The AWI or Revolutionary War as we like to call it, is celebrating its 250 year mark. To commemorate the occasion, we wanted to so some AWI wargaming. We were going to do just whatever AWI scenario that struck our fancy, but we were going to be gaming on ‘the day’… the shot heard around the world day… so what better place to start than Lexington & Concord. Being that they each were very one-sided, brief encounters, we paired them with The Retreat to Boston to create a 3-Part Mini-Campaign. The scenario is written to go with the rules Flash in the Pan, but it could be generally useful for any rules set. You can get both the rules and scenario as free pdf files here.
The British begin to arrive at Lexington Green.
In deciding how to game a situation where one side can’t win outright, we chose to set victory conditions based on how players did vs their historical counter parts: Can you dish out more casualties and take less yourself… do about the same, etc. That way, you can loose the inevitable battle and still feel good about yourself.
We gathered to play the scenario on April 19, 2025… as mentioned, exactly 250 years after it happen. Part A (Lexington) of our re-fight went something like this…
Our Colonial Militia did only slightly better than the originals before scampering off, earning a minor moral victory, worth 1 point in the mini-campaign, for their side. The British march on to Concord were we re-fight Part B, the encounter at the Old North Bridge. There, the British get pushed off the bridge so fast, I don’t even have time to take a photo. But they redress the lines and show those Yanks that they still do have a bit of a fight left in them before they withdraw. This modern day re-fight ends in a tie so no victory points for either side.
The British pack up and start the return trip to Boston. Unfortunately for them, it will be under fire for the entire trip. Part C of our 3-Part Mini-Campaign can be re-run 3 times with varying conditions to reflect exhaustion, running low on ammunition, and meeting up with Brigadier General Earl Percy’s relief column. We only ran through it one time, but the Colonial Militia was able to pull off a major victory, worth 4 points for the mini-campaign. With 5 total points accumulated for them vs 0 for the British, it was a pretty resounding victory. The British are unlikely at this point to turn things around. They will be happy just to return to the safety of Boston.
Now, if you missing the opportunity to game with us (either in person or at your own location), don’t fret. This is only the beginning. Just as Lexington & Concord had their 250th, so will every battle of the Revolutionary War… and we are going to fight them all on their days as well! (Well, a lot of them… and only close to on their days). We are calling this 8 year commitment AWI Project 250, #America250.
May 10, 1775. Since Fort Ticonderoga was capture without any fighting, we will skip this one. If you are unfamiliar, you should take a few minutes to read about it. It did gain valuable weapons for the Continental Army… and pissed off Benedict Arnold, so it is worth knowing about.
Our next session will be Sun. 15, 2025 (Battle Bunker (Breed’s) Hill, MA) refought a couple days before its 250 year anniversary. Check back for an update.
For our complete gaming schedule (not only AW), info on how to join us, etc., check out Hubbard Ohio Gamers’ Guild here.
RRB Minis & More 