Meanwhile back in New France

Once more the Games Club went into the French & Indian War for our inspiration. The British were attacking French and Native settlements with objectives known only to them. Before the game, 3 objectives were diced for out of six possible. Meeting one objective meant a draw, two - a marginal victory, three - a crushing victory for the British. Three on a side, and off we went. We used Iron Ivan's "This Very Ground" rules with so me minor house adjustment, the biggest of which was to allow the regular units to fire in a triple line, as was done historically, so I'm told. Provincials, Militia, and Natives cannot do this. In fact, the Natives cannot even form up and spend the entire game in skirmish order. We also permit all disrupted units a free attempt at recovering morale at the end of each full turn. (Thanks to Andy for all the photos.)


The French - 3 line companies and 1 grenadier company - await orders at the beginning of the game.





The First Nations warriors move to defend their settlement - Andy's new long house.




 The British line advances on the cattle while the Independant Companies
of the Ministry of Marine watch from across the stream.




A view down the "spine" of the table - Regulars and other cattle.



The British - Regulars, Provincials, and Militia - stealin' cattle.



More rustling, or I should say, "requsitioning of beef" by the militia
as the Redcoat Regulars engage the Whitecoat Regulars over the rail fences.




British Provicial troops move toward the Native warriors in the left center of the photo.
The Natives stayed in the forest and smashed the Provincials... this time.



Musket and bayonet vs, tomahawk and warclub in the forested area. Messy.



In the foreground, the British Light Infantry exchange shots with the French Light
Infantry and the Independant Company in a village across the stream.
The British got the worst of it.



At the end, we discovered the British  objectives were to:

1. Steal/requisition all the cattle
2. Burn the boats at the villiage dock
3. Burn the village

The boats were too far away and the bridge crossing was much too hot, so the Redcoats only achieved one goal and there was plenty of beef for all in this drawn game.

Games with objectives make for good, solid, entertaining games. Large, slash-and-burn games are fine for ancients, but 18th Century on seems to go better with goals and objectives rather than "kill me all of them."