French and Indian Wars: More Animal Markers

  Here are my other three animal bases I will use as Hidden Unit Markers for games of Songs of Drums and Tomahawks and Muskets and Tomahawks.  The  big bear is from Warbases, and the cubs are from Ral Partha (I think). I am not sure if the cubs are meant to be 28mm cubs or 15mm bears, but either way they fit the job nicely. The wolves and the Wood Bison are from Warbases.  

French and Indian Wars: Wild Animal Markers

"Hey Sarge, did you see that bush movin'? Maybe there is one of them Injuns or Frenchies sneakin' up on us?"

"Don't be squeelin' like a yella belly. That 'ain't no Injun. Sure that's just a fox rustlin' in the leaves lookin' for varmint."

Both rules sets I use for French and Indian wars requires the use of 'Blinds' or hidden unit markers to show the whereabouts of hidden troops as they stalk their way through the forests. Songs of Drums and Tomahawks suggests that you could use bases with woodland animals on to add a funky looking bit of detail and make the game look less abstract. I thought that was a rather nice idea, so after a ferret though my lead mountain and a foray on the internet I set to work making six wild animal markers. 

The fox and the white wolf are from Warbases- actually they are both supposed to be wolves but I painted the fox differently to give me more easily recognised differences. At this scale it doesn't make much difference. The cougar is from a pack Pulp Citizen gave me- I am pretty sure they were Ral Partha. 

French and Indian Wars: An Engagement at Yellow Tree Farm- A Battle Report

Pulp Citizen and I got our first game of Muskets and Tomahawks in this week- it was a (just over) 200 point game, and featured British army vs French Militia. 

For the British Lieutenant George Whittington-Smyth led 9 Regulars, 6 Light infantry and 6 Mohawk scouts.

For the French-Canadians Achille Bonhomme, a well known fur trader, led 7 Couriers de Bois, 8 Canadian militia and 5 Huron warriors.

The British Army scout out the farm for signs of enemy activity

We rolled randomly for the mission, and both got scout- basically we had to scout out all four quarters of the table top, then get back of the board the way we came in, with ant least 1/3 of our models. It was also a night-fight, meaning spotting ranges were drastically reduced. 

Achille Bonhomme lead his men through the dense forest, avoiding the open ground as much as possible, while Wittington-Smyth moved his regulars confidently through the farmland, while his Indians and light infantry covered his flanks. 

British Light Infantry searching the farm buildings

The Indians got stuck in first, with the Mohawks running  into  the Huron in the depths of the forest. A protracted fire fight broke out between the two native forces, which was fairly inconclusive for a long time, as both tribes are adapt at using the forests as cover. 

The Canadian Militia advancing towards the light infantry

Upon hearing the crackle of musket fire from the woods, Bonhomme's Canadian militia worked their way forward to scout the farm buildings, where they ran into the British Light Infantry, who drove them back with some accurate musket fire. 

Lieutenant George Whittington-Smyth ordered his Line Infantry to advance 

Meanwhile Bonhomme and his Couriers de Bois took up position amongst the rocks to the south of the farm to ambush Whittington-Smyth the British Regulars. The exchange took place at quite long range, and given that the Frenchies were hiding in the rocks, and that it was very dark, the British Line Infantry had a hard time hitting anything, while the French hunters whittled down the British Regulars. After a few rounds of inclusive musket fire the British Line advanced towards the Frenchies. For some inexplicable reason Whittington-Smyth did not advance with the rest of his infantry- something that was later to prove to be his undoing...

At shorter range the British musket fire proved more successful, and the British drove the Couriers de Bois out of the rocks. The Couriers de Bois rallied and retuned to the rocks, only to be driven back again by the Regulars- the Couriers de Bois just didn't have the fight in them that day. 

Bonhomme being a fleet footed little bugger, made it across the open ground to the farm building and completed his objectives of scouting the British forces- while Whittington-Smyths men did likewise. Now all both forces had to do was disengage and make it back to their lines without taking too many casualties. 

The Huron Scouts drive off their hated Mohawk enermies

At this point things took a turn for the unexpected, as the Huron managed to break the Mokawks will and they fled. Deciding that there was no point in staying in the fight with the mission complete the remaining Mohawks withdrew. The British Light Infantry fired off another volley at the Canadians, wiping them out,  before withdrawing in good order without loosing a man. 

