French Indian Campaign - Game 11

Game 11 of the French Indian War campaign sees a British force attacking the French held Fort Presque Isle. As usual the campaign moves and background to the lead up to the battle can be found on Jonathan's blog Palouse Wargaming Journal.

While away last week, I started to try and streamline the rules used to help with my planned siege games. So this game was played with a few rule modifications I was trying out.

Orders of battle:

British
Commander Braddock (A0D2)
4 (2) Regular units
4 (2) Native Warband units
1 Artillery unit
Army Resolve = 11

French
Commander Contrecour (A2D2)
4 (2) Regular units
2 (1) Irregular units
1 Artillery unit
Army Resolve = 11

The numbers in brackets are numbers of regiments/units from the campaign game.

One of the rule changes was to change how I converted campaign commander attributes. In this case A0D2 and A2D2 and use them in the game. A = attack capability and D = defence capability. I had been adding the defence capability value to the army resolve and allowing an extra attack for each attack value. This proved to be to problematic with the attack value in previous games played and was also easily forgotten by me. So this time I simply added both values to the Army Resolve, which equals the number of units plus any capability values.

Anyway on to the game...

The tabletop setup for the Battle of Fort Presque Isle, the river is fordable by all units except artillery and is treated as difficult terrain. 

Knowing the British were on their way the French had been busy building some entrenchments to protect units covering their left flank.  

Native warbands swiftly move up on the British right flank.

British artillery are moved up and engage irregular infantry units positioned near the fort, and to support  the warband units. 

Just a random close up photo.

Volleys of musket fire from irregular unit with support from the fort force back some of the Warband units. This was another rule modification. Units are able to retire to reduce hits received by one, but are unable to move or shoot during their next turn. In this case Native Warband units quickly retired after sustaining a few hits to avoid elimination and reducing the army resolve.

British Grenadiers move up and cross the river to support the right flank attack.

The last unit of Irregulars moves behind the fort to help support units in the entrenchments.

Reinforced by Grenadiers the attack on the entrenchments is renewed.

The artillery dual continues with the fort artillery proving to be very inaccurate.

The combined Grenadier and Warband attack pays off after some excellent shooting (D3 dice rolls)  and defenders are starting to get worn down.

The entrenchments are cleared and the Grenadier unit turns its attention to the last remains threat to the flank of the Irregular unit. The remaining Warbands retired having provided valuable support to the attack. 

With their artillery unit eliminated the British line finally advances to assault the fort.

Having lost all units outside the fort, French resolve is starting to waver and the British know another  unit lost would most likely give them victory this day. However, the French successfully eliminate one of the attacking units. 

Finally the fort walls are scaled and to avoid further lost the French commander surrenders.

This was an interesting game to play with the British first trying to take and hold the entrenchments, before starting the assault on the fort. The difference between the forces and which swayed the game in the British favour was the Grenadier attack supported by the Warbands. French resolve started to dip considerably after their loss of the position and units.

So the British walk away with one depleted regiment of Regulars. Whilst the French lost their Irregulars and one Regular regiment. However, Contrecour was allowed to leave the fort with the remaining Regular regiment.