Muskets and tomahawks in the South Carolinas

Somewhere in the South Carolinas

Recently ICs organised a three way musket and tomahawks game set in the South Carolinas during the American war of Independence. The protagonists were the Americans, the British and  the indians. The setting was an American friendly farmstead, housing supplies for the rebels.  The Americans were tasked to save the farmers and two of three buildings, The British were tasked to burn down two of three buildings and seize the supplies. While the Indians were looking to steal the supplies and kill the farmers. The objectives inter-linked so players had to engage with other players rather than trying to ignore them and pursue their own mission. For sub plots, the American officer had to end the game unseen by any enemy units, while the British officer had to win a round in hand to hand combat and the indian chief had to ensure one of his chosen units survived the game.

An American Farmstead

Force wise the indians had a war chief and four six man warbands.  The British had one officer, one unit of ten regulars and one units of eight light infantry (light bobs).  The Americans had an officer leading one unit of twelve regulars supported by one unit of six riflemen and a unit of six minute men.  Tonio took command of the indians, ICs took the British and I got the Americans

little lambs

Wildlife

The action started with the arrival of the indians moving under blinds they made a bee-line for the supplies.  The British arrived shortly after with the regulars moving to intercept the indians while the light bobs moved to start burning the farm.  The American arrived late with the regulars moving to help the farmers while the riflemen and minutemen went save the buildings from the light bobs.

Vital rebel supplies

An indian band broke cover and made it to the supplies but it was fired on by the British and retreated back into the woods before it could get away with the supplies. Meanwhile the light bobs received some unwanted attention from the rifle men and minute men.  They moved into cover which was conveniently a barn they intended to burn. Elsewhere the farmers began their escape, slowly moving (they only move 3”) covered by the American regulars

patriots on the march 

Nightfall came early reducing shooting and limiting movement (the American civilians were now reduced to a 2” move).  Under darkness the indians again moved to the supplies this time the British were too busy reloading to stop them getting the supplies and sneaking back to the woods.  The light bobs set fire to the barn. While the Americans continued to cover the retreat of the farmers.

Farmers fleeing to safety

With the supplies safely in Indian hands the remaining indians began to stalk after the farmers . The light bobs moved to burn the next building while the British regulars moved forward to cover them with the british officer moving forward looking to cut down some minute men in melee.  The American regulars began to volley fire into the indians to keep them away from the farmers while the riflemen and minute men forced the light bobs back from the remaining farm buildings.

The British a coming

Sensing his moment the British officer broke cover and single handed charged the minute men.  With a fury of blows he slew one and forced the others to retreat.  Elsewhere the indians screamed their warcry, threw their tomahawks and charged the American regulars protecting the farmers.  The Regulars barely managed to beat back the indian assault despite outnumbering they two to one. But the indians were beaten back and it was their last chance to get an the farmers before they made it to safety.  On the other side of the farm the minute men released the British officer was just one man and he was on his own. They turned round and leveled muskets and gave him a volley from which he could not escape..

Riflemen and minutemen cover the farmers retreat

With that the game ended.  The British had achieved one of their three objectives, the indians had achieve two of the three objectives while the Americans had managed to get all of their objectives.

While the British advance

Overall a great game. Musket and tomahawks was easily able to hand the three way with the card activation keeping players on their sits waiting for the next card.

Night fall gives penalties for long range firing but firing line ignore penalties for long range firing.
As the British firing lines said to the Indian warband

Things get sticky at the farm as the Americans try to push back the other protagonists

Volley fire starts to thin out the indians

The American regulars go in with the bayonet to break the Indian

Who put that here?
The farmers wander into a swamp reducing their movement to 1"

That is all for now thanks for stopping by.