Battle of Brandywine at Historicon

I ran my Brandywine, September 11, 1777, scenario Saturday afternoon and evening at Historicon this year, using Field of Battle 3rd edition rules, by Brent Oman. .

The Americans are defending the line of the Brandywine and its 6 fords, trying to slow or stop Howes advance upon Philadelphia from the Southwest. 

While fighting took place at all f the Fords (including an ambush by Morgan's Rifles, Howe dispatched a flanking force which made an early arrival on the Birmingham road. British players were Jim, Ted, and Jeff; Adam had to bow out at the last minute due to feeling unwell, but we had a replacement player. On the Patriot side were Chris V, .Paul, Mike, and 2 Matts!

Action at the Southernmost ford, Pye's Ford, which is fronted by a clif!

The American rifles and artillery have really disrupted the British attack at Chad's Ford; meanwhile, the American reserves march North to counter the British flanking march

Heavy fighting at Brinten and James' Fords. 

The British have broken across the Northernmost Ford, Wistar Ford, and the flanking attack has reached Birmingham. 

Simcoe's Rangers

We had to call the action after 4 hours, because I had just an hour to reset the troops for game 2. I would have loved to have played another hour!

Game 2 saw a lot of old friends, especially on the British side - Milton, Ken, Tim, Thomas Newhart, and on the British side, Thomas' dad, Alex Newhart, Connall, Steve, and Gary. 

For these two games I tried quite a bit of pregame planning, giving the players their choice of side in advance, and considerable latitude to determine where their forces would be deployed, and who would command them. The Patriots, led by Gary "Washington", adopted a plan to concentrate their troops in the South, and plkanning to establish a strong defensive position on Chad's ridge. 

They figured that the British would be unable to defeat them before nightfall

The British had fair success crossing the Brandywine in the North, but the Americans were expecting Howe's flank march. "Rommel, you magnificent bastard, I read your book!" The Americans are seen above pulling back from Birmingham ridge to Chad's ridge. 

Farther and son battled it out across the Brandywine at Pye's Ford. 

The British flanking force and the columns crossing at Brinten and Wistar Fords are closing on the Patriot position, but the clock is running out on Howe's attempt to defeat Washington; doubtless he will slip away in the night to fight another day!

Battle of Brandywine River, September 11, 1777  - Scenario

The Brandywine is 6+ feet deep except at the fords (where it is still at least 3-4 feet deep. It may ONLY be crossed at the five designated fords. To cross, a unit must stop on contact with the edge of the ford. It takes a full MOVE segment to cross to the other side, and the unit must be March or Skirmish formation.. If in combat with a unit on the opposing bank, the enemy will get the benefit of the Superior Position modifier.

March formation can only be used for movement along roads or across fords. Units may always expend a MOVE segment to change into or out of Column for such purposes, ONLY.

Artillery may only expend MOVE segments to limber and/or unlimber on Won – Even MOVE actions. It may of course limber or unlimber on a LEADERSHIP card as per the usual rules.

American Infantry may not initiate Melee on a Won – Even MOVE, but British and Hessian infantry in Line may do so.

Hills are class 2 terrain, except Rocky Hill, which is class 4 terrain (impassable cliff face) where it fronts the Brandywine River, and Class 3 terrain elsewhere.

Woods are Class 3 terrain, except the Orchard, which is Class 2. ALL American troops treat woods as though they were Light Infantry (as do British Light Infantry and Hessian Feldjagers) – Class 2 counts as class I, and Class 3 as class 2. Conversely Cavalry and Artillery treat Class 3 woods as impassible, and Class 2 woods as class 3. Visibility into Class 2 woods is 4”, 2” into Class 3 woods.

Buildings and fences/walls are all class 2 terrain for movement and cover; stop on contact unless acting on a Won – Even MOVE, in which case no penalty.

Fields are purely decorative and have no effect upon play.

Regardless of the LD rolls, the British player will go first on the first initiative of the game.

