Beachhead 2025

 Sorry I wasn't There

Unfortunately I couldn't make Beachhead 2025, but some friends sent me a few pictures. 

An impressive looking Helm's Deep

Rob

The Battle of Guilford Courthouse

A Tactical British Victory

While away for business, I was able to visit the battlefield of the battle of Guildford Courthouse in North Carolina. Which was the site of a battle during the American war for Impendence. Given how well battlefield was presented, I was surprised to find that it was actually British victory all be it tactical one. 

The battlefield is now a national park with a very good little museum chronicling the battle.

Commanders and Units Involved

The Combined British Forces was 2,100 strong.

The Continental army was about 4,500.

A Brief Summary of the Battle

There are lots of good accounts online if you want to read about it in detail (in all the usual places), but I will summarise the key points. 

The battle took place on the March 15, 1781, between the British forces under Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis and the Continentals under Major General Nathanael Greene at Guilford Courthouse in North Carolina. 

While the Continentals enjoyed a large numeral advantage of over two to one. Greene understood that the majority of his force were untrained and untested militia men against a battle hardened and veteran, combined British & German army.  So, rather than opting for an offensive strategy, he formed his army in three rows with the first two rows made up of Maryland and Virginia militia plus independent units. With the third row made up of his most experienced troops. And waited for the British to attack. 

Over the course of the day, the British broke through the first two Continental lines but not without fierce fighting and heavy casualties. With the militias giving good account of themselves. By the time they had reached the third line, the British forces had endured heavy fighting for several hours and a well-trained force waiting for them across open ground. 

The Jägers and the 33rd Foot were the first units to approach the enemy. The British came within a 100 feet of the enemy line before combined volleys of the Maryland and Delaware companies drove them back.

The 2nd Guards had better luck and forced the 2nd Maryland regiment to break and also followed up to capture two of the enemy six-pounders. The 1st Maryland regiment then turned and engaged the 2nd Guards. While Washington's dragoons charged through the rear of the 2nd Guards. The 1st Maryland regiment then charged with bayonets fixed.  

Cornwallis ordered his artillery to fire grapeshot into the mass of fighting men. The grape shot killed both Americans and British soldiers. The British then advanced toward the gap left by the 2nd Maryland regiment.

By 3:30 pm Greene ordered his army to withdraw under friendly covering fire. Initially Cornwallis ordered a pursuit but soon recalled his men. After the battle Cornwallis had lost over quarter of his men compared to less than ten percent for the Continentals. 

The Park

The site is now owned by the National parks service and as well an excellent museum, their are some informative panels dotted around the park and monuments to those involved. 

Monument to Greene and the soldiers

After the Battle

So, while clearly the British won the tactical victory by forcing the Continentals from the field. They failed in their strategic aims which was to break the enemy force. Additionally, Cornwallis was forced to give up pursuit in order to resupply and gather reinforcements. Conversely Greene had managed to drain the British forces without suffering heavy casualties and escape with the bulk of his regular forces intact. Which ultimately led to Yorktown and the British surrender. 

Rob

Ruffian Toll Collecting

 Tolls & Taxes

Not much hobbying lately as I have been away on business. But I finally got some time in today, to finish off the Ruffian toll booth. Now I am back, I can focus on the next campaign scenario - The Ruffians Arrive. 

One More Wizard

After about half a dozen attempts, I finally got my hands on a limited edition Radagast the Brown. The Buy It Now options on eBay are £30 - £50 which just seems just nuts. So, I have been waiting for reasonable auction one. But then so has everyone else. Pleased I managed to get one still on the sprue.

One From the Other side of the Pond

I managed to test (purely for scientific purposes) a number of different local ales while away. And on the whole, most were pretty good. 

Rob 

Heroes & Villains of the Shire

 Ready for Battle

Prep continues for the next battle 'The Ruffians Arrive'  with both sides using Influence points to bolster their forces with some extra heroes. With Pete finished, I have enough ruffians done and attention turns to the hobbits. 

Pip & Farmer Maggot scout the area. 

Bill's Henchmen

Pip will have to do a bit of double duty as I don't have many hobbits minis at the moment. 

Rob

A Little Late Night Shopping

 Game 3 - Hog Rustling 

Background

When Paladin Took* heard about a band of ruffians who had stolen the prize truffle pigs of Martha Harthbroom (second cousin twice removed), he considered his duty as a foremost hobbit amongst hobbits to rescue the pigs. So, he called together a band of brave hobbits and waited until dark.

The hobbits are attempting to recover the pigs without the ruffians noticing.

*And I had just finished repainting him and wanted give him an outing. 

Forces

The hobbits are led by Paladin Took, there are four hobbit militia and one archer. Plus local hero Pip Proudfoot (the hobbit with green waistcoat). 

There six ruffians with two armed with a bow. Lead by a Bully - One Eyed Ned (in the centre). 

Both sides used two influence points to bring an extra minor hero.  

Hobbits Deployment

The hobbits placed along the southern table edge.

Ruffians Deployment

Three ruffians are placed on sentry duty (using the sentry rules) at the beginning of the scenario with the other three in the guard hut. The ruffian bully will turn up after the alarm has been raised on a roll of 5+.

Pigs

The pigs have a move of 4” and are moved by the player with priority. Unless there is a mini with 1” of the pig in which case take a courage test, if passed then the pig can be moved 2” in the direction of the controlling player. Otherwise the player with priority moves them. Neither side may harm the pigs. 

In the Dark of the Night

It is a dark night, so hobbits hit on a 5+ and ruffians hit on 6 for ranged attacks. And the maximum range for bows is 10”.

Victory

The hobbits win if they get two or more pigs off the northern table edge. It is a draw if only one pig taken off the northern table edge.

The Game

The first few turns started with the ruffian sentries moving forwards and backwards as they gained and lost priority. Until eventually the hobbits made it to the pig pen and one of guards spotted the hobbits.

After collecting two pigs, Paladin decided the time was right and used his point of might to call a heroic move to try and get clear of the ruffians after losing priority. The ruffians then came off worse in the next couple of combats and lost several of their number.

One Eyed Ned appeared on the first available turn on the northern table edge and charged straight for the hobbits. 

But there were now not enough ruffians to gang up on the hobbits and despite the pigs wandering off. The hobbits were able to gang up on the few remaining ruffians. And even One-eyed Ned was taken down but not before one ruffian archer** managed to kill three hobbits in spite of being surrounded. 

**The one in light tan top, the other archer fled the battle at the first opportunity. 

After the battle, the hobbits made off with all three pigs. The ruffian archer who killed three hobbits in melee was promoted to a bully and named strong armed Pete. And one-eyed Ned made a full recovery but had to use an influence point to recover his point of Fate. Paladin managed to get the 5+, so recovered his point of Might for free. None of the characters had gained enough experience to roll on the experience table. 

I decided to make a new mini represent Strong Armed Pete instead of repainting the original mini. Since Pete  killed three hobbits in melee I choose to have him in a fighting pose rather than shooting. I used the Frostgrave Pirates sprue that I bought for this specific purpose. 

Rob