Battle at La Purísima bridge

I was hoping Saturday would be the first lawn game of 2022. But the lawn was still a little to wet from the previous day's rain and the clouds looked threatening. So, since there were only 3 of us, we moved the game inside.

 

We played a Mexican - American War scenario using the Rebels and Patriots rules. The scenario was loosely based on the Battle of Monterrey with the Americans attacking a fortified position to try to take a canal bridge to get into the city. Historically, the Americans attacked a little further to the east and also had a outflanking maneuver to the west that forced the Mexicans to abandon their positions on the edge of the city and move into the city.

 

I played the Mexicans against two American commands. Here is an overview of the initial positions of the attack, where you can see the bridge.

Overview of the battlefield with the Americans on the right.

I had an infantry unit and light artillery in the redoubt, with a few more infantry units and a light cavalry coming up as reinforcements (all the Mexican units were rated as poor shooters, which showed in the game). The Americans had six infantry units, one light artillery, and a unit of dragoons.

Troops in the redoubt

Mexican reinforcements

The American right side, with 3 infantry and dragoons

The American left with 3 infantry and light artillery

The first few turns the Americans advanced and fire went back and forth without any major damage to either side. Then American commander on the left ordered his infantry into Close Order formations and began using volley fire, which began to take a toll on the Mexicans in the redoubt.

American left pouring fire into the redoubt

The Mexican reinforcements were moving slowly (several failed activations, including a double 1 followed by another 1 forcing the unit to shoot at a friendly unit). The Mexican light cavalry put in an appearance, but was quickly destroyed (I made a poor tactical deployment). One of the reinforcement infantry units did make it to the bridge.

The Mexican light cavalry puts in an appearance

And are quickly shot to pieces

The colonel leads one infantry unit across the bridge

The other Mexicans mill about smartly near the cantina

After that, the Mexican dice went a little cold.

 

On the other side, the American dragoons went on the attack and finished off the Mexican cavalry. Then the charged the infantry that had crossed the bridge and destroyed that unit.

Dragoons finish off the cavalry

Then charge the recently disordered infantry

The troops in the redoubt rout, leaving on the artillery

The dragoons followed that up by charging across the bridge and pushing back the other Mexican reinforcements

The brave dragoons win the day

By this time the troops in the redoubt had been shot up or routed. This made it a complete American victory with light loses and a very bad day for the Mexicans.

 

It was a fun game (even with the bad die rolls). We are expecting to get in some more Mexican - American War games in the future.

Down Mexico Way

On Saturday a group of us got together for the first big battle with our Mexican - American War figures. We started the project late last summer (I talked about it some in this blog post) and there was a smaller battle in February (from Kevin’s blog), but this was the first time most of us had gotten figures on the table. We were using the Rebels and Patriots rules from Osprey for the game. 

U.S. Dragoons charge Mexican artillery at Resaca de la Palma (U.S. Army in Action series from wikimedia commons)

I set up a game area loosely based on the Battle of Resaca de la Palma. We had six players, three on each side. The Mexican left set up to defend a small trail, the Mexican center was on the southern side of the Resacas, near the small hacienda, and the right was set up in front of the Americans. On the American side, the right flank set up to engage the Mexicans defending the trail, the left flank moved to engage the Mexican right, and the center group (me) was split between the two.

Initial setup for the Mexican left

View from the Mexican center

The game started inauspiciously for the Americans, with my first activation roll for my artillery went badly, forcing my artillery to shoot at American troops (I only caused 2 casualties, but at the end of turn 1 I was the best Mexican General).

The Mexican left played aggressively on the trail, trying to cross the resacas. This tied up the American right flank troops and some of mine. The Mexican right effectively stood their ground, inflicting casualties as the Americans advanced

Americans attacking the trail defenders

Americans moving up the road

Fairly early in the game the Mexican right rolled a double activation and used his light cavalry to charge my artillery. The cavalry killed forced me back with no losses. But the next turn my gun did some damage and then the American dragoons finished them off.