The game ends at the end of the initiative in which the British play their 7^th MOVE card (The game will start with a fre British MOVE), and the first imnitiative will go to the British as well regardless of the LD rolls.

Victory Conditions:

If the British exit any un-routed units from the Eastern end of the tables along the Middle or Great Post roads it will be at least a minor British victory. (addded after the games).

If the British fail Army Morale it is a Major Victory for the Americans; Decisive if the Americans have more Morale Points than they started with. If neither side fails Army Morale it is a minor victory for the Americans. I the Americans fail Army Morale it is a minor victory for the British; Major if they have more Morale points than they started with at the end of the game.

British briefing and forces:

General Sir William Howe: After landing your army at the apex of Chesapeake Bay (transport courtesy of the Royal Navy and your Brother, Admiral Richard Howe), you have moved North and to the West of the Delaware River to threaten the Rebel capitol at Philadelphia. In so doing, the Rebels will feel morally obligated the Rebels to make a stand before you reach that city, lest the morale of their cause collapse. General Washington and his rag – tag “army” has taken up defensive positions along the Brandywine river. He hopes your army will bloody itself attempting to force the position. But there may be other options...

You must assign at least one command to attack at least 3 of the Fords (you can attack all 5 if desired, and with as many more commands as desired). Such commands may start on the table up to 6” on, but no closer than 4” any of the Fords.

You may designate up to 3 commands as a flanking force, to arrive later from the North via the Birmingham Road. Such a force will not arrive until at least the second MOVE card, and possibly later.

TURN D 10 roll to enter

2 7+

3 4+

4 Automatic

Any remaining commands can be designated as Reserve, and may enter from the East via the roads to Chad's, Brinten's and/or Jones's Ford on any MOVE card starting with the first, and Pyle's or Wister's Ford on any MOVE card after the first.

Lieutenant General William Howe LD 10

Average Sequence Deck

Major General Charles Cornwallis LD 10

Wing Commander

Lieutenant General Wilhelm von Knyphausen LD 10

Wing Commander

Major General Charles Grey LD 10

3^rd British Brigade 1000

52^nd Foot D 6 C 10

Orange Rangers D 4 C 8

King's Royal Regiment of New York D 4 C 10

64^th Foot D 6 C 8

6# Foot Battery D 6 C 10

Brigadier General James Agnew LD 8

4^th British Brigade 1400

21^st Foot D 6 C 12

24^th Foot D6 C10

47^th Foot C 6 D10

62^nd Foot D 6 C 10

6# Battery D 6 C 10

Brigadier Edward Mathews LD 8

British Guards Brigade 1000

Guards #1 D 8 C 12+1

Guards #2 (9^th Foot) D 8 C 12+1

Colonel Sir Robert Abercrombie LD 10

British Light Infantry Brigade 1300

Light Infantry #1 D 6 C 8

Light Infantry #2 D 6 C 10

Colonel Henry Monckton LD 10

British Grenadier Brigade 1400

1^st Grenadier Battalion D 8 C 12+1

2^nd Grenadier Battalion D 8 C 12+1

Ferguson LD 8

42^nd Highlanders D 8 C 12

71^st Highlanders D 8 C 12

Queen's Rangers (Rifles) D 6 C 10

16^th Light Dragoons D 6 C 10

Brigadier General “Smith” LD 10

First British Brigade 1400 [Hessians]

Von Lossberg Fusiliers D 6 C 10

Von Knyphaussen Fusiliers D 6 C 10

Von Ditforth Fusiliers D 6 C 10

Erbprinz Fusiliers D 6 C 10

3# Gun D 6 C 10

Major General James Grant LD 12+1

2^nd British Brigade 1300

5^th Foot D 6 C 10

30^th Foot D 6 C 10

Foot Battery D 6 C 12

16^th Light Dragoons D 6 C 10

Major General Johann von Stirn LD12+1

Hessian Brigade 2200

Von Donop Musketeers D 6 C 10

Von Trumbach Musketeers D 6 C 8

Von Wutginau Musketeers D 6 D 8

Leib Musketeers D 6 C 10

Feldjagers ® D 8 C 12

6# Gun D 6 C 8

Colonel Karl von Donop LD 12

Hessian Grenadier Brigade 1300

Grenadier #1 D 8 C 12+1
Grenadier #2 D 8 C 12

Grenadier Von Rall D 8 C 12

American brirefing and forces:

