AWI Volley and bayonet style.

After leading Henry to a dramatic last move of the game victory against Richard in our war of the roses hail ceaser clash last weekend (my ipad was out of battery so didn't get to do a AAR..Typically when I get a win) I returned to loosing ways with a heavy defeat in our AWI weekend game. My Dad took the British and I used the Americans.

We turned our attemtion away from Blackpowder for this game as My Dad had dusted down his Volley and Baynot rules and wanted to give them a run out.

The Battlefield:

In the centre my elite continental troops and the British infantry quickly closed the gap to shooting range, the ensuing fire fight saw my troops gradually start to come off worse, my division reached its stamina point and I was left with with no choice but to start to withdraw.

On my left flank I decided to push two regiments over in support of the centre and leave the rest of the division stationary to defend the wooded area of my left flank. The British troops steadily advanced through the fields.

The rest of my elite brigade, unable to retreat away from the British were broken from the superior British fire. the British followed up and were soon exchanging musketry fire with my Militia reserve who were basically all that stood from my centre collapsing.

It wasn't all one way traffic and I good success on my right flank were I broke 3 Hessian regiments and forced the remaining loyalist militia into retreat.

My stationary left flank didn't stand very long when the British moved into firing range and after 2 Continental regiments and a riflemen unit broke my 2nd division was shattered and my remaining regiments which had gone in support of the centre started to gradually withdraw.

Much to both our surprise my Militia were holding their own in the centre and held the British advance up for a few turns.

On my right flank with my continental infantry now having turned to cross the river to flank the British centre my second line of Militia was tasked with finishing off the Loyalist troops left from the Hessians division.

The Continental troops from my right flank looking to turn the British centre ready themselves to cross the shallow river.

Sensing an opportunity a unit of continentals charges across the stream and catches the British unaware in the flank, and with the help of a regiment of militia they managed to break the British light infantry.

However despite this minor set back the remaining  British troops charge into my centre militia breaking 2 regiments of militia and shattering yet another of my divisions.

My centre had now collapsed and what was remaining retreated to the area of the town for one last stand.

However there was no change of fortune as the the British reserves pushed through the heavily depleted British front divisions to finish the job and break the militia and remaining elite continentals, who fled the field.

Competently surrounded my remaining heavily shot up continental troops had little choice but to surrender at this stage.

My only real success had come on my right flank and my militia pursued the remaining Loyalists from the battlefield.

The final table position of the victorious British force.

Despite the outcome looking very one sided the game was close over the first half of the game, on reflection maybe I had put to much faith in my elite continental troops holding the centre with only militia in support. Militia in these rules really are poor and I found that out the hard way in this game. I got myself a little out of command on my right flank so was unable turn my continentals on to the British centres flank quicker after I had broken the Hessians.  The game played  different than with Blackpowder and chucked up different challenges. Still a good game was had in defeat.