Eutaw Spings 1781 AAR via Loose Files & American Scramble

 

Yesterday I tried out my Eutaw Springs scenario. It didn’t go as expected. While editing the photos, I mistakenly labeled the British commander as Rawdon. Oops. It was Stuart. Too late now for the photos. The deployment and opening moves follow. 

All the militia brigades were badly shot up. The British dice were better and the artillery at close range kept putting disorder points (DPs) on them. 3^rd class troops (experienced militia and green regulars) cannot rally away DPs on their own. Their DPs rapidly built up to a dangerous level. Pickens turned and retreated in the nick of time. Marion waited too long.

And then on the 9^th turn Greene was hit. The only Whig officer was down. Very soon after, Stuart had to roll on the risk to general table and escaped when a ball went through his cocked hat. (A house rule. Following the rules as written he would have a light wound.)

What game is complete without a cavalry charge? It led to dead horses.

It was a clear British victory, superior to the actual bloody muddle that saw the British recapture their camp from looting Americans in the actual battle. The game took slightly over 2 hours to play 12 turns. One reason it went so quickly was the British did nothing but shoot, the only movement by Stuart as he rode along the lines, rallying off the odd DP now and then.

Continentals losses (from 67 stands), 2 Continental infantry, 6 militia (another 4 ran away) and 1 cavalry stand (Lee’s Legion). My house rules for officer casualties determined that Greene was out of action for 6 weeks. British losses were negligible; that is, none, aside from Stuart’s cocked hat. American losses would be from 380 – 760 depending on if you count a removed stand as all lost or as half losses, half people helping wounded friends to the rear.

I agree that the heaviest losses in this (and most) periods occur when troops turn their backs and run while in close proximity to the enemy. But I have noted in the past that musket fire causes none in these rules until the DP level is high. Most of the British DPs were on Marjoribanks’ elite battalion, which was able to rally away 2 every turn as long as they stood still. Elite as they are, they aren’t bullet-proof. I am considering allowing 3 DP hits in a single attack to be converted into one stand lost and a DP. If that were the case Crown forces would have lost at least 3 stands even though they never got close to a dangerous DP level on any one unit.  

 

Units are only forced to retreat or rout by close combat, not by fire alone. Perhaps a unit that has more DPs than surviving stands should retreat in the same phase as units losing close combats. A unit with twice as many DPs routs. Last, the rules about cavalry changing speed is interesting to read but an extra thing in practice. I intend to junk it and allow cavalry to gallop from a standing start. It is simpler.

 

I really like the Loose Files rules and merely seek to make them clearer without making them more complex – easier to say than to do. I know the British Grenadier rules are based on Loose Files but I suspect they added a layer of complexity. I need to redo my QRS and put it in turn sequence order.

 

Now, on to correcting my scenario. Perhaps exceptional unit leaders should be represented. Pickens and Marion are two that come to mind. They stay with their units but can rally off a DP each turn. They are also liable to being hit like normal leaders. Nothing can be done about the British dice, which weren’t hot so much as the Continental dice were cold as ice unless shooting at the bullet-proof elites.

 

Further cogitation is required…

PS the new release of Blogger has some good things and some bad. If you load a group of photos the order is reversed, meaning you have to do one at a time. Previously thumbnails didn't impinge on the stuff on the right hand side of the screen. Now it does. If anyone knows how to gripe to the designers, please let me know.