Having revived the sagging spirits of the Patriot cause with timely victories at Trenton and Princeton this past winter, the enlistments of most of the army expired, with the few remaining troops wintering in Morristown, NJ. In July of 177, the bulk of the British army departed new York by ship, Their destination was uncertain, but a plan to attack and seize the capitol of your new nation at Philadelphia was suspected. This indeed proved to be the case, , with the British making a long voyage all the way down to the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, and then sailing all the way up to it's apex. They are now marching Northeast towards Philadelphia. You have managed to recruit a force roughly equal in size to that of General Howe's army. While the men have gained some valuable experience in various skirmishes with the enemy in New Jersey, the majority of them are untested in battle, and certainly no match for them in a one on one fight in the open field. However, honor, the Continental Congress, and the morale of the Patriot cause all require that some attempt be made to prevent Howe from just marching straight in to Philadelphia. You have taken up defensive positions along the Brandywine River, which can only be crossed at a limited number of Fords. You expect Howe to make the most direct approach to Philadelphia, along the grandly named Great Post Road (in reality a one cart wide dirt road), crossing at Chads and/or Brinten's Fords. However, prudence dictates that the other Fords must be guarded to some degree as well.

You may deploy your forces anywhere East of the Brandywine River and South of Birmingham Ridge, except that up to 2 commands each may be deployed within the 12” East of James and Wister's Fords, respectively

Notwithstanding the above,you may place any or all of your Rifle units hidden in ambush in any woods at the start of the game. Write down their location(s) and give it the GM.

The Redoubt on Chads' ridge is Class 3 terrain; it can target both Chads' and Brinten's Fords..

Add the “Sniper” card to the British deck.

Lieutenant General George Washington LD 10

Major General Nathaniel Green LD 10

2500 Virginians Good Leadership

Pennsylvania Continentals D 6 C 10

Maryland Continentals D 6 C 10

2^nd Virginia Continentals D 6 C 10

Rhode Island Continentals D 6 C 10

Easton PA Continentals D 6 C 12

1^st Virginia Continentals D 6 C 10

Brigadier General “Mad”Anthony Wayne LD12+1

2000 Pennsylvanians

2^nd New Hampshire D 6 C 12

1^st Connecticut D 6 C 10

Seth Warner – Green Mtn D 6 C 10

Massachusetts Militia D 4 C 8

3# Gun D 6 C 8

Major General John Sullivan LD 8

1800 Maryland/Delaware

3^rd New York D6 C 10

Congress Owen Regiment D 6 C 10

NY Militia D4 C 12

6# Battery D6 C 12+1

Brigadier William Maxwell LD 10

1000 Light Infantry (includes 200 local Chester Co Militia)

1^st PA Rifles (R, only 2 UI) D 8 C 12

2^nd PA Rifles (R, only 2 UI) D 8 C 12

1^st Virginia Rifles (R, only 2 UI) D 8 C 12

2^nd Virginia Rifles (R, only 2 UI) D 8 C 12

Major General Adam Stephens LD ??

