A Colonial Endeavour

 Last Saturday I journeyed across the Misty Mountains (well, drove over the Snake Pass) to meet up with m'colleague Neil. We fancied something a little different so decided to play a game of Maurice but set during the AWI/Revolution rather than our 7YW campaign. This would give Neil a chance to field his US Colonial infantry with a few natives in support. I would command a mixed force of mostly English regiments along with the 43rd Highland Regiment, a Hessian line battalion and Jaeger battalion and an irregular native American unit.

The battlefield, with my British army on the left.

I lined up in a chequerboard fashion, with my line infantry split into two brigades of 3 battalions separated by my 2 cavalry regiments and guns. My irregular units held my right flank. I deployed in column whereas Neil started in line.

My columns advanced forward and then deployed into line. At this point I realised that I had made a rookie error in that, once my infantry were in line, they blocked my artillery guns' line of sight. In addition, one of my Notables was attached to the guns and added a +1 to hit so one of my most powerful wings had been neutralised by my ill thought out set up.

The armies prepare for the clash of musketry.

My left flank infantry brigade advances.

On the right my irregular units seek to anchor the line.

As the opposing armies closed to musket range I had the upper hand in the opening engagements in the centre, with a rebel infantry battalion sent scurrying off the field. However, my Native American regiment got caught in a one sided firefight with a regular US regiment and melted away under a hail if lead shot. Neil now sent 2 battalions over the hill to threaten the right of my centre.

On my left Neil had, by clever use of his Event cards, sent his cavalry on a long flanking march. My left infantry brigade pivoted to their left to oppose the threat to their flank. This effectively pinned them in place taking them out of the battle for a crucial period.

The crucial central firefight.

After the opening exchange of fire I saw that one of Neil's conscript infantry battalions had a flank exposed. The temptation was too much and my cavalry charged forward. Unfortunately, 18th century cavalry is not the same as heavy cavalry of the Napoleonic era and using them to charge infantry never normally works. And so it proved on this occasion as the fight was inconclusive, with my cavalry forced to pull back. This gamble backfired big time as I now had 2 cavalry regiments getting in the way of my left infantry brigade as they tried to wheel and join the attack on the centre.

Neil continued his cavalry flanking march, eventually charging and destroying my artillery. Meanwhile my centre infantry brigade came under fire from enemy to their front and right as Neil pushed on down the hill to take their flank. My cavalry charged again, with little effect again. With the rest of my infantry blocked by the cavalry getting in the way my centre crumbled and my army morale was reduced to zero, giving Neil the field.

Final positions, showing my messy deployment as my infantry struggle to get into a cohesive firing line, my cavalry trying to deploy to counter Neil's cavalry without getting hit in the flank by volleys of musketry and Neil's infantry advancing in a workmanlike manner.

A victory for the rebellious colonies then but an enjoyable game throughout. The battle seesawed as these games often do and I had my opportunities to win the game. It did provide a lesson in how to fight 18th century games, particularly using Maurice. For all the glamour and appeal of cavalry charges, it is the infantry who win the day. Had I kept my cavalry back and used them to oppose Neil's cavalry, I would have been able to get my left infantry brigade into the action in the centre, where they could have outnumbered Neil's infantry regiments in turn and defeated them one by one.

Still, unlike my PBI, we live and learn. Plus the game has given me an idea for a conversion for a Notable Hessian mercenary a la Sleepy Hollow.