R&P – Battleline Brawl.

Time for another Tuesday Rebels and Patriots game! I have noticed in all of our games, there was a lack of close order fighting. Even when I had forces that were mostly build around regular infantry. So, I wanted to try a a few tweaks and try a straight up fight.

I set up the board with a wide open center. the battlefield was then bracketed with thick woods on each flank and a village on one. The woods would count as half move for all troops.

I went with the Star Spangled scenario. in the book. So, the game would be set at night, with a twelve inch maximum visibility. The exceptions being that units that fired in the previous turn, would be visible out to twenty four inches.

The French side includes two units of regular infantry (12 troops), a light gun and section of light infantry (6 troops). The British included three units of regular infantry (12 troops)and one section of light infantry (six troops). The game would be ten turns with variable ending.

We rolled off first player and got into it. Both sides spent the first few turns closing the difference, while being shrouded in darkness. The Brits to the risk and moved some of their units within twelve inches. This gave the French the first “First Fires.” Unfortunately, there dice failed them and the Brits only took a small number of casualties. This allowed the British to mass their fire on the French flank. A couple of bad discipline checks and the French were down one of their units. Disaster!

While this was happening the British rangers were making a bee line to get off the table, while the French lights tried to turn the opposite flank.

The French player had their personal morale broken and wanted to throw in the towel. I suggested we try at least one more turn. Once their personal morale was restored, they opted to go the vengeance rout and found their dice rolls!

A few more turns and the British regulars were pretty much wiped out, with few more French losses. We called the game on turn eight, with the French getting points for all the units they eliminated and the French getting a point for the one unit that made it off the board.

The game ended with a solid French victory! Just proves that in a game of dice, you are never out until the game end!

• Manteuffel