American War of Independance

After several good small games in the period using our Musket Action rules we decided to try a bigger AWI battle with our Hail Napoleon rules.

British: Mike & John.  1 British brigade of 4 line, 1 grenadier & 1 light inf, 2 German mercenary brigades of 4 line inf, 1 cavalry brigade of 3, 2 guns & 4 Indian bands.  Command 9.
Colonials: Jim & Mark.  1 French brigade of 5 line & 1 grenadier, 2 Colonial inf brigades of 4 line, 1 cavalry brigade of 3, 2 guns, 4 Indian bands & 1 woodsman rifle battalion. Command 9 except Colonial infantry 8

The British are on the far side.  From the left of pic: Cavalry, British, guns, 2x Germans, Indian in woods.
Colonials from left of pic: Cavalry, guns, Colonials (2nd line) , French, 2 Indians, Colonials, 2 Indians & woodsmen (in woods).  

The Germans are advancing on the village with Indians in the woods on their flank in the woods.
The Colonials are advancing into a defensive position in the village, the french are advancing on their left.  The Colonials& guns on the left have failed to respond to orders to advance.

The cavalry has slowly advanced to cover their army's flank.  The French & British infantry are exchanging volleys.  The British artillery has stopped the French advance on the left of the orchards.  The Germans are assaulting the village & orchards. The Indians & woodsmen are skirmishing indecisively in the woods.

The French, fearing that the outnumbered Colonials won't hold the village have attacked with their cavalry on the left & turned the right of their infantry right to assist the defence of the orchard.

The French cavalry attack had mixed success, but heading for stalemate.  In the centre there are heavy losses on both sides, but the fresh Colonial infantry reserve has now moved to the front.  In the orchards, the Colonials got a bit of luck & with the help of the French on their left broke the German brigade in the orchards. The other German brigade has taken the church, but the battle seems to have suddenly turned in favour of the Colonials.

The cavalry of both sides has fallen back to rally.  The colonials in the centre have been driven back by British fire, but the French have rolled forward again.  The British guns continue to keep the French right back.  The colonials in the village are making a fighting withdrawal from the 2nd German brigade.  The Indians & woodsmen continue indecisive skirmishing in the woods.

A charge by the French grenadiers on their left broke through the British line.  The Colonial Indians in the centre advanced through the orchards & flanked the British line which is now breaking.  The Brits now have lost 2 brigades broken out of 4 while the Colonials have lost no brigades.  The British fail their Army Break test.

The Colonial/French plan - to bog down the enemy in the village to gain superior numbers for an attack in the centre looked a bit shaky when the well sited British artillery drove back the centre of the French/Colonial line.  But the support of a French line unit & some heroic dice throwing from Mark in the orchard got the plan back on track.  The Inexperienced Colonial infantry reserve was slow to move up & not very effective, but in the short time they staying in the front line they added enough casualties to the Brits to allow the French to make a second & decisive drive at the end.