The Britsih Regulars drive the Couriers de Bois out of teh rocks for a second time

Bonhomme and his Couriers de Bois began to fall back, determined to get the intelligence he had acquired back to the French Army. It was at this point that the Huron, excited by their victory over the hated Mohawks, spied Lieutenant Whittington-Smyth on his own. They raced to the tree-line and fired a volley of shot into the English officer, cutting him down. The Huron, whooping like gleeful children raced into the open and scalped the officer, much to Achille Bonhomme's horror.

The Light Infantry start the withdraw in good order. 

The shock of loosing their officer caused the remains of his Regulars to loose heart and they routed off the board in disarray. Nothing remained to stop both sides withdrawing. 

Both sides had achieved their objectives, but at a cost. The Canadian Militia was destroyed, and the British Line Infantry was broken and routed off the board. The death, and subsequent mutilation, of the caddish George Whittington-Smyth will certainly have repercussions. 

This being our first game we made a few mistakes which might have impacted on the game play- but I felt that in general it was a fun game, easy enough to learn, with an interesting initiative system. It certainly felt right for the period and style of warfare it is meant to portray.  I think a bigger game would be a lot more fun- but I will need to prepare better next time. I also need to make some hidden markers and some smoke markers too. Pulp Citizen remains unconvinced (being a 'historical wargaming' scheptic) but I think with a few more games he will come round- though I doubt I will catch him painting a Mohawk warband any time soon-mores the pity.

French Indian Wars: French Settlers

Here is my French force for Tomahawks and Muskets. This is just over 200pts in the game, which is a reasonable size force for a small game. They are themed around some settlers, who have encroached onto disputed territory that the English King claims as his own. They are irregular forces, and are more likely to do well in a guerilla type operation that a stand up fight with the British army. They know the terrain well, and are fast and agile. Some of their numbers are the willy Couriers de Bois, the dangerous outdoors-men who trade with the local indigenous tribes. These men are extremely adapt at moving through woodlands and using the terrain to their advantage.
They are lead by Captain Jean Berger, an officer from the Compagnies Franches de la Marines who has been attached to the militia to help organise them against the British. He is an experienced officer who has been in Canada for some time and has able to get the best out of his irregulars. 

Captain Jean Berger

Some of the Canadian Militia

Huron Allies loyal to the French

The Couriers de Bois

The whole army- so far

The figures are from Redoubt. A couple of the Couriers de Bois are converted from Canadian Militia (with the addition of fur hats made from green stuff- can you tell which?)

French and Indian Wars: British Light Infantry and French Fur Trappers

 Here are some more of my French Indian War figures for Muskets and Tomahawks. First up, some British Light Infantry, skirmishing away on the flanks of the Regular Infantry.  

Next up, some Frenchies (boo!).

 These are fur trappers and frontier traders, or as they were called by the French Coureur de Bois (Forest Runner). These rugged types penetrate the deep forested interiors of Canada, living off the land and trading furs with the natives. In M+T these guise are a sort of elite skirmishers, able to use the terrain to their advantage. They sport beards and fur hats too, so they can't be all bad.   

These figures are by Redoubt Miniatures

French and Indian Wars: British Regular Infantry

It's time for another distracting aside. 

SAGA certainly took the gaming world by storm, with it’s quirky game play and fun skirmish scale battles. Leon (Pulp Citizen) and I have been playing a few games and are starting to get into it, but that’s not going to stop me getting distracted by an all new gaming project and, for me, an entirely new period: Muskets and Tomahawks and The French and Indian Wars.

The French and Indian Wars (sometimes called the French Indian War or FIW) was basically the Seven Year War as it was fought out in North America, between the British, with their Native American allies, and the French/Canadians and their native allies. The war is most commonly remembered in the collective consciousness thanks to the Last of the Mohicans.

The games Muskets and Tomahawks, (M+T for short) is a game by the same writer as SAGA, but it is a very different game that really captures the atmosphere of the period. I have read the rules, but have yet to play a game, and am really looking forward to it. It has been getting rave reviews.

I have begun work on the Red-coated British Regular Infantry. In truth I have been plugging away at these steadily since November, just doing one or two as the mood struck me. I still have a few more to go, but then I can start on the really good bit- the Indians!

These figures are by Redoubt Miniatures.