With
its release just a cover design away, I decided to play a game of
Tree of Liberty
with a friend after our Sunday lunch last
week.
The game is specifically designed for the mid-range battles of the
American War of Independence, so we quickly threw some terrain on a
4'x4' table and dug out some units
British Order of
Battle
General Brassick: Status 2
Brigader
Suttle: Status 3
Muttoncuffs, 5 bases: Regulars, muskets, colonel, Cohesion 4
Fusiliers, 6 bases: Regulars, muskets, colonel, Cohesion 5
Canadian Highland Volunteers, 9 bases: Regulars, muskets, colonel,
Cohesion 3
Queen's Rangers, 6 bases: Regulars, muskets, Cohesion 3
Hessian Jagers, 4 bases: Regulars, muskets, light infantry, Cohesion
4
Dragoons, 6 bases: Regulars, cavalry, colonel, Cohesion 3
Command Initiative: 4 dice, 9 orders
Breakpoint: 17 bases
American Order
of Battle
Brigadier-General Horeson: Status 3
Brigadier Grimley: Status 3
3rd
Maryland, 10 bases: Regulars, muskets, colonel, Cohesion 3
1st
New Yorkers, 10 bases: Regulars, muskets, colonel, Cohesion 3
9th
Connecticut, 10 bases: Regulars, muskets, colonel, Cohesion 4
Riflemen, 12 bases: Irregulars, rifles, Cohesion 3
Benjamin's Hollow Militia, 3 bases: Militia, muskets, Cohesion 2
Command Initiative: 4 dice, 9 orders
Breakpoint: 15 bases
The Game
Both armies were divided by the Sackahominy River, only crossable at
the rickety Benjamin's Bridge. Defending both sides of the road, the
Patriots lined the fences and waited for the British to advance;
which they did in short order.
The
Canadians were slow enough to ruin any chance of success on their
flank. Their reluctance to get to handstrokes meant that despite
their stellar success breaking three units of Americans with fire and
bayonet, the Muttoncuffs were abandoned in a cauldron of musketry and
eventually annihilated in a counter-charge. The Canucks eventually
made it almost the whole way to the bridge before being similarly
surrounded and shot to pieces. Brigadier
Suttle was the only British piece remaining on the left bank of the
Sackahominy by the time the game ended.
In part, that was due to General Brassick destroying his army's
command and control by sacrificing himself in a successful charge
alongside the Fusiliers on the other side of the river. After a few
sharp exchanges of fire with the Patriots in the hills and woods
opposite, they routed New Yorkers off the road fences, but like the
Muttoncuffs were caught without support and squashed flat.
On the British right flank, the skirmishing Rangers and Jagers were
quickly bogged down in ineffectual firefights against Connecticut
line infantry and swarms of riflemen. By the time the Dragoons moved
up in support, any attempt to charge the American lines would have
been a waste.
The battered British right withdrew having watched everyone to their
left flee the field in poor condition. No Loyalists would be passing
by Benjamin's Bridge any time soon...
 |
| The Fusiliers exchange fire with continental infantry. |
 |
| The Muttonchops crest the hill and take a volley. |
 |
| The lane fills with powdersmoke and bullets. |
 |
| The rest of the Patriot flank opens fire, ineffectively. |
 |
| With zeal and bayonets, the Muttoncuffs charge home! |
 |
| The die roll that sealed the Fusiliers' fate! |
 |
| The Canadian Highlanders stand firm until the last. |
Butcher's Bill
British: Almost 900 casualties; Americans about 600
Man of the Match
The
Fusiliers provided two perfect lessons in how to conduct a bayonet
charge, both giving and receiving perfect set-piece shock attacks
preceded by heavy musketry. For their foreshadowing of Pickett's charge, I
name them the Men of the Match.
After-Thoughts
The
British were attacking against greater numbers, and trusted too much
to their superior quality – which wasn't actually much greater
overall, despite the presence
of the Fusiliers
and Muttoncuffs. Their arrogance
met with an almost Hollywood end – riflemen in the woods and
Continentals at the fences shooting down men who stayed
shoulder-to-shoulder far too much. It is telling, I think, that all
the bases lost to shooting were lost from units in Ordered Line, and
none from those who took just as much fire but were in Open Order.
Good
units caught alone were crumpled and I often regretted a lack of
second and third lines –
it
all felt very historically accurate!
Ben
enjoyed
the game, which
since it was his first for years and years was very gratifying.
It is interesting that while another playtester called it really fun “micro-management”, Ben said it was “kind of abstract and
simplified” but really fun – it just goes to show how different
two people can find the same game while still enjoying it! Tree
of Liberty
should hopefully be available for purchase from the Wargame Vault in
the next few weeks as the next installment in the Tactical
Two Pager
series.
