Shed Wars: Attack on Fort Henri

Hi Folks

Monday night saw the temperatures dropping to nearly zero but hey we decided to crack on with a Muskets & Tomahawks game in the Shed. Fortunately the Shed is insulated and a small heater did its best to pump up the temperature inside to a barmy 13 degrees. This bodes well for games as we hit the depths of winter!

Following the previous weeks VBCW game my new players were keen to have a crack at M&T and judging by their reactions when they saw the table I'd like to think they were more than happy with this choice.

I had expected six players (including myself) but sadly two had to withdraw at the last minute. Not to worry I made some minor alterations to the scenario and things planned out well.

First up a quick description of the table. This featured a shed load of trees, all my log houses (Pegasus) and my scratchbuilt fort. This was used to build both a fort and trading post.

Both of the two fortified areas were defended by French Woodsmen and regular troops. Native allies (originally to be played by one of the missing players) were now fed into the game as reinforcements.

You can see from the positions marked out on the map the French Garrisons were quite close to the British lines. This had the impact of accelerating play and getting stuck into the action.

The following pictures are screenshots from the battle. Unfortunately I wasn't able to take as many photos as I would have liked...I was playing.

No AAR this time but suffice to say the British captured the fort but just could not muster sufficient forces to secure the trading station. Man of the match award went to Johns lone Coueur de Bois sniper who not only saw his mates die to a man he bravely fought on and shot several rangers and redcoats.,

The French defenders in the trading station

Defence at the fort...

Redcoats crossing upstream and came under furious fire from the Canadian irregulars. All three platoons suffered and could not press home the advantage.

Meanwhilst more Canadians manned the fort ramparts only to be blown away by British supporting natives...

Despite carrying bows all Indians were musket armed..

A volley of fire from these three British platoons on the left flank decimated the fort defenders. They never recovered

Having crossed the bridge on the right flank the British redcoats came under sustained Indian and Canadian irregular fire and just couldn't push forward to towards the trading post.

The Rifle armed Rangers sniped across the expanse of the river but slow loading and well defended opposition meant most shots fell short of their mark.