(good Leadership but often drunk) 2100 Virginians

Virginia Continentals D 6 C 10

Pennsylvania Continentals D 6 C 10

New York Continentals D 6 C 10

Connecticut Continentals D 6 C 10

Major General William Alexander (Lord Stirling) LD 10

1400 New Jersey troops Good Leadership

Sherbourne's Additional Continental Regiment D 6 C 10

Massachusetts Continentals D 6 C 10

New Jersey Continentals D 6 C 10

6# Gun D 6 C 8

Brigadier General Francis Nash LD 10

1000 North Carolina

North Carolina Rgt D 6 C 10

South Carolina Rgt D 6 C 8

Brigadier General John Armstrong LD 8

1000 Pennsylvania Militia

Patriot Militia #1 DD 4 C 8

Patriot Militia #2 DD 4 C 8

Casimir Pulaski LD 8

600 Light Dragoons

1^st Light Dragoons D 4 C 10

3^rd Light Dragoons D 4 C 12

Militia Cavalry D 4 C 12

Marston Moor at Historicon 2026

 

I ran my Scenario for Marston Moor, July 2, 1644, twice at Historicon, on Thursday morning and afternoon, with  For King and Parliament rules. The village of Tockwirth is in the foreground, whilst  Long Marston is at the far end. 

Parliament and the Scots are to the left, and the King's men are to the right, with their center anchored behind a hedgerow fronted by a deep, water-filled drainage ditch, and thus impassable to Horse. 

Parliamnet presses the attack on their left; red discs denote veteran units, and green discs are raw. 

Few things are more impresive than lines of pikes!

Parliamentary horse is handling their opposites on the Parliamentary left pretty roughly. 

Attacking the hedge line on the Parliamentary left center. 

Royalist Horse crumbling on their l;eft.

More even action on the Royalist Right. 

"Saint Andrew!" Covenanter Foote has turned the left of the Royalist center - this cannot be good!

Still anyone's battle on the Royalist right (the Cavaliers dispatched their reserve troops of Horse to bolster this flank. 

Opposing Dragoons fight it out in some woods. Overview from the Royalisr right. 

Overview from the Royalist right. 

There's huge gap in the Scots/ Parliamnteary center; the Cavaliers try to capitalize upon it!

Situation at battles' end - a hard won victory for the King!

I was so engaged in the action (and resetting the game in 1 hour's time) I plumb forgot to take any pictures of game 2; in this action, the Scots and Roundheads held back on the infantry assaults until later, and let their superior cavalry get the upper hand on both flanks - victory to Parliament and the Covenanters!

Sections of the water filled ditch that i made for this game. 

Historicon 2026 Part 1 - Wakefield 1460 with Test of Resolve

I ran the scenario for the Battle of Wakefield, 1460, from one of the Test of Resolve Scenario books. This is an unusual action that some modern historians think was maybe just a glorified skirmish... but if so, it had very outsized results! Briefly, Richard of York, the wealthiest noble in England, had gained control of the mentally incompetent Lancastrian King Henry VI. He lacked sufficient support to take the Crown outright, resulting in the Act of Acord, whereby Richard, himself descended from both the 2nd and 4th of  King Edward III's surviving sons, would inherit the crown upon Henry's death, bypassing the son of Henry VI and his Queen, Margaret of Anjou, the 7 year old Edward, Prince of Wales. Not surprisingly, Margaret and a number of  English nobles found the Act unacceptable, and mustered armies to contest the issue. Richard headed North to augment his forces. In the traditional version, while staying at his manor in Sandal Major, he is said to have seen a party of Yorkist foragers beset upon by some Lancastrians, ran out with his local forces to aid them, was ambushed, captured, and later executed. The ToR scenario by Tim Couper and David Knight envisions a version of those events. 

The scenario as set up in my basement a few days before Historicon.

In the center is Richard of York and his entourage... he has Lancastrian enemies to his front, right, left, and rear, with only a few allies (upper left) who may be able to aid him. 

To his right, Exeter's battle (black die frames and chips /Battle Morale Points)

To his front, Somerset's battle (Blue dice frames and chips)

Richard of York and companies. 

To his left,. Roos' battle *(red dice frames and chips)

To Ricard's left rear, a single unit of mounted Household under Richard's 2nd son, Edmund, Earl of Rutland. Arriving later will be a second Yorkist battle under Salisbury. 

