Huzzah! 2018

I took a trip up to Huzzah! 2018 in Portland, Maine to host an AWI game of Electronic Brigadier. Huzzah! is a well run local convention hosted my our northern neighbors, the Maine Historical Wargamers Association. Huzzah! is a great place to meet up with local friends from other clubs in the area, play some games and do some shopping. There are great game offerings, and several excellent vendors. Here is a photo of club members Dave and Greg having a nice talk while Greg ran his Great Northern War game.

Speaking of Greg's game, here are some photos of it during setup and play. The game featured many of Greg's beautifully painted GNW figures, all painted by Greg himself. Greg's game ran concurrently with mine, but fortunately at a table in the same room as mine so I was able to snap these quick photos.

Greg's game ran smoothly and ran to conclusion before the end of the generous four hour game period. 

My friend Ed from Ed M's Wargame Meanderings blog also ran his game concurrently with mine. I took a few more photos of his game, which you will be able to view soon over at his blog.

My game was one that I've run before. The scenario was my Monmouth Courthouse game, "Lee Attacks!" This what-if scenario poses the question what would have come of the battle if Lee had convinced Washington to allow him to attack with volunteer regiments instead of only the individual volunteers from those units.

I was blessed with many players returning for their 2nd or 3rd time playing Electronic Brigadier. The two new players picked up the system quickly and by turn three the game was running itself with me providing a clarification on procedure or GM table ruling here and there. The 27 turns played during the four hour game period went quickly enough that I don't have a great memory of the entire flow of the battle, so I'll just list some significant events from it below.

Both sides played very competently. Dick Bryant's 1st British Lights skirmished the entire game and kept the British left flank secure, while his Dragoons went for a romp in the American back lines, causing some initial panic, but eventually the Americans turned a regiment of continentals and a battery in the direction of the Dragoons which sent them running back to their camp.

On the East flank the New Jersey militia got off one volley before being sent to the rear by a British charge. The 4th brigade commanders seeing how easy that was tried multiple charges into the New Jersey state troops, which were supported by a section of 6# artillery. These charges didin't go as well, eventually exhausting the 4th British brigade.

In the center the British advanced guard slugged it out with the American lead brigades. The Americans formed up their skirmishers after the first wave of charges sent them to the rear. Both armies had good solid lines. Mid-battle the casualties were slightly in favor of the Americans but late in the battle the British made up a lot of the lost ground in that department. In the end two successive charges by the first Guards regiment ended in catastrophic failure as they were repulsed by solid Continental line units. A quick review of the melee 'dice' rolls in the system showed that they got the worst side of  'General Dice' this day. 

At time, both armies had a significant amount of their force streaming to the rear and both armies suffered significant casualties. The American army got the better side of this near draw. End of game statistics were:

British Rear Guard Army cohesion: 64.1% Total Casualties: 737 / 6240 (11.8%) 3 units dispersed 1 routed units Honors to: 132 - 42nd Foot (3 stands)

American Advance Guard Army cohesion: 61.7% Total Casualties: 695 / 7420 (9.4%) 4 units dispersed 2 routed units 1 shaken units Honors to: 204 - 4th, 8th, 12th Virginia