Action At Bunker Hill, 17 June 1775

 Looking through a couple of AWI source books the other night, I realised that Monday is/was the 249th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Having recently completed my small force of American militia, and having already conceived the idea that I could probably split the three or four main actions of this important battle down into small solo individual games, it was obvious I had to fight the first game on Monday evening, which I duly did.

I used a slightly adjusted version of our homebrew AS9 rules, activating units randomly using a deck of red and black playing cards. Could the elite British Light infantry overturn the historical result and clear Starks patriot militia from the rail fence protecting the left flank of the American positions? 

(For those not familiar with the battle, here is a brief outline of what occurred in this opening portion of the battle): " General Howe led the light infantry companies and grenadiers in the assault on the American left flank along the rail fence, expecting an easy effort against Stark's recently arrived troops. His light infantry was set along the narrow beach, in column formation, in order to turn the far-left flank of the colonial position. The colonists withheld their fire until the regulars were within at least 50 paces of their position. As the regulars closed in range, they suffered heavy casualties from colonial fire. The colonists benefited from the rail fence to steady and aim their muskets and enjoyed a modicum of cover from return fire. Under this withering fire, the light companies melted away and retreated, some as far as their boats.") 

Starks militia manning the rail fence that reached right down to the narrow beach on the shore of the Mystic River.

General Howe leads the light infantry companies forward

"Hold your fire boys and aim low!"

Not a lot happened for the first ten turns - when the British activated, they advanced, when the Americans did so, they were out of range so could not fire!

By turn 12, the British were within range and picked up one casualty from American fire. As a reminder, an infantry unit can take up to 4 hits but must then retire until at least one hit can be rallied off by rolling a 9 or better of two D6.

The light infantry charged into Starks men but lost the melee (or were shattered by close range musketry, perhaps?!), took another casualty marker and were forced to fall back! They did manage to put one marker on Starks men.

Howe managed to rally his men and they moved forwards again. The American line erupted, causing another hit on the advancing Light Bobs. but they shrugged it off and closed in with the bayonet. 

"Thats the style, my lads!" The light infantry wins the close combat and one of Starks units is forced back, can the British now execute General Howes plan and turn the rebels left flank?

NO! The American militia have a blistering round of fire, including a 12 that means a double hit (the total was 3, to add to the 3 the Brits were already carrying). The light infantry was forced back again!

On the next two British turns, the rally throw was failed, and they were forced back more or less to their starting positions.

Having recreated history in under an hour, I thought I had done sufficient to mark the anniversary and ended the game at this point.

Starks victorious militia, still in place after seeing off the British regulars!

Great to get the newly minted American militia on the table and they bucked the usual fate of newly painted troops and did what was required and expected of them! The British light infantry did slightly better than their historical counterparts, but really, that was a bit of a fluke - the Americans only really got a couple of rounds of decent firing in - with better dice rolling, the Brits would have been on four hits before they got into melee range.

A fun little game and I will be looking to do the second portion of Howes battle plan in my next solo outing....

I will leave the last word to Mark M Boatner, author of the Cassell book on the AWI mentioned in a previous post:

"In the oppressive heat of early afternoon, the British light infantry advanced quickly, in a column of fours, along the unobstructed beach toward John Starks line of nervous militiamen. The leading company (Royal Welch Fusiliers) had gotten within 50 yards and had deployed for a bayonet charge when Stark finally gave the order to fire. The head of the British column was torn apart. Without hesitation the survivors of the leading company pressed ahead and were cut down. The next two companies' 4th (Kings Own) and 10th charged, in turn, with incredible valor and with the reasonable expectation that they could get to these farmers between volleys. But Stark had organised his men in three ranks, one of which was always ready to fire; there was no lull between volleys. .....The men of the 52nd came forward but their officers could not make them attack. When the light infantrymen were ordered to the rear, they left 96 dead on the beach"