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Monday, March 8, 2021

Battle of Bunker Hill

Motivated by our series of three game mini-campaigns using Rebels and Patriots, Matt wanted to tackle something a bit larger than the standard R&P sized game.  The battle Matt targeted was the Battle of Bunker (Breed's) Hill.  As seen from the battle layout photo below, Matt spared no effort to present a most handsome game.  Fought over Zoom, Matt provided three cameras for the contest.  Each camera provided a different view of the battlefield.  One camera maintained a view from the north. A second camera had a near ground-level view from the behind the redoubt.  Finally, a third camera provided an overhead view from the southeast overlooking Charlestown and the British approaches to the redoubt upon the hill.
Battle of Bunker Hill Initial Dispositions
photo courtesy wargamesinthedungeon
As has become tradition in our series of AWI battles, Matt commanded the British while I took command of the rebels.  A few special rules were added for this battle.  A double six activation for the British allowed for an offshore naval bombardment.  A double six for the Americans allowed one additional skirmisher unit to arrive.  The Americans were allowed to fire for only six turns before ammo shortages began to tell.  A combatant takes an army morale test having lost 50% of his units (five units) and then withdraws at seven units lost.

On to the battle!

Charlestown militia look on 
View from the Mystic River Cam
Combined LI advances upon the American left
while the British step off toward the redoubt
The Lights advance while the Rebels hold fire.
Rebels continue to hold fire as Redcoats approach.
Finally, fire erupts all along the line!
Rebel left remains silent as the British approach.
Already, the British are becoming disordered
as volleys are exchanged.
Rebel guns fire as redcoats advance down the lane.
Nixon suffers from artillery as Doolittle offers support.
Rebel artillery sees off the first Redcoat regiment!
View from the sky cam
Stark opens up against the approaching light infantry.
Weakened from artillery fire,
Nixon is under pressure to hold.
The Grenadiers with Howe attached
 storm the earthworks!
Stark steps back out of musketry range on the left.
Doolittle suffers from naval fire as he supports Nixon.
British assault as viewed from above.
Gridley's artillery sees off a second British attacker!
The grenadiers in hand-to-hand with Nixon's boys.
Nixon is driven back with heavy casualties!
Grenadiers are in the redoubt!
The grenadiers are immediately counterattacked
and are driven out from the barricades.
Two British regiments flee on the Rebel left
and the Lights are put to flight for good measure!
British infantry fail a rally test and disperse.
Yet, the Redcoats keep coming.
With the British defeated on the left, Rebels redeploy.
British guns continue to pound
 the rebels in the redoubt.
Despite heavy losses, the Redcoats keep advancing.
Frye lets off one last volley as his ammo runs out.
His attackers recoil.
With empty muskets,
Frye charges across the defenses
engaging the British on their terms.
Frye is repulsed but makes it back into the redoubt.
With both his left and right vanquished,Howe concedes
defeat and withdraws back to the transport barges.

WOW!  This was quite the hard-fought and tense battle.

With limited ammunition, the Rebels waited until the British were well within range before opening up.  As the ammo clock ticked down, the Americans tried to make best use of this fleeting firepower.  The British never gave in and kept up its frontal assaults time after time.  Like the action at Concord's South Bridge (see Debacle at Concord's South Bridge), frontal assaults prove costly.  That lesson was reinforced at Bunker Hill.

What were the keys to an American victory?  Well, being able to defend a hardened emplacement, for one.  Two, the British attacks upon the Rebel left proved completely futile with three British regiments put to flight early in the battle.  Three, the Americans were equal in quality to their British counterparts with the exception of melee. Four, and probably most impactful, the British suffered from terrible Morale and Rally Tests throughout the game.  Attacks rarely got up enough momentum to follow through.  Every advance would suffer disorder (or even breakage) requiring a pause in the attack to recover.  By the time a unit recovered, the Americans would quickly disorder it again from musketry.  It was like marching uphill over very muddy ground.
The Victors parading through Charlestown
photo courtesy wargamesinthedungeon
Bunker Hill was another job well done by Matt.  Chapeau to Matt and thanks for a very entertaining battle!

Matt will likely have his version of the battle up on his blog very soon.  Be sure to check it out at Wargamesinthedungeon.

45 comments:

  1. Well done on another American victory Jon, I think that makes it something like five out if seven to the Rebels, since you commenced this series of games with Matt!

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    1. When you may only move OR fire, advantage is with the defender. The Americans have been defending more than attacking in these battles. Oh, and frontal assaults are quite risky.

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  2. Great looking game and extra kudos for the extra cameras!

    Also sounded like a good game to play.
    Ross

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    1. Yeah, the table and troops are superb! A real pleasure to fight over.

      This was a great game to play. One that could be played again with equal enjoyment.

