AWI Battle of Chatterton's Hill

My main priority of the summer holidays was to play at least one game. Time, inertia and Real Life scuppered my solo campaign plans, but I did at least get to play my old mucker Andy T at a game of Maurice. We borrowed the scenario for Grymauchs solo blog, details here which is a great source of inspiration. We played around with the forces, I ended up with 3 brigades of Rebels and a cannon, arrayed as per Grymauchs scenario. 
Dug in regulars with Irregular infantry in front, forming Putnam's brigade. In Maurice, skirmishers like these have a longer range of 6 Base Widths. This is an incredibly useful trait. This force was led by a Notable (chosen at random.) 
MacDougalls brigade with the CO planning destruction of King George and his Hessian lap dogs. The scenario called for the American forces to fight a delaying action in order to prevent General Howe turning Washingtons flank on White Hills. In terms of Maurice this meant either fighting till the Army Morale ran down or fighting till nightfall - ie, using the deck of Event cards as per the game mechanics. 
The British brazenly march across the American front, clearly looking to get around the hill and it's fortifications on its right flank. The skirmishers peppered them with fire, causing some Disrupts. Haslett's brigade on the left took up position on the lower slopes and traded fire with German grenadiers. 
MacDougalls brigade on the right successfully beat off a charge from the British Light Dragoons and line infantry. 
An unequal exchange of fire between Haslett's brigade and the efficient Germans saw the Americans rendered Broken. The Notable in charge, one Thomas Burgess, survived and left at speed.
"the British are coming!" yells Burgess, somewhat unnecessarily and factually incorrectly, as he passes the gun battery. 
on the right, MacDougalls brigade make an appeal to heaven. It didn't do them much good. 
i played this card on order to force a unit of Germans to charge my cannon. It was a nervy exchange, but the Germans carried the position at the point of a bayonet and the infantry fortification was taken shortly after. 
The German Notable poses heroically for his artist follower to take some preliminary sketches after a successful assault to clear the hill. 
on the right, MacDougalls brigade was proving a tough nut to crack. Volley exchanges, some adroit use of the Event cards and reasonable dice rolls saw the Americans a tough nut to crack. 
In the end, the deck ran out, night fell and there was still an American force on the table and so the game was declared a minor American victory. Of course, as a pick up game, we could fight to the finish. Had it been played using the Army Log, playing for Epic Points and the like, it would have been fought somewhat differently, and I'm sure the Americans might have offered their sword before this in order to preserve some of their forces.
Andy T will post the British commanders after action report, doubtlessly blaming his German allies here. 
A splendid game and with the chill weather on the day, grey skies and endless rain, it seemed more like the first game of the autumn season rather than the last of the summer. 



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