Raid on Christmas Eve - Muskets and Mohawks AAR

Had an hour or so to kill before the family came over for Christmas Eve so thought I'd play a little Muskets and Mohawks. I decided that the scenario would be an Indian raid on a colonial settlement on Christmas Eve day.

I started with thirty Colonial Militia divided into three ten man companies. One company, under Abner, would be placed between the woods and the buildings on the right flank. The second, under Benjamen, would be in the middle between the settlement and the far woods. The third, under Cameron, started in the far woods near the river. 

At the start of the scenario all I know is the Indians will be entering from the south, the table edge opposite where I set up. There would be three PEF markers, Possible Enemy Force markers, that would enter at random in random sections of the table.

After I had set up it was time to start the battle.

 Benjamen's company can be seen to the left (actually in the center of the line) with Cameron's in the far woods. The game started with the three PEFs moving. PEF and Non-Player figures would be moved and their tactics outlined based on their mission. As they were attacking their movement and tactics would be very aggressive. 

The first PEF entered the table across form Cameron's company and moved 16" directly towards them. This movement across the open called for the PEF to be resolved. I rolled and the results were nothing present. PEFs combine the uncertainty of dummy markers with generated movement. Until they were resolved I had no idea what I was facing except that there were 3 PEFs at the start.

And now one proved to be nothing.

The second PEF arrived behind the woods across from the settlement and moved towards Abner's company but the woods prevented it's resolution.

The third PEF entered the table behind the second  but did not move forward. 

Knowing where the PEFs were, allowed for my first decision. One PEF was gone and two were behind the woods to the south. The only way to generate more PEFs would be by a 2d6 roll of 7 when Reinforcements are rolled for. This would signal possible reinforcements (more PEFs) for the Indians or help from the garrison at Fort New Braunsfels but in either case the odds were slim. I decided to move Abner's company into the woods. Better to meet them head on in the woods than to allow them to gain the edge and fire at us out in the open. The previous picture shows Abner's company entering the woods.
Gambling that reinforcements wouldn't arrive, Benjamen's and Cameron's companies began to move forward. If reinforcements did arrive they would be met farther to the south.

 Next turn and no reinforcements arrive.
The 2nd PEF activates and moves into the woods and reaches 6" from Abner's company. This triggers its resolution and it is a band of 10 Indians.

The 3rd PEF to the rear of the 2nd begins to enter the woods  and heads towards Abner's company as well but as of yet are out of sight. 
As the Indians come into range Abner gives the order and the men open fire causing light casualties. The Indians continue forward. As Benjamen's men move towards Abner's men they can hear the war cries as the Indians charge.

 The melee is brief but bloody with the Indian Leader going down. As quickly as they attacked the Indians withdraw leaving half of their number behind. But any celebration is short-lived as the next PEF moves into sight. A war party of twenty Indians come rushing forward.

 Abner's men fire as best they can and drop one or two Indians but they are soon in a bitter hand to hand struggle. Outnumbered they are forced to run for the safety of their homes as the Indians press on.

 

Lucky for them Benjamen's company has arrived and taken up positions behind the woods. Now it would be a race for them to form up into a line before the Indians come into contact as a good volley may be just enough to stop their advance.

 Too late! The Indians break from the woods and continue their attack. As half of them turn to the right towards Cameron's men the others scream towards Benjamen's men who fire as best they can. The fire barely slows the Indians who slam into the previously untested militia. The melee is hard fought...

 But the militia are no match for the Indians.As they break and run the Indian's stop and begin the grisly task of taking trophies.
To the right Cameron's company, the last hope of the settlement has reached a point between the two bands of Indians. As the second Indian band bursts from the woods towards them, they wait calmly, shoulder to shoulder in formed line. As the Indians come into range the order is given. Fire!

 The volley crushes the Indians causing heavy causalities. Included in the casualties is their Leader. The fire proves to be too much and second band of Indians melts away.

 As the last band of Indians finishes their task they turn towards Cameron's men who are now moving quickly to swing their firing line about. Forsaking the use of their muskets the Indians move forward as the militia men launch a deadly fire on them. 

 As the firing continues the Indians begin to falter, the prospect of charging into these deadly muskets is less enticing than before, and slowly they begin to drift away into the woods.

One last roll for reinforcements as there are still Indians on the table. None arrive, the battle is over. After the battle is over casualties are accounted for with the militia taking ten, mostly from Benjamen's company. Indian casualties were fifteen left on the filed and the rest running away.
Excellent game! Not knowing what you're facing makes things a bit more tense. And once all PEFs are resolved there's a rush to finish off the enemy before they can received reinforcements.   The Non-Player Tactics and  Movement Tables allow for the NP Forces to move in set ways. As the Indians were on a Raid mission the are prone to attack whenever possible.
In the previous game the British Regulars were on a scouting mission and were lucky that the Indians that they met were also on a scouting mission so did not press the attack. But that's for another report.