An Irish Reject on tour Part 2: AWI 1756 "Fort Lee" Batrep......

.......with the Rejects! 

Whilst over in Kent attending Salute 2016, meeting mates and rekindling my love of easily accessible fast food, Postie put on an evening game for me and some available Rejects (even cooked me dinner before the game).

The game was a small skirmish between British and French forces, the French raiding and the British retreating to protect their citizens and Fort Lee! The rules are very simple where the D20 is king. Roll high or die!

Order of Battle
British
British Colonel (CiC - John)
   44th Line (16 Figures)
   60th Line (Royal American) (20 Figures)
   80th Light Infantry (12 Figures)
Special Character (Indian)
Civilians (30 Figures - Some armed with Rifles)

French
French Colonel (CiC -Me!)
   Bearn Line (20 Figures)
   Campagnes Franch de la Marine (12 Figures)
   Trans Rivienes Militia (12 Figures)
Indian Chief
Special Character (Indian)
   Indian Warband (12 Figures)
   Indian Warband (12 Figures)

The initial set up........

Postie has all his ducks in a row........

Fort Lee, otherwise to be known as kindling.......

The blacksmith shoeing the commanders horse, speedy exit may be required......

We had hidden movement markers.............

What lurks beneath.........

Lovely scenery and vignettes everywhere.......

Warm hands...........

The citizens unaware of the danger.........

More damn markers.........

And we begin with the attack on the bridge, the only point of crossing........

The initial volley clears the bridge and the British backbone.......

The now unguarded bridge..........

The British (Rays arm) run towards the Fort.........

Surjit who had an Indian warband under his command (was given no extra troops due to acting like a little girl with them), Lee "Cake Eater"Hadley and Postie contractual (in blood) shot.......

John who taught he was in command, Ray who acted like he was in command and the gentleman with a hint of the pyromaniac about him Richard........

When you fire and want to reload you get a little marker........

Militia and Indians crossing.........

Some of the cards reveal their units........

The Bearn Line Regiment........

Compagnies Franche de la Marine........

Richard trying to set fire to the building..........

The bridge is becoming a bit of a log jam......

Traffic is backing up...........

Never got a cake myself........

One that Lee didn't get.........

Shameful, that's his third.........

Ray is still retreating.........

Richards pyromania is coming along nicely........

The French advance more and more, no British in sight......

These two ended up playing ring a ring a rosie, Surjit didn't even scalp anybody..........

The British finally make a fight of it......

Ray giving his troops the finger..........

The smoke of gunpowder, the fog of war.......

Up close and personal..........

Richards been at it with the torches again and such a nice chap too.......

A good game with friends, a victory to the French, 45-17 I believe, it was all that burning and scalping and of course the French tactical leadership!

Good to see everyone again, have a game and a couple of nights later a chinese and a few beers!

Coming back through customs was a bit of a nightmare, set off metal detector and had my bag contents perused by a gentleman who wanted to know what the little bits of metal were? I felt violated and not in a good way!

"The Battle of Fort Louis", July 20th 1758, 28mm FIW Skirmish Game.

7 Rejects gathered for a French Indian War skirmish game a few weeks ago, myself, Lee and John randomly picked the British through scrunched up pieces of paper, myself and John were horrified that we had drawn Lee"Offends Dice Gods" Hadley but what can you do?

We tried bribery but Postie wanted too much, something about firstborn?

"Fresh from their victory twelve days ago at the Battle of Ticonderoga the French have sent a small force across Lake Champlain with the intent of building another Fort directly opposite Fort Carillon. This new structure will be called Fort Louis and will be another blow to British morale and prestige. The British commander in the area, Major General Abercromby, has dispatched a small force to try and disrupt the French plans. 

The French start the game busily building Fort Louis, some troops are on patrol, some resting, others being trained in fighting skills. The mood in camp is quite relaxed as no trouble is expected. Meanwhile the British start the game moving towards the French position but no French troops have been sighted yet."

Kind words and introduction above written by the Dark Lord himself........Postie!

Order of Battle
French Forces - CO Surjit, 2iC Smiffy
  Leader Major - 1
  Guyenne Line (Muskets) - 18
  Compagnies Franches de la Marine (Muskets) - 12
  Quebec Militia (Muskets) - 10
  Indian Warband (9 Muskets + 1 Rifle) - 10
  Indian Warband (Bow/Hatchet) - 10
  Pioneers (Improvised Weapons)- 6
  Character (Rifle) - 1
  Camp Followers - 4

British Forces - CO John, 2iC Fran, 3iC Lee
  Leader Colonel (Mounted) - 1
  60th Line (Muskets) - 20
  80th Gages Light Infantry (Muskets) - 20
  55th Line Marksmen (Rifles) - 6
  Rodgers Rangers (Muskets) - 10
  Gorhams Rangers (Muskets) -10
  Militia (Rifles/Muskets) - 12
  Characters/Indians (Rifles) - 2

The French consider the wood for the trees.........

Seriously over the top with the trees Postie.........

I started at the table edge with militia and rangers......

John had the regulars or don't go in to the woods infantry........

The French Indian allies gather.....for football.............

Construction on Fort Louis stops when word of the British reaches the camp.......

Supplies or a handy escape route..........

The felt is also considered forest or something to snag on your clothing..........

Smithy, the Indian leader or also known as "Runs with Scissors"...........

The advance starts as we run towards the woods..........

But the French wait, this figure is considered hidden unless he fires.........

John is still upset with Lee being on our side..........

The British advance with still no sign of the French..........

Lee hides his forces in the woods.......

The French start sniping and the first British casualties occur......

The French would and then move back in to the trees where they could not be targeted.......

Regular French forces are dispatched from Fort Carillion........

My boys have entered the woods to smoke out the French.......

We are getting nearer and nearer to the sneaky French.......

My Rangers break cover to draw French fire, you had to spend a turn reloading or they would have to retreat further in to the woods....

The regulars continue across the lake, the French had to dice each turn to see if there was a mishap on the lake........

Lee waits in the woods for the right moment..........

Just on a side note, the wall of fame was updated...........

My advance gives Lee a chance to........

.....and he's off........

Lee would have limited success as some dice rolls for morale went a little sideways.......

Giving them a volley..........

An aerial view of the fighting..........

A mishap on the lake........

John enters the woods in a desperate, some would say (Lee) foolish gamble to engage the Indians........

Surjit has a good run of dice and likes to show his unsporting joy...........

Contractual Postie shot but John is nervous..........

The casualties mount on both sides.........

Who ate all the Viennese cakes, 2 boxes of them......... 

This was John firing approx 19 shots at the Indian leader, needing a D20 in all fairness......

No success at all, Smithy seems happy...........

Ray had turned up and joined in with the mocking laughter.......

This would lead to some close combat and melee with the Indians, don't get in to melee with Indians for future reference.......

We would get victory points if we could stop the construction......

The casualties are still mounting........

The face of evil and cake scoffing..........

The winners and Lee ..........

The game was called and went on victory points, about 15 leaders (captains, lieutenants and colonels) had died, unit and army morale checks and in the end it came down to 12 points (3 Indian casualties), luck swung back and forth and don't engage Indians in the woods with regular forces, a very close game but a good game to spend in the heat that day.........