Rebels and Patriots: A Long Way From Fort Randolph

George's painting desk was fairly busing during Lockdown #1 (as we must now call it) and he painted up a large force of Native Americans for F&IW and AWI games so a couple of weeks back he brought them down to BIG for a game of Rebels and Patriots. 

I'be been reading more about the Western theatre in the Revolutionary War recently so we decided to play the A Long Way From Home scenario loosely set somewhere in the Ohio Valley. In the scenario one company (here the Americans ) has been on a scouting mission and is returning home when it is ambushed (by the local Iroquois natives).

The American force heads off back to camp after a successful mission making friends in the Ohio Valley...

Loyal to the Crown, Britain's Iroquois allies hide in the woods along the route of the returning Americans.

Spotting shadows movement in the woods, the Americans push forward their skirmishers to investigate whilst the main column begins to move out...

Three units of Iroquois Fierce Skirmishers on the American left open fire on the advancing light troops, but fire high.

Meanwhile on the American right more Iroquois move stealthily through the woods...

The Iroquois musket fire from both flanks starts to strike home and three Militia Skirmishers fall dead.

Another casualty sees one of the Militia Skirmisher units reduced to 50% taking an automatic Disorder marker. They fail their Morale check and are Broken.

More fire from the woods inflicts casualties on the 1st Virginia Line and some terrible dice rolling by yours truly sees them become Broken.

The Militia Skirmishers managed to pass their Rally test and fell back (now only Disordered) managing to kill a native and Disorder their unit. The 1st Virginian Line fail their Rally test and fall back in some confusion.

The American Light Infantry come under fire from the Iroquois and one of them falls dead. They shrug this off in their Morale test.

The Iroquois and American Skirmishers begin a firefight in the woods, two natives falling dead after some fine shooting by Kirkwood's Lights.

Another group of Militia Skirmishers become Broken after taking casualties from the Iroquois in the woods...

The Iroquois charge one group of Militia Skirmishers...

Who successfully manage to evade the tomahawk wielding natives and fall back! Meanwhile the 1st Virginian Line are brought under control after a successful Rally test.

Unfortunately the group of Kirkwood's Lights on the right flank are attacked by a group of Iroquois and are wiped out!

On the left another group of Kirkwood's Skirmishers trade shots with the advancing Iroquois, both sides suffering a couple of casualties.

Another round of musket fire sees the American Light's reduced to under half strength and become permanently Disordered, which given the fact the unit was down to two men meant they were no longer able to fire so their only option was to try and get to safety....

The 1st Maryland starts to take casualties and becomes Disordered on a failed Morale check!

And then as four more brave boys of the Free State fall to Iroquois fire the unit becomes Broken.

The First Virginian try to change the narrative by charging the nearest Iroquois unit and giving them a taste of cold steel! The native skirmish unit is destroyed.

And that was the last action of the game as on turn 11 I rolled a 6 (never when checking Morale eh?) and the game was over... 

Looking at the Victory Conditions George's Iroquois picked up 2 Honour Points as they'd suffered less than 1/3 casualties. I had not managed to meet any of my Victory Conditions but fortunately had during the game I'd picked up 2 Honour Points having rolled double 6 on unit activations. Thanks to that, the battle was a draw...

It was a nice change to give Rebels and Patriots a run out after playing so much Sharp Practice, it is a simpler game but still gives a good battle and period feel.