French Indian War - Game 7

The next battle in the French Indian War campaign is a small game, but is important for the progress of the campaign. For if British win they will be able to threaten French settlements on the Great Lakes. For the campaign background and operational moves goto Palouse Wargaming Journal where Jonathan provides the context for this battle.

A quick search to get some idea of how to layout the tabletop delivered this contemporary drawing.

A contemporary drawing of Fort Le Boeuf

As the game is quite a small one with the larger British force having 6 units. I decided the game will be played on 4x4 foot tabletop using a 6 inch grid (8 squares by 8 squares). To represent the edge of the plateau upon which the fort sits, I laid out some difficult terrain which the British will have to negotiate. If they get held up the French will hope their fort guns will cause some additional casualties.

Tabletop setup

Orders of Battle

French
Commander Bougainville (A0D1)
3 Regulars (representing 1 regiment)
1 Artillery (must be located in the fort)
Army resolve = 5

British
Commander Braddock (A0D1)
6 Regulars (representing 2 regiments) and 1 of the units will be Grenadiers
Army resolve = 7

Game Report
The French under the command positioned a half their force in advance of the fort in the hope the British line would be disrupted moving across difficult terrain and they could inflict some casualties before retiring in line with the fort.

French open fire at the advancing British line.

Return fire from the British line found its mark and the French took quite a few casualties.

Failing to retire quickly meant another volley of the British line which resulted in the loss of a unit and their commander Bougainville.

With the French commander killed or wounded. The British pressed their advantage and quickly eliminated the second French unit outside the fort. French army resolve collapsed and they ceded the fort and marched out. Neither side lost any regiments as a consequence of this engagement.

This turned out to be a really quick game played out over just 4 turns. Just one of those unusual games campaigns throw up and ones you would never think of setting up and playing yourself.

What happened to Commander Bougainville? Does he live to fight another day? A quick D6 roll decided his fate (1-2 escapes injury, 3-4 wounded and needs to convalesce for a couple of months, and 5-6 killed in action). A 2 was scored and he survives!