The final Lancastrian force is Baron Clifford, who arrives along the road to Sandal Magna shortly after the action commences. 

Close up of our hero (?), Richard of York and his Battle (white die frames and chips). 

Version 1, Wednesday night at Historicon. My freind (and roommate for the Convention), Thomas (green shirt) graciously volunteered to play Richard, knowing that he woukld not likely end with his head still attached to his shoulders.! As it developed, we couldn't turn a Yorkist "MOVE AND MELEE"card for the longest time, whilst the Lancastrians turned many!  This lead Somerset to advance upon York, the "ambush forces of Exeter and Roos to emerge from the woods, and Clifford's battle to strike Yoprkm in the rear ere he had a chance to move even once. Yikes! By the terms of the scenario, the whole result largely turns on the fate of Richard. Richard is a "rash" commander, and MUST attack Somerset until he has engaged him, OR any of the Lancastrians emerge from the woods. Attacked from all sides, Richard ran for it, while his men, and those of Rutland and Salisbury tried to delay the pursuing Lancastrians. Richard nearly made it off the Sandal Magna table edge, which would be a draw, but then he rolled a "1" not once but twice in a row for movement. That was enough time for the Lancastrians to kill most of Richard's troops, exhausting all of his Battle Morale points. On the Battle Resolve Test, Richard's battle then broke. On the subsequent post game tests, it transpired that Richard was captured and executed the next day, more or less as we understand it happened. Huis head was displayed on a pike, adorned by crown of thorns. No wonder that brutality of "The Game of Thrones" was inspired by the Wars of the Roses!

Set up for Game 2, Friday afternoon. This time Greg K, a long time convention wargames freind, volunteered to be Richard, whilst his gaming buddies ganged up against him as Lancastrians. As hopeless as Richard's situation looks, I assured both Thomas and Greg that it WAS possible for Fichard to win outright (it happened during a playtest of the scenario during the Pandemic), but that Richard had to be very, very lucky to do so.

Aided by a Lancastrian "Flummoxed card, Richard gets three moves in a row and slams into Somerset's Battle opposite him. Greg/Richard had very hot dice and Somerset... did not. Richard eliminated all of Somerset's Battle for the cost of a single lost BMP - which he regained when Somersets' battle broke!@

With no enemy in sight (Exeter and Roos haven't been able to emerge from their respective woods yet!), except the newly arrived Clifford to his former rear,  Richard turns around and heads back towards Sandal Magna. Richard could likely escape the field at this point, so Greg asked what Richard would have done. I answered, "Why, try to ride down Clifford too, of course!" After pointing out that he could have escaped, Richard resolved to do just that!

Richard's men take on Exeter's Battle first.... 

Meanwhile, Clifford and Salisbury/Rutland entertain one another around Sandal Magna. 

Fierce combats between Richard's men and those of Exeter and Roos. 

Clifford emerges victorious over both Rutalnd and Salisbury (who falls in combat), buit has only 5 BMP's left after the scrum. 

York battles on against Exeter and Roos, slowly gaining the upper hand against both!@

The Lancastrian battles are both melting away, until...

and then there were none! 

Clifford comes for Richard; both have 3 units and 5 BMP's left, but Richard's men are of better quality. They are, however,, "damned tired", having defeat not one, not two, but three enemy Battles already. 

Clifford and York go head to head to determine who will emerge the Victor!

York doesn't lose a single round of melee; Clifford is eliminated, and Richard and his companies are the Last Men Standing. It transpires that Somerset, Roos, Clifford, and Exeter are all either killed on the battlefield, or captured and then executed. Rutland survives unharmed, and Salisbury is wounded but later recovers. All hail Richard of York, the Once and Future King of all England!

What a blast this game was (and a tour de force of card sequence and die rolling by Greg/York). Not a game that any involved will soon forget. Thanks to all the players!