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  3. A lovely table as always. The limited ammo rule was a good idea and gave you something to consider. The Grenadiers almost did their thing :-)

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    1. Matt's tables are fine exhibitions for the hobby. The Grenadiers made it into the redoubt but their visit was short!

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  4. "There are the Redcoats, and they are ours, or this night Molly Stark sleeps a widow!" One if my all time favorite battles of the AWI, John. Wonderful batrep.

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    1. Glad you liked the battle report, Steve! I figured Bunker Hill would interest you.

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  5. A splendid overview of the action, must agree after the games of R&P I have played with Matt it doesn't do to be the attacker.

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    1. Thank, you, Phil! Attacking, especially over open ground, is hard work in R&P. With a dozen dice rolled on each volley, casualties can mount up very quickly. If the British had been rated as Veteran, some regiments may have withstood Matt's abysmal dice!

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  6. What fantastic action!
    The game looks simply superb, and exciting commentary too.
    Very inspirational.

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  7. A great looking game and tense battle

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  8. Enjoyed that! Poor Brits and their rolls though... Wonder if the outcome would have been the same had they passed those morale tests, etc?

    Love the set up too. Makes me want to get something arranged with my own friends. (Though I only have one camera... I need to research this.)

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    1. Poor Brits, indeed! Had the British attacks held on until the American hail of lead slackened, the redoubt could have been taken. Well, perhaps a better chance, anyway.

      If you want to tackle a similar presentation then Matt is an expert to consult in such matters.

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  9. Another lovely looking game. A difficult task for the British but Matt's not having much luck, is he?

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    1. Lovely game, no doubt. The last two battles have shown the British lack resolve in squashing the rebellion. Perhaps Matt is reflecting on the past 250 years and realizes holding onto the colonies is not worth the hassle?

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  10. Another cracking game. And another great display by Matt.

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    1. Matt’s displays are living works of art. It was a cracking game!

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  11. A fantastic looking game Jonathan, the Brits didn't have a lot of luck.

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    1. Yes, the game was a visual treat; even from afar! British resolve was easily broken in this one.

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  12. A bloody battle that almost came off for the plucky Brits! Attacking the redoubt proved to be as costly as I'd feared, having seen the pre-game set up. The limited ammunition rule is a neat idea, that forced the Rebels to hold fire until they could see the white's of the British eyes!

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    1. Very bloody battle, Steve, but oh so fun! Several tense moments when the grenadiers came over the ramparts and my militia ran shot of ammo. We held fire until we saw the whites of their eyes, for sure.

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  13. Very impressive gaming; not just the beautiful layout and figures, but the audio/visual technology used by Matt. Quite amazing.

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    1. Matt's remote gaming sessions are high quality productions. A real pleasure to view and play.

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  14. Excellent report on an inspiring looking game. In a perfect world with unlimited time, each game might be run twice to even out the effects of General Dice.

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    1. Thank you, Ed! A replay of this battle would be a good test. Enjoyable too!

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  15. Wooooow! That's awesome looking raport sir!

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  16. Spectacular picture, I do like the splendid and immersive terrain!

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  17. Great report and I enjoyed reading it. You almost had it. Bunker hill is such a fun scenario to play. It’s a classic. 😀
    I’ve played it a couple of times always as the attacker, because I like to attack. It’s a hard nut to crack. Usually I get the historical outcome where I take the hill but the price is too high.
    Well done Matt fir the fantastic set up. 😀

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the battle report, Stew! If we ever meet and play in person, I am making a note that you are an aggressive player...

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  18. That's a very impressive game and victory for the rebels. Poor grenadiers...

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    1. Poor grenadiers, indeed! The game is an eye-catcher isn't it?

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    2. It is looking lovely. Congratulations by the way for being nominated for the awards.

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    3. Thank you! I may make the nomination announcement next time.

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  19. Excellent report, my work phone pictures are particularly clear from behind we might see how we can employ that in the future. I have posted my report. Yes the British morale rolls were poor, i think we could have rated the Americans as green ? And therefore more likely to flee at the slightest provocation, all of these things of course arbitrary as on the day the redcoats failed to take the redoubt. Gen Howe will lick his wounds await more reinforcements 😀

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    1. Thank you, Matt! The photos from your work phone turned out very nicely. Very good quality. It made a noticeable difference when watching the game. All Americans as Green? That might work.

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  20. Wow! What an exciting looking game!

    I pre-ordered Rebels & Patriots the moment I heard it was going to be a thing... but still haven't managed to get around to trying it (still have a few units to finish up!). One of these days...

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    1. Tim, all of the "cool" guys are playing it! The mechanisms are straight forward. Now, paint troops!

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  21. I am familiar with the mechanisms! I own all and have played most of the other games in the series by Daniel Mersey - and thoroughly enjoy them! I have yet to play Rebels and Patriots or Men Who Would be Kings.

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  22. Splendid looking game and congratulations on another victory!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks! Matt was very unlucky on this day otherwise the result may have been different.

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