For the organisers, the most interesting thing was to see if the players had learned anything from the morning games.
The players had a choice of restarting their games in the final positions of the morning session but with their troop numbers back to full strength. Alternatively, they could re-group and restart with a different mix of troops in their deployment area.
In the British home game, the Brits stayed where they finished the morning, that's in the fort. The French regrouped, beefed up their forces and redeployed. The extra forces included their grenadiers, some light infantry and 2 guns, a light gun, and the heavy gun recaptured by the French in the morning. A successful matrix roll by the French had unspiked the gun overnight, thanks mainly to survival of the crew.
Btitish defenders awaiting the enevitable onslaught
The French attacked the fort much more vigorously, managing to get a unit of Indians over the wall. The Brits counterattacked and successfully pushed them back out (just), so when the dust settled the garrison had been reduced to Colonel Fitzmartin and 2 infantrymen. The game ended with the Brits still in command of the fort but it had been a close run thing.
British reinforcements relieving things at the end of the game
Table 2's Brits were still mainly irregulars but the French had reinforced themselves with extra line troops. As the table was still heavily wooded the advantage was still with the Brits, so when I managed a quick look late in proceedings the French had been pushed back to their table edge facing inevitable defeat. In fact, the big question, was could a British officer get at the Indian he was sworn to kill in hand to hand combat and achieve his sub plot victory condition, before anyone else dispatched him. I never did see if he managed it, he was 5mm short when I left the table.
The Brits pushing the French back to thier table edge
Table 3's game had a similar makeup to the morning, with the French as before, the Brits with extra provincials. The Brits again got an engagement objective, the French got slaughter.
The Brits managed to protect the civilians in some buildings and the extra numbers gave them the edge over the French irregulars. The French again decided that discretion was the better part of valour, and retired off the table, forcing the Brits to settle for a draw from a winning situation (I thought you had to let the Birthday Boy win).
The French home table saw both sides maintaining their closing positions at full strength. The Brits, learning from the morning, decided to burn down the first homestead they came to rather than risk hand to hand combat with the fearsome civilians. Once the building was on fire the locals had to take a reaction test, which they failed, leading to civilians running round like headless chickens.
building in background burning and the civilians leaving the various buildings in panic.
The Canadians kept up a withering fire on the Brits, slowing the advance down almost to a complete stop. Meanwhile, on the beach, the Brits who arrived late in the morning now set up their guns which would pot way at various buildings with little effect (terrible dice). Their infantry advanced towards the blockhouse which they set alight (again not risking melee, this time with militia). The French were now under extreme pressure, which was relieved by the arrival of 2 regular units. The opposing regular forces now faced off in a devastating firefight which left the Brits with the upper hand, but greatly weakened.
French reinforcements enter stage right,
The 2 regular forces face off in a firing line dual, French Indians in the Governors house are firing from the 2nd storey at the stalled advance at the other side of the village. The blockhouse to the right of the picture is now on fire.
There was now an opportunity on the French side to strike a significant blow. Their Indians in theGovernors House were still at full strength and by lucky coincidence they had temporary elite status in melee thanks to a matrix roll and a moral advantage due to the eclipse random event. But despite encouragement and pleading from the senior French officer the Indians stayed put carrying out long range musket fire at the Brits at the other end of the village. When eventually the Indians did leave the building to attack the Brits it was after their regulars had been forced back,which left them exposed to musket fire from the remains of 2 units and 2 officers, so discretion proved the better part of valour they returned to the house.
Both sides were now under 1/2 strength and the dreaded moral test cards were added to the pack. In pretty quick succession the cards came up, and after a flurry of dice throws, most troops decided enough was enough and left the field. The only troops that could now affect the outcome were a French officer in the Governors House and a British office and 3 regulars just outside. The Brits stormed the building leading to the demise of the poor isolated French officer.
So at the end of the game the Brits occupied the governors house and had destroyed the blockhouse - 3 - 0 victory to the British but it was very close.
So at the end of the day everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. There were no major disagreements, and most things ran pretty smoothly.
The result? A resounding 20 - 11 victory to the Brits, but a few dice the other way and things would have been very different.
How did the rules handle the game? Considering the numbers and inexperience of most players, the rules worked very well. The built-in randomness of the rules stopped people taking things too seriously and getting overly competitive. We enjoyed the day, have learned a few things to change/ improve, and are planning the next bash in the not to distant future.
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