are not attached to the base, so they lift off and can be protected during transport.

The kitchen will make its debut at the upcoming HMGS Cold Wars convention (Lancaster, PA) this March in a Sharp Practice mini-campaign entitled 'Race Across Carolina'.

Finishing Up Odds and Ends for 2017

The year 2017 was the my first full year enjoying retirement after 36 years working for the Department of the Army at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.  Even though I am a very slow painter, I am pleased with what I accomplished over the course of the year (including starting this blog).  Posted below are photos of some of the miniatures and terrain items I completed this year.

Partial 3rd Continental Light Dragoons (flag by Flag Dude)

Shock Counters for Sharp Practice - AWI Americans

More Shock Counters - Americans & British

Even more Shock Counters - British + a generic dead horse

23rd Regt of Foot - Royal Welch Fusiliers (one group for SP; flags by Flag Dude)

Ammunition Cart

Supply Wagon

British Deployment Point

All of the above were completed for use with Sharp Practice, the TFL skirmish game.  I think these are excellent rules for use with AWI and I'm enjoying creating scenarios that take advantage of these great rules.  I am currently working on a mini-campaign, entitled Race Across Carolina that I hope to run at HMGS Cold Wars in March 2018 as part of the 2nd Lard Days event a group of us are hosting.

Finally, here is another deployment point (this one for the Americans).  In my rush to complete this for Fall-In, I sprayed it with matte sealer on a humid day - very bad move!  The miniatures came out looking like they were covered in a thick fog or haze.  Fortunately, thanks to a tip from Patrick B., I was able to salvage the miniatures.  I brushed on some gloss clear polyurethane, and the next day resprayed the matte sealer.  While not perfect, they are definitely useable.  Below is the final result.

American Deployment Point

Well, that's my wrap-up for 2017.  Next on the painting schedule is the 3rd Regt of Foot (the Buffs) for the British and the 3rd Virginia Continental Line for the Americans, along with a Charlie Foxtrot AWI kitchen building.