Battle of Sawmill Village

Today I'm trying a cut-down Charge!, and the Charles Grant Sawmill Village scenario, from his delightful War Game Companion.

The rules. I have several sets of rules that I can't remember where on the Internet I found them; this is one, a "dining-table" variant of Charge!

Lex must be removed from the table again...

The battlefield - three hills, three "built-up areas", an orchard, and a wall.

The Brits - From left: Werrickshire, South Essendale and Royal Kempston Regiments and a gun.

The French - Saillant, Bourbon, and Navarre Regiments, plus a gun.

Turn 1. Both sides advance, limbered or in column.

Turn 2. Columns snake into the open ground, as both guns unlimber, ready to fire next turn.

Turn 3. Units shake into line, the British still cramped. Neither gun gets a shot off.

The Kempstons and Bourbons exchange fire, causing two casualties apiece but halved for the cover between them. Red sequins count casualties.

Turn 4. Further advances. The Kempstons, holding Sawmill Village, come to grip with the Bourbons as the guns of both sides fire at medium range into infantry targets.

Navarre and Werrickshires exchange volleys, the British taking the worst of it.

12. In the village, the Kempstons, outnumbered on their flank, take six casualties to the Bourbon's three and are forced to fall back half a move - ie, an inch in the built-up area. Both units will rally next turn.

Turn 5. The South Essendales (Prince of Gwyneth's Own Volunteers) move to support the Werrickshires, who stolidly march up the hill into the deadly short-range volleys of Navarre...

... whilst the Saillant wheel towards the village. Guns have no effect.

Turn 6. In a rare success for the British, canister kills six of the Saillant.

But the French are moving to bracket the village, as the Werrickshires go into a desperate charge.

My method for rolling off in one-on-one combats - toss the dice down the table, move them across from each other in order and compare.

The Werrickshires win the combat, pushing the Navarre back but not off the hill.

Turn 7. The Saillant swing the door shut on the village, despite another charge of canister in the face. A surprisingly good firing phase for the two French regiments causes four casualties to the defenders, despite their cover. In the background, the Essendales can be seen straggling up the hill behind the rallying Werrickshires.

Turn 8. A climax of bayonets!

After two bloody melees, the lines up the hill break apart for a breather. But the Kempstons, down  to sixteen men and surrounded, break, and the French now hold the village.

With all infantry rallying, the Essendales are able to get in a quite frankly unrealistic charge around the Navarre flank. Like the previous ruleset I tried, the "bucket-o-dice" CC mechanism is in play here.

The Navarre are driven off the hill.

While their opponents rally, the Werrickshires form column and head for the French gun. The gunners, having been hit by two rounds from the British gun, flee the field.

The game, I think, will end here. The French have reversed ranks and stoutly hold the village, and the battered British regiments, even with help from their intact half-battery, can't take it at this stage. Perhaps there will be a second Battle of Sawmill Village!

For the second time, rolling close combat dice kinda wore me out, and to less realistic effect in this battle. I think I will try Junior General rules next.