Thursday 7 December 2017

French Indian War - Preparing Game 4

After a few weeks of enjoyable distractions with some Necromunda and a Saxon/Norman games. I finally get back to setting up the fourth game of my French Indian War campaign. In game three the British suffered their first set back after two opening victories, when attempting to storm a fort protecting a river crossing.

Subsequent to their defeat the British are forced to retire. 
The French attack the second British force north of the river
Having determined a location for the next battle. A quick look at the map showed the tabletop should reflect a wooded area and a road junction. This meant setting up four woods, two hills and two area of rough terrain. Each terrain piece takes up two squares. The roads were placed first, central to the tabletop and remaining terrain features placed randomly using dice rolls. Towards the end there are a few re-rolls required when terrain features overlap.

The terrain areas are randomly placed.
Terrain features are added
Each side selected twelve units with a minimum of two of each unit type selected. These units are then reduced randomly to eight units using a deck of cards. The lowest values being removed. The French will typically have more skirmisher type units because the always have to select four skirmisher units (two Frontiersmen and two Indian units). Whereas the British can select just two light infantry allowing for more Line infantry to be selected.

British Force - 2 light and 5 line infantry supported by 1 heavy cannon  
French Force - 2 light and 5 line infantry supported by 1 light cannon

This time both sides had an almost identical unit composition. One difference being the type of cannon. The British have a heavier cannon, which means greater hitting power, but unable to be manoeuvred once fired.

6 comments:

  1. Peter- I do admire your hand drawn 'Campaign Maps'- very artistic and practical. Cheers. KEV.

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    1. Thanks KEV. I quite enjoy drawing them. They get drafted out in pencil and then coloured in with the kid's old felt tipped pens.

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  2. You make a fine field cartographer, Kev - very nicely hand-draughted maps. I like this scale of campaigning, too. I think I might have to go back and re-read the story so far!

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    1. Thank you kindly. I find this scale of campaigning, where hopefully you get to play out approximately 8 to 10 games, to be about the right number. Too much more and my interest wanes as other tabletop distractions takeover. Cheers Peter

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  3. Looking forward to the next installment. Let's see what happens when two equally matched forces fight it out!

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    1. Hoping for a good game with the French being the attacking side.

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