The American War of Independence, Loose Files &  American Scramble, 28mm

This small American War of Independence game was designed to try out Loose Files & American Scramble, a set of rules produced many years ago by – I think – Andy Callan, and printed in Wargames Illustrated. Anyway, Bill Gilchrist has just bought two complete armies of E-Bay, and he loves tinkering with rules.This game was designed to try out both rules and the new lead. It was a straight-up fight, played out in a big clearing, ostensibly somewhere in the Mohawk valley. A force of two British regular units (one of which was Grenadiers), supported by some light infantry, Loyalist militia and Indians had to defeat a waiting line of Colonial rebels – mostly militia, but with a smattering of Continental regulars.Actually, there was very little “American scramble” going on. We started to advancing within musket range of the American line. We tried a bayonet charge with the Grenadiers, but in the rules the fact they’re bayonet-armed Grenadiers is outweighed by the fact that the rebels outnumbered us. As a result Britain’s finest were repulsed with heavy casualties.After this shocking start they spent the rest of the game reforming, then standing and shooting at the rebels, aided by the light infantry (a mixture of British and Loyalists), who sniped at the Americans from the woods. A similar debacle occurred on the left flank, where the Indians turned and fled after being charged by a unit American riflemen. Things weren’t going well!Then it was the turn of the centre – two units of Loyalists and one of British regulars (the 5th Foot). The regulars were hit by canister, and suffered far more from musketry than the militia they faced. Due to pesky things called “Disruption Points” (DPs) they never really had a chance to charge, but just stood there, getting whittled down every turn. too many DPs and you start taking casualties.The musket rules are simple – too simple – every firing base (regardless of troop quality) inflicts a DP on a “6”, but formed, standing regulars can only roll off two DP’s a turn. Commanders can remove them too, but by that stage most of ours were killed, including Lord Cornwallis, who commanded the force. At least he was spared a court martial! 

Tags: Loose Files & Scramble