Mexican light cavalry on the charge

The Mexican center patiently waited for the Americans to come into range.

Mexican center waiting for the Americans

While the Mexican left tried to advance but was met with a steady wall of firepower from the Americans.

Mexicans advancing up the trail

Americans taking on the Mexican left

More fighting near the trail

The Americans continued to move up on their left and center. I had difficulty with my activations most of the day (I even rolled another friendly fire incident with some of my infantry firing on my artillery). I did get a few good hits in, but could never force the Mexicans back, they always bent instead of breaking.

Americans advancing into the Mexican right

More Americans trying to get into action

The Mexican right waits for the Americans

As we were approaching the end of the game, the Mexican cavalry in the center tried to charge my disordered infantry but came up just short and then stalled while I rolled off my disorder and shot up the cavalry with infantry and artillery, forcing them to retreat.

Mexican center sniping at the Americans

Mexican cavalry barely fails to make contact

American fire drives off the cavalry

On the American right (Mexican left) the American finally cleared out the trail. But the Americans were not able to clear out the crossing with the main road. 

The Americans clear out the trail

Game end, the Mexican still hold the main road

The Mexican right and left were pretty decimated at the end of the game, but the Mexicans held all the objectives. So, it was a Pyrrhic victory for the Mexicans. 

 

Overall, the game played well. The Americans are sort of squeezed at the start, but the Mexicans have a lot of area to defend. We did use equal forces, which gave the Mexicans an advantage (most Rebels and Patriots scenarios only give the on-board defenders 2/3s of the attacking force points). But even with that everyone seemed to think it was worth trying again sometime. 

 

It was fun to see a project start and come to fruition before petering out. I expect we’ll see these troops out again for some more battles.

Battle at the Bridge

A few of us got together for a Rebels and Patriots American Civil War game today. The scenario was a variation of the Widow Creek Bridge scenario from the rules, adapted for more players. The Union force was still advancing to take a defended bridge, but we added a ford downriver to allow for a little more maneuvering. The Confederate starting had a hasty breastworks at the bridge, but had to spread out forces to cover the ford. Confederate reinforcements would enter on turn 2.

The bridge defenders behind their breastworks

Holding the bridge was worth 3 VP, holding the ford was worth 1 VP, and holding the farm was worth 1 VP. To hold an objective, no enemy force could be within 12" of the objective. At the start of turn 10, the Confederates would roll a die to determine if the game would end. If the die roll plus the turn number was 15 or more, the game would end at the end of the turn. 

I was on the Union with some veteran line infantry and a medium artillery piece. My job was to take the bridge. The other Union player had lighter forces and would take the ford. 

Confederate defenses at the ford

My artillery aims at the breastworks

Things went well for the Union for the first few turns. I used my artillery and veteran line troops to fire away at the bridge defenders. My fellow Union player got to the ford and was holding off the Confederate reinforcements.

Plunking away at the defenders

Rebel reinforcements

Facing off across the ford

After being battered by my artillery and troops, the bridge defenders failed a morale check and headed for the hills. Unfortunately for me, I wasn't able to take advantage of this before the Confederates moved an infantry unit up to cover the other side of the bridge.

Getting across the breastworks and onto the bridge

Same shot from the Confederate point of view

My Colonel was taken out by a rebel shot, which delayed me from charging across the bridge. My partner at the ford was starting to take heavier casualties as the Confederate reinforcements advanced. 

Trouble for the Union at the ford

At the beginning of turn 10, the Confederate player rolled a 6, so the game would end at the end of this turn. I charged across the bridge, hoping to take it for the win. I was successful in driving off the Rebels.

My veterans drive off the rebels

But the Confederates got the last move and moved troops within 12 inches of the bridge. So my victory was negated. The game ended with a minor Confederate. Overall, it was a fun scenario, with each side having good and bad die rolls. Everyone had good time and we are looking forward to getting in some more Rebels and Patriots games.

