Battle of Long Island

After providing Jolly Broom Man a taste of an AWI game using Fields of Honor (see Back to the Revolution), the battle was reset and a call went out for a larger player count.  Four remote players accepted to fill the four commands and the battle was set for a refight Cornwallis' flanking attack as part of the Battle of Long Island.  

Mark and Chris took command of the Rebels.  Steve and David took up their places at the head of the British army.

Heard's Brigade stands in silence.
Red disks denote RESERVE status.
White balls show First Fire bonus.

The Rebels wait in silence.
Note gun section on rear hill covering the main road.

At the beginning of battle, the battlefield is quiet as General Heard positions his brigade on Shoemaker Heights overlooking the bridge.  If the British can breakthrough here, the flank to the American positions at Brooklyn will be compromised.  The Rebels must hold! 

The British army begins the game off table.  Divided into four brigades, all may begin arriving on Turn 1.  Most of the Rebels begin off-table and enter as reinforcements too.

British Army

Rebel reinforcements

Lord Percy begins the attack by ordering Smith's Brigade of four regiments up the road toward the bridge.  Seeing the Redcoats on the road, Heard sends one of his militia regiments off to contest the bridge.  The Rebel 6lbers on the hill east of Shoemaker's Hill makes it presence known by inflicting casualties upon Smith's lead regiment.  Rebel reinforcements from Brooklyn are already reaching the battlefield with Nixon's Brigade in the lead. 

First blood as the British army advances.

Percy chooses not to concentrate his attack solely down the road and against the bridge but advances broadly against the entire American position.  MG Jones is ordered to sweep wide against the Rebel left while MG Pigot pins the Rebel militia on Shoemaker Heights. Seeing the might of the British army to its front, the militia at the bridge quickly reconsider and retire. 

Redcoats advance across a broad front.

MG Jones' Brigade marches off to turn the Rebel left.

Alongside Smith, Mathews' Guard Brigade forms up and chases the militia off with a volley as the British army prepares to cross the stream.  Rebel guns on the hill continue pounding the Redcoats at the stream.  Rifle fire from the Continentals, positioned within the breastworks, cripples the 63rd foot. As Pigot's Brigade forms up at the foot of the heights, all of Heard's militia unleash a devastating volley into the British ranks.  The 5th Foot is sent packing almost before the battle begins!  British casualties are surprisingly high.  Percy may have some very hot work today.  Sensing Heard will soon have his hands full, Nixon quickly brings his brigade up in support.  For now, the Rebels are giving better than they get.

The Redcoats line the stream as they prepare to cross.

Rifle fire stops the 63rd in its tracks.
Casualties are very high.

The destruction of the 5th Foot!

But these early Rebel successes may be short-lived.

On the British left, Smith and Mathews unleash deadly volleys into Heard's militia along the stream.  Two militia regiments scatter.  Having seen half of his brigade disappear, Heard's Brigade is broken.  In what has been called Pigot's Charge (thanks, Chris!), Pigot, at the head of his two remaining regiments, leads the way up and onto the heights.  Heard and the militia to which he is attached are overwhelmed.  The militia scatters in the face of this assault and Heard is killed. Pigot reaches the heights but loses a second regiment in the fighting.  Pigot's Brigade is broken in these efforts.  To finish off the remnants of Heard's Brigade, the guard destroys the remaining militia situated behind the rail fence.

Pigot's Charge!

'X' marks the spot where Heard falls.

As Heard's position collapses,
Nixon brings up his brigade.

The last of Heard's Brigade is destroyed.

Nixon's boys let loose a tremendous volley into the face of Pigot's remaining regiment. The redcoats are cut down.  Before Pigot can get himself out of harms' way, the Rebels advance and Pigot is captured.  On the Rebel left, Jones maneuvers his brigade into position to threaten the Rebel flank. Two volleys from the Redcoats and a regiment of militia forming up at the foot of the hill scatters.

Pigot is captured!

With Nixon now in command of the heights, volleys pour down onto Jones' Redcoats.  Fire is hot and the 10th foot is destroyed.  On the British left, Smith advances his brigade along the road.

Rebels concentrate fire against Jones.

As the Rebels bring up more troops, the firefight intensives.  Jones witnesses two of his regiments disintegrate in minutes.  His brigade is broken.  Back on the British left, the persistent Rebel gun continues its work.  Another of Smith's regiments crumbles.  Smith's Brigade breaks and continued efforts look pointless.  Percy calls off the attack.

First Jones breaks and then Smith.

The Rebels hold out to see victory and drive back the British invaders!

Well done to all players but especially to Mark and Chris for their careful handling of the Rebel army.  My condolences to Steve and David.

This was a very interesting battle to watch unfold.  First, the British took heavy casualties almost before the battle began only to come back to destroy Heard's entire brigade in coordinated attacks.  While Heard was destroyed, his stubborn defense allowed time for the Rebels to bring up Nixon and Parson's brigades to counter every British threat.  

Well played and very fun to watch.

Thanks for a great game, guys!