Wednesday 29 September 2021

Sharp Practice: Brûlez la ferme anglaise!

I must confess I have managed to get a little behind on the battle reports but will do my best to catch up over the next week or so - hopefully my remembered accounts of what happen will bear some resemblance to what happened in reality!

The beginning of the month saw my first game at the new BIG premises (even closer to me than the old one) with myself and Andy engaging in some French & Indian War Sharp Practice shenanigans against Phil and Jenny. Our mission (as the protectors of New France) was to burn down an English farm that had been built a little too close to our domain. The British (for some reason I forget) had to take the farmer into custody (possibly because he was a Plymouth Argyle supporter or something like that...)


Sergeant LaGrande with a group of Compangie Franche de la Marine skirmishers were first to arrive and advanced towards the farmstead.


Whilst Caporal Papillon with group of Milice Canadienne skirmishers moved towards a forested area to the left to make sure no British or Mohicans hid within,..


Which they did. Sergeant Will Kilmore and a group of Grenadier skirmishers were spotted.


Meanwhile Ensign Henri Montmatre led another group of Compangie Franche de la Marine skirmishers quickly down the road aiming to set fire to the barn before the British arrived.


Caporal Papillon and his Milice Canadienne were joined by Snakebreath, commanding a Huron war party.


Then the sound of marching boots was heard. Major The Lord Peter Wimsey leading three groups of British Grenadiers towards the farm.


The sound of even more marching boots was then heard as two groups of Compagnies Franche de la Marine led by Lieutenant Luc du Cochone advanced down the road towards the farm watched by a rather confused English farmer.


Sergeant LaGrande's skirmishers were tasked with burning the farmhouse and slowly advanced towards it.


Whilst more British Grenadier skirmishers appeared in the woods under the command of Captain Roger Boyes.


Sergeant Kilmore's skirmishers opened fire on the French and Huron to their front...


And one of the Milice Canadienne fell dead with the group taking a point of Shock.


Captain Boyes advanced his skirmishers and opened fire on the Compangie Franche de la Marine skirmishers aiming to burn down the barn...


One of Ensign Montmatre's men fell dead and the unit took a point of Shock, however they had almost reached the barn...


Which next turn they proceeded to set fire to...


As the British Grenadiers marched ponderously down the road, a group of allied Stockbridge Mohican skirmishers commanded by Chief Golden Shower passed them as they moved swiftly towards the barn...


Snakebreath's Huron opened fire on Kilmore's Grenadier skirmishers in the woods killing one and inflicting Shock on the tall-hatted British...


With Caporal Papillon's Milice Canadienne added more Shock after a round of musket fire from them.


Meanwhile Major The Lord Peter Wimsey, assisted by Sergeant Rick O'Shea, ordered his men to get a shift on and they moved up towards the farm...


Only to find Lieutenant du Cochone's Compagnies Franche de la Marine had snapped into line and had presented their muskets... 


A volley of French musket fire from the Compagnies Franche de la Marine poured towards the advancing Grenadiers...


However the French had fired high and although all three groups of Grenadiers took some Shock only one man fell dead.


Meanwhile the farmer decided this field of death was not for him and he ran away from the battle (making the British objective - to capture him - practically impossible).


Golden Shower's Stockbridge reached the barn and (at gunpoint) asked the young farmhand if he had seen any French...


Meanwhile back at the wood things were heating up. Caporal Papillon's Milice Canadienne charged into Sergeant Killmore's Grenadiers and despite Papillon being knocked down, the French skirmishers wiped out the English and captured Killmore...


However their victory was short lived though as Captain Boyes led his Grenadier Skirmishers in against the Milice Canadienne...


Wiping them out, capturing Papillon and rescuing Killmore. It was not without cost though as three Grenadiers fell dead in this brief bloody skirmish.


Back near the farm Major The Lord Peter Wimsey snapped two groups of his Grenadiers into line and ordered them to present their muskets, whilst detaching the third group under the command of Sergeant Rick O'Shea to flank the barn.


Having been told there were "Frogs 'round the bleedin' corner mate" by the farmhand, Golden Shower charged his braves into Ensign Montmatre's Compangie Franche de la Marine skirmishers forcing them to fall back and knocking out the poor Ensign  and leaving his men effectively un-commanded.


In the woods fortune had once again turned towards the French as Snakebreath and his Huron warriors charged Captain Boyes skimishers wiping them out and capturing the English officer. 


Sergeant Killmore fled for safety pursued by the Huron who dragged the unfortunate Captain Boyes behind them! It was to be in vain and soon he would join his Captain as a prisoner of the now legendary Snakebreath!


Back by the farm Lieutenant du Cochone ordered his Compagnies Franche de la Marine to fire another volley at the British Grenadiers...


This time their aim was truer with three Grenadiers falling dead and Shock being inflicted. 


However this did not stop the Grenadiers from returning fire...


And three of the Compagnies Franche de la Marine fell dead and the formation took Shock itself.


Another British volley crashed out at the French...


But this time the Compagnies Franche de la Marine only took some Shock.


Spotting the plight of the wounded Ensign Montmatre and his Compangie Franche de la Marine skirmishers, Lieutenant du Cochone detached himself from the line troops and rushed over to take command of the skirmishers.


Enabling them to evade an attempted charge by Golden Shower's Mohicans.


Meanwhile Sergeant LaGrande and his Compangie Franche de la Marine skirmishers skirted around the farm house and opened fire into the flank of the Stockbridge Mohicans!


Who lost two men.


Firing uncontrolled volleys the Compangie Franche de la Marine continued to trade fire with the Grenadiers to their front...


Inflicting more Shock on them.


Suddenly from out of the woods Caporal Papillon made a dash for the British Deployment Point almost capturing it!


In response Sergeant Rick O'Shea, who was supposed to be supporting the Stockridge skirmishers, about turned and fired at the brave Frenchman - missing him.


Snakebreath's Huron, with their two prisoners in tow, opened fire on O'Shea's men from the wood. Things were not looking too good for the British now.


Back at the farm the Stockridge Indians attacked the Compangie Franche de la Marine skirmishers...


Killing the last three skirmishers leaving Lieutenant du Cochone and the now recovered Ensign Montmatre's standing along against the Mohican warriors...


This had come at a price though as Chief Golden Shower himself had been knocked out in the round of fisticuffs.


Nevertheless, being within command range of the British commander the Stockridge warriors charged the two French officers, knocking Lieutenant du Cochone out!


Fortunately Ensign Montmatre was able to drag him to safety...


Sergeant LaGrande and his Compangie Franche de la Marine skirmishers then charged the Mohicans in the rear...


Destroying them, capturing the unconscious Golden Shower, and reducing the British Force Morale to zero. Victory for the French!


My first French and Indian War game proved to be a lot of fun and despite using the same rules as we had been with Andy for the American War of Independence games of late, it proved a notably different experience.