Maxing Out

With the lawn gaming season in the Pacific Northwest over, we've been looking at other venues for games. Eventually we'll figure out some indoor venues or stores to play at, but this time we found a place in Kevin's garage. 

 

Today’s game was part of the Second French Intervention in Mexico to establish Maximilian von Habsburg as the Emperor of Mexico. The Imperial forces were pursuing Republican forces and had taken control of a small town. The Imperial commander decided to dig in and wait for reinforcements before pursuing the Mexican Republican forces. Meanwhile, the Republican troops had fallen back, and the leaders called out the local militia to help remove the Imperialist from the town. We used the Rebels and Patriots rules for the game. 

Imperialist forces occupying the town

I controlled two Republican light cavalry units – one mounted rifles (good shooters in the rules) and the other armed with lances. Bill had three Republican regular units and a medium artillery piece, while Michael ran four militia units. Facing off against us was David (with three Imperial infantry groups, a light cavalry unit and a medium gun) and Eric (with a couple French infantry units, an Austrian light cavalry unit, and a medium gun). One of David’s infantry units had to start in the redoubt, while the others could set up within 6 inches. Eric’s forces were entering from the town edge. The Republican forces got to set up 12 inches from our side of the table. 

 

There were big victory points for the side that controlled the town, but that seemed like it may be too tough for our forces. So, we decided to focus on taking the redoubt and eliminating the Imperial forces. We planned to use the regulars to pin down and attack the redoubt, while the cavalry and militia swept around the edges to block any escape or reinforcements. 

Imperialist redoubt and supporting troops

Luckily, we (the Republic) rolled for initiative to start the game and used the first couple turns the decimate David’s units, including his gun, that were in the open on the right side of the hill. On the other side of the hill, his other infantry and cavalry fell back as the militias tried to move up, leaving the one infantry unit in the redoubt. 

Militia advances on the left and the Imperialist fall back

Republican regulars advance on the right

The Imperial reinforcements moved down the road as fast as they could, but they were still far away from being able to help. 

Imperialist reinforcements

I positioned my cavalry to slow the advance of the reinforcements and the Republican infantry closed with the redoubt. The Republican militia kept pressing forward (as best they could) and even forced the Imperial light cavalry to retreat off the battlefield due to a failed morale check. 

My cavalry deploys to delay the Imperialist

Bill's regulars closing in on the redoubt

The Imperial reinforcements began deploying to advance on the redoubt and hold off the militia, while the Republican regulars assaulted the redoubt. 

Imperialist troops deploying

Republican regulars assaulting the redoubt

The assault was repulsed, but the attack left only a couple defenders in the redoubt. 

The last holdouts in the redoubt

As the Imperial reinforcements prepared to advance, I took a chance and charged with my lancers. We don’t usually have a lot of melees in Rebel and Patriots, so it took a little while to go through the results and we still missed some things. After sorting things out, the lancers prevailed in the attack and pushed the French back. Unfortunately, the lancers were rated as aggressive and followed up the success with another charge that did not go so well. 

Charge of the lancers

The final two redoubt defenders were taken out by Bill’s regulars (with some good shooting die rolls), leaving the redoubt open for the regulars to march in. 

A mere matter of marching to take the redoubt

With the redoubt taken and most of the Republican forces in decent shape (my cavalry was spent or had retreated by this time), the Imperialist decided to just hold the town. At this point we ended the game and added up the victory points with the Republican forces coming out on top. Viva Mexico! Viva Juarez! 

 

It was a fun game and there were some good stories to tell from the game too (my lancers wounded the leader of the Imperial reinforcements during their fatal charge). It is a period I don’t know a lot about, but that has some colorful and unusual units (the Imperial reinforcement cavalry was Austrian hussars). Kevin has promised to do run some more games from the period, since he and others have lots of figures for the era.