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Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Shoemaker's Bridge, AUG 1776

My planned AWI Battle of Shoemaker's Bridge for today's remote game was bumped in favor of a review test of the recently released rules, ¡Arriba España! containing the Portable Spanish Civil War Wargame by Bob Cordery.  My game will be back on the slate for next week's remote session.

In anticipation of my return to the hosting role, I offer up the scenario specifics for the Battle of Shoemaker's Bridge.  This action looks at the fighting on the American left as one of the British columns approaches in an effort to outflank the Americans deployed in front of Brooklyn.

Battle of Long Island: Action at Shoemaker’s Bridge, August 27, 1776
The Map:
The map shows the route of the flanking march as the British approach Brooklyn from the east thereby bypassing the passes through the Brooklyn Heights. The road passes over the stream at Shoemaker’s Bridge. The passage over the bridge is controlled by the high ground around Shoemaker’s Farm and the farm on the knoll to the east along the road.
The Battlefield
Background:
The American Army, under the command of Greene, has fortified Brooklyn and is prepared for the threat of assault from the converging British under Howe. The plan is to remain behind the protection of the fortifications and stand their ground. After becoming ill, Greene is replaced by Sullivan. Confident of the defendability of the passes through the Guan Heights, Sullivan orders many of his troops to redeploy to hold the passes. With Grant attacking at Red Lion Inn on the American right and von Heister attacking the passes at Flatbush Pass, the Americans will be pinned in their forward positions. Cornwallis will conduct a flanking march on the American left and attack to turn the American left. Once defeated, Brooklyn can be captured.

While Grant and von Heister launch their attacks, Cornwallis’ main body is stopped by American forces deployed on the high ground beyond the stream at Shoemaker’s Bridge. The British main body is commanded by LtG Lord Percy. His objective is to brush aside these annoying Rebels in order to continue his flank march on the American positions situated upon the Guan Heights in front of Brooklyn.

Rules: Fields of Honor AWI amended for using miniatures on a hex grid with clarifications.
Figures: 15mm Frontier Miniatures and Jeff Valent Miniatures.
Battlefield: 4 inch hexes on a roughly 4’ x 4’ grid.
Reinforcements:
  • All British units enter on Turn 1. British first player.
  • Nixon’s Brigade enters on Turn 1 along road from east side of table.
  • Parson’s Brigade enters on Turn 2 along road from east side of table.
  • Heard, artillery and rifles set up on table on the east side of stream.
Order of Battle

American forces present

American forces present

British forces present

British forces present

OBJECTIVES:

American:
Strategic Victory: No British units present on east side of stream.

British:
Strategic Victory: No American units remain on table and at least three British units exited east side of table.

Otherwise:
+5 VPs for controlling Shoemaker’s Bridge hex.
+1 VPs for each farm hex controlled.
+1 VP for controlling each hex of Shoemaker’s Farm Hill (6 hexes).
+2 VP for each enemy unit destroyed.
+2 VP for each British unit exiting east table edge along road.
+1 VP for each American unit exiting east table edge along road.

Total points for each. Larger point total wins a tactical victory.

In addition to the remote game next Tuesday, plans are brewing to host a two-player remote encounter in order to play the scenario more than once.

49 comments:

  1. Wow, Jonathan! First class! The troops, table, and information products are outstanding.

    Whoever is commanding the Americans has a tough job ahead of them! :)

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    1. Thank you, Steve! Hopefully, BOTH generals have difficult choices to make and the contest is close.

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  2. Great to see that you are keeping up the remote gaming. Ours are now limited to the occasional game with Peter. Sounds a really interesting scenario

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    1. Yes, the remote gaming fire keeps burning with at least one game per week. I have two on this week's schedule.

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  3. Excellent showcase of how a scenario is presented. Wish all games were as well organized. Troops look great!

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    1. Very much appreciated, Joe! Thank you for your encouragement!

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  4. Very nicely presented, I look forward to seeing this one play out. The single based units look very nice.

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    1. Thanks, Norm! Undoubtedly, you noticed the resemblance to your Mill Creek layout, right?

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    2. Yes, your comment on it in the previous post already has it moving back up the gaming queue, though SPQR on the table right now.

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  5. Wonderful game preparation. Your participants are lucky peoppe :) have a nice game!

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    1. I hope the participants enjoy the game. Thank you, Dmitry!

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  6. A nicely presented scenario, with lovely terrain and superb figures. Looking forward to seeing how this plays out and may also give this ago as a solo game chez moi:)

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    1. Glad you approve! Please give it a try and report back with any comments or suggestions.

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  7. A fine set to looks to be in the offing.

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  8. Good looking scenario and terrain, the figures are of course first class!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thank you, Iain! The figures are from one of my oldest collections. Most are Frontier figures from the early ‘90s.

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  9. Amazing! We expect an exciting game.

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    1. I will be fortunate to see an exciting and closely fought battle.

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  10. Well everyone has already said it Jon...looks great and expect to see an interesting tussle develop from this well thought out scenario.

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    1. Thank you! I hope to see an interesting tussle too.

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  11. Very good, I'll keep this for Honours of War.

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    1. I have the same thoughts on trying with HoW. I have not applied HoW to AWI yet. Have you?

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    2. Not yet but I have plans to adapt the scenarios or small battles.

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  12. Well, and I might come across as being a little selfish here, you could turn this into another email game. Great stuff!

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    1. I had not considered an email game as an option since I have been focusing on remote play. Interesting idea! This is much smaller than Rivoli and much more manageable. Sheesh. I still have yet to write up some of the Rivoli notes…

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  13. Nice job on the scenario design. Hope it’ll provide a good remote gaming experience. 😀

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  14. Looks great and very intriguing Jonathan. I have a soft spot for the AWI I'll check out those rules.

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    1. Tony, the rules, I am afraid, are long out of print.

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    2. I was waiting for that one 😂😂😂

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  15. Nicely done Jon a good looking scenario. So much AWI what fun. I might be being dumb but is this historical Jonathan outside of the context ?

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    1. Thanks! Think of this as a "what if" scenario. What if the Americans had chosen to defend Jamaica Pass and the approaches to that pass? I used the troops available and plopped the defenders down astride the road leading to Jamaica Pass at Shoemaker's Bridge. I saw this position on a map but having looked, cannot recall my source. I must take better notes. The map, itself, is loosely based upon Norm's Mill Creek map.

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    2. Thanks Jon when you put it up I searched and couldn’t find any reference but that explains it. We might see if it appears in the dungeon

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    3. Having done some research into Long Island, I wanted to fight a larger piece of the action without duplicating your upcoming skirmish game on the British flanking maneuver. This is my result.

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  16. Interesting looking scenario. Well set-out as others have said. Looking forward to the AAR.

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    1. Much appreciated, Sir! This scenario will likely see action more than once. Hope you do not tire of it too quickly.

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  17. Quite an impressively organized start to what will be a great game, I'm sure. The troops arrayed and inventoried makes it look so "game ready"!

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  18. I'm liking what I'm seeing here sir. All those redcoats on parade look magnificent and will surely carry the day!

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    1. Good! I hope the action is closely contested and not a walk-over for the British.

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  19. I could never understand it but I was always very fond of my 15mm Frontier minis.

    Anyway, I'll join the chorus, it looks like a scenario with potential.

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    1. I am fond of the Frontier AWI figures too. Some of my favorites. If I could get more, I would.

      I hope the scenario's potential pans out...

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  20. That is looking very interesting. The terrain is difficult for the attackers.

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    1. Does an interesting scenario lead to an interesting game?

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  21. Great looking scenario and preparation. Hope you enjoy the game and we get to enjoy the report

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