Bunker (Breeds) Hill 1775

[sheepman]

Really glad to see a new forum starting up, I hope it goes well.

Here is my first contribution, a few pictures of our re-fight of Bunker Hill and a link to the blog,

The American defenses on Breeds Hill.

Many more pictures and a description of the action here:
http://thenorthumbrianwargamer.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/28mm%20AWI
Dave.

'The higher up the tree the monkey goes, the more of it's arse you can see'.
To bosses everywhere!

http://thenorthumbrianwargamer.blogspot.co.uk/

[Neil Scott]

It was a very enjoyable game mate

Double six! I need a double six

[sheepman]

Aided by the fact you won Scotty!

Dave.

'The higher up the tree the monkey goes, the more of it's arse you can see'.
To bosses everywhere!

http://thenorthumbrianwargamer.blogspot.co.uk/

[Henry Hyde]

What rules were you using, guys?

Editor, Battlegames
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[sheepman]

British Grenadier Henry, always loved Gen De Brigade and progressed onto this. Some people don’t like the disruption rules as you don’t get casualties straight away but we like the way disruption points wear the moral and fighting ability of the unit down before casualties occur, particularly in the milita. The author says than in many (but not all) encounters during the AWI that actual casualties were comparatively light. It would be interesting to find out what others thought of this.

Dave.

'The higher up the tree the monkey goes, the more of it's arse you can see'.
To bosses everywhere!

http://thenorthumbrianwargamer.blogspot.co.uk/

[3rd95th]

Yes it was a good game. I would like to know how the new Deluxe version of these work for 1812 and how they differ from the General de Brigade additional rules for the period.

Because I need a new project…………………………………………………….

Neal

 

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[Neil Scott]

Here is a selection of photos i managed to take of the game slideshow

Double six! I need a double six

[sheepman]

Scotty, slide show – posh beggar, I did well to get a couple of photos put on!

Neal, you need a new project like a hole in the head mate.

Dave.

'The higher up the tree the monkey goes, the more of it's arse you can see'.
To bosses everywhere!

http://thenorthumbrianwargamer.blogspot.co.uk/

[Frog]

Nice photos and a good write-up on the blog! Well done and inspirational!

 

I’m currently working on finishing up the last couple of pieces needed to do Bunker Hill later this year, though it’ll be in 15 mm and with a different set of rules. I’m terrible at photography but I’ll try to post a report after we play it.

 

Cheers!

Bunch of monkeys on your ceiling, sir!

[3rd95th]

@Dave

Gotcha!

 

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[sheepman]

Thanks Frog, looking forward to see your report on the game and the photos, quality doesn’t matter as long as everyone gets how the game went. Which rules will you be using and why?

Dave.

'The higher up the tree the monkey goes, the more of it's arse you can see'.
To bosses everywhere!

http://thenorthumbrianwargamer.blogspot.co.uk/

[Frog]

We use the Flint & Steel rules. I’ve played them 12-13 years, a couple of the guys have for a bit longer. To us they feel “right” for the AWI.

 

Command/control and morale are paramount in Flint & Steel. Each command receives orders from it’s General; depending upon what orders are given the units “must” do some things, “can” do other things, and “can not” do other things. Occasionally, if the Dice Gods have it out for you, the orders actually received will not be what was desired, sometimes resulting in Very Bad Things happening to your plan and your army. This occurred in a game a month ago – on the verge of an overwhelming victory, one Patriot Brigade rolled spectacularly poorly for their orders and instead of advancing they fell back. With shouts of “Treason!” and “A Benedict!” the rest of the Patriot army then fell back, so the British ended up holding the field, though at an absolutely prohibitive cost. (It helps that I game with a great bunch of guys who would rather play the period (whatever the period might be) than look for loopholes to allow “cheese.”)

 

The morale rules in Flint & Steel are such that militia will sometimes skedaddle the first time they’re shot at but on very rare occasions they’ll stand like veterans. Artillery isn’t too deadly; it’s chief use is to cause morale checks. Once in a very great while something truly unusual can happen if the Dice Gods smile upon you – twice this year in 4 refights of Cowpens I’ve managed (on a 3% chance with percentile dice) to shoot Banastre Tarleton out of the saddle!

Bunch of monkeys on your ceiling, sir!

[sheepman]

Thanks for that mate, Flint and Steel sound interesting. I quite agree that finding lads who play to the ‘feel’ of a period is vastly preferable to loophole, must win at all cost guys, one of the down sides of our hobby, but they are fairly easy to avoid, just don’t game with em!
P.S. 3% chance of popping the guy, and then doing it twice, jammy git!
Dave.

