My last post I mentioned I purchased some Peter Pig AWI figures. This was for Martin's AWI rules Washington's Army. I suspect most folks are familiar with his figures but if not they are very well done. True 15 mm so not large or bulky and they are pretty easy to paint with a lot of detail. Given recent postage I have been getting my figures from Brookhurst hobbies in the US and they have given me excellent service.
I have found almost nothing written about Washington's Army. It is my second Peter Pig rule set. I really enjoy Poor Bloody Infantry so thought I would give this a go. For those of you familiar with Martin's rules it follows his general pattern. There are differences. This is an old set so there is no grid. I use hexes with each hex representing 3 inches. Terrain is still by block however. "5-6s" hit and unlike PBI there are saving throws based on the quality level of the defending troops. [ I actually like this and will probably have my elite troops get a saving throw in PBI.] Maneuvering is far different as you would expect and the C + C is both familiar and different. As with Martin's games there is one scenario that you roll up with your opponent to see who attacks/defends. There are multiple variables to make each game different and WW introduces the concept of "flankers". These are units that you set aside in the hopes that they will appear on your flank during the game. As with PBI, for two players having a friendly game this looks like a lot of fun. For a soloist, it seems like a lot of work when I can roll up a game using Platoon Forward or something similar.
So as I often do I will take you through a small battle and give you my initial thoughts on the rules. One caveat, as I don't have figures for a full game of 3 commanders per side I played a smaller game using 1 British commander and 2 American commanders. I still think it is representative.
In the Commonwealth of Virginia on the road from Williamsburg to Charlottesville is a way point for travelers called Boyd's tavern. It is on a slight rise and controls a secondary road north. Gen Cornwallis is moving troops across Virginia. Col Howard is responsible for security along the route. He stations LtCol Pemberton's battalion at Boyds tavern both to rest and to control the road junction. In case of trouble he gives Pimberton a galloper gun and some loyalist Scots.
How it translated to the tabletop. Boyd's tavern at the crossroads in the middle. Kemp's house left. Jameson's farm bottom right.
Pemberton set up his men along the main road facing Kemps house. The Scots face north along the secondary road where they won't hurt themselves. In WA units are roughly battalions made up of 4-7 bases including a flag [ or leader ] base. Units can be line or militia with line units having 4 figures and militia containing 3. [All my units have 2 figures as I am trying to generate both sides quickly. As I solo player I am well aware who is line and who is militia.] Where the command base is placed identifies the quality of the unit; right elite, center average, left poor. I like that! Simple but impactful. Quiz time. Based on the picture above, what is the quality of the two British units? Right! British are average [centerish] and Scots are poor. [ Guy with the sword on the left is part of the command base.]
The Americans are made up of 2 forces. The main force of 3 battalions [all avg] will move straight toward the tavern. The 2 battalions of militia [ 1 state [ avg] 1 local [poor] will move down the american left. The 1st VA will cut across the field and flank the tavern. The local militia will advance to Jameson's farm and block any reinforcements. [ actually try to slow them down] Great plan! Let's see what happens.
The Continental army moves south towards the tavern.
Each leader has a rating from 1-4. To activate a unit you roll higher than the combined score of leader's rating + units rating + distance. The Army commander [ if he is properly painted!] can try to assist one leader by giving him a certain number of re rolls. If a unit doesn't activate it gets 1 action point. If a unit does activate it gets 1D6 dice of APs. You have to pay different # of APs to wheel, move, turn depending on how wide your line is. [ 3 bases is the cut off] A short line is easier to move but has fewer muskets forward to fire. A long line is cumbersome but can throw shot downrange. It is horrible getting these guys to move and I love it! It feels like AWI instead of PBI.
I don't paint well but I really like these 1st VA guys!
The Scots prepare to defend the crossroads for King and Country. Pemberton starts to wheel his line towards the rebels. I allowed Pemberton to act as a commander of this force until Howard shows up.
Units in close range fire in both parties turn. Cannons only fire during the opponents turn. As the rebels near the Scots the cannon fires. The artillerymen wonder exactly how long is it going to take to wheel this line of troops!
Better look at the US right. [ Note the red die. WA is an Igo-Ugo game. One change I made was at the beginning of each turn each commander rolls a D6 and subtracts his leadership rating. Then commanders go in order highest to lowest with British players winning ties. This really adds uncertainty to the game as you are not sure who will move first or how far. [ Like Piquet] As a solo player I am not concerned with both sides being "even".]
Here is the kind of dilemma that you don't get in PBI which I think is realistic here. Pemberton, being who he is activates first, thank King George otherwise he might have been hit in the flank. With only 2 APs and a line of 5 bases he is stuck. He can only wheel 45 degrees and that costs him 2 APs. He can shorten his line and wheel but still only 45 degrees. What to do? [ I want to have the SAW lay down covering fire, throw grenades and assault but that isn't in the rules.]
The British pivot 90 degrees for 1 AP...
Meanwhile, the Scots continue to die for their country.
Another drone view of the field. Col Howard has shown up with reinforcements on the south road. the 1st VA is moving into a line in preparation to flank the Scots. [ bottom] Kemp's militia is so slow they aren't even in the picture. [ more bottom] The left american battalion has made it through 1 field and now they are going to tackle the second. [ middle right]. Scotts and central americans battle at the crossroads. Pemberton's British have just chased away the rebels right flank.
With the new turn the remnants of the Scots retreat to Col Howard! They tell him how tough the fighting has been at the tavern!
Initiative dice in place. The Continentals go first but fail to rally!
Col Howard gets the jump on the militia and orders his men to occupy Jameson farm. Fighting breaks out with the 1st VA. He then orders his real Scottish battalion up and onto the crossroads.
With the army commander painted the rebels finally rally. Pemberton has turned his men 90 degrees and is heading for the american flank. He had a really bad roll so isn't their yet. We need you men to get there and stop him!
Drone view showing Pemberton lined up to begin his move through the tavern into the flank of the troops at the crossroads. The final american battalion has finally showed up but their lines are still disordered after crossing fences. The Highlanders are just across the road from the rebels and shooting at them from long range to keep them pinned in place.
As sometimes happens, the key moment of the battle happens elsewhere...
Charging in WA involves a morale test for both sides which is an opposed dice roll. It seems hard for the attacker but I haven't played enough to really render an opinion yet. If both sides survived then you play out the assault.
The Virginians, British and Col Howard are shocked when...
If a unit routs 2 units within 6 inches [ 2 hexes] must also take morale tests. The Scot militia never had a chance! Now the British right flank has crumbled as well.
Col Howard has 2 units left against 5 rebel units but 1 of his units is the 835th Highlanders and the other is sitting on the flank of the enemy. If Pemberton can flank the continental center he can rout the continentals and then deal with the militia at his leisure. Pemberton must hit their flank before a) the militia can hit the highlanders and b) Pemberton is hit by the reconstituted unit north of him. Initiative is critical here as are APs.
Col Howard rides towards Pemberton to see for himself how the operation is going. The British get the initiative but Pembertons troops move slowly through the tavern area and become disorganized. It is clear they will not reach the center before their flank is threatened. With heavy heart Howard gives the orders to retreat from Boyds tavern.
Great game that had unexpected turns and could have gone either way. I really like the rules so far. I am no expert on AWI tactics but they seem to give plausible results and certainly feel different than PBI. With my addition of "initiative" and the rolling of APs there is plenty of uncertainty. I am not going to give my pros and cons of the rules after one play. I think that would be unfair. I will get a couple more games under my belt and then do a more formal assessment. This post was to give players an idea of how Washington's War plays because there is so little on the internet about them.
More to come...
Cheers
Joe
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