This game is a playtest of Colonial Back of Beyond miniatures rules developed by the Gourmet Wargaming Club (GWC) based in Northern California. We used Zoom to connect players across the world, from California, to Texas, New Jersey, and New Zealand.
Setting the Scene
The French are establishing a lakeside trading post at the place the Natives call Ohneka, the Waters. The Abenaki are building a village there as well. On a clear Spring day, the work moves ahead. A resupply and relief column is arriving with reinforcements. The walls of the trading post are up, more forest is being cleared, new fields are being fenced, and the hunting parties are bringing in game. Suddenly a scouting party of Colonial Marines emerges in haste from the forest to report contact with a British raiding party moving through the woods. The action begins.
The French and their Abenaki allies (defending)
GAGNON (senior French commander)
Lefebvre - Town militia (Provincials) - 8 figures
Mategwas - Abenaki warriors (Veterans) - 6 figures
Nadeau - Coureur de bois (Rangers) - 4 figures (armed with rifles)
Bergeron - Villagers (Levy) - 12 figures
Brigade FORTIN
Lapointe - Colonial Marines (Veterans) - 7 figures
Damers - Villagers (Levy) - 10 figures
Awasos - Abenaki warriors (Veterans) - 7 figures
The British and their Iroquois allies (attacking)
Brigade PADGETT
Ackroyd - Fusiliers (Regulars) - 8 figures
Vessey - Trained (Provincials) - 8 figures
Arihothe - Iroquois warriors (Veterans) - 9 figures
Brigade SAUNDERS
Nash - Light Infantry (Regulars) - 8 figures
Geare - Volunteer militia (Militia) - 11 figures
Mikonse - Iroquois warriors - 8 figures
Brigade CANADY
Taylour - Roger's Rangers (Rangers) - 6 figures (armed with rifles)
Dawling - Trained (Provincials) - 8 figures
Tioicha - Iroquois warriors (Veterans) - 8 figures - arrive late by canoe
Looking north over our gaming table as the battle begins. The main terrain features (from west to east, or left to right) are dense forest, a logged area, a cluster of wigwams, an enclosed plowed field, an enclosed orchard, small stream, trading post, and the lake itself. The British and their Iroquois Indian allies will enter through three trails in the woods.
Abenaki warriors of Brigade Fortin are busy erecting wigwams.
Troops of Brigade Fournier are building the trading post and field fencing.
The French resupply column arrives under the protection of Brigade Girard.
Colonial Marines of Brigade Fortin arrive with news of the imminent British arrival.
The alarm is raised: "The British are coming!" Brigade Girard's Ligne Fusiliers and Abenaki march into the fenced field (top) as the Abenaki of Brigade Fortin rush southward from the wigwams to the dense forest surrounding the south trail. Supply wagons trundle towards the trading post, where Brigade Fournier is scrambling to move north. At the top of the photo the French "Coureur de bois" Rangers march towards the north forest trail.
In the west, French Colonial Marines advance into the forest to fire into Iroquois advancing at the point of Brigade Padgett.
Nadeau's Rangers bravely position themselves to block the advance of Brigade Saunders. Naturally, the Iroquois take this as a challenge, and charge into close combat.
The coureur de bois were wiped out to the man, but slowed the Iroquois advance (top). Would the Ligne Fusiliers and Abenaki in the fenced field engage?
In the south, Awasos's Abenaki met Roger's Rangers (under Taylour) as Brigade Canady moved up the southern forest trail. The Abenaki were pushed back with losses on both sides.
Back in the north, the Mategwas's Abenaki charge the Iroquois. Note Geare's Volunteer Militia watching the resulting close combat. The Abenaki were sent packing, with more losses to both sides. Note that the plastic ring markers on the figures denote units in "open order" rather than formed up in formal 18th-Century military style.
At top left, Damer's Villager Levies fall back within shouting distance of Dawling's Provincials. The white casualty caps mark increasing levels of fatigue; the French have been hit hard by advancing units of Brigade Padgett.
Indeed, Ackroyd's Fusiliers (with Padgett himself attached) follow Damers, and come crashing down on the hapless French villagers.
Back in the north, Geare's Volunteer Militia rush the fenced field, but are answered by a counter-charge from Bouchard's Ligne Fusiliers. The militia quickly fall back to the forest.
Note Mikonse's Iroquois warriors (top left) attempting to skirt the units of Brigade Girard to attack southward to get the trading post. Bergeron's villager levies (foreground) have fallen back from the edge of the fenced field, finding themselves in position to be a useful speed bump.
Tioicha's Iroquois warriors (from Brigade Canady) have arrived on the edge of the lake by canoe to try to take the French from behind. Ahead of them is the fenced orchard (top), now filled with numerous French militia and some wounded Abenaki. This won't be a cakewalk.
As the game comes to an end, Dawling's Provincials (with Canady himself attached) march towards the south of the trading post. Note Roger's Rangers hiding in the forest after taking a pasting from the French defenders.
In the west, Brigade Padgett remains entangled with the scattered remnants of Brigade Fortin.
In conclusion...
After a day of furious and chaotic fighting, the British raiders were stymied by a vigorous French defense of their new trading post. Victory for France!
Many thanks to G.C. for devising and hosting this very enjoyable scenario, and also for supplying all the photos of the action. "You've got good toys!"