'The higher up the tree the monkey goes, the more of it's arse you can see'.
To bosses everywhere!

http://thenorthumbrianwargamer.blogspot.co.uk/

[Frog]

Actually, the most fun I had in the Cowpens refights was #3, where I, as the Americans, got my entire army routed off the table without inflicting even a single casualty!

 

<Enter waiter, carrying silver platter. “Your posterior, sir.”>

Bunch of monkeys on your ceiling, sir!

[sheepman]

Last week at the Border Rievers club in sunny Northumberland we had (what I thought would be a rather boring) skirmish game using cowboys, not my cup of tea at all. Thing was a laugh a minute, ending up with the bad guys trying to get three large horses and riders out of a normal sized door! good natured arguments and banter ensued and what could have been a crap game was one of the best we’ve had or ages! Mainly down to the lads you game with of course.
Dave.

'The higher up the tree the monkey goes, the more of it's arse you can see'.
To bosses everywhere!

http://thenorthumbrianwargamer.blogspot.co.uk/

[greenknight4]

A very nice looking game.

There is a decent description of the bunker in the book…  Bunker Hill by Nathaniel Philbrick, pages 196, 199.

 

 

Author of Day of Battle, I game in 25mm and 40mm scales. Also enjoy Horse and Musket and WWII Western Front Games.

[sheepman]

Thanks mate, I’ll look out for that.
Dave.

'The higher up the tree the monkey goes, the more of it's arse you can see'.
To bosses everywhere!

http://thenorthumbrianwargamer.blogspot.co.uk/

[Brendan Morrissey]

I have Flint & Steel somewhere – never actually played them as I wasn’t “wowed” on the first read-through, but may give them another go on the basis of your comments (I have always heard that the orbat information was worth the entrance money on its own, although having a rather large AWI library anyway, this did not cut much ice with me).

Did you use an historical orbat with all of the British units represented?  I’ve fought the Bunker Hill scenario from the British Grenadier rules twice.  The first time, the British did not do very well; however, the second time we tweaked the orbat to give them the right number of units historically and, although they were individually small (all but the two elite units were at the 12-figure minimum the rules suggest for a battalion) it gave the British much more flexibility in terms of “pinning” and flanking the American defences.

I think it would be interesting to refight the battle using historical orbats with several rulesets to compare what sort of game each produces.  It’s funny how many rulesets cause the British to struggle – as they (kind of) did historically – yet in reality, the Americans should have been beaten quite quickly by Howe’s original plan  (and would have been if three or four unrelated, and unlikely events had not occurred simultaneously).

[willz]

Thanks for sharing, a nice selection of photo’s.

[Frog]

Brendan Morrissey wrote:

I have Flint & Steel somewhere – never actually played them as I wasn’t “wowed” on the first read-through, but may give them another go on the basis of your comments (I have always heard that the orbat information was worth the entrance money on its own, although having a rather large AWI library anyway, this did not cut much ice with me). Did you use an historical orbat with all of the British units represented? I’ve fought the Bunker Hill scenario from the British Grenadier rules twice. The first time, the British did not do very well; however, the second time we tweaked the orbat to give them the right number of units historically and, although they were individually small (all but the two elite units were at the 12-figure minimum the rules suggest for a battalion) it gave the British much more flexibility in terms of “pinning” and flanking the American defences. I think it would be interesting to refight the battle using historical orbats with several rulesets to compare what sort of game each produces. It’s funny how many rulesets cause the British to struggle – as they (kind of) did historically – yet in reality, the Americans should have been beaten quite quickly by Howe’s original plan (and would have been if three or four unrelated, and unlikely events had not occurred simultaneously).

 

The scenario is in the Compendium that comes with the rules. Here’s the British orbat as given, with number of figures per battalion (3 figures = 100 men):

Clark’s Light Infantry Battalion – 10

Abercrombie’s Grenadier Battalion – 10

5th Foot – 7

52nd Foot – 7

47th Foot – 7

1st Battalion, Royal Marines – 7

63rd Foot – 6

2nd Battalion, Royal Marines – 6

Grenadier Detachment – 4

Light Infantry Detachment – 4

38th Foot – 7

43rd Foot – 7

6 pounder battery – 4 guns

12 pounder battery – 4 guns

Howitzer battery – 4 guns

Bunch of monkeys on your ceiling, sir!

[Author]

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