Niagara 1814 Campaign Inches Closer

The campaign rules are complete and we are getting closer to the start of the 1814 Campaign. I have secured a second player and we have some candidates for subordinates as we get into the campaign. I will give a complete run-down of the campaign details as soon as I have a moment. The first battle should be in early November.

Marc Graduates US Army Basic

My apologies for not being more faithful with this blog. I just wanted to get it out there that our son, Marc has completed his US Army Basic Combat Training at Ft. Jackson, SC and is now undergoing Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Ft. Bragg, NC. His military specialty is Psychological Operations Specialist (37F). So far, so good. Once he finishes AIT he will go on to US Army Airborne School. He is looking forward to me giving him his "blood wings" on graduation day from Airborne School - almost as much as I am looking forward to giving them to him!! When I have some pictures of him to post I will do so.

Marc Training to Become a Soldier

Our son Marc is at Basic Combat Training at Ft. Jackson, SC. He is in C Co., 3-13th Infantry. He is currently starting his 4th week of training - almost halfway through.
We can't wait to see him at graduation the first week of October.

The 13th US Infantry

Here is a photo of the 13th US Infantry. This is the most recent unit I completed for my War of 1812 campaign game. The reason I painted the 13th is because me eldest son is currently in Basic Combat Training at Ft. Jackson, SC. His unit is C Co., 3-13th Infantry. So this is for Marc. The unit is a pretty basic US Infantry unit for the 1814 Niagara Campaign. The troops are clothed in tan coats faced red. The officer and drummer are fairly regulation dress. The unit has a battalion color which includes a "13" to designate the regiment.

How can a month go by so quickly? This has been a very busy time for us as a family and the hobby has really suffered. We had a graduation, my oldest son/middle child Marc graduated from High School and is getting ready to go into the US Army. The rest of the summer - at least until Marc's departure on July 21st - will be kind of hectic.

What little hobby time I have had lately has been spent working on a new idea. Still a very small idea, but it could grow into one of the best yet. Given the success of my Niagara Campaign and other War of 1812 games, I began to toy with the idea of a true Napoleonic, Wing Scale, Volley & Bayonet game. I began to think about all of the "Smaller" Napoleonic battles I could recall. One battle which has always fascinated me is Quatre Bras just before Waterloo. Besides, I have always wanted to have a "Black Brunswicker" wargames army so here is my perfect excuse!

I have started to research Orders of Battle and started to make up a list of the figures necessary to put on a Wing Scale game of Quatre Bras. I even bought enough Old Glory figures to raise the Brunswick force of 1815. The first troops are on the painting table and I hope to have pictures ready for this site within a few weeks.

Stay tuned!

Volley & Bayonet War of 1812 Game

I hosted a Volley & Bayonet Wing Scale scenario last night at the Northern Conspiracy game night. The game pitted relatively even forces against each other in a meeting engagement with the Americans at the top of the map and the British at the bottom. The Americans, slightly inferior in troop quality, held the objective (a farm homestead) at the beginning of the game and the British had to take it from them. The terrain between the British side of the table and the farm was several fields surrounded by fence lines which caused disorder to formed troops trying to cross them.

Overall the game was very close for the first eight turns. On Turn 9 the British finally put in a massive assault on the farm and in one great round of dice rolling (killing 7 strength points) they turned around the entire game and the Americans threw in the towel.
Both sides played the game really well. The player on the American left flank used the Light Brigade to great effect, thoroughly trouncing a brigade of British/Canadian light troops and Indians. The American Rifle Regiments were especially devastating in both long range fire and in close combat. On the British side the player on the British left flank conducted an excellent assault on the defending American brigade which left two of the regiments in complete disarray.

The quality of the British units told in the end. With a couple of morale grade 6 units and one unit with a "shock" rating, the British could close with the American defensive line and overcome it with relative ease.

Thanks to all of the players (John, Leo, Ed and Andrew on the American side and Ralph and Byron on the British side). I am glad that everyone seemed to have a good time. It was nice to get all of the newly painted 1812 stuff on the table.

British Order of Battle:

1 Brigade
41st Foot
56th Foot
90th Foot (Light)
DeMeuron Regiment

2 Brigade
93rd Foot (Highlanders)
100th Foot
5th West Indies

Canadian Light Brigade
5/60 Rifles
Voltiguers Canadians
Quebec Foot Dragoons
Niagara Mounted Guides

Naval Brigade
1 Royal Marine Battalion
3 Royal Marine Battalion
2 Glengarry Militia

4 batteries of artillery (2 field and 2 heavy)


American Order of Battle:

2nd Brigade
1st US Infantry
21st US Infantry
23rd US Infantry

3rd (Militia) Brigade
5th Pennsylvania Volunteers
Dobbins' NY Militia Regiment
Pennsylvania Volunteer Rifles
NY Mounted Volunteers

Light Brigade
1st US Rifles
4th US Rifles
Swift's Regiment of NY Militia
Indians

5th Brigade
14th US Infantry
16th US Infantry
3rd US Volunteers

5 batteries of artillery (2 heavy, 2 light, 1 howitzer)

The Start of a New Game

I have been painting over the last few months. Right now I am closing in on completion of two new units - The 5th West Indies Regiment and the 15th US Infantry. These two units will complete the core forces of both sides for my upcoming fictitious Niagara Campaign. These units bring the totals to 37 US Infantry stands, 3 Cavalry stands (Regulars, Volunteers and Militia) and 30 British/Canadian Infantry stands, 2 Cavalry stands (Regulars and Militia). Added to these are 9 US gun stands and 11 British/Canadian gun stands and numerous skirmisher stands on both sides. Each side also has the requisite Native American stands.
It has taken a few years to get all of these forces ready to go, but they are almost finished! Now if I can recruit some commanders, we can get started with the campaign! More photos to come in the next couple of weeks.