Washington Strikes! Germantown 1777 Game Research

Continuing on with my AWI kick of late, I had some precious "free" time recently and decided to try out some of my ideas for the Germantown 1777 MEGAGAME. 

This is really in 2 x parts with the first taken up by putting the miniatures on the table and "having a go" with the Neil Thomas rules, and the second trying to get a more operational perspective of the battle by playing Decision Games' "Germantown 1777" folio game.

Maryland Brigade and Pennsylvania Brigade come onto the table!

I played the "Late Arrivals" scenario from the 1 Hour Wargames book which sees a constricted attacking force having to punch through a gap in order to seize a town in the SE corner of the map.  The defender has 2 unit come on turn 5 and 10.  It normally makes for a very tense game...so if that doesn't sound like Germantown I dont know what does.

Starting positions for the Redcoats.  Their commanding officer is with one of the units.  Note the Colonials coming on in the NW corner of the table!

I also used the force selector from the 1HW book so each side had only 6 units.  Where Cavalry would come up, I made that an "elite" Regiment/Battalion instead, granting the unit elite morale.

I did learn an interesting lesson that became apparent as I was moving forward - the Neil Thomas "4 stand" rules are played in centimeters, while the scenarios from "One Hour Wargames" are played in inches.  That sounds innocent enough right?  Well, when the line battalions / regiments move 8 cm's per turn and you only have 15 turns to capture the objective, it makes the game a bit more interesting...Lesson learned.  But we're really here to see how the mechanics and experimental rules go, right?  Noted.

The British watch as the Colonials deploy for battle.  They're measuring from the road so they're backed up in a traffic jam.  it will take 5 turns just to get the attack started.  

A few turns later the Colonial line shakes out with the Pennsylvania Brigade leading the attack.  The British are spoiling for a fight having been roused from their sleep without breakfast and watch, patiently.

 

Colonial shooting is not so hot and the British don't suffer too badly.  Meanwhile the Pennsylvania troops are getting the worst of things while the Marylanders form up behind them.

I'm taking my time to close with the British and it was a mistake.  The attack should have gone in quickly instead of waiting for the artillery to come up.  The Continental attack doesn't quite get off the ground until about turn 6 or 7 and by then the British reinforcing line are already forming a second line to reinforce the units in contact.  Worse yet, their artillery is coming up.

The 3rd Foot coming up to reinforce the line.  note one of the Pennsylvania Regiments is gone.  It's turn 9

Turn 10 more British units heading up the Germantown Pike to reinforce the fighting units!  

Steady redcoats advancing to the front!

Warm work!  Units of Pennsylvania and Maryland line trading volleys with the British.  Note the reinforcements coming up to the front.  The Continentals have less than 5 turns to break the British line and capture the town.  This is NOT going to happen.

That was a good lesson but the rules tweaks discussed during the previous few weeks worked very well and had a good period feel to it.  I think I will take up Darren's idea for light bobs and have them enjoy a save even in the open since they are trained in making the best use of cover and skirmishing.  It just makes sense.  This was a good practice game with the rules before I try out something a bit larger and with considerably more units.  I learned I need a QRS that has all of the mods on it so I rarely have to look in the book.

Now to scale up a bit, later in the evening I threw down my Decision Games "Germantown 1777" board wargame.  Now this was fun and a real nail biter!  I did NOT finish the game but what I did finish played out VERY historically in that:

• The fog severely hampered the advance of General Washington's columns.  
• None of the columns arrived in any kind of logical fashion.
• The huge force under General Sullivan drove back the British picketts to the Chew House.
• The forces in the Chew house held out despite incredible odds.
• British Regulars advanced on a broad front from their encampment led by General Howe and created a solid line running east to west from Paper Mill Run to Mill Creek in Germantown.
• General Howe personally commanded a counterattack and the primary column under General Sullivan was pushed back
• Casualties were relatively light

Here are some quick snapshots of the battle.  I was referring to the rules too much to take many pictures.

Lights holding in the Chew House

snake eyes!  the Pennsylvania Militia assaulted the Jaegers and drove them back toward the Hessian main body!  In this game, militia must beat their poor morale to end movement in an enemy ZOC.  Here the men rolled "1" per unit and closed with the enemy!

Stabilizing counterattack by Howe disorganizes Sullivan's column while the lights are still holding on at the Chew house.  Note the other column has not even reached Germantown yet!

So that's it.  A fun couple games and a nice diversion from the state of the world at the present moment.  I learned a ton for the Germantown game, however more experimentation is needed I'm afraid!  I like the Neil Thomas 4 stand rules for this but will definitely keep all of the period tweaks discussed in this blog and other blogs.  Going to try a variation of "Hold the Line" next and see how that plays.  I hope everyone has a great week.