Muskets & Grenadiers - Assault on Freshwater Cove - A British Failure

Thanks to my buddy Kimo coming over this afternoon after my youngest son's high school graduation, a nice Muskets & Tomahawks game was played. Although it ended up being different from history with a French victory, it was still quite an enjoyable game nonetheless. Both Kimo and I really like the rules for not only their elegant simplicity, but also the unpredictability of game play due to the card draw activation of units. Kimo chose to run the French, which I suspect was due to his former life as a Canadian, and I ran the Redcoats. Without further ado, here are some pictures and captions - hopefully recalled correctly.

Top of Turn 2 has the 22th, 40th and 45th Grenadiers along with General Wolfe successfully landed on the beach at Freshwater Cove. A few casualties already taken and loaded onto the boats. Their movement impeded by the debris strewn along the shoreline by the French.

The small detachment of French Marines did a very good job in stymieing the Grenadiers slow advance.

The Frasier Highlanders were the largest unit and did the best out of all the British. Here they are after moving down off the bluff to the east of the main landing. The detachment of Rangers having already reached the wood line to their left.

Turn 4 with Wolfe and the Grenadiers still not making much of a headway with their difficult movement inland.

Remnants of the Rangers fleeing from taking numerous casualties.

Frasiers taking point blank fire from French Fusiliers as well as fire from French Militia. However, due to lucky saves only taking minimal casualties.

French Grenadiers staying within the safety of the woods. A unit of French Fusiliers being whittled down by British fire.

Meanwhile the Grenadiers are still being hampered moving inland with the 22nd Grenadiers destroyed - only their Sergeant and General Wolfe remaining. Note the dead piled up in the boats.

Turn 5 has the Frasiers sending hot lead into the backs of the fleeing Canadian Militia - about the only bright spot for the British assault.

We called the game at Turn 6 with the British Grenadiers, with Wolfe attached, making hardly any significant movement inland. The British right had the Rangers fleeing back whence they came - towards the sea. Only the Frasier Highlanders held their own, but would eventually become isolated and surrounded by the French. All in all it was great to play these fine skirmish rules - Kimo's first time and only my second. I can easily see how much fun these rules can be by adding things like the side plots and other variables. Just playing the basic rules was very nice. Kimo suggested adding French cannon to the scenario - which is historical as the French had a lot of these including a 20 pounder. This would likely necessitate the addition of more British assault troops - or at least being able to recycle figures for fresh units. Anyway, I'm already distracted with a couple of other projects - one being the Battle of Worringen, and another with WW2 Japanese battling pterosaurs! ;)