Muskets and Tomahawks: English Raid on a French Village

Location:  Quebec, New France (Several miles from nowhere)  The small village of Cheap Scalps.
24 AUG 1758

For weeks English raiding parties filled with filthy American colonists have been crossing the border into Quebec looking to kill any loyal subjects of King Louis XV.  Elements of the Regimente Longduc, a company of Marines and Canadian militia and Indian Allies were dispatched to respond to British incursions. On the evening of the 23rd of August reports streamed into the local outpost that American Loyalist troops were en route to Cheap Scalps.

The Town of Cheap Scalps, Quebec

The Mayors Cottage and HQ for the French during the battle

The Marines dig in with locals to defend the cabin on the southern flank

The Regmt. Longduc Company deploys at the crossroads prepared to react to British threats

The town was alerted as a British allied band of savages attacked one of the outlaying farmhouses.  The loyal French subjects put up a mighty fight killing several savages as they broke into the house.  One young girl survived fleeing towards town only to be butchered shortly there after by pursuing savages.  ( If you can't tell by now, I played on the French side...thus the obvious bias.)

The Marines and locals started to fire at the oncoming American loyalists and Indians.  Pushing the wagon over for cover seemed like a good idea at the time, but severely impeded movement and spotting, making it hard to defend the eastern side of this house.  The Marines ended up slowly withdrawing to the west across the road and picking up a better firing position.  Unfortunately, it would also be their last move together and many would find their graves behind that fence several turns later.

American Provincial volley fire into the Marines' position.  Even the French grizzly bear would not dare to exit the woods and assault the fearless and resilient Americans...  Best showing in any M+T game to date of Provincials here in HI.

French Marines re-positioned to support the artillery.  Our fearless...and stupid commander...trotted over to the guns to aide them with some "Follow Me Boys" actions.  But while riding with his nose in the air (French style command) he was picked off by a Yankee rifleman. Damn snipers!!  The artillery cards just never fell and the guns were able to fire only once in the game.  They did mow down 4 American provincials, but not enough to justify their cost in the game....next time make sure the terrain and the mission justify use of  gun.

On the northern side of town the regulars dueled with an American regular unit and its supporting Indians.  French Irregulars and Indians moved to support the regulars and eventually whittled away at the Americans and eliminated the threat.

The  Indians in the field to the north were impossible to hit ad kept taking pot shots at the northern flank units.  This proved important because the French units could not re-position fast enough to center the final British thrust up the middle of town.

The American Loyalist Light Infantry and Rifleman came up the middle through a corn field over running a Canadian Militia unit and eventually the artillery with amazing speed, lucky rolls and card activations.

The Artillery and Marines disappeared with little or no fight as the amazing American infantry stormed towards the Mayors house.  French regulars and irregulars from the northern flank headed south to counter the light infantry.

American rifleman continue to harass French units from a perfect position just outside range of the French.

  In the end, the game was called at the end of turn 4 with the British/ American force only having killed half of the local towns people in their Slaughter mission. Their side plot ended up being exactly the same.  An almost un-achievable mission given the amount of forces, civilians and terrain they had to deal with.  The French succeeded in protecting 2/3 rds of the populace with some prudent evacuation moves and positioning of civilians and also were able to kill an enemy officer as part of the side plot.  Even-though they broke through in the center of the battlefield it would have taken at least two more turns to wipe out the remaining towns people I think.  Meanwhile French forces from the north and south were slowly encircling the American loyalists who had lost most of their Indian contingent.  I doubt they could have survived a withdraw from the town.  Anyways, a great game.  I had a lot of fun with all the other players.  I haven't played in a while and I kept confusing the rules with other systems, so it got a little frustrating, but in the end a wonderful Saturday.