Replay #4

I hadn't really planned on blogging about this particular game, but by turn 4 the Americans seemed to have it pretty sewn up and there had been no casualties in terms of lost units, just heavy, if desultory, skirmishing. I found this interesting, so I decided to follow it the rest of the way through. I'm glad I did because the battle got real interesting at that moment...

Only two turns left and the British have not made any serious headway. Even Street Road seems pretty secure with Greene's fresh command ready to defend it. Note the Gettysburg-esque fishhook!


That was the beginning of turn four. At the end of turn four we get quite another picture.

The British stop pussy footing around and decide to take Street Road. Mathews strikes hard and two of Greene's Brigades go "POOF!" in a fine pink mist. Fraser's Highlanders take out another Brigade and Greene's Command is suddenly exhausted. Tarleton charges the advancing militia and after engaging for sometime both fall back entirely spent.
After almost a full day of tense but uneventful feint and counter-feint the timbre of the contest changes dramatically and in a short time the battle seems to be determined as was so often the case in The American War of Independence.


But wait, Washington isn't ready to concede the day. There is a little light left and with it he decides to commit all in a desperate last gamble. The Americans come alive and everybody surges forth to drive the British from Philadelphia!

But yeah, No. That doesn't happen. Henry Knox's Artillery is captured by Cornwallis and all the American attacks are blunted by the stout British. Note that historically, this probably would never have happened as Washington was more concerned with saving his army once the British had crossed the Brandywine, but this is just a game and the what-ifs are half the fun! British win 4-0.